83/84 KX Cylinder on a Tecate...BIG BORE?

[BigGreenMachine]

I know a larger 38mm Mikuni carb and KX cylinder make a big improvement on a Tecate. But after I buy the cylinder can I go the big bore route with it. The 295cc jet ski piston is what i want to run. Is the KX cylinder already sleeved?

Thanks.

[NICKG]

no, it uses the electrofusion liner, can't be bored out unless you sleeve it first

[BigGreenMachine]

Ok I saw that coming. What I'm trying to ask is if a sleeved and bored KX cylinder would work better than a sleeved and bored KXT cylinder? Am I just better off boring my KXT cylinder and having some nice port work? Thanks.

[3Razors]

I run a 300 sleeved big bore KX cylinder on my 1985. You can buy the sleeves still from L.A. Sleeve or Pro-X I forget which one I got mine from. The KX cylinder has a much better triple port exhaust layout that the KXT cylinder does not have. The KXT cylinder only has a single exhaust port which even with proper porting does not compare to the KX cylinder.

[BigGreenMachine]

Cool. What piston wrist pin/circlips and bearing did you use, the KX or the watercraft parts?

I've come up with all the part numbers and prices in Canadian dollars from my Wiseco catologue:

L.A. Sleeve 83/84 KX 250 sleeve - KA796SL - $147.75
Kawasaki SL650 standard piston - 549M07600 - $129.99
Kawasaki SL650 rings - 2992TD - $36.55
Kawasaki SL650 circlips (2) - CW18 - $1.52 each
Kawasaki SL650 wristpin - S513 - $19.71
Kawasaki SL650 rod bearing - B1022 - $19.50

Total $356.54

Minus of course the cost of a used 83/84 KX 250 cylinder and the cost of having it bored and sleeved and bored again...

[Meat-BoX]

Big Green i'm interested in this project of yours. Please keep us updated because this is very good info for all Tecate owners that want a nice power increase. Good luck and hope to ride with you this summer.

[BigGreenMachine]

will do Meat, got a job to support a few mods that I want so I figure I'll go big on the engine, 86 T3 swinger (adds 2+ inches), 83/84 KX tank and 20 inch Turf Tamers.

[3Razors]

Actually when I bought the bike it came with 2 oversize pistons from Klemm racing. Klemm had these pistons made for them from Wiseco back in the day. But I used all kx small parts such as wrist pin, bearing, circlips. I've also heard that you can run a Kawasaki JS300 piston by cutting down the piston skirt. My friend with an 86 T3 has that setup.

[BigGreenMachine]

yeah thats what ive heard too except it was the JS or JL650 twin cylinder piston. I would think that you could use the KXT small parts like wristpin/circlips and bearing and use the JS 300 JL650 piston and rings. Do you still have a spare piston that you would part with?

[3Razors]

My friend used all the kxt small parts with the watercraft piston. That things gives white knuckles every time he rides it. Sorry but I gotta keep my other piston kit for the long run for when its time for rebuild. If you do go the watercraft route go with the Wiseco and not the Pro-X piston since the Wiseco is forged. It will hold up better when you get the intake side of the piston "windowed" and the skirt cut. Cometic still makes the gaskets last time I checked but that was about 2 years ago.

[BigGreenMachine]

Cometic still make what gaskets? I have two cometic head gaskets for my KXT. I think I'm goin to have my spare KXT cylinder bored for the watercraft piston. Thats ok about the Klemm piston, I understand. Thanks alot for the info.

[BigGreenMachine]

Did he use the KXT head gasket? I checked my Cometic gasket on my spare KXT cylinder and it looks like it'll be too small compared to the bigger bore. I want to use a KX gasket for more compression anyway.

[3Razors]

The standard KXT gasket was to small. Cometic made a big bore gasket kit for this application. The KX gasket will not work either because the bore size is the same as the kxt. Maybe think about getting the head milled slightly to bump compression, but don't go to crazy as then you might have to run race or av gas.

[BigGreenMachine]

Yeah I dont want to go that high on compression. I'll email CT to see just how much can be milled off and still run pump gas. I'll also get in contact with Cometic to see if they have those gaskets left. Thanks alot man.