2000 KDX Smoke

Discussion specific to the 1995 - 2006 KDX200 (H Series) and 1995 - 2005 KDX220R (A Series) models sold in the USA
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cararre911
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2000 KDX Smoke

Post by cararre911 »

This is my first post on this forum (doesn't seem like anyone on thumper talk knows anything about KDX). I have a 2000 KDX 200 that i picked up off off Craigslist for 700 bucks in August. When I got it ran good and I put abut 20 hours on it before the compression became low. I took it to the local shop and they said the compression was 96 and so they charged 920 dollars to put in a new reed, new piston, new heads, bore and resleeved the cylinder. I got it back at the beginning of January and I broke it in and have probably put a total of not even 10 hours on it. After I broke it in I noticed the coolant was low so I topped off the plastic reservoir and rode some more and It became low again. After I didn't ride it for a week I started it and it blew thick white smoke when I revved it while it was warming up and after it was warm it blew white smoke but not as much. From what I have read online it is burning the coolant and the white smoke is the steam from it and it is because of the head gasket. Is this right? Do you think they'll charge me for fixing a bike which they obviously didn't fix right the first time? If they do want to charge me how hard of a problem it this to fix? The only thing that I have done to it since I've got it back was move the needle clip up one from the middle slot. Here is what it is running
32:1 Yamalube 2R
FMF Gnarly/ Powercore 2
PJ 48
MJ 155
needle 2nd clip down
1100' elevation
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Julien D
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by Julien D »

If the radiators are low, that's one thing. If the overflow tank is low, that really means nothing. It has a habit of sloshing out every time you ride, so do not expect it to stay full. Go by the level in the radiators, not the overflow tank. As for the smoke, a good bit of smoke is normal for a 2 stroke. It's hard to judge if the amount you have is too much by your description. The fact that it lessens when warmed makes me lean toward normal, but again, without seeing it, I can't say for sure. I'm concerned about the bore and re-sleeve, as that never should be done. The cylinders are plated, and should be re-plated, not sleeved, short of some catastrophic damage to the cylinder walls. If there is indeed something amiss after the rebulid, the shop should make it right with no charge.

Welcome to KDXRIDER! Hopefully we can help you get it sorted out.
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morganid
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by morganid »

Yeah welcome! The guys here are great.

As for the smoke, I'm up in Idaho right now where the temperature gets in the negatives sometimes. A couple of weeks ago, I rode my 2003 KDX to work. The air temp was about 20 degrees F. My bike blew thick white smoke and more white smoke when I revved it. I'm still running the previous owner's fuel out of the tank. He mixed it richer that I would. So by my experience it's not much to worry about. But I KNOW my smoke is from the cold. I'm not sure what to tell you about your coolant. But if it was leaking into your cylinder, I think you'd notice a loss of power and difficulty getting into the power band.... I think. Check your transmission oil window. Make sure it's not cloudy with coolant. Good Luck
cararre911
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by cararre911 »

Thanks for the replies. They bored the cylinder because they said it was "warped" but there's no telling if it was or it wasn't, it may have just been a way for them to make some extra cash. It's a big retail shop and they could probably care less about the people that bring in old bikes like these when they have to fix brand new ones (it took them 6 weeks to do whatever they did to mine). Anyway, my main reason for concern is that it has always blown blue smoke before and after the rebuild, and now I've noticed that its white. And also after I shut it off smoke slowly come out of the exhaust (didn't notice it doing that before either). Its probably time to change the gear oil anyway so I'll change it but I don't know what to put in it, I've heard 10w-30/40 is fine as long as it doesn't have any fuel saving additives. And before I took it in to the shop I went to a mx track with some jumps and I noticed the forks leaked a little oil and they told me they wanted 250 dollars to replace the O rings that were leaking the oil. I passed on that so I was curious how hard it is to take apart the forks to replace the rings?
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Julien D
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by Julien D »

Fork seals are a bit tricky, but not too difficult if you follow information readily available on these forums. $250 is way out of line for a fork seal replacement, as is the 1,000 you were charged for a top end rebuild. I would stay away from that shop, aside from having them make good on the work they charged you for. 10w40 is fine, as long as it has no friction modifiers (energy conserving label), as you mentioned. To play it safe, use motorcycle specific trans oil, or ATF.

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motogoalie1
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by motogoalie1 »

cararre911 wrote:Thanks for the replies. They bored the cylinder because they said it was "warped" but there's no telling if it was or it wasn't, it may have just been a way for them to make some extra cash. It's a big retail shop and they could probably care less about the people that bring in old bikes like these when they have to fix brand new ones (it took them 6 weeks to do whatever they did to mine). Anyway, my main reason for concern is that it has always blown blue smoke before and after the rebuild, and now I've noticed that its white. And also after I shut it off smoke slowly come out of the exhaust (didn't notice it doing that before either). Its probably time to change the gear oil anyway so I'll change it but I don't know what to put in it, I've heard 10w-30/40 is fine as long as it doesn't have any fuel saving additives. And before I took it in to the shop I went to a mx track with some jumps and I noticed the forks leaked a little oil and they told me they wanted 250 dollars to replace the O rings that were leaking the oil. I passed on that so I was curious how hard it is to take apart the forks to replace the rings?
I read your post over at TT and your shop is hosing you. If you have any mech ability we can talk you through fixing it.

