KDX 220 Right side cover, binding on shift shaft

[Brian Y]

Hey all, so in being proactive and replacing my water pump mech seal and the rest of the water pump seal bits on my 1998 220 I have generated a rather frustrating issue, well two actually.

1. (The easy one) I realized the lever that attaches to the KIPS governor was all sort of bent and was probably never engaging my power valve. So order a new one and back in business.

2. (The sucky problem) While buttoning everything back up, I have everything all lined up (with the exception of the bent lever bit I talked about above), and making sure that thin little washer on on the kickstart shaft I try to reinstall and torque my ride side cover back on...two problems result.

First problem is my shift shaft is hitting against my cover and binding up, meaning I cannot shift the bike it is stuck up and will not move, release tension on the cover and it is just fine(it even marred the cover it was hitting so hard) which also results in cracking the frickin cover...oh well I did something wrong I think and order a used cover off Ebay for 150.00, and the same problem is still there still binding up and probably won't seal in the oil without cracking the new/used cover, so needless to say I have a cover with a a fresh coat of yamalube sitting on my bench and a bike that I cannot ride...frustrated!!

So the facts,

1. The doohickey lever is still bent, could this be throwing things off on the other side of the cover? I am ordering a new one.

2. Is that thin little washer on the kickstarter worn out and not leaving enough space?? Maybe I am missing a washer, I know it goes between the inside of the cover on the kickstart shaft...

3. I put on a fancy new shift lever and had a hell of a time getting the old shifter off, it still has play back and forth, I doubt I screwed up the shift shaft as it still runs through the gears with the cover off or loose.

What am I missing? I will try and post some unremarkable photos tomorrow...but am hoping for some input from the Kdxperts, and really hoping I don't have to pull my clutch basket and the shift shaft. This is a almost 20 year old bike and in doing this routine maintenance along with cleaning my power valve and finding even more broken parts, it's getting hard to justify fixing the old girl.

I have an order ready to go on bike Bandit of the doohickey lever, a washer and a new gasket for good measure. Just trying to figure out if I need to order anything else.

[Brian Y]

Bent

[KDXGarage]

Is that picture of the pin like an old picture?? It looks bent and welded??

What is that black **** on the side of the case, silicone gasket maker??

Pretty please tell me you are not posting a thread about clearance issues AND you are using gasket maker goop.

[bufftester]

This is the part where we inevitably say the obligatory "Get a service manual". The pin was bent because some one tried to take off the pawl at the top with out reading the manual and realizing its a left hand thread. Also, gasket sealer is not a gasket. Not saying thats the source of your binding, but its not helping. There is very little clearance between the case cover and lots of spinning pieces, reducing that is asking for problems.

[KDXGarage]

I am confused. You said you know the pin is bent, correct?

Are you still trying to mount up that bent pin??

You said something about ordering a new one, but I am confused as to whether you have received it and are installing it and the pictures are old??

[Brian Y]

Yup, pin is bent, picture was just for reference, New one is on the way. I am guessing the bendyness and welding occurred sometime in the bikes almost 20 years before I had it, I used the pliers and knew ahead of time it was left handed. The kips shaft is nice and straight, I have two so I checked both of them. I am now wondering just based upon the above comments that someone before me did tack that sucker together and shoved it back in the bike instead of spending $8.00 and getting a new one. Maybe that is what is throwing off the side cover.

I have a service manual and it is super not very helpful on certain things (hence this thread, really just looking for moral support, and any other ideas).

Using a new Athena gasket and a bit of yamabond for good measure, because when the case cracked the first time it was not sealing and dumping oil every where, so just trying to avoid a leak in the future. But the gasket was obviously not the issue, but I did not know that until I tried the second time with the new side cover, and had already put the yamabond on it.


Thanks for looking out guys!! Sometimes it is the simple things that can catch us off guard and that is exactly what I am looking for , someone to say "Hey guy, ya put yer blinker fluid where your muffler bearing should be!" Or you probably forgot the washer on the kickstart shaft, which I didn't.

