Bike stored for over a decade

FLmxer
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FLmxer
Edited Date/Time 4/11/2013 10:25am
Pulling a mint 2002 YZ 250 from storage and getting her back in the line up. I am not sure if there was any gas in the carb but it was run out of gas before going away. I will clean the carb and change fluids as well as new air filter. What else should I do? Are the reeds going to be ok? It only has like 20 hours on it. I had a fatty pipe on it but a kid ghost rode his bike into me with in 100 feet of running it and smashed it and it looks like the stock pipe that is on there now is actually bent slightly where it goes into engine showing a gap from things leaning against it in storage I guess. So I need a pipe too.
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captmoto
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captmoto 4/7/2013 4:12pm
4/7/2013 4:12pm
Fuel line for sure, maybe the vent tubes on the carb. Maybe O-rings on the pipe. Check the pipe hangers, maybe they are bent. I think the reeds will be fine.
captmoto
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captmoto 4/7/2013 4:13pm
4/7/2013 4:13pm
Oh, tires may chunk when you ride and tubes may be brittle.
jhansen510
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jhansen510 4/7/2013 7:20pm
4/7/2013 7:20pm
Possible that the forks are leaking from the weight of the bike. Unless of course it was on a stand.
scooter5002
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scooter5002 4/7/2013 8:50pm
4/7/2013 8:50pm
Change your stator side crank seal.

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FGR01
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FGR01 4/7/2013 8:53pm
4/7/2013 8:53pm
I pray for you that no gas with castor oil was left in the tank or carb.
FLmxer
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FLmxer 4/8/2013 9:50am
4/8/2013 9:50am
Thanks a bunch for the tips.
CamP
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CamP 4/8/2013 10:02am
4/8/2013 10:02am Edited Date/Time 4/8/2013 10:05am
I've had several bikes that have been stored for longer than that, and done nothing more than install a new air filter, fresh tranny oil, fresh coolant and they fired up and ran great. I wouldn't automatically start digging into and replacing parts, with the exception of a fresh air filter, as they get brittle with age. I've seen several mint bikes that were damaged when someone ran them after many years of storage, only to suck the dry rotted air filter into the engine.

By the way, my 1982 RM250, still has the original crank seals, coolant hoses and fuel line and vent hoses. No need to change that stuff unless you experience some issues with them.
FLmxer
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FLmxer 4/8/2013 10:12am
4/8/2013 10:12am
Thanks a ton. I know what you mean with the air filter. I grabbed one to take off a 50 that was sitting for as long and it just melted like cake in my hand.
JCollins762
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JCollins762 4/9/2013 9:20am
4/9/2013 9:20am
I'm gonna agree with CamP. I purchased an RM 250 from a collector and I just threw fresh fluids in it along with an air filter I had sitting around. I believe put on some Renthal 7/8s are grips too.. but I mean, those weren't necessary.
nytsmaC
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nytsmaC 4/11/2013 9:29am
4/11/2013 9:29am Edited Date/Time 4/11/2013 9:30am
FGR01 wrote:
I pray for you that no gas with castor oil was left in the tank or carb.
What's the deal with castor oil? I've left my bikes with VP C12/Maxima 927 in it over the winter several times now. Come spring I just drain the tank back into my gas can, shake well and re-fill the bike, never had a problem, they have always fired right up like they'd only been sitting a week.
FGR01
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FGR01 4/11/2013 10:25am
4/11/2013 10:25am
FGR01 wrote:
I pray for you that no gas with castor oil was left in the tank or carb.
nytsmaC wrote:
What's the deal with castor oil? I've left my bikes with VP C12/Maxima 927 in it over the winter several times now. Come spring I just...
What's the deal with castor oil? I've left my bikes with VP C12/Maxima 927 in it over the winter several times now. Come spring I just drain the tank back into my gas can, shake well and re-fill the bike, never had a problem, they have always fired right up like they'd only been sitting a week.
Castor oil breaks down into stearic acid. Stearic acid is corrosive to brass. I bought a YZ250 that sat for 3 or 4 years with 927 in the tank and carb. I ended up having to buy a new carb for it and it took forever to get the stearic acid scale cleaned out of the tank.

Castor oil is known for breaking down quicker than petroleums or synthetics. It's also known for separating from gas at low temps. Rule of thumb with castor is generally only mix what you are going to use week to week. Don't try to save gas mixed with castor for extended periods of time.

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