That made my day, thank you sir!

 

I have heard they are good at plugging small holes in bottom ends out there. I think they ream them out to a larger size and then plug them.

Seriously though, the main thing I can think to tell you is take your time. If you start getting frustrated, walk away. Have patients, keep everything organized, and read the hell out of the manual. You should be able to rent some of these special tools from the local auto parts store. You may not need the Kawasaki puller, the NAPA puller may work as well.
Good luck.
Dan

 

I think I'm going to accept defeat and just get that ebay bottom end. The only thing that I'm a little afraid of is I heard the 09 gearbox has 6th gear just a little shorter than the 06/07's. Will this be an issue? The 09 guys with 351's - you don't run out of gear in 6th, do you?! It can't be that big of a difference, is it???

If 6th gear is fine in the 09's, I'm going to order that one and part my original one out.. Any input?

 

I have an 09 with a 331, stock carb jetted. I don't run out of 6th gear....if that helps. But, I don't think I ever tried to go more than 80 indicated speed....

 

My bike went 83 indicated before and after the big bore kit and SO FAR even after the the big carb. Don't forget I have an 09 SF. Last week I pulled the lid off the air cleaner and it ran much better on the top end. No time or place to do flat out runs then. We still have snow

Since the big bore I keep looking for 7th going 65 mph, but that is because its got so much more torque and I think because it vibrates a little more.

Send me the lower end, I'll take it apart, weld it and re assemble. Done a few.

David

 

Screw it, I just purchased the 09 bottom end. I'm done playing with the bottom end of my motor. I should have just ordered this one to start!

Thanks for the offer for help. I'm going to take my old one apart at my leisure and part it all out.

The reason to buy it also was weighed on by me being afraid I'll have a crankcase oil leak and have to do it all over again. I just don't want the downtime.

I have work I do on my car and I don't want to waste any more time on my bottom end! This is a good thing for me.

thanks again for the help guys.

 

removing flywheel
https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...al-tool-26452/

The rear axle works like a charm to pull the flywheel. ( on my 07 klx at least) I had already figured out that I could use my vise grip locking chain wrench for a flywheel holder. Now with that holding the flywheel,a bit of heat from the heat gun, the rear axle threaded in to push on the crankshaft, and a few whacks with my had on the ratchet it popped loose.
Ta-effing-da! Thanks DDT, I think he sold his klx and moved on to something bigger over there in Japan, but his valuable little tidbit of information, saved me a little money and most of all a lot of time! Maybe I won't forget the tip this time.
Dan

 

I was digging back into this thread as I'm currently putting a 2010 engine in my 2006 bike. Is anyone aware if cousinlarry was able to successfully modify the newer neutral sensor plug in order to accommodate the old style connector?

 

FWIW, I've not had a neutral light on the KLX650 since I bought it in 1997. Of course I've never paid attention to neutral lights for the most part, since I never trusted them after a few times when the light was on, but the gear still slightly engaged. Regardless, you get used to making sure where you are at, easing out the clutch when you think it's in neutral. I still do it on everything I own, even the 550 which has the positive neutral finder, a bearing drops when the bike is stationary, only allowing engagement of first gear and neutral.

 

Good point. That's what I ended up doing. I did find that the bike requires the clutch pulled to run while the kickstand is down. Guess the next step will be disconnecting that!