bike just doesnt seem right.

[kelcrist]

howdy folks.
heres the situation im facing. i have a 92 that i have done a top end job on. i had the cylinder re-plated and used a wiseco piston.  since then the bike just doesnt seem to run right. at first it had unstoppable low end power but no top end rev. i discovered that i had the power valves timed wrong so that cured that issue. it will now rev and still has decent low end but it actually sounds like it misses at low rpm. i have a 94 that runs completely different.  i would consider it "normal" since my brothers 95 and my friends 97 all seem to run about the same. the timing is set at stock on all the bikes mentioned and the jetting is all similiar, within a size or 2.     pipes differ a little, one stock, one fmf desert and one fmf woods. all in all none the bikes are mostly stock so im wondering what can make such a difference?   any thoughts at all??

oh and i have not done any leak down or any tests like that.

[jonny500]

when i was setting mine up i put some vids on youtube. i got a good response from the guys on here. i vid can describe things better than words imo

[Polar-Bus]

howdy folks.
heres the situation im facing. i have a 92 that i have done a top end job on. i had the cylinder re-plated and used a wiseco piston.  since then the bike just doesnt seem to run right. at first it had unstoppable low end power but no top end rev. i discovered that i had the power valves timed wrong so that cured that issue. it will now rev and still has decent low end but it actually sounds like it misses at low rpm. i have a 94 that runs completely different.  i would consider it "normal" since my brothers 95 and my friends 97 all seem to run about the same. the timing is set at stock on all the bikes mentioned and the jetting is all similiar, within a size or 2.     pipes differ a little, one stock, one fmf desert and one fmf woods. all in all none the bikes are mostly stock so im wondering what can make such a difference?   any thoughts at all??

oh and i have not done any leak down or any tests like that.

Do a compression check first, you should be up around 150 psi .  You also might have the KIPS gears incorrectly timed. I did this myself, and made my KX500 feel like a mellow 250 for mid top end power.

[kelcrist]

i didnt do compression cuz as i said the rings are new and the cylinder is new. it will try and break your foot off if you dont have boots on when you start it.    i do believe it is still in the kips valve. i was just wanting some fresh ideas before i buy another top end gasket kit. 

[wierdo]

Keep an eye on your kips actuator arm is still connected to the kips rod, mine has jumped off a couple of times, im  still trying to work out if its over rev when missed gear upshifting or could also be over rev down shifting ( large tree jumping out in front of me).

[DoldGuy]

howdy folks.
heres the situation im facing. i have a 92 that i have done a top end job on. i had the cylinder re-plated and used a wiseco piston.  since then the bike just doesnt seem to run right. at first it had unstoppable low end power but no top end rev. i discovered that i had the power valves timed wrong so that cured that issue. it will now rev and still has decent low end but it actually sounds like it misses at low rpm. i have a 94 that runs completely different.  i would consider it "normal" since my brothers 95 and my friends 97 all seem to run about the same. the timing is set at stock on all the bikes mentioned and the jetting is all similiar, within a size or 2.     pipes differ a little, one stock, one fmf desert and one fmf woods. all in all none the bikes are mostly stock so im wondering what can make such a difference?   any thoughts at all??

oh and i have not done any leak down or any tests like that.

Who did you have do the plating on the cylinder?
DoldGuy

[oic0]

Missing on the low end huh? What about jetting and plug? Maybe the plug got bumped and messed up the gap (or fouled).  The bike with the woods pipe will have more bottom end than the others though and maybe run a bit cleaner down low. I know my bike sounds like its running pretty clean but then when it comes on the pipe, the whole pitch changes and it runs cleaner than an EFI bike (top end pipe).
Also what about the reeds?
Is it hard to start?

Also, check the kips without touching the top end. Just take the pipe off and look in there with a flash light. Pull the little arm and watch it operate. That lets you see if the cylinder parts are doing their job. Then you can rev it with the cover off to see if the actuator is doing its job.