Here is hoping when I get that new pin that is what is throwing everything off , like that ginormous blob of weld is hitting in the wrong spot.

[Brian Y]

I am confused. You said you know the pin is bent, correct?

Are you still trying to mount up that bent pin??

You said something about ordering a new one, but I am confused as to whether you have received it and are installing it and the pictures are old??

No just illustrating how bent it is. That weld job and bendyness is not my handy work. I posted this before I submitted my order because I am tired of paying shipping to Bike Bandit every time I find something else broken and was hoping for some feedback before I ordered.

The more I dive into the bike the more I find wrong. Someone detonated a piston at some point, and the head looked like th surface of mars, pitted to hell. So it went on a trip to Oregon and RB designs made it all pretty again. The timing on the KIPS was off and he pinion had broken teeth. (Now that is an expensive part.) It already had a Wiseco piston in it and a resurfaced cylinder.

Almost makes me want to give up and go get a WR450 or a KTM, but I am hanging in there for now.

[KDXGarage]

Wow. Always a joy to discover the bad repairs of previous owners. Keep up the good work.

[bufftester]

Now I'm confused lol. Are you saying the end of the shift shaft (bottom right of the second picture above) is binding on the RH engine cover? It should touch (the RH case has a little cross shaped section right there that keeps the shaft from riding to the right.) If that's where it is binding check the collar on the back side of the shift shaft behind the pawl and make sure it is seated correctly (p/n 92152-1075 on the parts diagram). And that the spring and collar on the outside are seated fully. After that I don't know...Perhaps the PO put an E-series shift shaft in?

[Brian Y]

Now I'm confused lol. Are you saying the end of the shift shaft (bottom right of the second picture above) is binding on the RH engine cover? It should touch (the RH case has a little cross shaped section right there that keeps the shaft from riding to the right.) If that's where it is binding check the collar on the back side of the shift shaft behind the pawl and make sure it is seated correctly (p/n 92152-1075 on the parts diagram). And that the spring and collar on the outside are seated fully. After that I don't know...Perhaps the PO put an E-series shift shaft in?

That sounds like something to check.

You are right it is binding there, and you can see where it is rubbing and even scoring the aluminum.

I will check it out.

[Brian Y]

If that's where it is binding check the collar on the back side of the shift shaft behind the pawl and make sure it is seated correctly (p/n 92152-1075 on the parts diagram). And that the spring and collar on the outside are seated fully. After that I don't know...Perhaps the PO put an E-series shift shaft in?

And that was it. Pulled the clutch and the shaft and the collar was out!! No longer binding. Rights side cover back on, clicks through the gears. Gonna get the rest back together tomorrow, I hope.

How it is supposed to look!


How it came out of the bike! And this was totally my fault. I installed a new IMS shifter with the side cover off and it was able to pop out, and caused me a huge headache. Oh well live and learn!!


Thanks to everyone for the help.

I have a feeling that this thing is going to run waaaay better after all this The powervalve might actually open, I got R&B to do the head, and a torque ring from freddette racing.

I think this bike ate a piston before I had it...what do ya think?





Power valve pinion...not a cheap part.


Didn't do too much to the bike cosmetically besides a FRP bar clamp and a new Enduro computer as this is my bike I am going to flog for learning how to do some Enduros.

I did rebuild the forks with new springs, oil and fresh seals, I also got Tech Care here in Michigan to do the rear shock for me. If it runs okay after all this I might try and track down a big tank and a silencer. Other than that I am done with this old guy.

[KDXGarage]

Congratulations on getting it all back together. Something definitely rattled around inside the cylinder, maybe one of the teeth from that last gear??

[bufftester]

Glad to hear it is sorted out! I have seen folks have issues with that collar not being seated before, just took a while for my old gray matter to recall it lol. Looking forward to the first ride report!

[Tyl3r]

congrats on getting it figured out!

[Tiwi17]

Tanks for the post /picture, my right cover was not flush because of that spacer.