midlifecrisisbiker

Hello all,

I just bought an 85 Rebel 250 with 4200 miles and in good condition. The PO said she had the bike sitting for about ten years and then started riding it again about a year ago. The bike does not idle properly and hesitates when I try to rev the engine. I put Seafoam in the gas hoping it would take care of it. However, when I took off the foam air filter it disintegrated in my hands into a mass of fine powder and I suspect some of this may have gotten to the carb. Any suggestions? Will the seafoam take care of this too? Or do I need to dismantle the carb, clean everything and reinstall? Any thoughts on other things I need to do before I start riding the bike would be helpful. This is my first bike but I am accustomed to working on my cars.

85 Rebel 250

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cagie

Ideally you should take the carb out for a good cleaning because the foam will chically react with the fuel and leave you with a gummy mess in the carb. SeaFoam 'might' take care of it, but I wouldn't bet on it. Another thought to that would be that if the bike had been sitting that long, then it would probably have some varnish build up in it from fuel sitting too long.

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Comments contained in my posts are not intended to cause physical or psychological stress and are mearly my two cents worth, and in this economy, that's cheap!
87 CMX250C 'the Pygmy Pony'
87 CMX450C 'Black Lithium'

flitecontrol

Yes, and possibly rust in the tank. If yes, ought to consider cleaning it. Also, add an inline fuel filter between tank and carb to be sure no fuel nasties get to the carb in the future.

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I'm keepin' all the left over parts. I'm gonna use 'em to build another bike!

2001 Rebel 250, 1989 Vulcan 750
Putting your bike info in your signature helps others help you!

mtliu

Clean that carb with seafoam - soaking off of the bike overnight. If the air filter crud got into the carb, seafoam will not disintegrate it - it will still get into the engine. After you clean that carb, put a new air filter in there.

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Mike

Current Bikes:
1983 Honda VF750C
1987 Honda CMX450.

Previous Bikes:
PUCH Maxi-Sport
Lifan LF200iii

JunkyardDog

I would completely disassemble and clean the carb with Gumout, just for my own personal satisfaction. That way, you KNOW it's clean. Then replace the filter, adjust the valves, replace the plugs, and change the oil.

If there is just a little rust in the tank, just install a filter, if the inside of the tank is badly rusted, either replace it, or soak the inside in muriatic acid for 24 hours, after washing it out good with Castrol Superclean. Jerry.

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