KDXRIDER.NET

I split the crankcases last night on one of my spare '87 KDX200 engines. Some previous owner had somehow bent the shift shaft. While inspecting the insides of the crankcase halves, I noticed a small crack in the left side supporting area for the shift shaft. The crack does not extend to the outside of the crankcase half, so it is not visible from the outside. The surface that the shaft rides on was also gouged from the warped shaft riding on the surface. If this piece had broken free inside the engine, it would have done major damage.

If anyone bends their shift lever and it feels like it is binding when shifting afterwards, consider the shift shaft possibly being bent also. It may be something to check into.

"I split the crankcases last night on one of my spare engines"... How many spare engines do you have? How many spare engines does one need? Sounds like a contest to me.

Mark

I have two spare engines for my '87 and zero for my '94. I have one "good" 87 bike, one "good" 94 bike, two 87 parts bikes and one 1990 engine-less parts bike. I hope I never need the spares, but if I do, they are there. For example, to fix that engine, it would take a new set of crankcase halves and a shift shaft, which totals $382 shipped. If I broke the good ones on my "good" 87, I would much rather get a used set from my parts bike than to have to buy a new set. $380 is enough to buy a parts bike.

Also, me practicing on a 3rd engine / shock / set of forks is a lot better than having no experience and having to work on the "good" parts.

I guess the only contest is to compete against not having to buy a new part vs. using a used one. Some of those parts can be quite expensive, like brake calipers, master cylinders, wheels, swingarm, suspension components, major engine components, fuel tank, etc.

Jason

I'm curious if you could tell if the crack was caused by an impact or from wacking the shift lever too hard. I have seen some guys wail on the shifter going from neutral to first, for example. Maybe the crack is running in a direction caused from a crash/impact on the front of the shifter? Maybe running in a direction from shift abuse? Maybe I think too much about things like this?

David

Good idea! When looking at the inside of the left crankcase half, the crack is at 2 o'clock. The crack is not on the inside of the "tube" in which the shaft sets. It is on the outer side. The gouge is at 7 o'clock, inside the "tube". The steel of the shaft shift is very hard. I am not sure how it happened. If you could have seen this bike when it was first purchased, you could imagine most any problem, though.

Jason -

I'm sorry if my comments came off badly - I was jsut giving you alittle grief. Wish I h spare parts laying around for the bike.

I have an older car that require quite a bit of work and have many extra parts laying around just in case so I know where you are coming from. I was just wondering if I was going to get an answer of 20 extra engines or something to that efffect.

Mark

Mark, Mark, Mark......
One look at Jason's avitar tells you that there's no way you could make a comment coming off badly towards Jason.

You beat me to the punch with the question anyway! Now, the question is, does he have seperate manuals for each of those motors as well?!

No problem, Mark. 20 engines?! That's too many even for a hoarder like me.

Whoever that guy is in my avatar, I think he has achieved Maximum Forehead status.

I have two 87 manuals and two 94 manuals (one that I keep greasy hands off and one to keep in the garage), plus a Clymer 83 - 88 manual. No need for three. I can only work on one at a time.

We have a local radio talk show host whose big deal with callers is their CI number (cylinder index). He firmly believes that if a man doesn't have at least his age in cylinders, he should be wearing pink slippers around the house. So, according to this guy, it looks like you can never have too many engines.

My pink slippers are in the closet right now.

Mark

Jason wrote:Whoever that guy is in my avatar, I think he has achieved Maximum Forehead status.

I just figured that was your high school photo. Remember what Spock once said, "Note the low forehead, denoting stupidity."

Jason wrote:I have two 87 manuals and two 94 manuals (one that I keep greasy hands off and one to keep in the garage)

I thought I was the only one who kept a copy of the manual in "The Library"
(My wife said I could return Girlie Mags in there if I would take the KDX manual out; She says I spent less time on the throne with the Girlie Mags)

skipro, TMI I love the Spock quote though

TMI? Duh, what's that mean?

(BTW, I have no forehead.)

Too much info...

Ah!!!!

I take it a mental visual picture was formed of my library with me on the throne.

I don't maintain a library. They are in the office/other bedroom.