I've watched all your videos and learned a bunch. I'm going through some cancer stuff and it really is helping me keep my mind off feeling like crap. Thank you for all you do, love your channel!
Kind of incredible, 4 years after this was posted and since I can't remember watching this episode I'm watching it again. Definitely shows how addicting Mustie1's channel is. His self depreciating humor, the way Darren talks to us like we're actually there and his incredible knowledge and methods of working out problems keep my antique butt coming back for more when it pops up in my TH-cam feed while I'm jonesing for a new Mustie1 episode.
Thanks again Mustie.....you make us want to be a better......mechanic, tinkerer, fixer upper, but most of all thinker as you help us all think the problem through so well....THANKS.
My dad taught us this trick with a seized single. Put a chain wrench on the drive sprocket and put the bike in top gear, add a weight 25 to 50 lbs to the handle of the chain wrench so it puts a constant pull on the engine. Fill the cylinder with a mixture of Diesel and a small amount of regular engine oil and leave it overnight. I've seen this move several engines without great stress. Nice video, good work.
I would love a lifestyle like yours. A nice home and a garage to tinker about in. Must be awesome. When I watch the video it's like I'm there with you and that makes me feel better. Thanks.
I LIKE THE FACT YOU HAVE NO MUSIC INTRO,AND YOU GET RIGHT TO THE ISSUE,THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT AS USUAL.THANK YOU FOR LETTING US INTO YOUR GARAGE.. GOD BLESS AND GOOD LUCK AND KEEP ON VLOGING
Loved it all. The mechanical troubleshooting, the dog and the splittie, the garage and the old bikes. I love fixing broken stuff. Nephew just picked up a sick VF500F2 which is now sitting in my garage. Looking at the video I now need a parts washer/ compressor/ lift/ sand blaster... $$$$
Another winner of a video. Looking forward to the next instalment. Lilly looking aloof, and rather happy checking out the scenery, with a "please don't video me" look to camera
Mustie, I learned a trick when using those impact drivers. When you strike it with the hammer, turn it so it's bottomed out (no twisting motion) for the first strike. And hit it with a solid blow. Then use it as you did. I can't remember when the last time I used it on a motorcycle or ATV/UTV that it didn't work perfectly. I rounded off a lot of screw slots before I came up with this procedure.
I have to say she's in surprisingly good condition for an old trials-type bike. As one can imagine they often tend to get pretty knocked around in use and as they get older people are less inclined to replace broken plastics and the like but it all looks to be pretty much there on this one which is a definite big bonus. I imagine pretty much all of that sort of stuff is just unobtanium now...
Great job, Mustie. Your videos remind me of wrenching with my Dad, of blessed memory. He would pick up lawn mowers or anything with an engine from the trash on bulk pickup days and take them apart and rebuild them to teach me how they work, 80% of the time he was able to get them up and running again and then he would give them away to people in our neighborhood.
Mustie rubs the paddles..."CLEAR ! THUMP Rubs them again, "CLEAR !" THUMP The Honda's vital signs return...! Beep...beep...beep... Faint but definite. Always nice to see Lilly dog, she reminds me so much of my old girl, Honey.
Always spin a seized engine backwards first. Oil that cylinder, run it up to top gear and rock it backwards hard, keep oiling the cylinder and spin it both directions in top gear (best mechanical advantage) until you feelconfident to change the oil and try to fire it up. Just something I learned over the years, figured it's worth sharing.
Had a Honda street and trail when I was 15 yrs. young. Great fun. Watch all your videos and really enjoy them. I'm 62 now and would love to do what you do. Keep bringing them back to life. Wish you nothing but the best. And no I am not naked. Ha Ha
You are amazing in your patience. I have seen you free up several motors now, and I would have just forced them over, but you rocked gently, patiently advancing a bit at a time, and I'm sure I would have damaged the thing in my hurry, but you got them going. Good stuff - I enjoy watching.
I have a Honda 1980 XR 250, my original trail bike. A friend has had it for 2 years rebuilding it for me, he got side tracked a bit. It is nice to see the same motor being worked on! Love watching you wrench Mustie1!!!
Thank you Mustie, you made my day. I just came home from a days work. A little bit frustrated from all the shit I had te deal with. Grabbed a cold beer and turned on the old computer. A new video from Mustie yeahhhh. I feel so much better now after waching this, it is very satisfying.