where are you, altitude and weather , so we cannhelp you m out.
ridinredneck
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by ridinredneck »

i would also check your trans oil level. i had a ktm that had a crank seal go down and it blew a white-ish color smoke. and as previously stated i would check the radiator fluid level. makes sure its full, take it out for a decent ride, let it cool and recheck level. if its low, then you may have a head or head gasket bad.
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ICRage42
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2000 KDX Smoke

Post by ICRage42 »

yea that shop sounds iffy. Did they atleast give you a break on the 500 dollar lawn mower battery they put in for your horn. :mrgreen:

just jokin!

Best advice I can give you is take a couple of days and read as much on this forum as you can. You will be better informed and all around know what you have to deal with or need. Youll also become more confident with doing the work yourself. Theres several members here who took the time to take pictures and do write ups on full rebuilds. I think that would be what you want to read first then that way you understand what all is involved with a rebuild. What it takes and what terms and such used. From there I would say you would get a better understanding of what the shop said they did and what all is involved from an actual working rebuild.

If they say they installed a right handed wind shifter so you can make left turns better. Id find a new shop quick lol.
If you cant fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.
cararre911
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by cararre911 »

I live in north Georgia at 1100-1300 feet and lately it has been in 50s -60s. I don't know what jets it had in it when I took it to the shop but when I got it back it had PJ 48 and a MJ of 155 with the needle on the middle position. It was running rich when it was cold out so I moved the clip up to the 2nd slot down and it helped it but it needs to be jetted and it will only get richer as it warms up outside. Other than moving the clip I repacked the silencer but I used home insulation rather than going to that same shop to buy some packing. I ran it without the silencer and it seemed like it smoked less but it was still white and not the blue that it has always been. I know that there is a jetting database on this site but there isn't anyone with no airbox lid, gnarly and powercore with my altitude/ weather. And when I looked at buying some jets online they wanted me to buy 3 of the same size jet which doesn't make any sense. I'll go ride it for a hour after I post this and compare the radiator level before and after.

And by the way I see why everyone likes these KDXs so much. I rode my friends Honda fuel injected 250 and not only does the KDX feel less tiring to ride and handle better but it also keeps up.
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bufftester
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by bufftester »

FIrst, except for having them make good on what they did yo your ride...stay away from that shop! If you have a basic set of hand tools and know which direction to turn a wrench to tighten something you can do 90% of the maintenance you need to on your own. Seriously, these bikes are so simple to work on...why do you think a 20+ year old bike that has been out of production for nearing a decade is still so popular?
Short of catastrophic damage to the cylinder (and even then most times it can be repaired without sleeving) KDX cylinders should always be replated. 96 for a compression is low, but there are people on here with numbers that low that have still ridden. Parts for a top end rebuild will run you less than 200$ and take about 4 hours to do (that's about average time for removing the engine, doing the rebuild and reinstalling...I know, I know all of you guys out there can do it in 20 minutes at the track between stages :mrgreen:) Assuming it took them that long (doubtful) they charged you 200$ an hour for labor. For that amount you could have done it yourself, still had money left over to do an RB head and carb job, new tires, a pair of new riding boots, and enough left over for plenty of beer (Hell for that amount you could have bought another whole bike!).
Best money you can spend is a shop manual and torque wrench, you'll learn all the ins and outs of your ride (helpful if anything goes wrong on the trail) and you bike will reward you by running you all over the N. GA goodness for years to come.
As for jetting, a database is useless...follow the guide and do it the right way...every single bike is slightly different, and while a database may get you in the ballpark, actually jetting it is the only way to get it spot on. As stated by others, read the forums, do some searches, ask questions....someone here will have the answer or point you in the right direction.
cararre911
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by cararre911 »

This forum is a great resource. I rode it around and the more I thought about it, the reason it blew blue smoke before is probably because the packing was soaked and dripping in oil when I got it out. And now that it has clean white packing it isn't blowing the blue smoke. And for the jetting do you know a place to get them online at a reasonable price? I'm about to go run some errands and while I'm out I'll borrow a compression tester from the auto parts store. What reading should I get from this thing if it has 10 hours on it.
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2000 KDX Smoke

Post by Dekon »

jets r us is a great place to get jets from.
motogoalie1
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Re: 2000 KDX Smoke

Post by motogoalie1 »

cararre911 wrote:This forum is a great resource. I rode it around and the more I thought about it, the reason it blew blue smoke before is probably because the packing was soaked and dripping in oil when I got it out. And now that it has clean white packing it isn't blowing the blue smoke. And for the jetting do you know a place to get them online at a reasonable price? I'm about to go run some errands and while I'm out I'll borrow a compression tester from the auto parts store. What reading should I get from this thing if it has 10 hours on it.

I use rocky mountain atv. You can buy individual jets forn1/3rd the shop price. And anything else.

use the jetting database to get a ballpark idea then do some work on your own to fine tune it.
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