'99 KTM 640Adventure-R rebuild time

[Low594]

Wow! Those sure save the tank from some damage!

[Stomp]

Originally Posted by katumo_jtb

I'm glad it went to someone who put it to good use.

So am I, but I sure do miss riding it.

[Low594]

Well, the new motor now has about 5000 miles on it, and 3500 since the last oil change. So I just dropped the crashpan, filters and drain plugs. I found what I was expecting to find, metal on the magnet and drainplug screen. I am relieved to find this for a few reasons, 1) in the last 100 miles or so the engine cranking has been loaded, similar but different than when not using the decomp lever, 2) there has been an audible ka-chunk noise sometimes when shutting the engine off. The metal in the engine has me relieved in that it is most likely the main shaft bearing prematurely dying, or so I hope! There is nowhere near the amount of metal that I have seen in some of the pics here and its all small stuff! So hopefully I will have good news to share!

[Low594]

Well,
We got the cover and clutch off and low and behold, there seems to be nothing wrong with the main shaft bearing. Which has its good and bad! We did how ever see that the balancer bearing in the cover has a burned spot! And the cover has alot of material shaved off the inside near the clutch basket. I did a closer inspect of the shrapnel on the magnet and in the screen, its mostly aluminum and the steel is all small bits. The cover took a hard hit when I dropped it 1 or both of the times it dropped on the left side. The cover is worse looking as for the cracks on the inside than the outside showed! Luckily I have a cover from the original motor, with a good balancer bearing! Anything else I should check out before reassembly??

[Low594]

Almost forgot, It now has a new front fender on it and soon a new rear inner fender and taillight! I got a 66-260 rear spring from Hipster and just got the call from the dealer that my 17t front sprocket and guide are in! I'll get some pics posted soon!

[slackmeyer]

Originally Posted by Low594

Well,
We got the cover and clutch off and low and behold, there seems to be nothing wrong with the main shaft bearing. Which has its good and bad! We did how ever see that the balancer bearing in the cover has a burned spot! And the cover has alot of material shaved off the inside near the clutch basket. I did a closer inspect of the shrapnel on the magnet and in the screen, its mostly aluminum and the steel is all small bits. The cover took a hard hit when I dropped it 1 or both of the times it dropped on the left side. The cover is worse looking as for the cracks on the inside than the outside showed! Luckily I have a cover from the original motor, with a good balancer bearing! Anything else I should check out before reassembly??

If I were you I'd check out the oil pumps behind the clutch basket. Seems like they're pretty good at sucking in little pieces of metal and jamming up- not good.

[Low594]

Been horribly busy with a sucky night shift schedule and helping friends move!

I got the bike all back together and its running good! Made the 250 mile, each way, run to Redding and pulled 49 mpg @ 70-75 mph! Woohoo! Loving it!

When the bike was down, i did the relay conversion for the headlights, which brought headlight volts upto match battery volts, usually roughly 13.5. The low beam has been good, but the high was sucky! I put Sylvania SilverStars in both and its a huge improvement, but they were bulbs with 17k miles and 11 years of service. Most bulbs start to yellow after 3-4 years, so it was time! I am planning on installing a pair of flood/spot LED lights from member Sanjoh. He sells them here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=607184

I finally got my silicone hose set from ASI and will be installing those tomorrow. Also on the plan table for tomorrow is a set of Hella Supertone horns! Also, removing the mud guards in front of the radiators and placing heavy wire protectors, this should help with the cooling, but the new Sumo style fender has been helping already!

Next weekend I head to Coursegold, CA, about 3.5 hours from here and just south of Yosemite!

[Gerst]

Next weekend I head to Coursegold, CA, about 3.5 hours from here and just south of Yosemite!

Sounds like fun, please post some pics for those of us stuck at home!

[mrlarner]

The shoe tree! I passed it heading across Oregon to Colorado

Checkin out the shoe tree on Hwy 26 in Oregon. Rhubarbinator on left, myself on the right!