Hey Darren , Great work Mate , Chears . I Like the Mustie1 program. I just didn have the time for this setting up the new restoration shop to complet this in a timely manner. I'm grateful that the right guy got this great Sammy Miller designed Honda Tl 250 Trials Moto ... for the Aussie gentilmen who said it was a yamaha " yes it is rare " There is one on NH criagslist for $1500 .. I look forward to the next Tl250 Video .. while building the new shop. thanks Darren
I used to work at a Honda shop and rode a TL-125 in Trials events and did pretty well back in 71-72. I hated to see people buy the TL series for trail riding, they would hot rod them and basically ruin the engine and forks in no time flat. But they were cheaper then the regular bikes made for trail riding and racing around so people bought them. Kids especially were bad at basic maintenance, their parents bought them the bikes and the kids treated them like toys and when they were tired of them, they parked them in the garage and that was that.
I rebuilt a CL450 engine last year & it had been weather seized but someone had been beating the top of the pistons with an Iron bar through the plug holes and cracked a cylinder liner as well as damaged the pistons. I got a second engine and made a decent one out of the 2 of them. When I had finished & was turning it over it made exactly the same cracking noise that your Honda made & it was a sticking valve. I had to take the head off again! Love your video's. I have moved from the UK to live in Bangkok with my Thai family & your video's are a great link with the West. Keep them coming.
Hi From Yorkshire UK.I worked on the Honda's new in 1973 & all the screws are that tight but you can use a Phillips T-bar to get them off That's why there's no oil leaks.thanks for a great channel that makes all the stuff interesting well done.
I love how you are so patient with things, that is my biggest flaw when trying to repair stuff...I get flustered and end up screwing everything up but I try anyways 😆
Love to watch you work on bikes i used to have a honda 175 street and trail bike love it i bough new in 1976 ied like it back and im 63years old miss that bike
Really enjoy your videos. I do the same type of work here in Ontario Canada but was surprised to find some of your ideas were new to me. Very helpful. I am not as fortunate in that the folks in these parts put way too much value in junk machines. Not often you find anything for free, but I keep looking. Keep up the good stuff.!
the last honda single I came across siezed had lost its cam chain and bound up. never seen anything like that before, and Ive had dozens of them apart. good vid by the way. always a help to see how others do things. often, like today I find a new trick I can use or modify one of my own.
More of these kind of videos please :). I've been downloading them and listening / watching them while I drive to work at night (hour in a half) and I'm all caught up lol
Here's a quick tip. If you put valve grinding/lapping paste on the tip of your philips bit it'll give it more purchase on the screw head. Works a treat.
Wow she was burning a bit of oil lol a good service an clean also carb clean then she's good to go another 20 years. Very reliable motor. They were also in the XL an XR hondas in the late 70's early 80's. Great vid an take care cheers Mark
Had said from the start, either a stuck or broken exhaust valve, or a broken piston ring, which can also mimic that partial movement until a 'click', but those exhaust valves get build up, and people don't clear them out, I find a pick lightly ran around in the exhaust port..and then a good blow-out with air AFTER you get the exhaust valves back up(just like you did) works. This often happens on bikes of that age where the oil mix has been run rich..people thinking it will help prolong the engine, and great job on finding it. Yeah, those 70's bikes are kind of my thing, and have a couple in the back as we speak, including the '73 TS 400 Suzuki I bought wayy back when I was young, that is like showroom now,and would never part with!
This brings back memories. Wish I knew then what I know now when taking my old Honda apart...Also: 16:27 thanks for finally moving the wires out of the way!
been a subscriber for years, love the content..but the most important thing i see here is a happy dog. great to see your having a good time with your buddy there.
Hi Mustie! Been watching your vids for a long time but this one particularly caught my interest. I haven't watched the whole video yet but I will tonight. I road race (yes, asphalt!) a modified Honda XL250 of this vintage. I have some sources for parts, gaskets, etc that I can provide to you if you want them. Send me a message or however you prefer and I'd be glad to pass it along! Parts are hard to come by in regards to engine internals....pistons, valves, etc. Rings are readily available but some others aren't. Good luck with this, looking forward to it!!
