hello,new to the site,but have learned some things about my 07 hi bird 250 atv.it seems to have the lifan engine.not sure what kind of oil to run in it or what wieght,also charging system doesnt seem to be working.any info would be great.thanks

 

For the charging system take a meter and measure the battery voltage right on the terminals while the engine is running at high speed with the headlights off.

You should 13.5 to 14.5 volts DC. If you do the charging system is working, and then you need to look elsewhere to see why the battery is going dead.

If you don't have the right charging voltage then we need to look at the stator output voltages. How many wires are at your voltage regulator, and what are the colors?

 

Griff...

This is what Mike sent to me from Red Oak.... I'll see if this works

From: Mike Stephens at Star Motor Co [mike@redoakcycles.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2011 1:14 PM
Subject: RE: BREAK-IN and MAINTENANCE
Attachments: schumacher maintainer.jpg; Kable-Ease photo.jpg; permatex threadlocker.jpg; permatex anti-seize.jpg; permatex dielectric grease.jpg; Lucas chain lube.gif; sta-bil ethanol.jpg; gumout regane.jpg; castrol 4 stroke cycle oil.jpg

Howdy,

The following is a recommendation for the break-in schedule and maintenance for your motorcycle or scooter or ATV.

If you have any questions regarding the schedule, please send me an email or give me a call.

We are here to help you with your American Lifan product and we want help you enjoy your ride.

These recommendations should not be used in place of your Owner Manual. Always follow your Owner Manual in case of conflict. Always follow directions and use best practices on all products listed here.



GASOLINE

We recommend that you use Premium fuel for the first 3 tank fulls to help burn off any residues left in the fuel system. This will help with engine starting and break-in riding. Your engine will run significantly better when using Premium gasoline. Please make sure that if you use a gas can to fill your motorcycle, that it is a new plastic gas can and that it is clean inside. Metal gas cans condensate and leave rust particles which will clog your fuel system and the fuel turns to sugar/glycol faster in a metal gas can which also can clog your fuel system. Old gas or old gas cans are not your friend.

SEAFOAM is a gas stabilizer and should be added whenever your motorcycle will be parked for more than a few days. The Seafoam prevents the fuel from turning to varnish and clogging your carburetor. In some areas of the country, ethanol has been added to the gasoline and will turn into a glycol/sugar mix in the carburetor, especially in cold regions. Seafoam will prevent this and in mild cases, after 24 hours, turn the mix back into a burnable fuel. Maybe good enough to clean out the carburetor. Although Seafoam is a much better prevent-er than a cure. GUMOUT FUEL INJECTOR/CARBURETOR CLEANER has been a listed as a quality carburetor cleaner. STA-BIL and STA-BIL ETHANOL TREATMENT are very good prevention treatments.

Gumout specs are located here: http://www.gumout.com/ourProducts/

Sta-bil specs are located here: http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/products.aspx









To break in the motorcycle, please follow these suggestions.

Do not push or RED LINE your motorcycle for the first 500 miles. It actually has a RED LINE on the tachometer. There is a reason this line is RED. You are dangerously operating a motor beyond its designed RPMS. Pushing a motor past the RED LINE will not produce any noticeable horsepower but may produce internal motor damage and has been known to cause gasket failure produced by the excessive heat.



The 1st period up to 160 miles should be ridden at or below 4200 rpm and shift up and down regularly. Do not maintain a constant speed, it is better to go from zero to 45 mph and then back down to a complete stop, this lubricates your clutches. Drive the motorcycle for 30-40 minutes and then turn off motor for 20-30 minutes to cool down.



The 2nd period between 160 and 320 miles should be ridden at or below 5200 rpm and shift up and down regularly. Same as above, do not maintain a constant speed, it is better to go from zero to 55 mph and then back to a complete stop. But shift up and down regularly. Drive the motorcycle for 30-45 minutes and then turn off the motor for 20-30 minutes.



The 3rd period between 320 and 480 miles should be ridden at or below 6200 rpm and shift up and down regularly.

Same as above, do not maintain a constant speed, it is better to go from zero to 55 mph and then back to a complete stop. But shift up and down regularly. Drive the motorcycle for 45-55 minutes and then turn off the motor for 20-30 minutes.



After 480 miles you can increase your rpm and speed. Do not RED LINE, or drive at high speeds for extended time periods.

At around 350 to 400 miles it is a good idea to change your motor oil.

We recommend CASTROL 20W50 4 STROKE MOTORCYCLE OIL for use in all motorcycles.

See photo of oil container and specifications here:

http://www.castrol.com/castrol/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9022114&conten tId=7040925





For scooters we recommend using CASTROL 20W50 OR 10W40 REGULAR MOTOR OIL.



For ATVs with an automatic transmission, please use CASTROL 20W50 OR 10W40 REGULAR MOTOR OIL.

For ATVs with standard transmissions, please use CASTROL 20W50 4STROKE MOTORCYCLE OIL.



