89 KDX200F

[LWC82PE]

The Kawasaki has Nitrile seals, which start going hard(loosing elasticity) from the day they are made.

Yeah replace with Viton if you can and avoid fuel with Ethanol at all costs. Few guys have had constant issues with KDX seals not lasting like they used to and one experienced long time KDX owner pin pointed it to the fuel he was using which had Ethanol in it. Switched fuel taht did not have Ethanol in it and the seals last a long time now and not replacing them every 12months or something silly like that. I have also discovered this problem with fuel and NBR 2T crank seals and fit Viton crank seals instead.

[Mick D]

The Kawasaki has Nitrile seals, which start going hard(loosing elasticity) from the day they are made.

Yeah replace with Viton if you can and avoid fuel with Ethanol at all costs. Few guys have had constant issues with KDX seals not lasting like they used to and one experienced long time KDX owner pin pointed it to the fuel he was using which had Ethanol in it. Switched fuel taht did not have Ethanol in it and the seals last a long time now and not replacing them every 12months or something silly like that. I have also discovered this problem with fuel and NBR 2T crank seals and fit Viton crank seals instead.

Actually Leith, you have hit on a probable major addition, contributor to the cause there. Well done.
Do you have, or have access to Viton seals to fit them? I believe they are the same(sizing) from 89 till end of production, same for the 220 too

When I took this to the Gloucester Vinduro, I couldn't get BP98, So I bought 95 from a company I used to work for.
They have a long history of blending off high content ethanol slops.
I didn't drain this bike doh When we did the stench was the unmistakable gone off ethanol stench and the carby was crudded up from ethanol sludge. It was unmistakable that we had been sold a micky of unposted and un-advertised ethanol slops.
Unmistakable and undeniable.

Good on you, Thanks

[Mick D]

Has anyone had any experience with this mob? Leith?

Click on Pic for link


I am still going to modify the case so they can be changed while the engine is still fitted in the bike.

[pokey]

Just to be a pain in ass, Viton comes in brown green and Black. now to confuse it even more there are several grades of viton all with different properties for chem resistance. the more fluro component in.. the better chem compatibility. . but when you get better chem resistance you lose other properties..  Green use to be the colour Europe used for viton. Brown was for US

 Black viton has a pretty good chem compatibility but its hard to find as it gets confused with nitrile . and no one wants a law suit.

Best option find out from your supplier what grade of Viton the seals you want are and if they will be compatible with the application environment. They all will be but some are better than others.

[Nathan S]

Interesting reading, even if Mick wrecked a casual Maico sledge.