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We opened my friend`s kdx220r 2001 and we found this.

thats why im replacing mine this month.

OK KDXQUEBEC, guess I just needed a little reminder in graphic form as to why I really do need to "Wiseco". I doubt my 99 220 has had any topend work. That pic scared the crap out of me
Thanks

He should be glad he found it before the piston completely grenaded...that would have been an expensive repair.

Looking at the photo fridge I can see Jerry and Wibby and Brad and.....

Hey trev? You are there also!

This is the 2001 stock piston. Also 2 others crack was found on the piston skirt. (1inche long)

You can see it if you look carfully above my thumb.

Heres the horror pics of an other guy in our frech forums.

Sorry to affraid you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37049595@N00/

kdxquebec wrote:Heres the horror pics of an other guy in our frech forums.

Sorry to affraid you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37049595@N00/

HORRIBLE. Has anyone EVER taken KAWASAKI to task on this OBVIOUS Defect???

The last link (jeremy pics) was a kdx220r 2003 with 350mi on the odometer.

Kawasaki canada paid for the parts and a % of the labor.

Thanks for the pic!!!

I'm not a 220 owner, but I've sure read enough about it to know it HAS to be done.

And then there are the multiple posts along the line of, 'My 220 is running fine. I'll just do it when I get around to it.'

I've read more of those than of the, 'Wow! I'm going to fix mine before I give it one more kick!'

Thanks again. A picture is worth........ and all that stuff.

I am having an expereinced KDX guy pull my 92 apart to repair rhe bottom end. He reported in today and it's not a pretty sight. I showed him this picture of the piston and he thought it looked good compared to mine. He chewed me out gently for my maintainence schedule. The oil was terrible and the air filter was not good. I guess the riding conditions were worse than I thought.

Historically I cleaned the filter and changed oil after 25 hours. That was not enough this time. Usually it's pretty clean. I am surprised the oil was black - it was not ridden very much since the last change. I am pretty disgusted that I may have been too slack on maintainance.

I am going to use a wiseco piston.

The clutch basket is pretty notched too.

This is the first piston change. Do I need to get the bore measured?

No

Just gap the rings correctly and you will be good to go....

Boy I'm GLAD I did'nt wait to replace mine. I did it before even going out for the first ride when it was a new bike.

Whats his cylinder looking like?

canyncarvr= you are welcome. Glad you like my pics

My friend^s cylinder is not too bad,but he want to be sure before putting a new standard wisesco in.

His cylinder is at his local shop now for inspection.

Maybe he will need to replate the jug. not sure.

Here in quebec they ask 320$ (can) maybe (250$ us) for a nikasil re-plating job.

You check to ensure the rings ARE gapped correctly, but you don't re-gap them.

Well...I don't.

I DO have a ring end-gap grinding tool and HAVE spent a lot of time gapping lots'a rings...but not on a 2-stroke with a ring-locating pin.

Here's a funny one for 'ya! From some other poster:

oldturtle wrote: I do not buy into the paranoia about faulty KDX220 stock pistons at all. I do buy into the occaisional situation of excess piston wear with no maintenance and resulting piston breakage. Although nothing new and certainly no epidemic the internet allows us all the opportunity to spread whatever message we choose. Since stories get blown all out of proportion the readers need to be very selective with amount of crap we are willing to swallow.

1. It's not copyrighted material (I think), and 2. I accredited it to the person's nic.

Please don't go looking for it. No reason to give him another load of 'HA HA HA' like I did.

There is a point to my posting what he said.

It's that a whole lot of people have his opinion. How that opinion is reached is beyond me...quite beyond. If you disagree with my opinion (KX forks are great!), you are more than welcome to. BUT...to disseminate information that is clearly false AND likely to cause some other rider considerable harm (damage to their ride) is unforgiveable.

Again, to k-quebec I say thank you for the post and the pic. A very good educational post!

Here's a funny one for 'ya! From some other poster:

oldturtle wrote: I do not buy into the paranoia about faulty KDX220 stock pistons at all. I do buy into the occaisional situation of excess piston wear with no maintenance and resulting piston breakage. Although nothing new and certainly no epidemic the internet allows us all the opportunity to spread whatever message we choose. Since stories get blown all out of proportion the readers need to be very selective with amount of crap we are willing to swallow.

1. It's not copyrighted material (I think), and 2. I accredited it to the person's nic.

Please don't go looking for it. No reason to give him another load of 'HA HA HA' like I did.

I saw that post today. I guess to some people a broken piston doesn't mean much, unless it happens to you. I would say CC brought some clarity to the issue. If you own a 220, change out the stock piston. Simple.

Do I win a prize or something?

BTW my friend deceided to do a re-plating job on his jug.

I know personally 4 kdx220r owrners who had the same piston crack problems

HOLD THE PHONE ON THE REPLATE PART....

Why? Is something wrong with the OEM plate?

Any replate you get will likely fall short in some area.

You have read the plating gripes of myself and dave04?

I have YET to find this documented anywhere, but electofusion is NOT the same as nikasil (spell it however you like). Be sure to send the piston in WITH the jug if you do it. They should plate the cyl TO the piston. If the plater says he doesn't need the piston, FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THE WORK.

I've not used Langcourt myself..but I'd choose them over USChrome!!

General thought is you get a different plate job on a cylinder that is used than one that is new..having to do with fuels, oils, contamination and such.

Don't do it if you don't have to. ...imo and all that.

Use it til you see aluminum... that's what my Momma told me...