KTM 450 sxf lunched

**kezzafish** · 27th August 2008, 17:31

long story short, was riding in karapoti (wellington) stalled in a deep puddle and carried on riding (thought nothing of it) about an hours riding later the bike stalled at high revs and i became worried, the oil in the inspection glass was white. It seems the breather sucked in water when i stalled in the puddle and this turned the engine oil to porridge. even after it stalled and i noticed the water, i kept riding to try to get back to my van. After about another hour it seized solid. The damage: both camshafts seized into journals in head, all 4 cam lobes ground down at the same time destroying the cam followers, piston has gouged out a good groove in bore. and all this because thick oil couldn't squirt through the squirters in head and underneath piston.

I was reading a story further down the thread list about an aucklanders sad
2t ktm and wanted to ease his pain with my sob story. He'd only ridden his for an hour which is worse than my 10 hours (on an '07 that i'd had for 2 weeks, and being new engine model no one knew anything about.

My total parts bill if i bought the parts from my local dealer was $5500. this included a new head, crank, valves, followers, piston, gasket set etc. i had a mate buy factory ktm parts from "Munn racing" in Texas and the bill came to under $3000nzd including a new barrel, tax and shipping etc but excluding a new crank.

I still haven't got it back together, and hadn't ridden dirt for months (until last weekend when i took my DRZ400 motard on a trail ride, now that is desperation!)

My only shout out/help request is does anyone have any of the ktm special tools for this model, or the KTM special knowledge (the engine is an RF4) namely i need the camshaft locking tool for timing it up and the hydraulic chain tensioned re-setting tool

Shit that wasn't a short story was it? Cheers

**B0000M** · 27th August 2008, 19:42

well all i can say to that is sucks to be you!

also maybe time for a 2 stroke. good luck fucking a cam or a head on one of them!

**CookMySock** · 27th August 2008, 19:49

I'm pretty sure you are after condolences rather than advice, so I feel your pain.. but for the benefit of others ;

Originally Posted by kezzafish

the bike stalled at high revs and i became worried, the oil in the inspection glass was white. [.....] even after it stalled and i noticed the water, i kept riding to try to get back to my van.

If something bad happens to an engine, just turn it off, sit down, and eat your chocolate bar. Dont start the fucker. Get on the cellphone and get some support - you need engine oil, filter, and spanners. Pull your plastic sheet out and make a tent. Find some berries to eat. Have a wank. Do anything, but absolutely do not start that engine. Tempting innit...

I have had staff who "know better" do the same thing and destroy engines. I wish they would just do what they were fucking told.

DB

**tommorth** · 27th August 2008, 21:10

man that sux

never thought about what would happen to a 4st of it sucked up water my kdx has and it doesnt seem to mind just takes lots of flushing but its a 2 stroke
theres some good discounts from Munn racing on the ktmtalk site
good luck putting it together maybe you can make somthing to hold the bits

ps I might live in auckland but I'm no aucklander proud northlander here!!!! lol

**Reckless** · 27th August 2008, 22:27

Shit man $5500NZ for parts alone suppose you have to add labour to that as well if you couldn't fix it yourself. Probably be $7000 if you had to pay for an NZ shop to do it. Jeeper's that's more than my 2 bikes are worth. Damn near what I'm paying for my new bike. Jeepers I'm sticking with 2 smokers that's for sure! tommorths total bill for near everything was probably only a grand.
Boy that's a scary story! You've just convinced me all my 2smoker justification theories are 100% correct.

BTW hope you get your tools! If you do all the work wouldn't cost to much for the shop to time the cams would it??

**xr-rider** · 27th August 2008, 22:38

I still haven't got it back together, and hadn't ridden dirt for months (until last weekend when i took my DRZ400 motard on a trail ride, now that is desperation!)

was that you on the motuiti ride?

**kezzafish** · 28th August 2008, 14:35

is motuiti the ride just out of foxton? if yes then yes. i don't think anyone saw me without noticing my tyres, ha haa, what a nightmare, a real learning experience. was worth it burt only because i got to have a good thrash on my brothers "dirt friendly" drz

**kezzafish** · 28th August 2008, 14:44

[QUOTE=Reckless;1706302]Shit man $5500NZ for parts alone suppose you have to add labour to that as well if you couldn't fix it yourself. Probably be $7000 if you had to pay for an NZ shop to do it. Jeeper's that's more than my 2 bikes are worth. Damn near what I'm paying for my new bike. Jeepers I'm sticking with 2 smokers that's for sure! tommorths total bill for near everything was probably only a grand.
Boy that's a scary story! You've just convinced me all my 2smoker justification theories are 100% correct.

Yeah mate, 5500 was just parts, i'm gonna put it together myself but i don't fancy my chances of borrowing my KTM dealers tools because of what i said when they told me the price of the parts

2 smokers are definately the way to go. all the modern motox 4 strokes are even more highly strung maintenance monsters than their 2 stroke equivalent and cost 3 times as much to service. The other point to make is, buy something japanese, parts are cheap and readily available and your not forced to buy original parts. In saying that, i'm on the look for a 300exc or a gasgas300/250!!! i'll never learn

**secondfield** · 28th August 2008, 14:46

Cripes, your a keen man! ha... mad bugger!

I was gonna go on that one too but ended up at taikorea bike park just up the road for a few cross country laps. It was bloody well pissing down all day, the sand was soaked and the pits were flooded. Had a good ride though ... man wet sand's a bitch to ride through sometimes, shouldve seen they guys on the mx track there all over the place like a mad womans shit.

Good luck with the kato ... im sure youll figure something out. see ya back out karipoti then.

**secondfield** · 28th August 2008, 14:49

Nah, stick with the four fity' boss. Dont heed those two stroker munters... jus look after it. There bulletproof when you get to know your machine well ...

**B0000M** · 28th August 2008, 15:21

Originally Posted by secondfield

Nah, stick with the four fity' boss. Dont heed those two stroker munters... jus look after it. There bulletproof when you get to know your machine well ...

who are you calling a munter?

i guess ill do another full top end rebuilt at the end of this year, i think ill replace everything other than the head itself... now where am i going to dig up $250 and an hour and a half of my time from.....

**Reckless** · 28th August 2008, 15:27

Originally Posted by kezzafish

The other point to make is, buy something japanese, parts are cheap and readily available and your not forced to buy original parts. In saying that, i'm on the look for a 300exc or a gasgas300/250!!! i'll never learn

Trouble is most of the jap manufacturers are going out of 2 smokers thats why I went Ktm after my Cr250. The 300exc would be more like your 450 probably? torque etc. But I'm faster on my 200 than I was on my Cr250 which compares in total power (50 odd) to a 450. You don't want to hear me cracking on about the 200 again but try one. You might be surprised by its torque and you can make it what you want with the adjustable power valve set up.

**Pierce** · 28th August 2008, 15:30

Wow what a bad day that would be!
Yeah I gotta agree with BOOOM 2T thing.

**secondfield** · 28th August 2008, 15:45

Oh Christ, stirred up a hornets eh ... Shouldve figured judging by the 2T / 4T poll. I guess we are going

Hopefully someone will help you out mate with those tools or some know how...

BTW I just rebuilt the top end of the zuki'.

350$ for high comp piston and complete gasket set. Valves were all good too. Could've got those replaced for 200 bucks if need be. Contrary to popular belief they only need doing every 100+ hours or so (more in most cases). As long as you aint a pro mx'er completely flogging the arse off the bike, they are reliable as hell. Just a freak accident is what happend to you there boss...

David Knight will tell ya. He loves his 450!