Had a few of these..well xl 250. Then I bought a bored out 305cc. Got to love the Honda trail bike...80mph at 8000 rpm. God I was young and stupid. Honda built a good model in the xl 350 as well. Back in the seventies a mate had a Cobra 410 kit in his xl 250. What a beast. Happy days
I wish I still had my dads old TL125. That thing was fun. The first mod I remember him doing was remounting the front fender to the bottom of the steering head so mud didnt get packed in it. The second mod was replacing the spark arrester with a VW tail pipe.
it was this very video that gave me the confidence to start tinkering more on old bikes and kick started (no pun intended) my own channel devoted to just that. I even found basically the same bike. Mines a '76. Thanks Mustie!
I see what the problem is....It's missing the front mudflaps, you can see the screws where one should be. Classic! My first bike was a 1974 Hodaka two stroke. With chrome fenders and gas tank. It had the mudflaps. Fast forward to 2006 and the KLX 250S Dual Sport I bought brand new, was also without mudflaps...I quickly took care of that problem. LOL Love old Dual sport bikes, but I'm glad I never had one with mechanical points back in the day.
I like the impact driver. I’m going to get me one. I’ve never seen a chain driven cam one a motorcycle before. I learn something new every time I watch your videos Mustie .
i had 2 of these ...they were great...a great first bike for anyone learning in the back yard, i used to ride trials , i used a bultaco sherpt t 350...among others
I had a similar issue on the yanmar diesel in the sailboat I bought. Got it cheap because the engine was locked up. Heard the same clunk as this. Took valve cover off and sprayed the tops of the valves with PB Blaster. One valve popped right up. It was just varnish on the stem. Fired right up and has been running like a champ ever since.
dear Musti1 I encourage you to make a restoration worthy of the name on your yamaha 250 tl, this model is very rare, here in Europe there was a lot of 125 ty but almost no the tl 250 cc. forget paint bombs and other DIY, (even perform well). this advice is also worth for your jawa with the mixer pump integrer, rare model too, obviously I am aware that a restoration in the rules of art, at a cost! but you have both models of rare motorcycles, and with potentially a real value in collection. France's best wishes to you and your family eric from France
Once again this old man learns from Mustie's knowledge about screw drivers. I was waiting to see if you would put a rag over the spark plug opening before you rotated the engine lol. Cant wait for part two now!
The rocker cover is sealed from the factory with "Honda Bond" you can use that or Yamabond or Three Bond 1194, 1184, 1104 all basically the same stuff. A semi drying rubber sealant for flanges.
Great video! I love the fact you used WD40 to help free off the valve. It's almost as though all those people that say it's not a penetrating oil and is useless don't know what they are talking about :D
Brings back memories, first bike i ever rode was the TL-125 that belonged to my much wealthier school friend, he didn't like it as he had a choice of machines like Montessa, Bultaco etc, so when i visited the TL was all mine :-)
Love the bike Mustie. It takes me back to childhood. We had 2 TL125’s That my dad sister and I rode all over the NC mountains were we lived. Heavy and slow by modern standards but Great reliable and capable bikes
you live like a king my friend , you do what you love and probable make a good buck at it to , playing around the yard like a teenager , lol , good for you , i do the same , pick up junk and make it run again , i did my first motor job at 15 years old , my parents bought me a brand new 1977 Elan and i convinced myself the engine needed an overall by the end of the winter (only had 600 miles on it lol ) i love the old Honda's , wish i could get deals like that around here ,, your patience is amazing , often times i take the same engine apart 2 or 3 times until i get right but the satisfaction of having it run right is worth the effort , great work , keep it coming , wish my neighbors were that much fun , lol
Hello Mustie, just subbed. i love watching your videos. Reminds me of my dad , he tinkerd with anything he could find and had all the same tools Keep it up bud.
That is great that has the two intake and two exhaust valves. That makes for one powerful single cylinder. I wouldn't have a bike with 2 per (unless it was a '77 KZ1000, I loved that bike).
Had to comment. Just after you said "as long as that is a 3/8ths and not 10mm" VW fan here too, you can never have too many 10mm haha. love the vids. Have inspired me to get some of the gadgets around the farm up and running again. Keep them coming!
