MUFFLER RECOMMENDATIONS PLEASE

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gertie6car
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MUFFLER RECOMMENDATIONS PLEASE

Post by gertie6car »

Hi!

well now my kdx engine is sorted and starting & running really well I have had a chance to ride it a bit and enjoy. Two things are very obvious to me, 1 the bike makes a fair amount of noise and 2, the top end is really rattly!

The engine was fully rebuilt including new kips components so its either wear (it is not a new bike at 18 years old!) or its the kips mechcanism - or both! Runs fine as I said but just seems to rattle, particularly noticeable at idle/low rpm. Is this normal?

The silencer is the original and to be honest has seen better days.

I spent some time last night trying to strip the thing down but ended up with one corroded bolt at the input end stuck fast preventing my strip down! Going to have to get very heavy handed with that to shift it and am now wondering whether or not to junk it and buy an aftermarket item.

FMF Powercore is one I have found at a reasonable price. But before I go ahead and buy it I wanted to get your opinions on it. The bike is a 1990 E2 KDX 200 and is in pretty good nick! The pipe is an after market "SPES" item, they are/were pretty popular in the uk at one time.

What do you guys think?

thanks in advance

Gert
Last edited by gertie6car on 06:08 pm Oct 30 2008, edited 1 time in total.
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jc7622
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Post by jc7622 »

I had a Powercore II on my '05 KDX. It was just a little louder than the stock silencer but queiter than nearly all the MX bikes. I could still get behind other riders without them knowing I was there.
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fuzzy
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Post by fuzzy »

I love the stock E silencer...No packing....No where near as heavy as the H one. I'd try to spy a used replacement in better condition. FMF ISDE, Q, or any other spark arrestor silencer would be my 2nd choice.

Clutch rattle, and loud powervalve are in fact KDX traits.

You'd be suprised how much noise comes from the pipe....That's why the stock one is a heavy, double walled unit.

I've pretty much decided the next bike I own will maintain stock exhaust unless it happens to come with aftermarket stuff on it.
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gertie6car
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Post by gertie6car »

Thats good news about the kips rattle! I had noticed the clutch rattle all but disappeared when the clutch was pulled in, thats normal for these bikes then?

My standard silencer has no packing in it, in the manual it has, should I repack or leave as is?
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canyncarvr
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Post by canyncarvr »

Yes. It's normal. Unfortunate maybe, but normal.

I think Wibby's S/A is OEM..and he repacks it. If your OEM S/A takes packing it will be quite evident..there will be a perforated core with the cannister around a space meant for packing to be there.

If that IS the case, you are losing a considerable amount of power if you do NOT pack it.

The noise out of the KDX is quieted down some by using more oil than called for. A good number of riders put in a full quart without any deleterious effects. Don't know if the same applies to a full litre.

Ask m0rie. He will know about US 'E' models anyway..so will Wibby. This may well be one'a those things that are 'different' on non-US models.

A powercore is NOT a spark arrester, btw. The arrester part is required equipment in the woods here 'bouts.

Here's another 'unfortunate but normal' KDX-thing: Engine off, in gear, clutch lever pulled, try to push the bike...the back tire will skid until the plates break loose. That same issue makes starting the bike in gear considerably harder than starting it in neutral. IF you have trouble starting the bike for whatever reason (say you just tipped it upside down and did a few cartwheels with it), you will be much better off trying to start it in neutral.

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gertie6car
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Post by gertie6car »

Hi canyncarvr,

thanks for your response. I have still not shifted the corroded bolt will have to resort to more extreme methods to remove it!!

The input end of the pipe is still stuck but have removed the other end no problem. The silencer body is empty from the output end to the back of the input end, about 6" of free space, absolutely no sign of any packing and no perforated tube either. The input end has quite an elaborate construction where it is housed in the alloy outer jacket, It has like a fluted construction , looks like it is designed to create some sort of vortices before hitting the end cap and exiting. The outer alloy silencer is etched with quite a considerable amount of info on which US laws it does and does not conform to, this bike was imported direct into the uk from new so I guess it is standard fitment.

I have just rechecked the muffler drawing and I think the packing is located between the steel input component and another steel component located midway down the body. So it looks like the free space in the last 1/3 of the silencer is meant to be there. I guess that explains why no perforated tube exists as per normal.

Spark arrestors are not required here, unusual as we are almost legislated out of existence in the uk! Small mercies!

As ever thanks for the comments,

Cheers,

Gert
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canyncarvr
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Post by canyncarvr »

Post some pics!

Use heat on that stuck fastener!

Does the info on US laws say anything about approval by Forestry, or maybe USDA (United States Department of Agriculture..the bureau of which the Forest Service is a part)?

The 'fluted construction' you mention sounds like an arrester..but it's at the DOWNstream side, not the UPstream side.

Too much lost in translation. How about this:

Image

You've been to the Kawasaki site (or any number of other retail sites that have diagrams)? Quite helpful.

Anyway, there's your packing. If you have NO packing, I guarantee your bike runs for complete crap. Well, compared to what it's supposed to, anyway. AND...it's VERY noisy!

Eventually we'll find out it IS an 'SR' type and doesn't HAVE any packing (as the US 'H' and 'A' OEM models don't)..and all this will be a waste of time. Hope not.

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Post by gertie6car »

Hi, thanks for the info. Yes I have spotted the parts diagram. I will take some pics today and post so we can see what it actually is! My interpretation of the parts diagram is that the packing fits between the input baffle and the next steel component so that when you take off the exit end cap and look down the muffler the packing is hidden. Is this right or wrong? cheers!
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Post by gertie6car »

Ok got the bolt out, finally!

The internals are as per the parts breakdown.

There was packing - if you could call it that! More like black concrete! took me a full hour to get it out - what a job!

All the perforations in the pipe were blocked solid. Looks like it has not been apart for the 18 years its been on the bike! The steel feed pipe is still stuck in the end of the alloy tube and is currently soaking so I can get it apart. To say it is coked up is the understatement of a lifetime!!

The alloy outer is marked up with approvals forestry commission etc. Will post some pics when I get a moment.

The whole thing is quite a tight fit and it is going to be fun to replace the packing and slide it all together aligning the steel components so I can locate the fixing screws! Do I need to use the kawasaki packing, I guess it would be easier to fit?!

Cheers

Gert
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Post by 80elkster »

I have a 93 E5 I believe and it has the muffler shown in CCs diagram above. I took mine apart and took a propane torch to the baffle and cleaned all the carbon (coke?) off it in no time at all. I also use a procircut pipe on mine and have found that the stock silencer/arrestor works just as well as an after market (FMF). You gotta repack it bout every 6 months to a year depending on how often you ride and if you are not jetted too rich. Say even old Super Hunky claims the stock mufflers on these bikes are good (He has an E series KDX 200) :supz:
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Post by Mr. Wibbens »

Poor Carvr's wee lil BRAIN cell seems to be failing again

I have a Turbine Core S/A

I've looked for a stocker but have gave up pretty much
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