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Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 08:57 am Oct 02 2019
by shauno
So, I am based in Melbourne, Australia and saw a 98 KDX 200 come up at a price that was a bit high but it all looked original and I figured with a bit of love and cash I can turn it back into a beauty. It had been in a farmers shed for 10 years. I used to race a 90 model back in the day in New Zealand so have long had a hankering to get another one. Other bikes just don't really do it for me...
Well been a long time since I sat on a dirt bike as I am more accustomed to selling BMW Adventure bikes (which are huge) and what a pleasure to feel how light it is and the potential to make a great bike.
So far I have gone to town. About to strip the bike down and have frame repainted, have purchased OEM gaskets for head and base of cylinder as well as most other covers, new impeller, Pivot Works bearing kits for shock and linkage, swingarm and wheels. Sprung for a Lectron cable just because I can't be arsed dealing with jetting again and to save fuel, Barkbuster EGO hand guards, Pro Taper fat bars, new levers, new seat cover, new pegs, pro series boyeson reeds and the bike already comes with Procircuit pipe and muffler.

Haven't delved into the engine yet but feels like the powervalve is shot (or hopefully the previous owner was inept at putting in new jets and that is the issue). Either way looking forward to getting into it and bringing her back to glory.

Next stage is strip it all down, investigate the top end and install a new piston and rings, sort the powervalve and keep fingers crossed that it is all just gunked up.

Never going to get back the money I spend on her but I know I will love it once it is done...

Here she is as I picked her upImage

May need some advice...

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 09:42 am Oct 02 2019
by TwistedRoot
Heck yeah! Looks great. Enjoy it! Big fan of the green frame here. :bravo: :supz:

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 10:18 am Oct 02 2019
by KDXGarage
Welcome to kdxrider.net.

Congratulations on the nice looking KDX.

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 11:43 pm Oct 02 2019
by bufftester
Welcome to the forums and congrats on the new bike

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 01:51 pm Oct 03 2019
by VTMTcowboy
Welcome to the forum! Lots of great people and info here. Gotta love the mid-90's color schemes!

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 07:30 am Oct 07 2019
by shauno
2 hours got it all pretty much stripped down aside from engine and suspension and so far looks not too bad when i look inside the exhaust port.

I ordered all new gaskets and a new pump impeller. I guess it would make sense to put new seals and bearing in there too huh? Any thoughts??

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 08:15 am Oct 07 2019
by KDXGarage
yes on the bearing and seals

Keep up the good work.

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 03:58 am Dec 14 2019
by shauno
IMG_3161.JPG
IMG_3161.JPG (533.42 KiB) Viewed 5819 times
So, a couple of months have passed and a few small issues discovered and repaired...solved. But first start today and it sounds incredible. The Lectern carb makes it tick over nicely and happy with the results. Seem to have an issue with the X ring chain rubbing on the cases now which I'll have to solve ...any offset front sprockets out there?

Looks good though...

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 07:53 am Dec 14 2019
by kdxsully
Honestly, I’m not sure if there even is a solution to that. I think some companies make a sprocket spacer, but you also gotta consider keeping the chain in line with the back sprocket too

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 08:43 am Dec 14 2019
by doakley
Didn’t the 200 come with a std chain and only the 220 with an O-ring? I’ve only run O-rings on my 220 and no problem. Go figure?

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 10:43 am Dec 14 2019
by KDXGarage
Looks great! Congratulations on your work turning out well.

Check the width on that chain. Some are narrower than others. (X-ring or such)

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 04:31 pm Dec 16 2019
by bufftester
X-rings generally run a tad wider than comparable O-ring chains. As suggested, compare chain widths and sswitch to a narrower one to resolve the issue.

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 07:56 pm Dec 18 2019
by Slick_Nick
Great job!

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 05:50 pm Dec 20 2019
by G22inSC
bufftester wrote: 04:31 pm Dec 16 2019 X-rings generally run a tad wider than comparable O-ring chains. As suggested, compare chain widths and sswitch to a narrower one to resolve the issue.

I'm looking into picking up an O-ring chain on my next replacement. Does anyone have known O-ring chain models/part numbers that will work with the stock 200 parts?

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 06:32 am Dec 29 2019
by shauno
Thanks for the suggestions...I took it for a proper run the other evening on the road (with unregistered vehicle permit) and it ran great. Been such a long time since I have ridden a two stroke and the bike is trying to pull monos in third gear. I don't remember if my last one did that all those years ago.
Alas two days later went to start it and it idled but wouldn't rev at all and kept stalling. When it would idle I would open the throttle and you could hear the slide coming up and air sucking but it was like no fuel was being introduced.
Float bowl is correct. As it is a Lectron carb I took the float bowl off, blew out the various tubes and reassembled but still did the same. Played with the idle screw and eventually couldn't get it to start. Plug is black and wet so fuel is getting there and it does spark when held to the bolts on the head although not a super strong spark.
I am worried it might be the CDI or something. Would an old failed CDI suddenly cause issues where it starts (sometimes) but doesn't rev or even idle for longer than a few seconds? Could it be air leaks or a leaking bottom end seal???
After all this work to get it all ready and now it is having issues I am getting a little frustrated.

If anyone has some advise it would be appreciated.

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 08:14 am Dec 29 2019
by KDXGarage
new plug?

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 01:16 pm Dec 29 2019
by javjacob
Very nice KDX!

A coil going bad can be eratic where it starts sometimes and sometimes wont. I would get a new OEM coil. If thats not it you have a spare coil.

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 04:20 pm Dec 29 2019
by kdxsully
CDIs tends to work or not work from what I’ve heard.

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 09:25 am Jan 01 2020
by shauno
Yes, put new plug in when I rebuilt but it was super wet and black which makes me think it might be a right crank seal. Pretty sure I replaced the transmission oil before the ride and sure the amount was correct and then afterwards it seemed lower. Because I was chasing the idea of a fuel blockage I just thought maybe I didn't top it up as correctly as I thought. But now with the back spooge and the low oil level I thin perhaps the crank seal might be the culprit. I guess if it hasn't been run properly for 10 years the seals are probably shot.

Guess I will have to make a leak down tester and see what that tells me....I have only split cases once before so hopefully I can avoid it...

Re: Hello All. Just purchased a 98 KDX 200. Total revival happening

Posted: 08:33 pm Jan 01 2020
by kdxsully
I’d go ahead and do both seals and main bearings for peace of mind if it were me.