So I finally had a free day, I decided to install my 351 kit. I began by checking my valve clearance. Right away, I noticed my intake cam was retarded by 1 tooth. Nobody had been in this top end since I bought the bike off the showroom floor. I figured somebody was sleeping on the job at Kawasaki. Valve clearance was good.
I decided to tear into the clutch area so that I could replace my cam chain before installing the new cylinder. Upon inspection, I found a fairly large metal chunk down in the screen area. After searching for a while, I found it was a tooth off of the cam chain sprocket, located on the crankshaft. It appears that my cam chain tensioner has been failing. It will cost me close to $600 now to get back out on my bike.
Replace your Kawi tensioners with a Krieger Tensioner so you guys can avoid this issue.

 

Thanks for the heads up mee2yoo. I am sorry to hear that your upgrade cost just doubled. Please post up your thoughts on the 351 when you get things sorted out.

 

I will update with a new thread once everything is sorted out.

 

When you have the cylinder off get a light and look closely at the balancer bearing, I had one break a cage and the metal took out the cam drive gear in the crank shaft and than the bearing collapised and the metal took out all the rotating bearings in the motor, all to 7000km.
any metal in the oil? hopefully you don't have this problem

 

One of the first mods I did to mine...

 

Since the cases will be split, I will have a great chance to eyeball everything. I will post a pic or two of what the guts of our little beasts look like from the inside. Just ordered up my replacement crank, bearings, and various gaskets. Came to $600.

 

Heres an another heads up, putting my engine together today and dismantled the oil pump for inspection, its had metal through it and is shot, it may pay to check yours too.