transmission problems

crazyaboutriding · Post by **crazyaboutriding** » 04:12 pm Mar 25 2006

I have a KDX 200, Only about 6 tanks of gas through it, and it's having trouble shifting. do you have any sugjestions on whats happening?

thanx.

Also, i have heard you could get a Power Now Vaulve for a KDX 200. My dad's friend got it on his CRF 250X, and i realy helped his. Does anyone have one? and if so, how does it run afterwards?

Thanks,
Kevin

Post by **Indawoods** » 05:18 pm Mar 25 2006

Shifting problems? Change your oil!

PowerNow? Forget it... I've heard it does nothing, save for the RB carb mod.

Green Hornet · Post by **Green Hornet** » 07:37 pm Mar 25 2006

With the newer KDX's I and NYKDXER have problems with the shifting at times and that is with fresh oil. When I had the casing apart, I loosened the spring nuts for the plate & re-torqued to 78in. lbs. and the plate that those bolts attach too, I smoothed with fine sand paper. The plate had burrs in certain areas and I was not sure if that was causing a problem. The basket did not appear to be notched and it seems fine now, but every F#%KING Hole shot I was getting stuck between 2 -3 and lost the banshee run. Since you just bought it (new Right??) bring it back to the dealer and have them evaluate. I was lazy and did not want to put the bike out of service, but now should be a good time for you and it's warrantied.

Edit-Disregard the warranty, I see its an 03

crazyaboutriding · Post by **crazyaboutriding** » 08:22 pm Mar 25 2006

First off, the oil is only like one ride old. i'm sure it's not the oil. note that i had previously said it had only about 6 tanks of gas through it. that is not quite enough to have horrible nasty old oil.

Second, i'm buying it from one of my dad's good friends. He had bought it for his wife, but she had to stop riding because she got pregnant. other than very few minor beginner scratches on the front fender, you could pretty mutch say it is brand new. Luckily, since it was from a very good friend, we got an excelent deal of $1,500. Also, my dad had just told me that it is just a loose bolt that holds the spring, not allowing the shifter to move back into place, not allowing it to shift and making it stick down. all we need to do is open the transmission and lock-tight it back in to keep it in place. He says it has happened to him a few times, and also to his friends.

I [u]WISH[/u] it were brand new for that price!!!!

Post by **Indawoods** » 08:43 pm Mar 25 2006

Sorry if I sound like an old fart here but type and brand DOES play a role in how your shifting reacts. I like how you just threw that right out the window.... But, that's OK.... you may learn.

Colorado Mike · Post by **Colorado Mike** » 09:28 pm Mar 25 2006

true enough. If I put the full quart in like so many here suggest, I have lots of trouble shifting.

Matt-itude · Post by **Matt-itude** » 11:07 pm Mar 25 2006

my 03 has problems sometimes shifting. On mine it gets stuck in 3rd. It seems to only happen when the bike is completely warm. I have tried A. the oil that came in it B. silkolene C. yamalube D. gearsaver. none seemed to cure it and thats changing the oil about every 150 miles. or 3 rides and I ride like a grandma and hardly ever fan the clutch. So if some body gets it figured out or finds something I would love to know. I figured it was just new and notchy but almost 1000 miles now and it still happens. I just thought it interesting that the previously mentioned bike was an 03 also.

kdennan · Post by **kdennan** » 11:17 pm Mar 25 2006

What brand, weight and how much do you run, Indawoods?
I am running Golden Spectro 4, 10w-40 high on the sight glass. The tranny feels notchy compared to my two oler bikes and I find nuetral between 1st and 2nd more as well. Maybe it's me.... I guess I'm a different guy when I'm the 600?
Btw: Brand-spankin' new, 05' 220

Post by **Indawoods** » 11:40 pm Mar 25 2006

I run the Mobil-1 Gold Cap... full quart. It is not perfect but is better than anything else I have run. Very few misses and getting stuck in gear. Run it real hard and sometimes it's hard to find neutral at the end of a run.

The clutch has never been the KDX's strong suit.

Green Hornet · Post by **Green Hornet** » 10:35 am Mar 26 2006

I'll let ya know how mine works out. I cleared the contents of the case pretty well, as too get out any crap that may have been floating around since break-in. Maybe it could be that simple.
Inda is right, the KDX clutch is Ok at its best. I know Fredette has the Hinson set-up for sale @ around $250

crazyaboutriding · Post by **crazyaboutriding** » 11:33 am Mar 26 2006

ya, all that is true, but why would Kawasaki sell a bike for so many years and still not know how to fix the transmission problem. it doesn't make any sence.

Just look at thier KX-F's! great bikes. i still think it is the loose bolt. well, i should know tonight if it is or not since i'm getting it in an hour or two. i'll inform you on it.

