will an 85 KX500 motor work in an 86 T3

[danimal95]

i have an opportunity to pick up a rebuilt 85 KX500 for cheap and this is the swap i want to do in my 86T3,however im not sure if the pre 86 KX's are a good swap...an imput would be help-ful

[Dirtcrasher]

I know Fabio was putting a KX500 (unknown year) motor in his (86??) Tecate and he seemed to have run into quite a few issues with the swap.

All I can say is it would be a crazy speed demon and tons of fun!! :lol: but surely there will be a good amount of work involved. You've read about allot of swaps I'm sure you know that every one of them is unique, different and some require crazy mods but others aren't so bad. Frame cutting, custom exhausts, flip fenders etc etc are all things some guys have to do to get it done. You know how it is, some guys just slap the motors in there and other guys do a fantastic near stock installation.

Sorry if I seem to be useless :D If no one sheds any light on it, give Fabiodriven a PM, he knows his Tecates' very well.

Good luck :beer

[danimal95]

I know Fabio was putting a KX500 (unknown year) motor in his (86??) Tecate and he seemed to have run into quite a few issues with the swap.

All I can say is it would be a crazy speed demon and tons of fun!! :lol: but surely there will be a good amount of work involved. You've read about allot of swaps I'm sure you know that every one of them is unique, different and some require crazy mods but others aren't so bad. Frame cutting, custom exhausts, flip fenders etc etc are all things some guys have to do to get it done. You know how it is, some guys just slap the motors in there and other guys do a fantastic near stock installation.

Sorry if I seem to be useless :D If no one sheds any light on it, give Fabiodriven a PM, he knows his Tecates' very well.

Good luck :beer


thanks for the tips:beer im a welder fabricator by trade so the fab/fitting part of it wont be a big deal....just need to know if the 85 motor a good motor as opposed to an 86 and up

[danimal95]

someone has to know this?????

[MagicJames]

In my opinion, people use early kx 250 parts in their tecates and I don't see why a 85 is inferior to a 86 or later.

I say run it and hold on tight.

[joshco84]

if im not mistaken brapp is in the middle of a tecate 500 swap and he said it was going well, you might want to talk to him as well.

[tobys 2 strokes]

Kawasaki never made a bad KX500 (a bad anything for that mater:w00t: )
If you have a good deal on a rebuilt one run it.
as far as whats better the 85 has no PVs and the 86 87 88 are all oddballs if you want something that is comen and easy to get parts for go with 89 through 2004 they made next to no changes on them.
honestly you probably wont be able to tell the difference you will be trying to hang on.
my 85 is scary.

[brapp]

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=99663



ther eis a 94 motor in a 86 t 3

[danimal95]

http://www.3wheelerworldforums.com/showthread.php?t=99663



ther eis a 94 motor in a 86 t 3

cool build and good info,but once again im not concerned with the fitment,but if an 85 500 engine is worth doing or should i just hold out for a newer model with the power valve assembly???

[fabiodriven]

I'm not positive about the fitment of the 85 500 motor, I've got an 86 and it nearly slides right in. The rear motor mount at the swingarm slides right in with no mods, the frame has to be re-drilled where the bottom mount is, that's no big deal. You will have to make new front mount plates for the front mount and also for the top mount. The frame has a little cross-tube type thing up by the spark plug that will have to be dimpled. The toughest part is getting a pipe to work. I have a modified PSI pipe on mine. It's not great, but it's good enough for me to run for now until I work the kinks out and I can get a real pipe made. You will also have to figure out what you want to do with your airbox. It's tough to run a pod filter because the rear shock is in the way. The mouth of the carb goes right into the shock. I bought an intake boot that turns the carb to one side so you can supposedly run a pod filter, but I haven't yet had a chance to do a trial fit with the motor in. I am also experimenting with an airbox that mounts under the seat and has a pipe that runs around the shock and up to where I want to mount it. It has been somewhat of a pain in the ass, but I haven't been working steadily on it for some time. In my opinion, the 85 Tecates are just alot more simple and easy. Even if my 86 were a 250, I think it would still be kind of a trailprotrailprotrailprotrailprotrailpro, I just like the 85's better. The 86 will be done someday. I had just started working on it again and then I had some pretty major life changes that I'm still ironing out.

[tobys 2 strokes]

cool build and good info,but once again im not concerned with the fitment,but if an 85 500 engine is worth doing or should i just hold out for a newer model with the power valve assembly???

In my opinion. if you get a swingin deal on the 85 run it. they are good engines.
on the other hand if you are going shopping for one look for 89 through 2004 mainly because there are a lot more parts available.
Out of the 5 bikes we have with 500s ( 86 90 93 94 98)in them I think my 86 might hit harder
The 85 is great if the price is right.

[Maico]

I didn't have to re-drill the frame on my '86 K5 to '86 Tecate. They both use the same lower bolt

[fabiodriven]

I didn't have to re-drill the frame on my '86 K5 to '86 Tecate. They both use the same lower bolt

That's odd.... Mine needed to be drilled. Same bolt, just a slightly different location.

[DeePa]

WHATD YOU DO TO My BOLT!!!!

[Dirtcrasher]

^ Whatdjya Do To My Privacy!!

[fabiodriven]

^^^:lol: You guys are great!:lol: ^^^

[brapp]

deeps and dirtcrasher you guys fight liek your married lmao!