Hello everyone,
while riding today I noticed a small chip/crack in my engine block. The bike is a 2007 klx 250 and it is not leaking or driving differently. I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice or information about this. Thanks.

pictures:
http://imgur.com/a/Scf2D

 

Is it truly a crack or is it a casting flaw of no importance?

 

I have no idea, i was hoping someone could look at the pictures and tell.

 

I'm going to say not to worry about that. It's in an area that is an empty void. There's no oil or fluids behind there...... carry on.

 

It is on my bike. When I looked at the pictures, which I missed the first time, I could see it is too perfect, uniform, to be a broken out area. It is likely spot where a tool can be inserted to pry the cases apart so the gasket surface is not ruined when rebuilding. There is likely a locating bushing in there that may not come apart easily. The engine paint looks to be slightly chipped out. Mine has mud in it.

 

I looked at mine too, and it does have a very slight, factory indention at the case split seam at the same spot as OP's. However, mine is fairly small and sharply defined. This spot is in a location that appears nearly impossible to hit with a rock or other trail debris.

Mine looks like either a casting retaining spot during manufacture or a case splitting point...though it appears quite shallow for a case splitting aid in my case. Now, I could see someone getting a bit hamfisted and chipping the aluminum at this indentation and causing something that looks like the OP's case, but that would mean someone tried to or did split these cases. That does not really look a natural casting situation.

OP, has this engine had a case split? Either way, if oil is not leaking or other issues evident, I wouldn't worry about it. Oh...on that other small pit on the case, that looks like a small impact strike and nothing to worry about either.

 

I knew a couple guys who pried apart a SuzukiTM125 engine... missed that one grease/dirt covered screw on the bottom. They learned what it cost for new cases... bummer!