Sulfur smell leads to dead battery, roadside rescue UPDATE 7.18.14
 

My '09 KLX250s has been kind of a PITA since I got it (used) a couple of months back. The timing chain rattles at 5200 RPM like there's no tomorrow, and today the battery died, leaving me in traffic and having to call my professor to rescue me.

Not great. I was smelling sulfur coming from what I thought was the exhaust, and contemplated changing my source of fuel. Now, it looks like I was smelling hydrogen sulfide from the battery, which is probably getting overcharged by a bad regulator/rectifier.

So my question to you guys is this: Is it common for a 4,000 mile-old bike to have engine and electrical parts worn out so early in its lifespan? Coming from a Honda sportbike that was nearly 17 years old and which never even HINTED at unreliability, I'm under-impressed.

Have you folks had a similar problem?

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EDIT 7.18.2014

Performed every electrical test required by the Factory Service Manual.

Stator resistance: nominal at .7 Ohms. Stator voltage: 69 VAC from all three phases. Pass.

Battery test: nominal; 13.3 v ignition off. 12.4 v ignition on, not started (this is well within normal with the headlight draw as US models run the headlight 24/7). Pass.

Charge test: Idle 14.8 v, 4000 rpm 18.7 v - FAIL
Regulator/Rectifier test: Resistance is supposed to be more than 10 times (ohms) one way than the other (the process is extensively long, resistance is supposed to be measured between the yellow leads which connect to the stator and run into the RR vs. the three multi-colored ones coming out of the RR, then run the other way) between terminals. Terminal one - pass. Terminal two - pass. Terminal three - FAIL. Resistance was only 2-3x one way versus the other.

Load test:
One battery - hooked between positive and negative with a test light, testing the three yellow wires. Pass.
Two batteries - complex hookup arrangement CAREFULLY followed to a "T;" Terminal one - pass. Terminal two - pass. Terminal three - DEAD SHORT!! FIRE!! BAT AWAY THE CONNECTION!!! OBSERVE THE ALLIGATOR CLAMP WELDED TO THE TERMINAL!!

So, my regulator/rectifier took a giant crap on me. Say "bye-bye" to $100. Seriously, guys, have I bought the Peugot of motorcycles here? Are all these Kawasakis "Kawa-sucky?"

I think 5 years on a battery is about average in any vehicle.
You can get a manual cam chain tightener cheap around here if you look.

Don't think you have a reliability problem, you have a scheduled maintanence problem.

The cam chain tensioner is the only niggling issue with this bike that's of any real consequence IMO. Other issues, small in nature, are pretty much similar to what most bikes have. An '09 with only 4000 miles indicates very little riding. That is about as hard on a battery as anything...assuming that's the original battery. You can check charging with a simple voltmeter after you get your new battery.

Plus, I want to know why you're using Ben Stein's photo as your avatar.:D

The Kawasaki cam chain tensioner in the ratchet design can and does fail at times on a number of their models, including the KLX250. Once that is dealt with, the engine will hold up well from what I've read and seen.

I have nothing on the rectifier. I'd say do a search here and see what pops up. It isn't a common thing from what I've seen here over the couple of years I've been a member.

This group is good so I think you will get feedback on this.

I also have an 09, so feel free to email me and give a call, or I may call you. I have a Word document my brother gave me on the KLX250 hop ups and there is a lot here in this forum, some will be a repeat of the document I have. It has part numbers too. Give a yell.

Edit:
See, I told you so. TNC snuck a comment in before I even finished mine. He's very knowledgeable on the KLX... and not above a spot of humor.

Very few rectifier problems from what I've seen.

Many cam chain tensioner problems. I had it at 3500 miles or so. Check with klx678 above. He's got the remedy. And a good one at that.

What kind of geology is your passion? Minerals? Oil?

Welcome to KF.

Ben Stein lives in my home town.

Ben Stein showed me how to teach...

LOL!...I loved his cameos in the "Wonder Years".

Sorry for the late reply. I've been in the battery biz for 20+ years. Not many of these types see their 5th birthday. If they do, they've been kept below 77 degrees F most of their life, always charged, never deep discharged, and recharged immediately after any discharge. Not so easy to do. While overcharging a battery can cause the smell, an old battery with a shorted cell is more common. Replace the battery and check your charge voltage. Spec is 14.2 - 15.2V. I bet your charging system is fine. If you've been trying to save the old battery by externally charging it and then let the bikes charging system work at full load with a shorted battery for an extended amount of time, then it's possible that you fried the charging system.

PS. I think my 2009 still has it's original battery. I know I'm on borrowed time and will probably replace it before I get stranded. Then again, I may wait for that first slow start.

Just so you guys understand: the battery was a replacement, not OEM. I believe it was replaced previously due to this overcharging problem. The factory service manual shows a kind of complicated procedure where you test the regulator/rectifier using first one 12v battery, then two in series, then three. You must use a test light to perform the test. As I don't just have three motorcycle batteries laying about, I ended up having to purchase two 5aH 12v alarm batteries off eBay to rig up this ridiculous test. I know if I took my regulator/rectifier to my friendly local Kawasaki dealer, it would take them two hours, they'd charge me $100, and probably screw it up. I'm on my last legs financially here finishing out a Master's degree and my "job," such as it is, pays me less than a fry cook's wage to tutor math as I am going every month into the red just purchasing fuel and food. This motorcycle has cost me $500 in registration, repair and maintenance over two months, something my 16 year old Honda never did. Now it looks like I may have to spend another r$100 on a part that has no business dying on a 4,000 mile old bike, and I've been trapped inside my house because the mechanic has my 22 year old Motorcycle Support Vehicle at his shop for THREE WEEKS converting the air to r134a.

Sorry for the rant. I'm just pissed off about the worthless chain tensioner and the potentiality that a young bike like the KLX might be a piece of junk after I paid top dollar for it.