Thanks RaceGass,

I kept my eye on this post since you share it here and I just picked this exact engine up from the seller in Arizona for $300 on sat. The engine appears to be in good shape. Will open her up this weekend when more time is available. My goal is to do a tear down, replace any and all gaskets, throw a Barnett clutch kit in, valve clearance, and a install a 351 kit before I throw her back in my 09 KLX. Might even do some power coating

TBH I wanna all in on this bike since its now a secondary mode of transportation for me. Could be a fun to customize. Still debating ?

Will post as I go.

 

Honestly brother, I wouldn't mess with it. It is pretty recent, and 4300 miles is nothing. I'd run it as-is and make sure it is healthy for awhile, then BB kit it later.

Ain't broke.... don't fix it....LOL

 

If I had that motor I would pop the valve cover off, lift out the ex cam, if the journal looks good, set valve clearance, change oil/filter and run it.

 

This is what my KLR650 exhaust cam journals looked like after running on low oil. Had to replace the head.

 

Gotcha. Good to know. Will inspect once I take out the blown engine from my bike.

 

Thanks for the advice but I'm stubborn and want to throw a 351 kit in there. This is the first time I will be rebuilding an engine so I'm not only doing it for performance but for knowledge as well.

I just got off the phone with Bill Blue and ordered the trusty big bore kit. Bill recommended not to retard the cams as it would increase the risk of damaging the piston.

How many of y'all are running a 351 kit + the MCM mod?

 

From all the posts in the MCM thread, the cam retiming doesn't help with the 300-351 big bores so not worth doing.

 

Gotcha.

Also, I have a cam tensioner I purchased from you that's in the blown engine. Can I reuse it in the new engine, assuming I pick up some new gaskets?

 

but but but . . . . mrknowitall said it would work

 

Well, mrknowitall simply likes to point out that two members ran MCM on their 351's quite successfully - these are facts that anyone can see for themselves in our old threads. Mrknowitall also likes to point out that hard data in here proves that MCM increases VE (TRQ production) below 7500 rpm. And he also likes to point out that VE increases from cam, induction system, and exhaust mods will occur regardless of, and independent of, the size of the piston in the cylinder.

Add in that we have no data - to date - for 351 + MCM.. No one has actually taken the time and made the effort to prove the benefit of MCM on a properly modded and fueled 351+MCM..

What we do have in our older threads is some arm-chair blowviators spewing mindless opinions on things they know nothing about and have never experienced themselves - mindless bilge that has unfortunately been carried forward, through time, by the uneducated.