Hello guys,

I am new here, actually this is my first post on kawa forums. Mostly I was reading about problems with KLX250 . I am a owner of 1994 KLX250, and after many problems I had with it Now I came to a point where I don't know what to do anymore. This is why I am posting this comment.

Last problem I had before current one was the valve problems. I had to send them for a repair (dunno how's that called but lets say a repair and rebuild of Cylinder head). So guys fixed everything according to the specification from manual. Valves have been repaired, valve clearance has been set to manual spec. range, camshaft chain has been replaced (It was way out of the spec. limit, I dunno how bike even worked). When everything was assembled and bike started It was all good. But one thing was a bit strange for me. Kickstarting was more difficult than before. My good neighbor who is also a mechanic said that this is normal because bike now has a full compression. But I still can tell it was just to hard to kick for a 250.

Then, one day, after lets say 3 months, A successful kickstart with a choke resulted in bike started clanking in the cylinder head so loud! Until the bike gets hot the engine was turning off after lets say 5 to 10 seconds like something was choking it. The kickstart suddenly became much easier at that point. First I suspected a KACR, opened a bike, then I realized that piston rings are worn out. I inspected the KACR and I found it too loosy. like all parts having too much free play. So I put the new piston rings (this turned out to be really good move) and I assembled all back just to try to see if the piston rings were the problem. Turned the bike on, And it was clanking a bit less, but working good. Then I went on a whole day ride with friends, And as time passed the clanking was less and less noisy until at the end it vanished. But each next time I turn it on it gets back! So I was like ok lets finish this ride and see what to do with it afterwards. came home, didn't turn it on until yesterday when the clanking noise got so distinctive that it was clear to me that something is off badly. So I opened it again today, tried to fix the KACR as much as I can, to squeeze the parts of it to be less loosy and succeeded in it, but still no luck with fixing the actual problem.

PLEASE HELP I AM DESPERATE!

Here is the video with the noise recorded.

 

The new cam chain may have stretched a bit and/or the tensioner may have failed. If you're running a spring loaded tensioner see the sticky at the top and order a manual one.

 

Cam chain tensioner, 99% chance it is bad. Allowing a lot of slop in the cam drive. Replace it NOW, before it breaks something.

If you listen with a mechanic's stethoscope or a long handle screwdriver, putting the tip around on the engine, the noise will be loudest at the tensioner. Put the tip of the stethoscope or the screwdriver (with the handle against your ear) different places and you will find what I am saying.

I know this because of personal and business experience. I had tensioners fail in my KLX650 (2 in less than 14,000 miles), my Zephyr 550, and got my 09 KLX250 with a bad tensioner in it. I got in the business of making them to help riders keep their bikes going, when I made extra while making one for my 550. Riders took to them partly because they are reasonable priced, especially in comparison to the OEM unit that may just fail again. The other reason is because it is the least expensive first step to deal with the problem that causes that noise, with almost a 100% success rate. A few times the noise has been something else, but seldom. It is also the easiest first step, not having to tear a bunch of the engine apart. If you decide you are interested, PM or email me.

 

Just want to say that I have the manual tensioner made by you and installed on my 2019 KLX a year ago, here in Vietnam and still running great. Thank you for the really nice product!