So what happens when you are at the smallest vavle shim and there still isn't enough clearance? Trip to the Kawasaki shop? Guessing machine work needs done? Hoping not a new head isn't needed. Anyone run into this?

 

You're effed. Just push it off the cliff and be done with it.

 

Do you have a grinder?

Haven't experienced this, but I would suspect your due for a valve job.

 

Agree. EMS, did you read Dan Moore's valve job post on the KLX Suncup site when it was up...and may still be up? It goes through a pretty simple scenario where he used Kibblewhite valves and just lapped the OEM seats. Unless you have damaged or really burned up seats, this may be all you need. Only a tear down and inspection will tell the tale.

 

I wouldn't "customize" a shim.

Valve job time. Valves and maybe valve seats are done.

How many miles on the head?

 

A local shop said that id be looking at 750-1000$ for a valve job. So i called Bill Blue and his preliminary estimate was considerably lower. So i took the bike all apart and shipped him the head.

Well Bill Blue got my head in the mail Monday. Talked to him today and he is tearing into it. Going to have him replace the valves and port the head. He said that the head is the main limiting factor of the performance of this motor. Porting the head should make a noticeable difference. He said he had a few cylinders to get out today and said all you guys ordering 351 kits need to send in you stock cylinders so he can make big bores, hes running low. Anxious to get the head back and get the KLX running again.

 

Any numbers, hp / torque, on what porting gains?

 

If the weather would warm up for a few days in a row, at the same time that I had free time, I'd get my head back to him... not holding my breath!

Seems like the power gains would all be at high RPM... meh.

 

+1

I would go with cams before porting, especially with anyone who rides dirt most of the time.

But since EMS is sending his head to Bill anyway might as well have it done, but i wouldn't pull the head off an otherwise fine KLX to have it done unless I was trying to get every last ounce of power i could. But i'm still trying to get the extra scratch together for the full exhaust, pumper and cams

 

Exactly. I had to take the head off and get a valve job anyway. So why not spend a few more bucks and have it flow better.

No HP numbers or anything on porting.