3 hrs for a Top End?

L

layoutd

Member
May 17, 2004
61
0
Checking around at some dealers for prices on doing a top end and the local Kawi $tealer said it would take about 3 hours?! for $210 plus parts.

i have read that a blind monkey can do it 1 hour, is this correct?

i have rebuilt a ford straight six from the head up and can work on a BMW 325 and a land rover, so should i just do the top end myself? how much time and garage space should i alot for this? what parts and where should i get them. i have seen some tutorials around with pics on the internet, but pics can be deceiving, but it looks fairly straight forward. Are there special tools needed? are there any more question i can put on one thread?
thanks for any response. :cool:
 
S

skipro3

Mod Ban
Dec 14, 2002
902
0
If you have any mechanical abilities at all, and it sounds like you have plenty, the top end on a two stroke is extemely easy to overhaul. Be sure you have the shop manual and pay particular attention to the left handed threads on the KIPS actuating rod coming up out of the clutchside case. The ease of basic maintenance of a 2 stroke is one of the main reasons I still have one and not a more complicated 4 stroke. Take your time to really understand what the heck you disassemble and be sure you block off the lower case with rags to keep things from falling into there. Plan on a full afternoon the first time. Later, and with experiance, it will become an hour or two task at most. Heck, ISDE guys can swap out a piston it 10 minutes or less. Good luck and come back here if you have questions when you get into it. Lots of help here!
 

gwcrim

~SPONSOR~
Oct 3, 2002
1,881
0
I started doing top ends at age 15. Sure it was an old air cooled bike, but still.... if you've pulled the head off a straight six, a two stroke is no problem. All you need are the right tools and enough room for you and the bike.
 
K

KDX1

Mod Ban
Jun 5, 2001
228
0
Depending on how badly the powervalves are gummed up with carbon, most of your time will be spent on cleaning and preping the cylinder head and piston. Good luck and take your time and most importantly use a torque wrench!
 
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N

nectar

Member
Sep 11, 2002
175
0
Did my topend this past weekend, and it took a total of 2.5hrs from soup-to-nuts....very simple...get a top end kit, top end bearing and base gasket...I clean power valves w. easyoff oven cleaner which works great cause no need to take apart, just spray on let it set for 5min, and rise well and repeat a couple of times....slap in the new piston and bolt up 18ft/pds...I reuse metal gasket a couple times...hope this helps....
 
S

skipro3

Mod Ban
Dec 14, 2002
902
0
Check with Jeff Fredette at www.frpoffroad.com for a complete set of parts.
He IS the expert and will send you all the parts you need without anything you don't need. His prices are very competitive as well. I know it gave me peace of mind knowing the King of KDX was looking out for me when I called and asked him what I would need to replace my piston and service the top end.
 
N

Nevada Sixx

Member
Jan 14, 2000
1,033
0
dont pay that shop, you can do it,,after you drain your coolant, you can see every bolt that you need to take off to get your cylinder off. hardest part may be taking off/installing the circlips on your piston, so you may want to get a small pair of needle nose plyers for that. and make sure when you put the ring on the piston, its gap in on the right spot, dont forget to put premix on your new bearings. i did my 125 in an hour and half my first try.
also, use a rag to cover the hole so if you drop something, like that circlip, it wont fall down in your engine.
let us know how it turned out.
 
L

libskater

Member
Sep 26, 2003
59
0
i got charged $700 by a kaw shop in my area to change my crank bearings, replace the rod, get my cylinder replated, and new wiseco piston and gasket kit.
 

YZ165

YZabian
May 4, 2004
2,431
0
spike71886 said:
i got charged $700 by a kaw shop in my area to change my crank bearings, replace the rod, get my cylinder replated, and new wiseco piston and gasket kit.
Click to expand...

Did you get a kiss goodnight?
 
M

Mrobbins

~SPONSOR~
Sep 28, 2002
172
0


That's what I did last winter. Wisco+Cometic+Boysen. Got everything in one box and no running around or having to double check the part #'s. :cool:
 
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