Was glad when she fired! Patience is the key when treating something seized with corrosion. I remember having to spray a shit ton wd40 twice a day for nearly a month to free up a piston. It moved, reluctantly... but it moved. The barrel and piston cleaned up nicely too afterwards. It was an old 2 stroke Victa lawn mower.... Haven't done anything like for years...
Dang old carbon buildup, some of it must have got in my eye. Got a tear duct malfunction now. It is a real thing of beauty watching you bring these old mechanical marvels back to life Mustie.
There is usually no gasket between the valve cover and the head. The crushing of a gasket there would change your valve clearances. Honda actually uses a fancy RTV called Hondabond, but using normal RTV is common practice and works fine.
I was wondering that myself. I seem to recall working on my old honda and had that stuff everywhere......(specially on side covers where there was no gasket but subject to oil pressure)
mustie saves anouther one in good fashion couldn't haven't done it better myself lol. we work on old tractors a lote we had a old case that sat so long the cylinders were almost completely full of rust( 4or 5 inch. bore) .We pulled head after soaking it ,scraped it out ,hone the cylinders . put her back together and she fired up and never even smoked couldn't believe it .
Hi Mustie another thing on these bikes are the aluminum gas tanks are bad about leaking at the seam in front of the seat. I have two I am getting ready to separate, straighten and re weld
Just subbed, this is about the third video YT kept suggesting yours. At the end you decided to do part two and took a ride with your dog. I recognized the vw bus interior, pop out front windows too, don't see that much in Arkansas. I drove a 66 work van while I built my first home in 75. They are great daily drivers. And you have a vw pickup in the shop too. Enjoying your vids and the fact you were on a cruise with your folks.
part 2 here,th-cam.com/video/sxu6BwsZsK4/w-d-xo.html
I have an interesting story of the exact same model and year of the TL. Want to read about it?
Hi, would/could you ever work on a small engine that runs on propane? Is that any interest to you?
I've watched all your videos and learned a bunch. I'm going through some cancer stuff and it really is helping me keep my mind off feeling like crap. Thank you for all you do, love your channel!
My had cancer and eating weed helped tremendously with the nausea from chemo. I wish you well.
Kind of incredible, 4 years after this was posted and since I can't remember watching this episode I'm watching it again.
Definitely shows how addicting Mustie1's channel is.
His self depreciating humor, the way Darren talks to us like we're actually there and his incredible knowledge and methods of working out problems keep my antique butt coming back for more when it pops up in my TH-cam feed while I'm jonesing for a new Mustie1 episode.
You always have the patience to make figuring this stuff out look easy and definitely fun!! Thanks Mustie!!!
This is my new favorite channel. Mustie has been teaching me a lot about small engines here lately. This dude knows so much, I should be taking notes.
Never gets boring watching those motorcycle/moped videos. Truly a great joy every time during my evening coffee
What a great vintage trials machine. They are bullet proof.
Thanks again Mustie.....you make us want to be a better......mechanic, tinkerer, fixer upper, but most of all thinker as you help us all think the problem through so well....THANKS.
My dad taught us this trick with a seized single. Put a chain wrench on the drive sprocket and put the bike in top gear, add a weight 25 to 50 lbs to the handle of the chain wrench so it puts a constant pull on the engine. Fill the cylinder with a mixture of Diesel and a small amount of regular engine oil and leave it overnight. I've seen this move several engines without great stress. Nice video, good work.
If these old machines could talk, they probably burst into tears of joy when Mustie throws them up on the lift.
reading this made me so happy
just thought this as he rolled it up there then looked down in the comments
Don’t ever reply to comments that I see, but this is golden! couldn’t have said it better
I would love a lifestyle like yours. A nice home and a garage to tinker about in. Must be awesome. When I watch the video it's like I'm there with you and that makes me feel better. Thanks.
I LIKE THE FACT YOU HAVE NO MUSIC INTRO,AND YOU GET RIGHT TO THE ISSUE,THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT AS USUAL.THANK YOU FOR LETTING US INTO YOUR GARAGE..
