1985 Crankcase reassembly Question

[dieselcamper01]

I hope this does not seem like a dumb question but I am in the process of reassembling my motor. I took it apart a while back because I could not get it to shift past 2nd gear. I replaced the two shift forks still available and I will be replacing the springs in the shift mechanism. I am at the point of putting the two halves together but I honestly don't know how all this is really supposed to work before I do that. I guess what I am saying is I don't really know if it is shifting through all the gears. My manual also says to have it in neutral for assembly and I am not sure how to tell when it actually is in neutral.

My manual is the factory KX500 not a Clymer.

[dieselcamper01]

Wow. I cannot believe no one has an answer to this. I thought for sure someone could relay an easy way to tell where neutral is.

[kkvslayer]

I wouldn't really worry about it being in neutral but there should be a index mark somewhere on the shiftstar to line up with your linkage,with your tranny installed into the right side case turn the shift drum with your hand and make sure you see the gears changing,if all looks well slap the cases together,Thats what I always did on my CR5's Havn't been into the bottomend of a kx yet though,For all the knowledge on this site I don't understand why this question wasn't answered long ago seems like newbies get the shaft around here BTW No question is a dumb question,better to get it right the first time then tear it apart again

[sandblaster]

I have never re-assembled a Kx bottom end but I have seen it done.
I am looking at my Clymer and it tells you exactly how to do the re-assembly step by step as well as gives you some really good pics.
If I were you I would invest in a Clymer.

[dieselcamper01]

Thanks guys. I will see what I can come up with for a different manual. I did have someone else say just slap it together also. It may come to that. LOL

[Motorrad]

I am not familiar with the 85 lower ends... or I would chime in...   anyone know if the shifter stuff is teh same (shift pawl)

[awak100]

on the shifting drum theres like 5 or 6 notches on it.  theres one that is different than the rest.  the one that is different is neutral.  thats the one ypu want it notched in.

[dieselcamper01]

Finally getting back to this project. I do have the cases together and so far so good but I ran into another snag. Mayber I should start a new thread but I will try it hear.

I cannot seem to locate the correct head gasket for the bike. The kit Dennis Kirk sent me was totally wrong. I can get the base gasket from the dealer but no head gasket. Anyone know of a source for that?

And just an FYI. The manual has the information wrong on whick location the shift forks go on for the output shaft. I had to switch them to get it to work. D'oh!

[sandblaster]

I see them listed for 86-88 but nothing for 85 or older.
I'm sure there must be someone with a line on them...

[1989kawasaki]

Cmsnl has them in stock.
They usually have what they list, I got a few obsolete Honda parts from them

http://www.cmsnl.com/kawasaki-1985-b1-kx500_model11965/partslist/B3.html#results

If I were you I would order a bunch

[dieselcamper01]

Cmsnl has them in stock.
They usually have what they list, I got a few obsolete Honda parts from them

http://www.cmsnl.com/kawasaki-1985-b1-kx500_model11965/partslist/B3.html#results

If I were you I would order a bunch

Awesome. Thank you for the link. I wonder how long that would take to ship here?

[1989kawasaki]

It took 5 days for my order to come to Canada (from the Netherlands )
They take longer to process the order.

I hope things work out and they have them in stock

[dieselcamper01]

Got everything back together finally! Started up fine and shifts through the gears fine.

But, I am leaking coolant out the head. There was some corrosion that I thought I got cleaned up ok. Obviously I
have have some surface uneveness. Any thoughts on what I could use along with the gasket to help seal the head?
It is not spewing out but it is seaping in about four defined spots.

Can I use RTV or some such gasket sealer?

[Foxx4Beaver]

Got everything back together finally! Started up fine and shifts through the gears fine.

But, I am leaking coolant out the head. There was some corrosion that I thought I got cleaned up ok. Obviously I
have have some surface uneveness. Any thoughts on what I could use along with the gasket to help seal the head?
It is not spewing out but it is seaping in about four defined spots.

Can I use RTV or some such gasket sealer?

Unfortuneatly you're gonna have to pull the jug and lap the head and the jug mating surfaces.It's not a huge deal,just a set-back.
As for using RTV,no never.
Once you have the surfaces "flat",use either an OEM head gasket,or a Cometic....stay away from Athena gaskets!.You should not need to apply anything to the gaskets with lapped surfaces...some guys like to use Copper Coat for their own assurance/reasons.
I will say I like the Cometic gaskets alot.I learned about them from a member(BDI) that no longer visits this site,unfortuneatly.  

[1989kawasaki]

Got everything back together finally! Started up fine and shifts through the gears fine.

But, I am leaking coolant out the head. There was some corrosion that I thought I got cleaned up ok. Obviously I
have have some surface uneveness. Any thoughts on what I could use along with the gasket to help seal the head?
It is not spewing out but it is seaping in about four defined spots.

Can I use RTV or some such gasket sealer?

did u get the oem head gasket from cmsnl?