KDX 200 kickstarter - whats wrong

[msuriani]

When we put the clutch/right engine cover on the '92 KDX 200,
the alignment of the kickshaft seems to change resulting in kicking
thru without the clutch basket being engaged. Ratchet and return works without the cover on. Appears to be no broken or missing
components. There is wobble of the kick gear on the shaft. Don't know if adding add'l shim washers, more than the .020" thickness used will help, or what the real problem is. Solutions to the mystery?

 

[canyncarvr]

wobble doesn't matter...

they are all loose on the knuckle. That's what you get for using a cast piece of hockey stick. You can tighten it kinda with the allen screw..but that won't take the wobble out altogether.

re: alignment changes. Really? It moves when you put the cover on?

It shouldn't. What's in the way?

 

[msuriani]

Wobble on gear not arm

Thanks canyncarvr--while the kick starter arm & knuckle (pivot) have play,
they're not the cause. The internal kick gear, which has ratchet teeth on one
face, that mates with a "ratchet gear" and the clutch basket gear, etc., is
the item having wobble on the shaft. With the engine cover removed, and using the kick arm, we can get the ratcheting to engage properly, and have
the engine spin over. Since the outer end of the shaft is bushed (nicely) by the cover, when the cover is installed, ratcheting goes away. This has been
progressively getting worse and when my son & I decided to replace water
pump seals and bearing, we dived into this mystery. Just don't understand
if it's the gear causing it all, and what needs replacement. Thanks.

 

[canyncarvr]

You have a manual? Or have looked at:

http://www.buykawasaki.com

??

All the washers, springs, guides and stuff there that should be?

The ratchet gear is splined. It shouldn't be 'wobbling' to any extent.

If it's something that used to work...and as you say has been getting progressively worse, 'wear' seems a reasonable diagnosis.

Can you pressure the shaft in the same way the case does (why is there any pressure?) and SEE what's not working? Is the slop in the ratchet binding it? Are the splines goobered (technical term :) )

Maybe the assy wasn't disengaging? Did it make a lot/any noise when it was running (ratchet rubbing on the gear)? Maybe that's where the wear came from?

Sorry..just lots more questions, huh??

 

[KelvinKDX]

msuriani,

I am glad to see that you are having this problem. OK - let me put that another way. I am having the same problem and misery loves company.:D

I plan to start invertigating what is causing the problem this week-end. I do believe that mine became progressively worse. For now i have learned to start my bike with about 1/4 kick. If i try to kick from the top of the stroke it will disengage and i slam my boot into the foot peg. I have ruined my sidi's because of this.

Hopefully one of us will get to the bottom of the problem. I will take digital pictures as i go.

 

[msuriani]

Manuals don't answer

We have the owners/service manual and the microfiche for the parts, which
do not provide any insight to wear or service minimums of gear inside or
shaft outside diameters. The buykawasaki.com site is nice to print exploded
views of assemblies, so thanks to canyncarvr for that pointer.

With our ’92 200 the (13078-1063) Ratchet is splined and is not the wobbler.
It's the (59051-1224) Kickstarter Spur Gear which rotates on the (13066-1071)shaft that seems to have too much clearance. In fact so much that the
gear teeth seem to cut into the engine case. Wish someone knew the service
limit dimensions for both gear and shaft. Additional shim washers might
be a band-aid, but then lateral clearance requirements could present
another problem.

Our observations:
With the cover off, and using a center punch to support the end of the shaft,
the ratchet engages at the top, we can kick through and have kickstart arm
return properly. With the cover installed the support or alignment
obviously changes, and you lose ratchet engagement.

We met another at a Hare Scramble in July having the same problem.
I believe he replaced little stuff like all the springs and the kick spring guide
to no avail. Can't recall if he finally just ordered a complete new assy. Best
advice gained then was use of an impact wrench to remove nut for clutch basket. Think we'll just bite the bullet and price the gear and shaft.

The hybrid KX kickstarter August Tech Tip sounds like a nice way to end
your foot sliding off the arm because of wear and angularity problems.
Just more bucks on an old friendly ride. Best solution is my electric start KTM.