Advice on what to do with my "elsie"

[wilkinsons]

Hey my RD250LC has recently started leaking heaps of oil out of the gearbox sump. The oil is a white color so i am assuming that a gasket has gone and water is getting in so would replacing the head gasket and repairing the leak be all i need to do to solve the problem or is there more to it possibly.

Any advice would be great

I'm thinking now i should have splashed out and got a more modern bike, its just the two stroke seems like heaps of fun

[Skunk]

Two strokers are fun. You'd need to pull it apart to determine the cause of the leak for sure before deciding what to do.

Water shouldn't be able to mix with the gearbox oil... It does sound bad. I can't think of anywhere they come close offhand. What's the radiator water like? Is there any missing?
Is water collecting (from rain etc) under the carbs (a hole that shouldn't be there) and getting in?
Why is the sump plug leaking?
Was the gearbox oil OK before? - it may have always been contaminated. It could also be condensation inside the gearbox mixing with the oil.

If it's buggered can I have first dibs to get mine running again?

[slimjim]

strange you not mention overheating .. yup pull it apart and may need closer inspection look for internal cracks too ,

[Warr]

.......I'm thinking now i should have splashed out and got a more modern bike, its just ....

If you want to part with it as is I know someone who could be interested

[HenryDorsetCase]

..............me you mean? cos yeah, definitely

[cs363]

Water shouldn't be able to mix with the gearbox oil... It does sound bad. I can't think of anywhere they come close offhand.

It's been a long time since I've had anything to do with an LC but I would imagine that the first place to look would be the water pump seal as that is the main cause of this type of issue with most two stroke road and dirt bikes.
It's not uncommon that they fail.

[Henk]

It's been a long time since I've had anything to do with an LC but I would imagine that the first place to look would be the water pump seal as that is the main cause of this type of issue with most two stroke road and dirt bikes.
It's not uncommon that they fail.

What he said. Water pump seal and check the waterpump shaft for wear. Should be easy, get the haynes manual these are seriously easy to work on. You shoud be able to pull the engine, fix the problem and have it together and running again in a day.

[stanko]

there a re 2 places where they can leak, 1 is the O ring on the tube that goes from the pump to the back of the head , the other is the water pump seal. both require that you rempve the clutch cover.it dosent take much water to turnthe oil into mayonaise. if you replace the shaft seal be carefull to fit it the right way round it says oil on one side and water on the other

[geoffm]

It's fooked. I will be aroudn to take it off your hands forthwith...

Water pump seal be my guess. they are also known to chew up the pump impeller, so check/ replace that while you are in there.
G

[wilkinsons]

Thanks everyone
I just did some sweet learning over the past couple months, i wish oi had got back to reading this earlier but in the end i pulled the whole engine apart, replaced all the gaskets, top and bottom end. I then found the problem still remand so i removed all the water pump gear and found it to be stuffed. Replaced all that and she is a beauty, no problems now. Only problem now is after learning so much and and haven a good time i want to keep going and restore the whole thing, ah well sorry guys she won't be for sale yet

Elsie lives again

[vifferman]

That's excellent news, and a happy ending for you.