I started a valve adjustment a couple years ago and never got around to finishing it. Last weekend I put in some new shims and reinstalled the cams and tensioner. I went to turn the crank by wrench, but it will only go about 90° either way. Anyone know what might be keeping it from rotating fully? I don't wanna try starting the bike up with it getting stuck like that.

Bike is an 09 KLX250SF by the way.

 

Recheck your cam installation. Your valves may be hitting the top of the piston.

Ride on
Brewster

 

Hmm. I turned it to TDC, put the cam gear lines parallel to the head, and have the In and Ex markings 32 pins apart. Have any further details on that process I might be missing? Thank you

 

Do you have the spark plug in? Maybe the compression is locking it up.
... and intake line should be on the carb side of engine, just say'in.

 

If it were me, I'd assume I did something wrong, Next I'd get my hands on an accurate definition of the process and start from the beginning and do it all over again.

 

To isolate where the problem is, remove the spark plug and cams. Support the cam chain so it doesn't fall into the case. Now try turning the crank over. If it goes 360 degrees, it was cam timing. If it is still limited, it's something in the lower end.
Be sure to reset the plunger in the cam chain tensioner.

Ride on
Brewster

 

Thanks guys. So I just pulled out the cams, chain tensioner, and spark plug, but the crank still won't spin fully.

Looking at the head I noticed I only have one dowel pin (at bolt 6 on the retainer). Am I supposed to have another? It looks like there's space for another dowel pin above the threads of bolt number 1?

If I'm missing one I wonder if it's fallen down into the case and is jamming something.

 

There should be 2 dowel pins.

Ride on
Brewster

 

I've tried fishing down in there with a magnet but it's not catching anything. Is there anything else that could cause it to jam or should I just take off the head next?

 

Unless you have a valve stuck open, there is no need to remove the head. I'd dig deeper into the side of the engine that has the cam chain.

Ride on
Brewster