It can be found at most auto parts dealers or they can order it for you, usually around $6.00 per quart.

In the colder months or climates try a lighter oil such as CASTROL 20W40 4 STROKE MOTORCYCLE OIL.

You should change your oil every 700-850 miles, use the mileage for your maintenance schedule or if you live in dusty environments you will have to change it more often.

Also the amount of usage should be considered. If you have only ridden your vehicle for a 100 miles or so and don't ride it again for another 6 months, it wouldn't necessarily need an oil change.

We recommend that you purchase 3 quarts of oil and that is enough for 2 oil changes.

Do not over fill your motor oil. Make sure your vehicle is on solid, level ground in an upright position, to check the fluid levels and use the observation glass on the lower, right hand side of the motor.



There is no oil filter to purchase or change, Lifan motors have an oil screen that needs to be removed and cleaned then re-installed. However, we do have oil filter cartridges available for those that prefer the cartridge type. You will need to follow your owner's manual for exact instructions on this and you can email me when you are ready to do this, if you have questions.



You need to check your chain often to see if it needs lubrication and or adjustment. It is normal for your chain to become loose after a full day of riding. Chains STRETCH. When they become loose, just re-adjust-tighten.

You can purchase, at most auto parts stores, a can of chain lube, if they do not have it, ask them to order it.

We recommend LIQUID WRENCH CHAIN LUBE or LUCAS MOTORCYCLE CHAIN LUBE.

You will need to spray on the lubrication more often if you drive in the rain or in dusty and dirty conditions.

Do not use lithium grease or WD40, those products are not qualified as a chain lube.

If your chain is lubricated correctly, it will last longer and need to be adjusted less often.

Lucas Cycle Chain lube specs here: http://www.lucasoil.com/pages3-19/CycleDivision

Liquid Wrench Chain Lube specs here: http://www.liquidwrench.com/







A few good products to purchase and have available is KABLE-EASE cable lubricant, it comes in a small tube and can be applied easily to your throttle, choke, clutch and brake cables. For about $5.00 it lubricates your cables that often become hard to slide when they get a little rain on them or set up for a while and rust. Just a few drops will save your cables and cable ends and prevent costly replacement parts.





Another product to have available is the PERMATEX Threadlocker or LOC-TITE, it should be applied whenever you need to tighten a bolt or nut that might have vibrated loose. It should definitely be used on any wheel axle bolts and nuts.





PERMATEX ANTI-SEIZE lubricant should be applied to your spark plug whenever you change the spark plug to prevent the threads from fusing to the engine due to high heat.





PERMATEX DIELECTRIC GREASE should be applied on all electrical connections, wiring harness connectors, battery connections, and spark plug wire to prevent corrosion and a electrical conduction loss.









BATTERY CHARGER. We recommend the Schumacher Speed/Charge Maintainer 1.5A motorcycle battery charger. This battery charger will not overcharge your battery as it will turn itself off and on to maintain a fully charged battery. It is equipped with battery terminal leads that you mount permanently onto the battery and whenever your battery needs a boost, just plug the charger into the terminal leads without removing the seat or side covers, saving you valuable time. You can leave this charger plugged in overnight and it will charge the battery to full and then cut itself off, very nice to have in colder areas of the nation.





If you are unable to locate these products in your location, we will be happy to take your order and ship the products directly to you.



If your ATV, Scooter or Motorcycle does not have a tachometer or speedometer, use your throttle control to control speed and engine rpm.

For example, the first 10 hours of operation, no faster the 33% of your throttle.

The second 10 hours of operation, no more than 50% of your throttle.

The next 10 hours of operation, no more than 75% of your throttle.

After 25 - 30 hours of operation, you will need to change your oil for the first time.



If you need a few pointers on how to ride a motorcycle, you can always check out our website at http://www.redoakcycles.com/ and click on QUICK LINKS,it has great videos on how to operate a motorcycle and we always recommend that you wear a helmet and gloves at all times.



Take care of your vehicle and it will always bring you home.

 

I use SuperTech "WallyWorld" 15w-40. I get it for $2.23 a quart.

 

thanks for the oil info,as far as the charging system goes i only have battery voltage at terminals,so i now its not charging.but first i need to get this thing to run like it should.starts really hard and then pops through the carb.going check and adjust the valves tommorrow.hopefully thats the problem.already cleaned the carb.if i get it running i will post up the wire colors comming from the stator.while im on a roll here,has anyone fabricated some rubber engine mounts on these atv ? it would have to help.ive tightend and replaced numerous bolts plus it would have to be more enjoyable to ride.

 

I agree. Get it running first, but keep the battery charged with a maintenance charger until you get around to fixing the charging problem. Batteries that sit around less than fully charged fully are damaged over time.

 

Good post...

 

well adjusted valves today,they were way tight.still hard to start but ran good after it warmed up.slowly making progress.