wiseco piston install. how hard is it?

[the trail rider]

I plan on getting a new wiseco piston this winter. before i think about letting a proffesional do it. how hard is it to install the new piston and clean all the valves and the kips without screwing up .thanks

[Indawoods]

Easy for me... but I have patience... Your young and may not. It comes down to your mechanical ability, experience and willingness to take your time and do it right or you could really cause some major damage. Ultimately it's your call but at your age, I woulda never tried it. (who am I kidding... of course I woulda! Of course allowance then was $2 a week and that's the major reason! )

[skipro3]

I think KDX220freak is doing his right now and he's 15. Perhaps you could follow-up with him to see how much trouble it is for a novice or first timer. You gotta learn sometime and with your own bike, and your own money, I bet you are plenty careful enough.
I rebuilt a 4 stroke cushman scooter on my own at 14. Hand lapped the valves, everything!!! I even learned how to re-line brake shoes because the centrifical clutch used a dry brake shoe with springs as the clutch!! I snuck my dad's car when he wasn't looking and went downtown to Cersco Clutch and brake, with the worn out cluch. They relined the shoes for $3 and I made it back to the driveway without him knowing anything about it. How do I know he didn't find out? I still have all my teeth. The old man was always threating to knock them down my throat for stuff like that.
Now, I'm not advising that you get into grand theft auto in order to have some stories to tell 35 years down the road, but now's the time to start living and learning!!

[m0rie]

I installed the piston on my KDX (my brother helped since it was the first one I had done) and I could do it again without any problems having seen it done. The manual gives a good play by play of how to remove and reinstall the piston. Make sure you keep the work area clean and keep track of the parts. Most of all don't drop anything! You really don't want to fish something out of the crankcase.

[Ryan]

well, i am in the process like skipro said. It is very easy,but i reccomend cleaning the whole power valve assembly, mine was covered in spooge and carbon. I would also get a manual, even my 15 year old brain can undersatnd most of the manual. . Although they aernt cheap, they are very helpful. And dont let anything fall into the crank, cause it will screw everything up.

[Ryan]

hey, man im no novice either this is my thrid top end

[KDXer]

I've done 3 also and am not afraid to say I'm a 'novice'. Once you've done 20 or so you can have a promotion to 'amateur'.

[jafo]

Easy install, just alittle trime consuming but not bad. I had mine done in about an alittler over an hour and that was my first piston swap. Well to be truthfull I had a problem on the install, it's called the C-clip rings that hold the wristpin in the piston. They are smaller than stock and are a pain in the keester! I was installing the last one and it shot out of my needle nose pliers and it took me awhile to find it but I did. So be very petient with the C-clips install. You loose one and your sunk until you get another one. Next time I order another piston, I'm ordering an extra set of those with it just in case. Oh by the way, it was advised to me to stuff a clean rag down around the base of the rod where it goes into the case. That way if you drop anything it won't fall into the cases, good advice and should be followed by anyone doing this project. Also get the pertinent manual for the bike for your torque specs and instalation info for ring gaps and such. very helpful. Good luck and remember just take your time.

Jon.

[Green Hornet]

I was going to say, stuff a rag into the case so you don't have to fish