[Low594]

Originally Posted by Gerst

Sounds like fun, please post some pics for those of us stuck at home!

Well, unfortunately that trip got cancelled. But I have been doing some riding. Unfortunately, ending today on the side of the road. Milkshake in the oil, found it quick so hoping low damage. Looking like the waterpump seal went out but I have to tear it down in the morn.

But I did put most of an ASI silicone coolant hose kit and a ASI silicone breather hose kit. I got them from ebay, good price and great service. Appearantly, their kit is incorrect, but they responded quickly and are working with me to get the correct kit assembled!


MrLarner, we (Creeps) are trying to get some local trails found and mapped, interested in joining us?? That goes for any other locals!

[mrlarner]

You know it. Might go searching this weekend.

Originally Posted by Low594

MrLarner, we (Creeps) are trying to get some local trails found and mapped, interested in joining us?? That goes for any other locals!

[Low594]

Well, on my way into work Monday afternoon, the bike overheated and I found milkshake. So I made a few phonecalls and got a clubmate to pick me up with his trailer. Found a geocache 30 feet from my spot, too!

Results are a blown water pump, parts on the way and going to try my luck running VXB Stainless bearings http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/PROD/Kit8971

[Gerst]

Damn, damn, damn damn. sorry man, at least it's an easy fix. hope this is the last hiccup for awhile!

[Low594]

Well, I figured it was time for an update!

Mainshaft bearing was looking good when I opened for inspection. But the parts ordered are here and waiting. Munn Racing gets a big fat FAIL! they told me "No problem, I'll send it out today. They'll be there in 3 days." 11 days later they arrived! Good thing they weren't needed!

I got the VXB SS bearings, but the Loctite is still on its way and so are most of the other parts. I ordered 1 of everything, except bolts, and an extra of everything, sans bolts shaft and impeller. I will rebuild 1 of my pumps and install and rebuild the spare with the extras. This way I can get mine back up quicker or I can send it to another inmate to aid in a quick turn around.

It's so depressing to see her disassembled in the garage, again. And more depressing when I sit in traffic or fill up on gas in my truck. My truck needs a bit of work but falls further down the list than the 640, so she only gets 15 mpg. The 640 on the other hand has been getting 49 mpg with soft bags! I haven't checked without the bags, cause I use them to haul my work tools around.

I also got the Hella Supertone horns mounted, but I need to wire thru a relay, they work but could be alot better.

Still trying to get a new inner fender. The one I like is from Acerbis and only comes with a LED taillight, which is only E rated, so it will technically be illegal in the states. Altho, Cali cops have never read or opened their Vehicle Code Book, so it should be ok! But so far I have received 2 fender/light assemblies and both had the brake diode installed reversed, so they don't light up! Arrrrgh! I thought better of Acerbis! Its too bad that they dont sell just the inner fender!


I love this bike! And I love this type of riding! After almost 20 years of riding, I have finally found what I was looking for since the beginning! I just didn't know it!

[Low594]

Seems its time for an update!

Bike is back being torn down! I've been working on resolving a coolant issue that has been slowly growing since the summer. I thought the new hoses would fix it, then I thought the water pump rebuild would fix it. Still there!

What was happening is that I would get a bit of spray from the right side radiator. The other day I noticed after filling the radiator, that I was getting bubbles that just kept coming up. That led me to theorize that if the head gasket was going out, the compression from the piston could bleed through a weak gasket, which would cause the bubbles as well as overheating and there by building the pressure in the cooling system and blowing water out the overflow hose, which would then turn into spray at freeway speeds!

Its a theory!

But I just pulled the bike apart and one of the headbolts shows water on the threads and around the head of the bolt itself, so there is some supporting info!

Im going to try and get around to taking some pics of how the bike is looking, which I think is pretty good with the new front fender!


My buddy DJ on his 1150GS and myself at the Pashnit Fall Gathering!