GOD BLESS AND GOOD LUCK
AND KEEP ON VLOGING
Loved it all. The mechanical troubleshooting, the dog and the splittie, the garage and the old bikes. I love fixing broken stuff. Nephew just picked up a sick VF500F2 which is now sitting in my garage. Looking at the video I now need a parts washer/ compressor/ lift/ sand blaster... $$$$
REALLY clean in the rocker area which is a good sign that its had regular oil changes. The TL250 always looked "just right". Thank you Sammy Miller.
It really makes me feel old when you call something that was made when I was thirty years old an antique!
Another winner of a video. Looking forward to the next instalment. Lilly looking aloof, and rather happy checking out the scenery, with a "please don't video me" look to camera
Been riding,restoring,building bikes for near on 40 years,and every time I watch one of your videos I learn something new.THANKS!!!.
I like watching your video's Mustie. The longer the better and I learn so much from them. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
Mustie, I learned a trick when using those impact drivers. When you strike it with the hammer, turn it so it's bottomed out (no twisting motion) for the first strike. And hit it with a solid blow. Then use it as you did. I can't remember when the last time I used it on a motorcycle or ATV/UTV that it didn't work perfectly. I rounded off a lot of screw slots before I came up with this procedure.
Thank you for taking the time to share your craft. I'm not a mechanic, but I've learned a lot from watching your informative videos.
I love this video! I purchased a bike just like this one new but was forced to sell it to pay back a debt. The only motorcycle I ever regret selling.
I have to say she's in surprisingly good condition for an old trials-type bike. As one can imagine they often tend to get pretty knocked around in use and as they get older people are less inclined to replace broken plastics and the like but it all looks to be pretty much there on this one which is a definite big bonus. I imagine pretty much all of that sort of stuff is just unobtanium now...
Great job, Mustie. Your videos remind me of wrenching with my Dad, of blessed memory. He would pick up lawn mowers or anything with an engine from the trash on bulk pickup days and take them apart and rebuild them to teach me how they work, 80% of the time he was able to get them up and running again and then he would give them away to people in our neighborhood.
I'm definitely learning a lot from you musti, about small engines. Thank you
Mr. Mustie1 has once again taught me how to repair damn near thrown away items. Thanks man.
Mustie rubs the paddles..."CLEAR ! THUMP Rubs them again, "CLEAR !" THUMP
The Honda's vital signs return...! Beep...beep...beep... Faint but definite.
Always nice to see Lilly dog, she reminds me so much of my old girl, Honey.
Always spin a seized engine backwards first. Oil that cylinder, run it up to top gear and rock it backwards hard, keep oiling the cylinder and spin it both directions in top gear (best mechanical advantage) until you feelconfident to change the oil and try to fire it up. Just something I learned over the years, figured it's worth sharing.
Had a Honda street and trail when I was 15 yrs. young. Great fun. Watch all your videos and really enjoy them. I'm 62 now and would love to do what you do. Keep bringing them back to life. Wish you nothing but the best. And no I am not naked. Ha Ha
Thanks lily and mustie1 for another great video .I really appreciate your hard work and enjoy every film thanks
You are amazing in your patience. I have seen you free up several motors now, and I would have just forced them over, but you rocked gently, patiently advancing a bit at a time, and I'm sure I would have damaged the thing in my hurry, but you got them going. Good stuff - I enjoy watching.
I love it when you do things like that. It shows how experience can count.
I have a Honda 1980 XR 250, my original trail bike. A friend has had it for 2 years rebuilding it for me, he got side tracked a bit. It is nice to see the same motor being worked on! Love watching you wrench Mustie1!!!
I think that it is pretty amazing that you do stuff just for us. You don't know us and yet, you make videos for us. Thanks Man!
thanks for watching dale
Yes then! Free afternoon and Mustie uploads a video! Officially my favourite channel on youtube.
Your dog is camera shy, thank you for sharing your amazing video. God bless you and your family
Thank you for the videos. I've learned so much in the past two weeks from all of your videos.
Thank you Mustie, you made my day. I just came home from a days work. A little bit frustrated from all the shit I had te deal with. Grabbed a cold beer and turned on the old computer. A new video from Mustie yeahhhh. I feel so much better now after waching this, it is very satisfying.
Musty, 1/2 hour? I can watch this all day long. Thank you for sharing your talent with us.
