John, Thank you very much!! This is just the type of advice I was looking for, as the only two-stroke "repair" experience I have is when I was re-doing my Banshee.... Every other dirt bike I've had a shop do (my old KX5, CR500, KX450F, etc.). Its only when I got into quads did I start making the time to do things myself.
I'll pull the covers and the impeller off and have a good look. I'll note the orientation of the seal and the bearings. Any special tricks to removing the seal or will it be painfully obvious?
It's supposed to have a billet basket, but I guess I'll find out when I pull the cover off. Oh, and will I need a clutch cover gasket?
And, without trying to start controversy, after the initial changes, what oil should I run in it?
Edit. Hillclimb: Yeah, I figure that stuff might be hard to get for this engine. And although the case numbers tell me it's an '86, it looks an awful lot like an '87/'88 too... Hmmm... Still, I'm intruiged by the idea of a KX500-powered quad and going to do this one right--especially after seeing what some of you have done with your older KX'! Wow! (espcially that nut that runs his in the snow, and takes his old British bike out in the frigid Canadian winter... gotta love it! LOL!).