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Pictures please! NOT!!!!

I have heard tell that aluminum paint will do the same as copper coat. I've not tried it, I'm too fearful of being stranded out on the trail to even re-use a head gasket. I've got several around the garage now, and as you know, they ain't cheap!

The stock gaskets I buy from Kawasaki have a thin coat of RTV over both sides. I would recommend that you rub this off with your fingers before applying the copper coat. It comes off quite easily. I've always thought that if I ever did re-use a head gasket, I would first try to emulate the RTV film first. Anyone else ever do that?

Don't forget to report back what you used and how it worked for you.

I use Cometic head gaskets... the better over OEM IMHO!

I have only did the Copper spray once during a mid-season teardown... worked great... messy...but worked great!

Well it's back together. Started on the second kick and warmed it up for about ten minutes. Took it for a ride and couldn't believe how much power it has! Then again, I have been riding my daughters KX85 around some, so yeah a 200 has more power. Boy is she glad my bike's together.

I used Permatex Ultra Black Hi-Temp RTV Silicone Gasket Maker on the base gasket and nothing on the Cometic head gasket. Peak "Ready Use" 50/50 already mixed antifreeze/coolant.

God I love this bike

Thanks to Inda, CC, Ski, IC, fuzzy and all for the tips

I still have the Moose top end gasket kit for a KDX220 from EG if anyone wants to buy it. I figured that instead of making him pay for an OEM head gasket, I got a Cometic kit and now I'll just sell the Moose kit.

2 smokers are awesome ain't they?

Did the Moose and Cometic gaskets look any different?

Not that looks has a whole lot to do with it, but there aren't dozens of outfits that make gaskets for the KDX I'm sure.

Wouldn't be surprised if they are the same thing.

Good to hear it started up well. Do a few (progressive in time) heat/cool down cycles before you start screaming on the thing.

Happy trails!!

Inda, Two strokes are my weapon of choice for the dirt. Always have been and maybe always will be, depending on what the manufactuers choose to build. The new four strokes are great, but not as light. I hope they keep building KDX's. There is no replacement for them, being relatively inexpensive and functionally irreplaceable.

CC, The Moose and Cometic head gaskets look the same. The other Cometic gaskets are stainless steel I think, with a rubbery coating. The other Moose ones are a paper/fiber? The package is sealed but that's what they look like.

By the way I put the piston snap ring openings opposite the plier holes at the 4:30 and 7:30 positions. Depending on who you listen to, this position varies. I used Wiseco piston, wristpin, bearing and snaprings.

Sorry if this is a repeat..this wasn't mentioned in this thread...it starting out being a KIPS issue, but........

You are aware of the Wiseco issues with a too long wrist pin? Supposedly that was cleared up, but who knows how long NOS hangs around...

Anyway, the pins have been a bit too long in the past. That causes the snap rings to not fully seat. Then they come out!

So..hopefully you remember getting a good 'snap' out of the circlips when you put them in.

Enjoy your new topend!

CC, Thanks for the concern. I had actually read a post regarding that. Before I put the piston on the con rod, I put in the first snap ring and then pushed the wrist pin in there to see if it had enough room for the other one. It looked like it did, so I installed it on the rod. When I put the snap ring in I heard a distinct "SNICK" , so I knew from that point on, everything would be OK.

I was able to rotate them to get the gaps where I wanted 'em without any problem. The ring ends tend to hang up on the edge of the plier hole, but a little pry up while rotating it took care of that. Something that I think is important to do before installing the snap rings , is to clean and blow out the snap ring grooves in the piston. I found a little aluminum chip in there even after blowing it out. Then I took a toothpic and got it out. It probably would have prevented the ring from fully seating

I rode around town on the dirt roads last night for an hour or so to finish breaking it in, so now I'm ready to hammer on it

Rotating the circlips such that the bent end is the leading one (the cut end the trailing) usually works well. Grab the tang with a good pair of pliers, 'spin' the ring using a slight inside pressure (applying force tending to make the circumference of the clip smaller) and the cut end won't have anything to hang up on.

It all should be well oiled, too. Not the clips themselves, but the groove certainly should have oil in it.

I've always used Pro-X piston sets. Inda has noted that the Wiseco circlips are superior to the Pro-X clips. As long as it is seated correctly, you're all set!

It must be time to go riding!!

Have fun!!

**edit** Looking through some old posts for another correction..found this. Some clips have the 'bent' end you can grab...some don't. My RDs did (fer example) and Pro-X don't.