DR350 Thread

[Spad]

Well, I either found the problem or caused it.

I got the basket off w/o problems, and didn't mangle anything up too badly getting the bending lock washer off. I made sure everything was OK with the thrust washers and spacer behind it (yup) and wanted to check out why the shift drum bolt was sitting a little proud. It seemed tight, but I figured the best thing to do would be to pull it, clean it off and reinstall it at the right torque with loctite, in case it didn't have any before. As you probably already suspect if you've read this far I torqued it off trying to get it out. It was either in too tight, cross threaded or I just screwed up. Either way, now I'm working on getting out the stub without messing up the shift drum. I've got the stub center drilled about 1/4" and am working with propane and an EZ out to turn it out. I don't know a more inappropriately named tool than an EZ out, but I do know if I break it off in the stub I may end up looking to buy more than just a shift drum bolt so I'm going slow.

[Insert expletive here]

At least now I have a good answer to why one should have more than one motorcycle. This one won't be running for a while.


- Spad

[2bold2getold]

Originally Posted by Spad

Well, I either found the problem or caused it.

I got the basket off w/o problems, and didn't mangle anything up too badly getting the bending lock washer off. I made sure everything was OK with the thrust washers and spacer behind it (yup) and wanted to check out why the shift drum bolt was sitting a little proud. It seemed tight, but I figured the best thing to do would be to pull it, clean it off and reinstall it at the right torque with loctite, in case it didn't have any before. As you probably already suspect if you've read this far I torqued it off trying to get it out. It was either in too tight, cross threaded or I just screwed up. Either way, now I'm working on getting out the stub without messing up the shift drum. I've got the stub center drilled about 1/4" and am working with propane and an EZ out to turn it out. I don't know a more inappropriately named tool than an EZ out, but I do know if I break it off in the stub I may end up looking to buy more than just a shift drum bolt so I'm going slow.

[Insert expletive here]

At least now I have a good answer to why one should have more than one motorcycle. This one won't be running for a while.


- Spad

Looks like you've done this kinda thing before, but just go slow and use larger and larger bits till you get close then if the easy out doesn't work use a tap to get out the last bits. I think it's a 6x1mm. Don't force it, Like you said getting a broken "easy out" or tap out is a real problem. Not impossible, but not easy either. If you can find left hand/reverse twist drill bits, sometimes they catch in the broken part and unscrew it.
From Distech's engine rebuild. http://advrider.com/forums/showpost....&postcount=160 If things really go south, it looks like Kientech makes/sells an 8mm replacement bolt. You'd have to drill and tap the hole, but it might be a solution.

[Pablo83]

Drif10 has done a wonderful writeup on how to fix the clutch problem.

Originally Posted by Drif10

So I had my clutch basket binding after a re-assembly. Some surfing got me this thread, as well as some on TT and Max-zuke, talking about having to shave some off the basket to get the adequate clearance.

The above pdf was no longer available, so I went ahead with the job, and figured I'd add to the knowledge base here.

What happens that when you tighten the clutch basket nut to the proscribed torque (40-60 NM), the inner basket should turn freely. Mine wasn't. As described by others, the inner and outer thrust washers combined with the spacer collar was not allowing things to rotate properly.

Here's the assembly in place:



That's a MotionPro clutch holder, a very useful tool for more than just what it was intended for. Not expensive, but a must have in any bike wrencher's toolbox. Get one now, even if you don't need it right away, you'll find it's really handy for a lot of things.

The holder is clamped on the inner basket, you can see the nut and tabbed lock washer in the center. Minus the holder, that part should spin freely. If it doesn't, here's what you do:

You'll need a couple of sheets of new emery cloth. I taped mine down to my workbench so that I could start slowly polishing down the gear on the back of the outer basket. This would normally face towards the transmission.

Here is the work station, and you can see the gear, end face already shiny after a few passes:





In a random circular pattern, I proceeded to slowly grind down the end face. You're only taking off a few thousand's of an inch, but it's a hardened gear, so it ain't fast.

