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About a month ago I noticed a thin film of oil coming from the front-left quadrant of the base gasket. I have to wipe a little bit of oil off the motor after every ride now. All the bolts are on good and tight.

Normally, this wouldn't bother me, but I'm getting a little bit of oil drizzle on my pretty ridin' togs. So, looks like I'll be getting a non-schedule top end in a couple of months.

QuailChaser put in a Wiseco piston, what, maybe a little under a two years ago.

So, given that I've already decided to have the work done (by http://www.MonkeyButtParts.com ), and that KDXs don't tend to need top end jobs very often, how much parts replacement should I do? Should I just re-ring the current piston and have the goobers cleaned out of the KIPS and assorted ports and have the gaskets replaced, or should I spring for a new piston as well? Any other things to take care of once we get in there?

Thanks,

Rick

Back them off and retorque them.

But... that would save me money.

Rick

Sorry....

I would be utterly shocked if that would work, btw.

Rick

I spoke to my neighbor who was taking a break from rebuilding the top and bottom of a YZ250 engine he picked up for cheap.

I asked him about my weepy base gasket. He took a look at it and said that he would be very concerned about a bad gasket there because it can lead to air being sucked into the intake side and leaning out the engine. He said that all it would take is for that gasket to fail a bit more and I could have problems.

I suggested that I should run, not walk to the nearest web site and buy a top end kit. He was so bothered by it that he said he would help me with it.

Comments? And, btw, should I do a piston or just a re-ring, assuming that my bore is okay?

Thanks,

Rick

If you are going to be taking the top off, a new piston would be a good idea. A P/V de-carbon and clean up at the same time too.

Ron

Wiseco piston and gasket kit for $129.

http://www.motosport.com/offroad/search ... esults=yes

So, is this true about the impending lean-seizure I'm facing if I let this go too long?

Also, Ron, I'd just as soon buy the kit from you, if you sell them.

Not that I'd want to put you in the position of conflict of interest.

Thanks for the quick response.

Rick

I took the bike on a little, 25-mile, low-impact ride for some pre-race prep for a riding club.

I got it running and sprayed some brake cleaner on the greasy portion of the gasket. I could see the liquid being rhythmically being gently sucked in and then pushed out. No other section of the gasket allowed this to happen.

Time to do that deed.

Rick

It is indeed time to do that deed...whilst you still have a motor

Thanks, buddy !!

Edit:

It looks like both Rocky Mountain and MotoSports are out of Cometic top end gasket kits. Anyone know where I can get a full piston kit and gasket kit from one vendor?

Rick

AZRickD wrote:Thanks, buddy !!

Edit:

It looks like both Rocky Mountain and MotoSports are out of Cometic top end gasket kits. Anyone know where I can get a full piston kit and gasket kit from one vendor?

Rick

Yes. I know where.

quailchaser wrote:

AZRickD wrote:Thanks, buddy !!

Edit:

It looks like both Rocky Mountain and MotoSports are out of Cometic top end gasket kits. Anyone know where I can get a full piston kit and gasket kit from one vendor?

Rick

Yes. I know where.

Don't need to pay shipping either! Ya know, I think I talked with you one day. When I ordered a throttle cable it somehow came up that there was nothing in my shopping cart even though I payed the correct price. Could that have been you?

I bet you could find what your after here:

http://www.monkeybuttparts.com/

I ordered an oversize piston and gasket kit from them and they even called to make sure that was the piston I really wanted. Thats some darn good service.

I e-mailed MunchyButt yesterday.

My concern is that way too many shops are "back ordered" or out of stock on the Cometic gasket sets for the 220. Kinda spooky that everyone would run out of the one gasket set that *I* need so close to race weekend (I'm volunteering again). Gotta cover all my bases.

I'm not sure if I want to do the top end myself (pressed for time), or send it to the "professionals" at MunchyButtParts-dot-com.

Rick

You cant run forever Rick, you are going to try a race. No more of this volunteering stuff.

Speaking of top-ends, I really need to re-do mine....

Yes, I will race. Likely in the fall.

I was hornswaggled into volunteering the first time instead of racing at the Krusher II qualifier format (my fave format cuz I can rest between test sections). They said it would be a good experience.

I'm not yet finished with grad school and I don't have a lot of spare time, as noted above. Turns out volunteering is way more work than racing, although the physical recovery time is more.

So, now my club (Arizona Trail Riders), is sponsoring a race, and since I'm a member, I can't race it. Yes, it's a qualifier too, that I'll have to miss every year.

Rick

Here's what happend to a guy I know and his 380 punkin. I suggest you do it sooner rather than later.

Wel its seems that there was a slight leak at the base gasket that leaned it out, also the main jet may have been little on the small size, it wasn't "topping out". it has grabbed at the front of the piston, siezed it, pulled clutch immediately, its cooled down enough to kick over after a few minutes, the piston is toast, the rings are toast, cast iron barrel looks like we will get away with a hone, just some alloy build up stuck to it, could be worse I spose.

Well. I didn't experience anything like that. Looks like I might have ducked the big one (I hope).

Rick

Parts will be in tomorrow. My bike will be in the capable hands of the staff at MunchyButt.

I hope to be riding this weekend with new-found wheel-lifting powah, and new rubber, chain, cables, and re-fabbed forks.

What would one expect HP and torque-wise from a top-end job after, say, 100 hours of single-track time?

Also, for my desert climate, -- new chain. Everybody wants to go with an O or X-ring chain. What are the plusses and minuses of going with those vs a standard chain for the same $$?

Thanks,

Rick

Rick