I bought one!

I've never worked on a KTM before. It looks like a disassembled robot. The are so many parts. I guess I can do it but SHITE.

The cylinder has some vertical scratches. The mechanic said the compressing was 50/90. So I'm just going to fix it.

Can I ask a couple of questions from the gurus here?

Is there a shop manual online? I clicked on the link but it didn't work.
Can the cylinders be bored and oversized?
Where is the best place to buy parts?
Who do you all get to do your heads done?

Thanks,
Tom

OK, not the shop guru, but:

1. Is there a free manual?

No. Buy the CD from your dealer or on-line.

2. Can the cylinders be bored or oversized?

No. Don't try. The cylinders have nikasil coatings that are either OK or . . . buy new cylinders. If you need a new cylinder, there's a guy in Orange Crush who just switched out his 950 for a 990SD replacement. Find that guy!

3. Best place to buy parts.

That depends. I like to shop online and buy locally. My local dealer will usually do what they can to match on-line pricing. Or, just buy locally and pay full fare. You need a local shop that can help you. I generally pay local prices if they are somewhat close to online prices because I like the local guys and they do A LOT to help me out. Build a relationship if you can. My local shop is only a KTM dirtbike shop. But the guys are awesome, and the knowledge they have about single-cylinder KTMs translates easily into the V-twin KTMs.

4. Head work.

Head work on the KTM is usually simple. Of course, mileage on the motor may drive a different conclusion, but my motor with about 34K on it just needed a valve lapping, new valve seals, and a very minor surfacing to clean up the aluminum so that it would cleanly accept the new head gasket. It's a much bigger issue if you need the valve guides changed out. My heads were fine in this respect.

Valve lapping is a very simple process of just using a tool and some lapping material to resurface each valve to its mating surface in the head. Easily done with a little work.

Valve seals come off with needle-nose pliers and go back on with an appropriate-sized socket. Very easy.

The heads just need a very minor touching to clean them. We did that at my local motorcycle shop just using an old marble block on which was mounted a sheet of wet sandpaper. You just have to clean the surfaces so that you have a nice smooth surface to work with for the new gasket, and you are good to go. Nothing more. Very simple.

OK Thanks a lot.

I need at least one cylinder and one piston. Plus cam chains tensioners, guides, maybe cams, shit this is going to add up fast and I'll still have a 60k bottom end. I'm going to do some more thinking/looking.

And one last comment. There is no greater feeling than exploring the world on something you built with your own hands.

​

Nikasil can be removed and recoated, or is the nikasil not the reason to throw the cilinders away? (just curious)

I have had nikasil clinders welded and bored and then recoated.

You can price out a rough estimate at Cheap Cycle Parts. There is a gasket kit for the top end that will give you most of the gaskets you need.

With the parts you need . . . I would guess that you would spend at least $1,500 if you can find the piston and cylinder used. Realistically, you'll probably be in the $2K range. Good used 990 motors can be found for about the same money - maybe just a little more. There is very little that you have to do to a 990 motor to drop it in place of a 950 and make it work fine with carbs.

Here's a link to a guy facing similar problems who decided to swap his 950 motor for a 990SD motor. http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=912839 Read that link, and you'll have info on a guy who has some 950 parts he's not using as well as some info on making the 950/990 swap. Note that 990SD motors have different gearing designed for "sport" riding, but that guy seemed to like it. YMMV

Don't know if its still there or not, but there was a 950 engine that had worn cam chain tensioners/stretched chains (I think) for $500 plus shipping in the Fleamarket section. You could probably use parts from both to make 1 good one.....?

Jon

Hey Ya'll,

I'm in the process of swapping the 990 engine into my 950.

I have to change the pickup ring right? I have to put in the 950 ring since it will be carbureted.

Thanks,
To

Man the nut on the clutch is tough. Is it reverse threads?

I was planning on doing the same with an engine that I had which just sold until I just picked up a 950 that had 990 cams in it with 39mm carbs...

you should pick these up:

http://cosentino-engineering.myshopify.com/products/the-full-monty

runs awesome tons of torque! and tons of fun!!

Oooo, yeah. Maybe at some point...........crunk.

I have to get the fucking nut off the clutch first. I'm not going to do it sitting here though.

I find that if you sit and stare at it long enough...
or when you cant sit and stare (for having to work)... use the force...

I just pulled several times on it with a long bar, almost had an aneurism. Some fucking Schwarzenegger mechanic must have put it on.

I'm going to set it on the floor and get real in a minute after I recover.

It's not reverse threads is it?

I dont believe so...

There should be more How to Threads kicking around but here is one:

http://www.dirtymotorcycleadventures.com/2010/ktm-950-clutch-basket-replacement/

"Its a normal nut, righty tighty and lefty loosy (hopefully the same for the RC8).

First time I had that nut off I had the bike laying on its side and hight gear and locked the rear wheel with a strap around the frame. Had tried both electric and air impact tools, ended up with a very long extension on the wrench and had to lay on the floor holding my feet against the bike to stop it from rotating BANG, first thought the wrench snapped but it was the nut coming undone."

You can use your carbs and wiring on a 990.

There have been FI engines converted to carbs.

Look on the HOW, simple matter of swapping a tooth ring.

That's what I'm doing. It is simple, but getting that nut off wasn't easy.

I ended up using some leg power.

I just installed the trigger wheel and I'm putting it back together. I'm waiting on the big gasket to come it so no hurry.

Thanks,
Tom

Cool!
let us know how it turns out! what rig is this going into? 2004 ADV?
I would imagine that nut sees some heat so it can likely get 'welded' in pretty good...

Yeah, I'm putting it in an 04 Adventure.

I got the trigger wheel and the clutch installed. I'm going to check the valves and then put the side cover back on next and then install the engine.

I'm thinking the long pole will be those carburetors. I have no idea how they are jetted or what they should be for the 990. Those $1500 sure would be sweet but that is what I paid for the entire motorcycle.

I'm going to clean it good tomorrow and take it slow, don't want to get in a hurry.