My 2009 KLX250 EFI has 15000km, but the camshaft and bearings seem worn.
Kawasaki manual says I have to replace the cylinder head and cams.
But how do I know if they are too worn to use?

Also I'd like to know how this happened as I frequently change the oil/filter

I did run out of oil one time due to an inlet manifold air leak and//or worn piston

 

The service manual states a cap/cam clearance of 0.006" max. Use some plasti gauge to determine this or measure with micrometer & bore gauge. Looking at your pics, you've probably exceeded that.

How did it run out of oil?

 

Mmmmm, that doesn't look good.

 

Where the cams ride are aluminum. The cams are heat treated steel. I see marks in the cams, can you catch your fingernail on them? My guess is the journals would wear wayyy before the cams themselves. Unlesss there is no oil.... thats no good for alot of things...

 

You answered your own question.

Yes, that head is shot. The cams are probably shot too.

If I were you, I'd be searching for a new head/cams on the classifieds sites. I would not run the head in that condition, you're asking for trouble.

And yes, the cam cap/head are machined together, so you have to replace the whole head.

Good luck.

 

can i bring something else up? If your top end looks like this from running out of oil, um... what does the bottom end look like? Id be looking for an entire motor man. If its staying together you are on borrowed time, its life will end sooner than it should.

 

I think that it ran out of oil because one day I had my old 330 piston/barrel fitted, with new rings. The piston ring end gap was in spec, so it must have been the piston that was worn, and went for a ride all day.
We didnt notice any smoke that day, but next day, I noticed that an inlet manifold bold had dropped out, and there was a gap letting air in the cylinder.So I put a new bolt in. Riding down the road, the engine was losing power, I stopped and found no oil in the engine. I put a litre oil in, and rode home slowly, noticing a lot of smoke from the exhaust.
So I put the old 250barrel back on with a new piston, and noticed the cam damage
You can feel grooves with your nail, but they're not so deep

 

Gahh.. Yeah, I would be buying that complete motor on here for $800 and chalk it up as a loss.

 

It would cost that much again to ship it out here, I think I'll take my chances.
Seeing as I am in thailand,and a new cylinder head costs $250us

 

Since they build these bikes in Thailand wouldn't you be able to get a complete motor for next to nothing. Go to the factory and make a deal.