I would clean it off, re=oil the whole thing, torque it back in place, and see if it was spinning freely. Can't put material back, so I took my time.

I also took a small piece of emery cloth and polished down the face on the other side, where the other thrust washer rides:



You can see it there as the two half moon shapes either side of the shaft hole.


Works great now. Make sure before every check you clean off all the grit and re-oil it generously, so as to not get a false reading. Ain't fast, but this works.

Hope this helps someone.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...6&postcount=21

[Chiknmunky]

I just did a short 100 mi. ride on mine this morning and all is back to normal.Spad, from my recent learning experience,torque the clutch hub nut to spec,it could save you some grief.
Ever since I have had this bike the clutch has felt weak even after a new clutch kit.When I had the clutch hub nut too tight the clutch hooked up like nobodys buisiness but it would'nt completely disengage.If I could find an inbetween I would be happy.
Hope that bolt comes out for you Spad!

[gman94]

Hello all,

I just recently got myself a 97' DR350SE and she has been running great. I have mostly only ridden her on the street and some fire-roads and she ran beautifully.

Then this last weekend I had the chance to bring her out to the desert and race an enduro. Well... before the enduro I thought I would just go out and play. I hit a string of woops and right at the end the bike bogged down and would not want to run. I limped her back to the camp and started to remove the carb to clean it out and as soon as I pulled the air box boot off the carb a decent amount of gas dribbled out.

I have already looked around on this thread for people with the same issue but I have not really come across anyone. I did see something about a T-vent mod, but I am not sure that that would solve the problem (I have the stock CV carb).

All help is appreciated.

[PWRCRZR]

Sorry spad I can't be much help with the clutch but good luck... I will need to check mine this off season.

I have however been able to get out three times in the last week for trail rides on the little beast..what a great bike for trails..

Spent a few hours running mostly tight single track yesterday, lots of fun. This is only my 3rd season of riding off road and I only do about 20hrs a season so my skills are slowly improving. The biggest problem I run into with my DR is not writing checks with my rear wheel that my front can't cash..That 435 kit really gives these bikes a lot of bark for what they have for stock suspension. Between that and my lack of skills I often find myself getting into trouble because of over use of the throttle hand



Hopefully this winter I will have time and funds to do some suspension upgrades, other than that just a little general maintenance is all she should need to get ready for next season.

[Greg Bender]

Originally Posted by gman94

Hello all,

I just recently got myself a 97' DR350SE and she has been running great. I have mostly only ridden her on the street and some fire-roads and she ran beautifully.

Then this last weekend I had the chance to bring her out to the desert and race an enduro. Well... before the enduro I thought I would just go out and play. I hit a string of woops and right at the end the bike bogged down and would not want to run. I limped her back to the camp and started to remove the carb to clean it out and as soon as I pulled the air box boot off the carb a decent amount of gas dribbled out.

I have already looked around on this thread for people with the same issue but I have not really come across anyone. I did see something about a T-vent mod, but I am not sure that that would solve the problem (I have the stock CV carb).

All help is appreciated.

I'm not sure about the gas in your air box boot, but the T-Vent mod should be helpful with the symptoms you describe on the woops.

Regards,

Gregory Bender

[2bold2getold]

Originally Posted by gman94

Hello all,

I just recently got myself a 97' DR350SE and she has been running great. I have mostly only ridden her on the street and some fire-roads and she ran beautifully.

Then this last weekend I had the chance to bring her out to the desert and race an enduro. Well... before the enduro I thought I would just go out and play. I hit a string of woops and right at the end the bike bogged down and would not want to run. I limped her back to the camp and started to remove the carb to clean it out and as soon as I pulled the air box boot off the carb a decent amount of gas dribbled out.

I have already looked around on this thread for people with the same issue but I have not really come across anyone. I did see something about a T-vent mod, but I am not sure that that would solve the problem (I have the stock CV carb).

