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Hi everyone!

I'm disassembling and cleaning my powervalve components (using the Cyclepedia manual) this week, and I've some questions, please.

1. What's holding the main exhaust valve (assembly) in? I have removed everything (see photo, isn't this everything? The 8mm-headed bolts (p/n130) are laying in the cover), but it still won't come out. I read on here about someone tapping it with a wooden dowel through the intake port. I tried that, but I'm scared to tap too hard until you guys tell me the only thing holding the valve in there is the excessive carbon buildup of neglected maintenance.


2. Timing/aligning the advancer shaft and the center shaft: The gear on the center shaft (13107-1324) doesn't have any white paint on it. The center shaft DOES have a groove machined into it that is adjacent to a tooth. Some searches on here and elsewhere say that the groove is my timing mark. Correct? Note that when I disassembled these components, the dimple dot on the gear (16085-1273) did NOT align with that groove; it was one tooth away.

4. The "holder", hollow bolt with the spring in it, was split where the treads contact the head of the bolt. I was able to remove it intact, and I've ordered a new one, but is this cause for a bigger concern?

3. While I have the cylinder off, what other maintenance should I do? Should the piston be replaced? The rings? Re-coat the cylinder?

Thanks in advance, and I hope you all have a great day!

John

Cylinder is off?

(everyone sing along) E-Z Off, makes over cleaning easier!

DO NOT get it on aluminum.

Be gradual. Use a little and take your time. All that carbon did not build up in a few minutes, so no need to worry about getting it all off in a few minutes.

Dont be afraid to use the dowel and tap it out, the carbon builds up on the blade of the valve and makes it a tight fit pulling out.

Thanks for the input, guys. I'm not having much luck, though. I've used overnight soaks of PB Blaster and hours-long soaks of Berryman's, but that valve is stubborn. The repeated wacks lead to me splitting the dowel upon the sharp edge of the exhaust valve. I put a small, tasty morsel of my dog's rawhide between the wooden dowel and the valve, and that worked to keep the dowel from splitting; the dowel just breaks now.

I'm going to try heat it and hope things soften up. That is, unless you experienced riders have a more thoughtful approach.

Can you move the arm portion of the valve that sticks out? Mine felt like it came out easier with that arm pulled out as far as it would go, but I didn't need to hammer it out, it eventually wiggled loose. Put a heat gun on it and warm it up and see if that helps.

I have hammered it out and have about 10mm of the valve protruding from the cylinder. I can move the arm but it doesn't seem to affect how loose/tight the fatty part of the valve feels in its bore. I need to get me one of them heat guns. I keep saying, "one of these days". I've got a propane torch; I thought I'd kiss it with that flame. Outside of course, so if/when the PB Blaster and Berryman fumes want to ignite, I'll be prepared.

Oh, I forgot to answer... the cylinder is off; it's on my bench. And, I have the EasyOff (tm) song in my head, but isn't the cylinder made of aluminum? So I shouldn't use it in this application to free the exhaust valve? I assume I can clean all the little components in it though.

Thanks again!

Yeah, be careful with it on aluminum. It is caustic. Maybe dab with a brush on just the carbon. You might want to double check an online parts diagram to make sure you have everything accounted for.

In the lower right of the picture is a shaft with an oring on it. You should replace that while everything is apart. A top end gasket set will have everything you need except for that and the oring on the slotted left side cover.

Kawasaki refers to the shaft oring as "packing" on the parts diagram.

Thanks for that. I just put "packing" on the order.

Happy Sunday, Everyone! So, I have heated and hammered and pulled and prayed. I have even cursed a bit, and that may have offset my prayers in this instance.

Any other ideas on how to get this exhaust valve from the cylinder? Thanks in advance!

Try a slide hammer with vice grip attachment. Only grab it where it won't matter if the teeth mar it up. Maybe you can file it back smooth afterwards.

Slick_Nick wrote: 02:31 pm Oct 10 2021 ...Only grab it where it won't matter if the teeth mar it up. Maybe you can file it back smooth afterwards.

I like the cut of your jib, sir. I can't quite get the visegrips to grab it, but yours is the direction I'm headed

how about a miniature needle scaler? :-)

Success!
You guys can ease your troubled minds and get some sleep tonight; I was able to punch the exhaust valve assembly out of the cylinder. I had tried all the tricks (except the mini-jackhammer), but what paid off was using a brass punch (1/4" rod, actually). I whacked and whacked, and made slow, steady progress. I'd stop about every 4-5 hits to file/smooth the end of the brass, and then continue. The exhaust valve parts are the gunkiest of the `unky, of course.

Just wanted to update you guys and thank you again.

I know this is late, but I soaked mine in a bucket of diesel for 5 days.

I see you have a 220? This is a good time to verify the piston is NOT an OEM piston. If it is, you cannot verify or it doesn't measure to spec or just looks ugly, this is a good time to replace. Personally I prefer Wiseco but people have other favorites. At a minimum I'd replace the rings, pin and top bearing. Good time to take a hard look at the condition of the plating on the cylinder as well. All new gaskets of course and use a torque wrench, please.
I'm sure you know all this, but since you asked....

Glad you got it out! Good reason to use a high quality oil and clean the valves frequently!

Thanks guys. I'm now using a file and some fine sandpaper to re-smooth the damage from the extraction. It isn't too bad, and should clean up w/o notice or effect. I did learn from this adventure, including the importance of keeping this stuff clean. I now know that I should have looked inside when I bought this baby ~3 years ago.

Thanks for the info, doakley. That's exactly the kind of stuff I was asking. I'm typing up a new thread; going to ask specifics/guidance about the aftermarket piston procedure. As it turns out, my piston is OEM (and looks great). I've been riding the bike for years. Fortunately, the Kawasaki gods have been kind to me.

Throw that OEM piston into a landfill somewhere and count yourself lucky!

I use mine as a paperweight on my desk. Nice to hear you got it out.