Hi.
I recently purchased a '09 KLX250 with an all-around noisy engine. The first step to locate the source was to check cam chain tensioner and the results were very revealing. A large chunk of metal from the tensioner body was missing. I pulled the clutch side engine cover in search of the broken piece but it wasn't there and everything looked pristine. So, wishfully thinking I dodged a bullet, I decided to check valve clearances next. After rotating the engine to TDC, I looked at the cam gear on the camshaft by chance and found several teeth were sheared off.
So, I need a complete rebuild but have not found any kits available for this. Does anyone know of one or am I going to need to purchase each piece individually from an OEM parts dealer?
I've also considered purchasing a used crankcase but am leery since I don't know exactly what I'll get.
Thank you,
Lawrence

 

What parts are you expecting to need? "Complete rebuild kit" is very vague.

Ride on
Brewster

 

It's not vague if you look at the kits available. They're just not available for the KLX. Example here.
Logically, since there would have been a lot of metal floating around freely in the crankcase from the tensioner body and the teeth from the cam gear, I anticipate needing every bearing and cog/gear/sprocket and all gaskets. I'm purchasing the 351 BB kit separately so the sleeve and rings will be covered.
I will know better what is needed in the bottom end after the tear down this weekend. There's nothing wrong with doing a little ground work beforehand.

 

Most kits are gasket/seals only, not bearings and all. You can go to www.partzilla,com then look under OEM Kawasaki, etc until you get to your model then pick the parts to get the part numbers.

You could also buy bearings by the bearing number from an electric motor store that sells bearings or a bearing specialties store, etc. Even Fastenal does bearings, with a couple choices in price. I've gotten wheel bearings and seals from Fastenal before.

 

1 check the pickup screen below water pump. that screen (and #2 below) are your indicators to what the rest of the engine had to endure.

2 check the alum cam journals.

worst case

cylinder/piston kit

your tranny and crank are fine. but I would look at the piston walls and upper connecting rod bearing. but again, that pickup screen and the oil filter are there to protect you.

Head. inspect the cams, cam journals, valve and seats.

get new cam gears and t-chain, manual tensioner.

you can get the head rebuilt for 250 to 300. this includes line boring the cam journals (if needed) and cutting the seats (if needed) many times you can take scotch brite to clean up the valve area and take VERY FINE lapping compound to clean and verify contact area on valve faces. valve guide seals, and see if the valves move freely.

oh, might not be a bad idea to try to fish out that chunk of metal from the auto tensioner

take pictures ..... we like pictures!

 

Top pic is of the chewed up cam gear at the crank. I can share a pic of what it should look like but if you've seen them before you'll notice these have been shortened : )
Lower pic is of the tensioner body. I'm not sure what could have caused a chunk to come loose like this. Manufacturing defect I guess.

 

I hope that t-chain drive gear is replaceable.

that tensioner looks like the business end got pushed towards the camera breaking off the chunk. maybe it got caught on the side of the wear strip?

 

Sorry to see that. You're going to need a crankshaft to fix that-the gear is machined into the forging.

 

as above, all one piece. maybe try the guy that posted "baaad news" in this forum, I think he bought an engine & has a bottom end

 

I posted an update with a handful of pics but I guess the moderator didn't approve -- that was the status after hitting the submit button.
I found a new crankshaft from revzilla for $487. That's around $100 less than everywhere else looked.