Author Topic: '79 KX250A5 with '79 KDX400 engine fitted ... KX400A5  (Read 40251 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline John Orchard

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3045
  • ^^^ July 1984
    • View Profile
'79 KX250A5 with '79 KDX400 engine fitted ... KX400A5
« on: October 15, 2013, 11:44:08 AM »
Well I finally got the KDX400A1/KX250A5 finished, now to test it out at The Farm this Friday.  I have the '84 KX front end for the 'Pre 90' Thumpercross event in a couple of weeks, after that I'll put a sorted Evo front end in it for Open class Evo.

Mods ....
KDX400A1 '79 engine.
As new complete gearshafts replaced.
NOS shift drum.
NOS shift shaft.
NOS std bore KDX400 piston, rings, pin & small-end.
New main bearings and all crankcase seals.
Resleeve with sleeve thick enough to go to a 3mm bigger KX420 piston at a later date.
Ported barrel (opened tiny exhaust ports).
Increased reed-valve flow area 20% with full carbon reed petals.
New clutch plates.
Heavy duty EBC clutch springs.
New swingarm bearings & seals.
YSS rear shocks with adjustable compression & rebound damping.
New .46kg fork springs.
New headstem bearings.
KX250A6/420 triple-clamps have 10mm less offset, down from 35mm to 25mm, for more trail.
KX500 '84 lower chain guide.
New sealed chain rollers.
Std KDX400 pipe cut-up to fit.
Rear KDX400 engine hanger modified to fit 250A5 swingarm.
Hand-made front engine mounting plates.
Lower rear engine mounts cut-off and repositioned.
New folding gearlever.
Footpegs widened.
Still running KDX stator (external flywheel) with lighting coil.
New Nightmare plastics.
New Unifilter aircleaner.
KX250A5 38mm carb.
New clutch & throttle cables.
New kill-switch.
Ordered custom made KX400 decals (coming).



« Last Edit: February 05, 2020, 11:17:10 AM by John Orchard »
Johnny O - Tahition_Red factory rider.

Offline Ktm181

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 524
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2013, 11:46:59 AM »
Congrats John, my kind of Kawasaki!

Kt

Simo63

  • Guest
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2013, 11:50:41 AM »
Awesome results JO, well done man  8).

I'm going to be in touch soon as I'm just about to start the exact same project myself.  My KDX400 motor arrived from the USA yesterday.

So did the motor bolt straight into the frame as I've heard conflicting opinions on that?

Offline John Orchard

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3045
  • ^^^ July 1984
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2013, 12:10:46 PM »

I'm going to be in touch soon as I'm just about to start the exact same project myself.  My KDX400 motor arrived from the USA yesterday.

So did the motor bolt straight into the frame as I've heard conflicting opinions on that?


It took more work than I was expecting, not sure if I would have taken the job on had I known, maybe it just felt like a big job because I freshened-up the whole engine at the same time?

The rear 400A1 engine hanger had to be cut & shut to fit the narrower gap in the swing arm, the front engine plates needed to have the upper-rear bolt to be 5mm higher when compared to the stock 250 plates.  The lower rear engine mounts had to be totally cut off and repositioned. Standard 400 head-stay bolted straight on, reed valve-carb-airbox joint lined-up perfect.

Had to turn the front sprocket around so the boss was facing out to line up the sprockets.  Pipe clearance is a VERY tight squeeze, I spaced the tank up 4mm, would probably be ok if I was making a whole new pipe.
Johnny O - Tahition_Red factory rider.

Simo63

  • Guest
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2013, 12:43:27 PM »
It took more work than I was expecting, not sure if I would have taken the job on had I known, maybe it just felt like a big job because I freshened-up the whole engine at the same time?

The rear 400A1 engine hanger had to be cut & shut to fit the narrower gap in the swing arm, the front engine plates needed to have the upper-rear bolt to be 5mm higher when compared to the stock 250 plates.  The lower rear engine mounts had to be totally cut off and repositioned. Standard 400 head-stay bolted straight on, reed valve-carb-airbox joint lined-up perfect.

