Motile Dysfunction

In August 05 The Krustmobile began running poorly. I checked the spark, the carbs, all that. I would run it for a few weeks and the plugs would carbon up. Soon it was every few days, then hours, then just a few minutes.

The problem: 22,500 miles, the last 1000 or so with rare but apparently damaging shots of Nitrous.

Cylinder 1 - 90 psi compression	Cylinder 2 - 80 psi compression
Cylinder 3 - 110 psi compression	Cylinder 4 - 90 psi compression

The Kawasaki manuals call for 124-191 psi compression with no more than 14 psi between cylinders. Ooo, bad. Time for a rebuild, like I don't have enough projects.

Time for a Low-Buck Rebuild. I'll clean up the cylinder head, lap the valves and valve seats, and rering the pistons. This provided everything mics out OK.

1) As it happens, I have a spare cylinder head...

Spare Cylinder Head. Seals and guides appear OK.	Spare Valves (cleaned up). They are within specs and not damaged.
Typical exhaust port before cleaning (note sunlight)	Typical exhaust port, cleaned up after several hours' work (note flashlight)

2) Remove cylinder head and cylinder block from The Krustmobile...

Krustmobile Cylinder Block	Krustmobile Cylinder Head
Cylinders 1&2	Cylinders 3&4
Close view of bore	#3 Combustion Chamber (ucky, ucky)
#1 Piston	#4 Piston

3) Disassemble the Valve Train...

Use a magnet to pull the valve lifter (actually 'pusher' or 'bucket')	Lifter and shim removed. Put 'em in the bag. Valve 5 is #1 cyl intake.
Valve spring vise with a homemade extender.	Remove valve keepers. Note homemade extender for valve spring vise
Remove spring cap, both inner and outer springs, and push the valve out.	Everything in the bag.

Decided to look at the Pistons a bit closer.  Good thing, too.

Remove the engine	Alakazaam!
It's on the bench	#4 cyl 2nd ring is broken.  Can't find the broken piece, though...
Closer View of #4 cyl 2nd ring.	Really frickin' close view.
See, when the ring breaks, it eats into the piston...	...in lots of places..  New parts coming soon.