spring tune up for YZ 250

[RaggedGlory90]

Hello all,

Looking forward to a great summer of riding my new (to me) YZ 250. Last fall before i put it away i had two problems. First, i blew a con rod, and then i also seized the piston (neither which was my fault). Both were recently fixed before winter.

So i want to start this season off right by taking it to a shop for some basic spring maintenance. However I am unsure what to ask for. I know for sure the carbs need to be cleaned and the old fuel drained, but what about tranny oil? Coolant? Brake fluid? Air filter? Powervalve?

The bike sat in my shed but was exposed to some very cold weather (i live in Canada) and the fuel was not stabilized.

Basically I'm not sure what to ask to have done, and what I can do myself. I know next to nothing about motorbike maintenance. I'm hoping to learn alot more this summer but for now I really just need to know what to have checked out. I don't want to spend to much, but I also want to have some faith in the bike (which eluded me last fall).

Thanks in advance for your knowledge! I know from previous troubles that this site is a great resource.

[MX86]

get a complete suspension overhaul. Have them repack the needle bearings in the swingarm and the bearings in the steering stem. carb cleaned, new fuel, fresh tranny fluid, clean the powervalve, check the tire pressure, repack the silencer, clean the airfilter, and a new plug.

[RaggedGlory90]

Is all that necessary? I probably only rode it 10-15 hours last fall in the span of a month. And my tires rarely left the ground. I can only imagine how much it would cost to have a suspension overhaul and bearing repack at current shop rates.

[MX86]

with grease, 1/2" drive, and some time you can do it all by yourself.. i would recomend it, but that's just me

[RaggedGlory90]

thanks for the suggestions,

are all motocross bikes made with metric parts?

[MX86]

most are on the yamaha.. some of the larger bolts are SAE

[RaggedGlory90]

Originally Posted by MX86

most are on the yamaha.. some of the larger bolts are SAE

Sorry, SAE? I just figured it would be entirely metric with it being a Japanese make.

Repacking bearings in the swing arm and head tube, and overhauling the suspension, is this a very advanced thing to do? I hate spending money when I don't have to but that sounds very hard.

Also, what kind of oil do you use for your transmission? Last year they recommended something VERY expensive, maybe it was 80w90? The price seemed hefty as i was switching it out every week or two. How often do you switch?

Is WD-40 OK to keep the levers and shifter/brake pedal running smooth? I heard WD was fine for bikes so I would just spray the pivots.

Sorry for all the questions but we have the same type of bike and you know alot about it!

[MX86]

Standard american bolts. most of the plastic and cosmetics are either an 8mm, 10mm or 12mm.

it's not very hard at all to do, just takes time..

and i run 10w30 in my tranny, and change it every third ride.. and WD-40 would work great for clutch and throttle cables

and i don't mind the questions at all

[RaggedGlory90]

Awesome,

Should I switch to cheaper tranny oil or perhaps I can ride longer on a gearbox filled with expensive 80w90?

How often do you re oil your air filter - a terrible task if you ask me.

How can I remove all the gas from my tank? Do I disconnect the fuel hose from the carb or is there a valve? Also, I've been running 94 octane fuel with ethanol added. Is this a problem?

Thank you very much!

[MX86]

you could go way longer on the 80w90 then 10w30... i clean my air filter when i change my oil. not too hard just 2 seat bolts and the bolt holing the filter on...

also i wouldn't recomend the ethanol. you can live running it, but it's not the greatest. i run 91 without ethanol and runs great. also run 110 race fuel and boy does the bike really like that