Howdy all. I recently acquired an 87 quad/230. It's a POS, but it runs and I needed it for a project anyway. My first question is, how much oil does the engine need? I drained out the bilge that was in there and put 2 qt's of 10w40 in there but the window shows it may need another quart. Don't want to blow any seals so any help is appreciated.

My second question is about the fuel system. My boss had one of these when they were new, the old turd, but he swears the fuel is mixed with oil at the injection point. He's telling me there's a fuel oil reservoir under the seat somewhere---I can't find it if such a thing exists.

My final question is this, where the #%@& is the gearbox drain plug? For that matter, it would be good to know where the add point is. And what would anyone recommend as an appropriate replacement for the undoubtedly nasty filth that is currently in there?

My manual is on the way, but it will take a few weeks and I'm itching to mess with this now---I know some of you can sympathize.

Thanks for any help.

 

Hey there, better make sure that it is an LT230 not an LT250, one is a four stroke (no mixing of oil/gas) and the other is a 2-stroke (oil and gas mixed). To my knowledge the LT250 did not have an oil injection system on it. That is fairly new technology for OEMs. If your quad is an LT230 than it needs 1400 mL of oil. If it is complelty dry you will need to add almost 2 qts. On the LT230 the trans oil is the same as the motor oil (wet clutch system). If it is a LT250 the drain plug is onthe right side and is an 8mm or phillips screw. use a good 80wt oil. APP in Niles has good experience with both models and can help you with parts and accessories as well as technical help. 269-663-2512

 

Thanks, I'm pretty sure it's a 230. It has 233ccm stamped on the side of the block(or something close to that). On the glass viewer window for the oil, should you be seeing daylight? You'd think they'd put like a "full" line on it if it only takes 2 quarts and that only fills 3/4 of the window---hence my confusion. Thankfully I measured what I took out, but the nitwit who owned this thing before me was a real homer so I'm reluctant to trust his fluid measuring skills.

Everything I've found indicates it's a 230. Although after reading some older threads, I now have no idea about the model.

Has:
kickstart only
manual clutching but I can shift without clutching---not sure if that's considered an auto trans
chain drive
white plastic/blue seat---prob original from the looks of it---thank God for epoxy
9 inch rims in the back and a 265lb weight limit

Thanks again for your help

I'll check it when I get home

 

On the sides of the little window for the oil, there should be two lines, you want the oil to be level with the top lines. Also, your 87 may take 2000ml of oil instead of the 1400ml that sandcowboy told you, my 88 takes 2000ml, while my buddies 85 takes 1400ml. Either way it should say on the side of the motor. It is definitly a four stroke, so no mixing of oil and gas is required. The oil drain is on the bottom of the motor, and the filter is on the side under a cover.

 

You have a Lt230S Quadsport. It is a manual trans. The cylinder should be stamped 229 I believe. The is no injection(which is very old technology BTW) I would go to a better auto parts store and purchase a product called "Seafoam" It is a crankcase cleaner/carbon remover/fuel additive. I'd run less than 1/3 of the can in the oil, a little in the gas(few ounces) and I would VERY SLOWLY pour a little into the airbox, after pulling the filter, with the motor tunning. After you pour some in, wait a few seconds, then shut it off. Wait 5 minutes, then restart. It should smoke like a chimney for a few minutes. This is the cylinder shedding the carbon. If you try and kick it over and it locks up, you have hydrolocked the motor, and haven't done the process right. If it locks up, pull the plug, and kick out the liquid. A word of advice. Keep the chain slack in spec, and make sure the swingarm bearings aren't bad( I would bet money they are) Keep the chain between 1.8-2.0 inches of chain slack. These bikes, if the chain is not properly tightened, and with tight swingarm bearing, will throw the chain very often. Sooner or later(usually sooner) the chan will fly into the motor and break a case. These are getting hard to find and expensive. I'd get a case saver to hedge your bets.

 

Thanks for the info. I think I'm going to have to pass on the Seafoam suggestion. I'm generally a cosmetics guy. I can blast, weld, paint and shine, but I leave the bad engine stuff to the pro's. I ran the new batch of oil through and it turned green after a ten minute ride so I think if I change the oil every 2 hours or so---at least a few times, I can rid the engine and trans of the slime in there. I did notice the trans felt a little looser and the shifting was smoother. Not dull and unresponsive, but the shifting had been lurchy and chunky if you know what I mean.

So far the engine hasn't smoked, but there is a little ticking going on. It doesn't seem to change in tone with riding and it did decrease greatly after the first oil change. There is also a question of the gas quality in the tank. Don't hate me, but I didn't drain and clean the tank yet even though I know it can't be much better than the crankcase oil was. That is tonight's order of business.

I think the carb is in need of some cleaning, but in general it idles nicely, but after I ride a bit, the setting of the choke when it started isn't enough to keep it going and it dies.

Is there an external mix screw setting somewhere on the carb? I don't want to monkey with it too much because it does seem to run fine---it chugs at times, but I think it's supposed to. With regard to the chain, I think I have enough room to insert a small cover plate for the case in the off chance it comes off. Why would they use a piece of plastic as a chain guard? I may have to fabricate a metal version of that thing.

As always, thanks for your help guys.

 

The chain guard are made of teflon, and is designed to absorb the impact of the chain. The idle mixture screw is on the shifter side of the carb, under the idle adjust.