Had to turn the front sprocket around so the boss was facing out to line up the sprockets.  Pipe clearance is a VERY tight squeeze, I spaced the tank up 4mm, would probably be ok if I was making a whole new pipe.

Wow, a great effort there John, I have a big task ahead of me but all in good time.  With my motor I also received the original KDX engine mounts, pipe, carby etc.  I have a busy time for the rest of this year so it's a project for next year for me.  Keep us up to date with your ride impressions after this weekend  :)

Offline kdx Geoff

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 549
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2013, 02:48:19 PM »


Great looking bike John, you must be happy with the result of all that work  :D


Buying kdx air cooled drum brake unitrak bikes and parts

Offline Nipper

  • B-Grade
  • ***
  • Posts: 261
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2013, 04:58:02 PM »
Nice work John, that looks bloody brilliant!

Offline steve7406

  • A-Grade
  • ****
  • Posts: 347
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #7 on: October 15, 2013, 06:02:42 PM »
Very nice John now you can mow the lawn
2000 Yamaha WR400f
1980 Suzuki RM250t
1977 Suzuki RM125b                                         
1975 Yamaha MX250b
1973 Yamaha mx360 (on the rebuild table)                                                               
1972 Yamaha dt1 250
1976 Suzuki ts 185

Offline John Orchard

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3045
  • ^^^ July 1984
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #8 on: October 15, 2013, 06:12:37 PM »
Very nice John now you can mow the lawn


Ha ha !  Jodie only just said to me "you could have mowed the lawn before you took the pics", I said "it adds to the story for the bike, I haven't had time to mow it, been working on the bike"  LOL
Johnny O - Tahition_Red factory rider.

Offline John Orchard

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3045
  • ^^^ July 1984
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #9 on: October 15, 2013, 06:14:18 PM »
Anyway, she did it only two weeks ago LOL
Johnny O - Tahition_Red factory rider.

Offline Ted

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 2800
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #10 on: October 15, 2013, 06:24:05 PM »
Hey John is the throttle cable running over the top of the brake cable. I was told that is a big no no. I was told to always run them under the brake cable
81 YZ 465 H   77 RM 125 B

Offline John Orchard

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3045
  • ^^^ July 1984
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #11 on: October 15, 2013, 06:26:17 PM »
Hey John is the throttle cable running over the top of the brake cable. I was told that is a big no no. I was told to always run them under the brake cable


Good point, thanks Ted, I'll have a look at that.  Don't want a 400 'coming-on' when I want to be slowing-down  ;-)
Johnny O - Tahition_Red factory rider.

Offline 80-85 husky

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 3847
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2013, 09:12:29 PM »
Nice Job, well worth the effort..hope it doesn't peg out at full throttle when you start it! :o

Offline firko

  • Superstar
  • ******
  • Posts: 6578
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #13 on: October 15, 2013, 09:58:23 PM »
Beautiful job John.
'68 Yamaha DT1 enduro, '69 Yamaha 'DT1 from Hell' '69 DT1'Dunger from Hell, '69 Cheney Yamaha 360, 70 Maico 350 (2 off), '68 Hindall Ducati 250, Hindall RT2MX, Hindall YZ250a , Cycle Factory RT2MX flat tracker, Yamaha 1T250J, Maico 250 trials, '71, Boyd and Stellings TM400, Shell OW72,750 Yamaha

Offline bazza

  • Legend
  • *****
  • Posts: 2349
    • View Profile
Re: KX400 1979 FINISHED !!!
« Reply #14 on: October 16, 2013, 06:39:50 AM »
Nice, im Green with envy....lol
Once you go black  you will never go back - allblacks
Maico - B44 -1976 CR250- 66 Mustang YZF450,RM250
Embrace patina