Top End

[zeerx]

For the entertainment and information of the collective, here are some photos of the top end of my '03 220. This is the first time it's been apart. There's a total of 2,264 miles since new in the spring of '03. The engine oil gets changed at the end of the weekend ride. I use Golden Spectro at 64:1. The head has not been cleaned. It came off the bike the way you see it. In defence of Kawasaki pistons, mine looks like there was some blow-by however it looked solid with no signs of eminent failure. A Wiseco will be going in. The cylinder had a small scratch that I'll live with.

 

[jasonr82]

cool

 

[muddertrucker]

I just took my 01 apart a couple weeks ago. After cleaning the head off with a rag it looks the same as yours. My piston was its second and was also oem with no defaults. Yours seems to have way more carbon build up on it. The crome plating started to chip above the exhaust port. A friend of had the same problem, did'nt do anything about it and hasn't had any problems yet but I'm not taking any chances.

Heres a pic of my cylinder

http://www.bikepics.com/pictures/738375/

Hope yours is in better shape

 

[loudandproud]

your piston looks really carbon loaded.
mine only looked like this after 2 years of riding

never mind that scratchs, those are another story... :bang:

 

[adam728]

Just curious, what mods and what jetting?

 

[steve.emma]

that piston has a LOT of blowby/carbon build-up, the rings are probably long since past their use by date. i just put a new wiseco in my 220 and going by some of the stories ive read on here i think its a good idea.
BTW 64:1 premix??? sounds like not a lot of oil to me, i know some guys run 50:1 with no probs but any less oil than that and i think you are going have issues. also unless you have jetted it leaner, that premix ratio would make the bike run even richer than stock.

 

[zeerx]

40 pilot, 145 main, Boysen reeds, FMF woods pipe,Turbine core II (I think, the spark arrestor model) 110 race gas. Golden spectro is a concentrate, you need less. Any more oil and the splooge runs out the pipe. And those weren't just 2,264 miles of bee boppin' down the trail. They were tough tree bangin', mud divin', rock poundin', root slippin', water crossin' miles. And you're right. I should have replaced the piston and rings years ago.

 

[steve.emma]

you got it turned around. 64 part is oil, 1 part is gas more than likely the looks of the piston is from running to rich typical of oem 220. carbon is unburned solid deposits from the fuel.

no i got it right..... less oil (i.e. 64:1) means MORE fuel flows through a jet making the air/fuel mixture richer. this would partly explain the extra carbon build-up and that he mentions any more oil than this and spooge runs out the pipe... like you (and i) said standard too-rich jetting....

P.S.
is golden spectro oil really a concentrate??

 

[zeerx]

P.S.
is golden spectro oil really a concentrate??

Yup.