Hey Darren , Great work Mate , Chears . I Like the Mustie1 program. I just didn have the time for this setting up the new restoration shop to complet this in a timely manner. I'm grateful that the right guy got this great Sammy Miller designed Honda Tl 250 Trials Moto ... for the Aussie gentilmen who said it was a yamaha " yes it is rare " There is one on NH criagslist for $1500 .. I look forward to the next Tl250 Video .. while building the new shop. thanks Darren
I used to work at a Honda shop and rode a TL-125 in Trials events and did pretty well back in 71-72. I hated to see people buy the TL series for trail riding, they would hot rod them and basically ruin the engine and forks in no time flat. But they were cheaper then the regular bikes made for trail riding and racing around so people bought them. Kids especially were bad at basic maintenance, their parents bought them the bikes and the kids treated them like toys and when they were tired of them, they parked them in the garage and that was that.
I rebuilt a CL450 engine last year & it had been weather seized but someone had been beating the top of the pistons with an Iron bar through the plug holes and cracked a cylinder liner as well as damaged the pistons. I got a second engine and made a decent one out of the 2 of them. When I had finished & was turning it over it made exactly the same cracking noise that your Honda made & it was a sticking valve. I had to take the head off again! Love your video's. I have moved from the UK to live in Bangkok with my Thai family & your video's are a great link with the West. Keep them coming.
Love your video’s. You have great diagnostic skills and I love how methodically figure out what is wrong. Enjoy your video’s
Hi From Yorkshire UK.I worked on the Honda's new in 1973 & all the screws are that tight but you can use a Phillips T-bar to get them off
That's why there's no oil leaks.thanks for a great channel that makes all the stuff interesting well done.
I love how you are so patient with things, that is my biggest flaw when trying to repair stuff...I get flustered and end up screwing everything up but I try anyways 😆
but at least you try, most dont
Love to watch you work on bikes i used to have a honda 175 street and trail bike love it i bough new in 1976 ied like it back and im 63years old miss that bike
Really enjoy your videos. I do the same type of work here in Ontario Canada but was surprised to find some of your ideas were new to me. Very helpful. I am not as fortunate in that the folks in these parts put way too much value in junk machines. Not often you find anything for free, but I keep looking. Keep up the good stuff.!
I'm a very BIG FAN of your channel and you Darin. Thanks for bringing these videos to us all. Keep up the GREAT Job!!
the last honda single I came across siezed had lost its cam chain and bound up. never seen anything like that before, and Ive had dozens of them apart.
good vid by the way. always a help to see how others do things. often, like today I find a new trick I can use or modify one of my own.
looking forward to pert two. I love mustie 1 videos and also vintage trials bikes.
More of these kind of videos please :). I've been downloading them and listening / watching them while I drive to work at night (hour in a half) and I'm all caught up lol
I need part 2!!!!! Love these old Hondas on life support vids
Strongly approve of the brass rod(drift). it shows a sensitive approach to the work.
This will come in handy on a couple of 70's vintage Honda elsinores sitting in my back yard. Thanks for the videos.
Here's a quick tip. If you put valve grinding/lapping paste on the tip of your philips bit it'll give it more purchase on the screw head. Works a treat.
Wow she was burning a bit of oil lol a good service an clean also carb clean then she's good to go another 20 years. Very reliable motor. They were also in the XL an XR hondas in the late 70's early 80's. Great vid an take care cheers Mark
Had said from the start, either a stuck or broken exhaust valve, or a broken piston ring, which can also mimic that partial movement until a 'click', but those exhaust valves get build up, and people don't clear them out, I find a pick lightly ran around in the exhaust port..and then a good blow-out with air AFTER you get the exhaust valves back up(just like you did) works. This often happens on bikes of that age where the oil mix has been run rich..people thinking it will help prolong the engine, and great job on finding it. Yeah, those 70's bikes are kind of my thing, and have a couple in the back as we speak, including the '73 TS 400 Suzuki I bought wayy back when I was young, that is like showroom now,and would never part with!
This brings back memories. Wish I knew then what I know now when taking my old Honda apart...Also: 16:27 thanks for finally moving the wires out of the way!
Whether it's getting old machines running again or taking a drive in a bus with a good dog, it's always a good day for a Mustie video!
She's in good nick just fixing my XL 500 S love the old honda's my first bike was XL 175 good luck and fun riding.
been a subscriber for years, love the content..but the most important thing i see here is a happy dog. great to see your having a good time with your buddy there.