Green Hornet · Post by **Green Hornet** » 11:46 am Mar 26 2006

You can check, but mine was fine. Loosen & re-torque the Clutch Spring Bolts to 78in. lbs., inspect the bracket/plate and smooth all areas that ARE NOT SMOOTH. The plate on mine was Very Rough in some areas. I used Fine Sandpaper and one stroke lightly smoothed it out. Now I'll see if that was an issue.

crazyaboutriding · Post by **crazyaboutriding** » 09:01 am Mar 28 2006

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

i just got my bike put together about 4:30 last night, and had just enough time to try it out running it down the alley a couple of times. WOAH!!! stepping up from a CRF 150, that thing HAULS!!!

we ran it for a little while, and didn't seem to have any problems shifting. many times we went through all the gears and it ran like a champ. have all you guyes all tried just taking it all apart (transmission, of course) and putting it back together so all the bolts are for sure tightened? if you do and have trouble putting it back together and dont have the manual (like us) just go to the kawasaki web sight, motorcycles, off road, select moddel, KDX 200 (there is no KDX 220), accessories, put in year of bike, and then parts diagrams.

If so, just try a few different transmission oils. The owner of mine had ran one type which most likely caused it to have shifting problems, and we switched to what we usually run in our other bikes and it runs fine.

I'm goona' take it out later tonight when my dad gets off work. we're going riding on Colville Mountain to try it out and test it's hillclimbing skills.

Oh, and by the way, i had gotten it wrong. it's a 2000, not a 2003. my bad.

Mark W · Post by **Mark W** » 09:49 am Mar 28 2006

First off, enjoy those times with your Dad, I guarantee you he is enjoying every minute of riding with you. Riding with my 9 year old beats all else hands down.

Secondly, if the bike is a 2000 and never ever had it oil changed (I think you said only 6 tanks of gas through it), you are past due. Not only does running time effect oil, sitting time does as well. If the oil had never been changed, you could have had lots of bad stuff in there that did effect the shifting. Good advice was offered on this site from people who forget more about the KDX than I'll ever know.

Side note - you asked how can Kawasaki sell a dirt bike that is as old as the KDX and not fix known problems? You'll learn on this one. They have sold the same old unbalanced spring rates, same old pipe, same old piston, same old carb, no grease on any bearings, etc... that many owners fix as time goes by. I would guess that Kawasaki has gotten their money out of the molds used for this bike.

crazyaboutriding · Post by **crazyaboutriding** » 10:31 am Mar 28 2006

i'm sorry, i never meant that it had never had the oil changed. i just said meant it had had a oil that the bike didn't "like". it had been kept really good.

also, i kind of exaggerated on the number of times ridden. i just wanted to get the point out that it had not been ridden very hard or all the time. it was my dad's friend's wife's bike. she had started learning to ride on it, and didn't like it so stopped riding and it got ridden about once every two months just a little to make sure it still runs, and also to change the oil and make sure the gas didn't sit in the gas tank and get bad. srry for the missunderstanding.

Mark W · Post by **Mark W** » 11:28 am Mar 28 2006

Misread what you wrote. I saw that the current oil had only been in for one ride and kinda forgot I read that part.

Enjoy the time with your Dad, time goes way too fast and is always in short supply. Also get to know the guys on this site, the info they provide is invaluable.

Where's Colville mtn.?

crazyaboutriding · Post by **crazyaboutriding** » 12:14 pm Mar 28 2006

Srry.

Colville Mtn. is the small mountain right next to my city, Colville (of course) in Washington. it's small, but there's some good hill climbs up.

Colorado Mike · Post by **Colorado Mike** » 12:38 pm Mar 28 2006

Sounds like with that little use, the transmission isn't broken in yet. Mine was pretty bad, full of false nuetrals, and didn't want to go into 6th reliably until I got a few hundred miles on it.

My kid has a CRF150, he hates it now and only wants to ride his KX85. As you have seen, the 150 weighs about the same as your KDX, and makes 1/3 the horsepower.

crazyaboutriding · Post by **crazyaboutriding** » 11:32 pm Mar 28 2006

I rode my bike for the first time off road. it's AWSOME!!!

now i know why so many people have and ride them. It was kind of hard on some HUGE hills with finding the right gear and having it try to flip, but as soon as i get used to the two stroke, keeping it reved and not being able to bog it down.

Once again, still no problems with the shifting. I don't know why it wasn't working very good before, we just took it appart and put it right back together, and no probs.

GS · Post by GS » 01:53 am Mar 29 2006

"we just took it appart and put it right back together,"

Sometimes that's all it takes...no specific problem identified, but it simply WORKS now!!

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