All help is appreciated.

Might check for something in the needle and seat (float valve) and the o-ring on the seat.

[MrPulldown]

I take it you are not the original "G" man. He was a DR350 guru that had an awesome website (that has since been deleted).

"T" vent could help your problem. Another thing to look at is the kick stand saftey. Best to delete it. Gas in the boot though??

Originally Posted by gman94

Hello all,

I just recently got myself a 97' DR350SE and she has been running great. I have mostly only ridden her on the street and some fire-roads and she ran beautifully.

Then this last weekend I had the chance to bring her out to the desert and race an enduro. Well... before the enduro I thought I would just go out and play. I hit a string of woops and right at the end the bike bogged down and would not want to run. I limped her back to the camp and started to remove the carb to clean it out and as soon as I pulled the air box boot off the carb a decent amount of gas dribbled out.

I have already looked around on this thread for people with the same issue but I have not really come across anyone. I did see something about a T-vent mod, but I am not sure that that would solve the problem (I have the stock CV carb).

All help is appreciated.

[Stretch67]

Originally Posted by MrPulldown

The DR250. The little brother to the 350. There does not seem like there is very much info about this bike.

I am trying to get one running and wanted more info on there. ANyone have a good site with specs and reviews, write up...

Some questions I have.

What carb does this thing run (92 dr250s)- BST 28mm
samme air box and duct as the 350?
Horse power. Read it has a 29hp max. the site must be wrong.
CDI is it interchangeable the the 350's
Stock sprocket size?

According to my Suzuki manual, the '92 DR250S carb is a Mikuni BST33SS. The DR250N has a Mikuni TM31SS.

Unknown regarding the airbox & duct similarities. I don't have a 350 to compare it to (yet).

I can't find anything in the manual regarding horsepower, although I would agree 29 HP seems pretty optimistic.

I have read 250 and 350 CDI's are different in advance curves due to the 250 making it's max power at higher RPM compared to the 350.

Stock sprocket size on my '94 was 15/43. Nearly all my riding is on single-track, so I changed it to 13/47.

[Pablo83]

Carb - BST28 sounds right, but I really don't know.

Airbox is the same, but the duct is different.

Horsepower - feels like 18; just a guess.

CDI is interchangeable. People say the DR250's spark advance is more aggressive, and they are probably right; I've found if you put it on a DR350 with a higher compresison ratio (10.5:1) it will ping below 7000 ft elevation.

I never noted what my stock gearing was on the 250. Something to keep in mind is the 250 has a different primary drive ratio than the 350, so you really can't compare final drive ratios with the 350. Most of the time I run 14/47 on my bike which has the 250 primary drive and tranny.

[gman94]

Originally Posted by MrPulldown

I take it you are not the original "G" man. He was a DR350 guru that had an awesome website (that has since been deleted).

"T" vent could help your problem. Another thing to look at is the kick stand saftey. Best to delete it. Gas in the boot though??

As for the kick stand safety that was one of my first things to remove when I first got the bike.

And yes after a short ride through a string of woops, the second I would give just a little throttle she would bog out so I limped it back to camp and started to remove the carb, as soon as I loosened the clamp for the air box side boot it drained out a good stream of gas.

[FlyingWman]

Originally Posted by gman94

As for the kick stand safety that was one of my first things to remove when I first got the bike.

And yes after a short ride through a string of woops, the second I would give just a little throttle she would bog out so I limped it back to camp and started to remove the carb, as soon as I loosened the clamp for the air box side boot it drained out a good stream of gas.

Check your float level and the condition if the needle/seat

[gman94]

The float is right in spec and the needle and seat look almost new.

[MrPulldown]

Originally Posted by gman94

The float is right in spec and the needle and seat look almost new.

"T" vent the carb, it is quick and easy, before you dig any deeper. The "T" vent is suppose to cure two things, bogging in the woops and starting issues after laying the bike down.