Hi Mustie! Been watching your vids for a long time but this one particularly caught my interest. I haven't watched the whole video yet but I will tonight. I road race (yes, asphalt!) a modified Honda XL250 of this vintage. I have some sources for parts, gaskets, etc that I can provide to you if you want them. Send me a message or however you prefer and I'd be glad to pass it along! Parts are hard to come by in regards to engine internals....pistons, valves, etc. Rings are readily available but some others aren't. Good luck with this, looking forward to it!!
Had a few of these..well xl 250. Then I bought a bored out 305cc. Got to love the Honda trail bike...80mph at 8000 rpm. God I was young and stupid. Honda built a good model in the xl 350 as well. Back in the seventies a mate had a Cobra 410 kit in his xl 250. What a beast. Happy days
I wish I still had my dads old TL125. That thing was fun. The first mod I remember him doing was remounting the front fender to the bottom of the steering head so mud didnt get packed in it. The second mod was replacing the spark arrester with a VW tail pipe.
Great project and great bike. Well done :)
thanks doing these vids mustie I been watching for a couple years and enjoy them. thumbs up
I love the Honda TL 250, I had one growing up until I discovered two stroke motocross bikes, but still love the classics....
it was this very video that gave me the confidence to start tinkering more on old bikes and kick started (no pun intended) my own channel devoted to just that. I even found basically the same bike. Mines a '76. Thanks Mustie!
Glad it helped!
Thumbs up for Lilly! Love that you put some of the non-wrenching Zen moments at the end...
I see what the problem is....It's missing the front mudflaps, you can see the screws where one should be. Classic! My first bike was a 1974 Hodaka two stroke. With chrome fenders and gas tank. It had the mudflaps. Fast forward to 2006 and the KLX 250S Dual Sport I bought brand new, was also without mudflaps...I quickly took care of that problem. LOL Love old Dual sport bikes, but I'm glad I never had one with mechanical points back in the day.
Nice Save! those old trials bikes were a lot of fun even to just put around on trails...
I like the impact driver. I’m going to get me one. I’ve never seen a chain driven cam one a motorcycle before. I learn something new every time I watch your videos Mustie .
Growing up we had a 125cc Yamaha trials bike out on my aunt's Farm had a lot of fun on that bike my cousin has since restored it
i had 2 of these ...they were great...a great first bike for anyone learning in the back yard, i used to ride trials , i used a bultaco sherpt t 350...among others
It also helps straighten out the jst head that has been stripped out...it sort of re-stamps it...somewhat
Great vid! Love your work, especially on small engines/bikes/mowers etc. Greets from the UK! :)
beautiful bikes, even for people like me hating 4strokes and loving 2 strokes, those TL and TLR bikes were in a class of their own, literally :)
I had a similar issue on the yanmar diesel in the sailboat I bought. Got it cheap because the engine was locked up. Heard the same clunk as this. Took valve cover off and sprayed the tops of the valves with PB Blaster. One valve popped right up. It was just varnish on the stem. Fired right up and has been running like a champ ever since.
dear Musti1
I encourage you to make a restoration worthy of the name on your yamaha 250 tl, this model is very rare, here in Europe there was a lot of 125 ty but almost no the tl 250 cc.
forget paint bombs and other DIY, (even perform well).
this advice is also worth for your jawa with the mixer pump integrer, rare model too, obviously I am aware that a restoration in the rules of art, at a cost! but you have both models of rare motorcycles, and with potentially a real value in collection.
France's best wishes to you and your family
eric from France
Once again this old man learns from Mustie's knowledge about screw drivers. I was waiting to see if you would put a rag over the spark plug opening before you rotated the engine lol. Cant wait for part two now!
The rocker cover is sealed from the factory with "Honda Bond" you can use that or Yamabond or Three Bond 1194, 1184, 1104 all basically the same stuff. A semi drying rubber sealant for flanges.
snocrushr Permatex Moto Seal is basically the same thing and you can get it at most parts stores. It’s what I use for case sealing and similar uses.
I used Yamabond when I worked on bike engines. That stuff worked excellent.
Yamabond is also Three Bond.
