Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original
ReTorquing Query
MarkNZ:
I Installed a New Piston, Rings small-End Bearing and the 2 Big Gaskets, For the first Time since New; about 6 hrs Riding ago. More about Preventative maintenance than anything Else, How Soon should I think about Re-Torquing the Big Nuts Head @ Barrel ? I know its almost impossible to Torque the Jug as you can't get a Socket in there So i'll just get a 17mm Spanner in there and lean on it, But whats the Schedule ?? And Does anyone Know if theres a 'Clymer ' Type Shop Book available ?. My 97 Sings Like a Bird and I want to keep it Flying
Rick:
I am curious why you removed the head for a top end job. Was it leaking? Generally, you never want to remove the head unless you have a leak or you are performing head mods.
Rick
Hogwylde:
--- Quote from: Rick ---Generally, you never want to remove the head unless you have a leak or you are performing head mods.
--- End quote ---
I'm curious why you think THAT? :?
How do you clean off burnt on carbon on the cylinder head? How do you check for erosion at the top of the cylinder or at the edge of the combustion chamber? Is there even enough space to remove the jug on a KX500 with the head still on? How do you keep your head bolts from seizing from non-use if you never pull the head? Since a top end kit comes with a head gasket, why NOT pull the head and replace the gasket??
Here's a link to Eric Gorr's two stroke rebuilding tips. >>>>>>
http://www.eric-gorr.com/tech/twotopweb.html#Maintenance%20and%20Inspection
He recommends pulling the head with top end inspections. I would too. But, if you like decorating your wall with unused head gaskets...more power to ya!! :D
MarkNZ:
Actually I was wrong about the 17mm Spanner for the Jug Bolts, Of Course its only a 14,Doh ( someone should have picked me up on that) As Hogwylde Correctly stated there are many reasons for taking the head off. As I mentioned it was all about PM and as I have the Spares Kit from the dealer when I bought the Bike New it Still Contained a Spare Piston, Gudgeon, 2 Sets of Rings, Oil Seals, a Complete gasket Set etc etc. So It was a No Cost Excercise. I Wanted to take the head off for those Reasons,check the carbon, clean it up , check the Corrosion. You can actually take Barrel off Easily with the Head still on. Just Remove the Engine Brackets on Top and the Plug of Course, You'll probably Skin a
Few Knuckles as I did but thats Part of the Package.You may need some Help to Lower the Jug back on though ! And Thanks for the Eric Gorr Site, Everyone should take a look
Rick:
Here are my reasons for not pulling the head with every top end change:
1. If you have your jetting correct, you should not have anything other than slight carbon buildup on the cylinder head. The ugly carbon buildup will be on the piston, which is being tossed anyway.
2. Head gaskets are notorious for being hard to be resealed. Many folks use the copper spray on the head gasket to help get reseal, but some amount of this spray stays on the surface of the cylinder and head. Try using anything abrasive that scratches the surface, and you will have a leak fore sure.
3. Microscopic carbon buildup on the head will seem like a blessing if you realize that your head gasket has a slight leak into the combustion chamber about 10 miles into your first ride when you find out your out of coolant. Unfortunately, while leaks on the outside edge of the cylinder to head seal are easy to see, small leak on the combustion chamber can go undetectable until you overheat.
We have raced at the National level for several years, with Kawasaki doing needed motor work prior to race day on several occasions. They have never pulled a head to do a top end job. While pulling the head is necessary periodically, to do this every time you put in a new top end is like playing Russian roulette. Which time will get you a leak? Since I have several jugs, I install a reconditioned jug about once each year. That is the ONLY time I pull the head. But by then, I have already had 2 or 3 new top ends.
Yes, you can get the cylinder off the bike with the head on, and a top end job takes about 30-45 minutes (depending upon what's playing on ESPN2) from beginning to end, with the head left in place. That is from assembled bike to assembled bike, not just the motor work.
On the gasket issue (having lots of head gaskets decorating the walls), the Kawasaki rubberized base gasket will last about 5 top end changes (per Kawasaki race mechanics) without any risk of leaking, hence there is not any reason to spend money on new gaskets with every top end rebuild. Can you guess why Kawasaki made the base gasket reusable and not the head gasket?
I have read Eric's information on many issues (and he has a lot of good stuff), but opinions are like noses (?G? rated website), everyone has one. Many top motor builders do not subscribe to the suggestion of pulling the head with every top end change. Feel free to pull the head with every top end job, but I will continue to take the safer approach of leaving it in place, and only removing periodically for inspection. I would much rather decorate my walls with head gaskets (if I am compelled to buy a new gasket set with each rebuild) rather than copies of large checks to repair motors that have overheated because of an interior head gasket leak.
Rick
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