engine advice

[oldKXscrapper]

aye up, just after a bit of help, ive not long bought an 88 kx500 with a few bits missing, im short of a flywheel and after ringing round the breakers yards there seems to be loads of spares for the smaller kx's but nothing for the 500's.
does anybody know if the flywheel of any other engines will fit the 88 500?
i know it sounds like im being a bit tight with the  budget but ive never seen this thing run and dont want to shell out more than i have to just incase its beyond repair.......

[FactoryPhil]

If you do a search for "flywheel weight" or "lighting coil" you should come up with a myriad of info on interchangeability. I think there were two or three different ignitions used on the D and E model KX500's. There have been many on here who have already been round and round  this whole situation. Hope that helps.

[oldKXscrapper]

well ok i bought it as an 88 but my clymer manual just arrived from flea bay an according to that its an 87 engine, is there any way of knowing what year the frame is? just so i can find out if the whole bike is 87 or its just had another lump thrown in at some point....?

[maddoggy]

go to kawasaki.com and enter your vin# ,located on the frame, in owner info. you should get results telling you the year manufactured. hope that helps, MADDOGGY

[oldKXscrapper]

tried that already with no joy, it either didnt recognise the number cos of its age or maybe its just for U.S bikes, this country is rediculous for prices and availability of parts for these bikes, i must of rung 20 or 30 breakers who either didnt have a clue what a kx was or wanted 150 pound which is about 300 dollars for a 20 year old flywheel.
its actualy worked out a fraction of the price for me to find on on flea bay in texas and have it shipped over.......

[don46]

The 87 had a nut holding the countershaft on, the 88 used a circlip, 87 and 88 had the same cylinder head configuration (86 also). If you have a nut on the countershaft it's a 86-87. Other than that there aren't to many visual differences, oh yeah, the 87 had a mikuni and the 88 had a kehin

[oldKXscrapper]

yup its an 86-87.........
defo not an 88 like i was told..... that was all i needed, a bit of real terms detective work...
nice one don.....