I use James Bond
Where can i get the honda bond
I have a Honda XL250, 1974 that i am not restoring just make it run after many idle years, and am so enjoying this series.
Great video! I love the fact you used WD40 to help free off the valve. It's almost as though all those people that say it's not a penetrating oil and is useless don't know what they are talking about :D
very interesting never miss your videos from the north east of England
Great job Mustie, that 1st start is always the best..from errrrr to Yah....
Love the channel.
many many years ago i had the TL 125, loved that bike
Brings back memories, first bike i ever rode was the TL-125 that belonged to my much wealthier school friend, he didn't like it as he had a choice of machines like Montessa, Bultaco etc, so when i visited the TL was all mine :-)
Love the bike Mustie. It takes me back to childhood. We had 2 TL125’s That my dad sister and I rode all over the NC mountains were we lived. Heavy and slow by modern standards but Great reliable and capable bikes
you live like a king my friend , you do what you love and probable make a good buck at it to , playing around the yard like a teenager , lol , good for you , i do the same , pick up junk and make it run again , i did my first motor job at 15 years old , my parents bought me a brand new 1977 Elan and i convinced myself the engine needed an overall by the end of the winter (only had 600 miles on it lol ) i love the old Honda's , wish i could get deals like that around here ,,
your patience is amazing , often times i take the same engine apart 2 or 3 times until i get right but the satisfaction of having it run right is worth the effort ,
great work , keep it coming , wish my neighbors were that much fun , lol
You know what I like is when you ask us questions like hows the valves? I would find myself saying good. Its like there being with you.
Hello Mustie, just subbed. i love watching your videos. Reminds me of my dad , he tinkerd with anything he could find and had all the same tools Keep it up bud.
That is great that has the two intake and two exhaust valves. That makes for one powerful single cylinder.
I wouldn't have a bike with 2 per (unless it was a '77 KZ1000, I loved that bike).
Mustie...i love your videos... you always find a way to solve the problem......good for you
watching you loosen up that valve was more satisfying than peeling protective film off of new electronics
Had to comment. Just after you said "as long as that is a 3/8ths and not 10mm" VW fan here too, you can never have too many 10mm haha. love the vids. Have inspired me to get some of the gadgets around the farm up and running again. Keep them coming!
Was glad when she fired! Patience is the key when treating something seized with corrosion. I remember having to spray a shit ton wd40 twice a day for nearly a month to free up a piston. It moved, reluctantly... but it moved. The barrel and piston cleaned up nicely too afterwards. It was an old 2 stroke Victa lawn mower.... Haven't done anything like for years...
Dang old carbon buildup, some of it must have got in my eye. Got a tear duct malfunction now.
It is a real thing of beauty watching you bring these old mechanical marvels back to life Mustie.
There is usually no gasket between the valve cover and the head. The crushing of a gasket there would change your valve clearances. Honda actually uses a fancy RTV called Hondabond, but using normal RTV is common practice and works fine.
I was wondering that myself. I seem to recall working on my old honda and had that stuff everywhere......(specially on side covers where there was no gasket but subject to oil pressure)
You can buy the same stuff under the brand name Hylomar. Its better than the old grease trick for reusing gaskets and makes a fantastic seal.
Loctite 520 or 518 can be substituted but do your research first to see which is best. Hondabond is readily available at auto and bike dealers.
Permatex Moto Seal is the same thing as Hondabond.
Surely how much liquid gasket you used would effect clearance too?
mustie saves anouther one in good fashion couldn't haven't done it better myself lol. we work on old tractors a lote we had a old case that sat so long the cylinders were almost completely full of rust( 4or 5 inch. bore) .We pulled head after soaking it ,scraped it out ,hone the cylinders . put her back together and she fired up and never even smoked couldn't believe it .
Hi Mustie another thing on these bikes are the aluminum gas tanks are bad about leaking at the seam in front of the seat. I have two I am getting ready to separate, straighten and re weld
Just subbed, this is about the third video YT kept suggesting yours. At the end you decided to do part two and took a ride with your dog. I recognized the vw bus interior, pop out front windows too, don't see that much in Arkansas. I drove a 66 work van while I built my first home in 75. They are great daily drivers. And you have a vw pickup in the shop too. Enjoying your vids and the fact you were on a cruise with your folks.