[kelcrist]

i believe millenium did the plating.........

as for the kips actuator it is fine, never had a prob. always where it belongs.

i have jetted it up and down based on the jetting of my other 500 and the other 500s i have access to.  however.........it has been blowing a lot more oil out of the exhaust lately so i removed a 162 main and put in a 155. i am at 2800ft by the way....... i would like a 158 but i will have to go buy one.    i have run a couple different plugs at variousl times..........going back and forth between the 9es and the 8es..........it seems to prefer the 9.  the reeds are brand new boyesen.  it is never hard to start.   2 or 3 kicks.


i have done the visual check of the powervalve that is how i found out it wasnt opening the secondary ports. i think i may have put it too far the other way. it seems to do what its supposed to when you do it by hand but not sure whats happening when the engine is running.     

so far im thinking its a combination of jetting and powervalve.       the weather here hasnt been great but its clearing up so ill probably be out messing with stuff this weekend.  i also have a rad valve and a 10mm spacer to try.      the rad valve didnt seem to make a huge difference on my 94 and that bike runs like its supposed to in my opinion.

thanks for all the input so far from everyone.

[Motorrad]

New rings and plate doesn't mean anything...   Comp test it..

AND leakdown

What's the ohm specs on coil and stator?

[alward25]

A 155 main sounds way too small even for 2800 ft.  What are you using for premix?? Fuel??  Have you checked your reeds?  If your are getting stuff out the tailpipe is it black or is it real runny?  I blew a head gasket and it had quite a bit of brown runny stuff coming out the tailpipe.  Head gaskets are cheap.  Do a test like Motorrad said.
You had nothing better to do this week anyway right

[Motorrad]

Float level being too high comes tommind also...  Blubbery bottom, having to lean out main....

Always check float level externaly..  Like climer says (piece of hose)

[Motorrad]

A 155 main sounds way too small even for 2800 ft.  What are you using for premix?? Fuel??  Have you checked your reeds?  If your are getting stuff out the tailpipe is it black or is it real runny?  I blew a head gasket and it had quite a bit of brown runny stuff coming out the tailpipe.  Head gaskets are cheap.  Do a test like Motorrad said.
You had nothing better to do this week anyway right

Always do the "BIG 4"..   

these tests point you to the problem every time... no guessing, wasting parts, or time etc... dont even need to buy gaskets to do them.... and if anything can save you alot of money from melting down a good motor.

Step back, take some time, and do some tests... if anyting, you may discover other problems that are hurting power besides the major one at hand...

The big 4
Compression check
Fuel Level check (external)
Ignition System check (Ohm the coil, and stator) only takes about 15min
Leakdown test

Also a VIDEO works great... we can tell alot by how it sounds..

and if you could pull the pipe, and snap some pictures of the kips drums... that would be helpfull...

[Polar-Bus]

i didnt do compression cuz as i said the rings are new and the cylinder is new. it will try and break your foot off if you dont have boots on when you start it.    i do believe it is still in the kips valve. i was just wanting some fresh ideas before i buy another top end gasket kit. 

I understand what you said. The reason I suggested a compression test is because you are assuming because your top end is "new" it's good. We have read many posts here over the years about a member that has a "brand new top end" only to find out after a compression test that the compression is poor. Like Motorrad commented,  a compression is a very simple, quick and definitive test.  Granted you've done it right by seeking the services of a well known and competent company such as Millenium Tech so most likely your compression is fine. HOWEVER taking a compression test, and writing the number down for future reference after a fresh engine is broken in is a smart move in the sense that now you have a baseline compression PSI, so that in the upcoming years you have a comparative number if you have future running issues. 

[kelcrist]

ill do the compression tonight.....ill have to make the stuff for leakdown.       i do not suspect any probs in that area but i have not made any sort of ignition tests at all so my ignition could be weak.   also have not looked at float......both good suggestions that i will do first.

i agree the 155 seems lean. however my best friend bought a 97 recently and it had a 158 in it.  i have put in what you would assume the bike SHOULD have but it doesnt seem to be what it wants to run right.   

this bike will run with any of the other 4 500s that i ride with......it just sounds different and delivers power different. no lack of power at all however.  the stuff coming out the pipe is oil......nice and black. 

also since i probably wasnt clear about this in the first post......... i didnt put this bike together recently.......i did the top end originally about a year ago........ thats when it had the tractor bottom end power but no top end. i rode it this way for about 7 months.    thats when i retimed the kips.   now it revs and still has good low end but not tractor like.

ill do some checks tonight and let you know what i find. 

[snoopjonnyjon]

  however.........it has been blowing a lot more oil out of the exhaust lately

I wonder if the right side crank seal could be causing your troubles.