TOOLKIT
The information you need to help you keep your KLR250 running, whether you are at home or on the trail.

What's in Your KLR250 Tool kit?

Made successful trailside repairs with your toolkit? What size wrenches do you carry? Share your secrets about what you need or don't need to carry in Jr.'s fender bag.

Suggested extras:

• spare hose clamp(s)
• piece of innertube to use with spare hose clamp as radiator hose patch
• brake lever (or use lever guards)
• 21" front tire inner tube (can be used in the rear in emergency)
• Aerostitch TITANIUM tire irons. Full size tire irons that are strong and almost unbelievably light! Worth every penny.
• JB-Weld or your favorite two part epoxy
• Your favorite candy bar. Months later when you unpack your toolkit on the trail and find it, all smashed and half melted, it will still look delicious.
• Small rag. You can wrap your tools in it, lay your parts on it, and it is handy to wipe chocolate off your fingers with.

Tech Tips

Spark Plug Removal

Serious Skid Plate

Wiring Diagrams

This Fan Circuit Wiring Diagram might help you diagnose your bike's cooling problem.

This Ignition Wiring Diagram might help make your bike spark-le.

Valve Adjustment

The engine must be cold, that is to say, room temperature.

Unhook the gas line from the petcock (make sure it is turned off and have a container around in case it leaks).

1. REMOVE:
   • A. The side panels, seat, and gas tank (no smoking, and put it in a safe, ventilated area, like outside), and think about an inline fuel filter.
   • B. Upper rear cylinder head-to-frame bracket.
   • C. The two access plugs on the magneto cover (left side of the crankcase).
   • D. Remove the valve cover...the manual says you need to remove the fan, but I found that I did not, but did need to loosen or remove the ignition coil.

   
   

   
   

   
2. With the correct size socket inserted in the lower magneto access hole, rotate the engine counterclockwise while observing the intake valves/rocker arms (the ones near the rear/carb). Once you have seen the intake valves open and close, turn your attention to the upper magneto access hole. Continue to turn the engine counterclockwise (about 1/3 revolution) until the "T" mark on the magneto is in line with the notch in the bottom of the access hole.
3. Measure the clearance of each valve by inserting the proper feeler gauge between the valve and adjuster screw.

   
   

   
   

   
4. Valve Clearance (engine cold) should be: 0.20-0.24mm (.008-.009inches) for BOTH intake and exhaust.
   NOTE: The rocker arms are siamesed, so if both of the intake (or exhaust) valves are tight, adjusting one, then the other won't always set them to specifications. It is best (in my opinion) to loosen BOTH before adjusting the clearance.
5. Adjust as necessary by loosining the locknut (use a six point socket if you can, to avoid rounding the corners off) and turning the adjuster to achieve the correct clearance. Tighten the locknut to 18 ft-lb and recheck the clearance; sometimes it takes several tries to get it right. Do it until they are all within tolerances, too loose or too tigh is not acceptable (but too tight is worse, if you must know).
6. Double check it, then look over the KACR (Kawasaki Auto Compression Release) to make sure it looks OK and is not eating at the case, and reassemble. Torque the valve cover bolts to just 69 INCH-lb (or it will leak or crack) and head-to-frame mount bolts to 22 ft-lb.

Valvetrain/Cam Chain Timing

Feel free to send in some photos to illustrate this procedure.

FOR THE CAM CHAIN:

• Remove the automatic tensioner.
• Position the crank at TDC (the "T" mark is aligned with the notch in the upper access hole of the magneto cover).
• Pull the exhaust side of the camchain taut before fitting the chain to the exhaust camshaft sprocket (all the slack should be where the tensioner goes).
• The exhaust cam sprocket mark should be in alignment with the cylinder head cover (gasket mating) surface (at 9 o'clock).
• The intake sprocket mark is positioned upward from the head surface by about 3 degrees (about half a tooth - just before 3 o'clock).
• The valve cover bolts only get torqued to 69 INCH/pounds.

  To install the automatic tensioner:

• Remove the cap and o-ring.
• While compressing the push rod (to help it along), turn the adjuster (screw) clockwise with a little screwdriver until it stops.
• Hold the little bugger wound up, and install it on the motor, screwing the bolts in all the way so the unit is flush against the motor.
• Then release the push rod screw, allowing the unit to take up chain slack (it cannot be backed off once it is installed).
• Tighten the bolts to 87 INCH/lbs, and replace the o-ring and cap.

For the balancer chain alignment.

• With the magneto cover, magneto, and left engine cover removed: (note that the chain has 4 sideplates that are "plated" a different color - one set of two, and two singles)
• Position the crankshaft at TDC.
• Engage the rear balancer sproket punch mark with the balancer chain single plated link (the one farthest from the double).
• Install the rear balancer sprocket coupling punch mark aligned with the balancer shaft punch mark.
• Engage the front balancer sprocket punch mark with the balancer chain's paired plated links.
• The punchmark on the (middle) crankshaft sprocket should line up with the last (middle) plated link.
• Make sure that the two sprockets with the spring "coupling" mechanisms each have all three punch marks and the plated link in alignment; the one on the shaft, the one on the inner hub (can't see it in the picture, but it looks like it is near or behind one of the springs), the one on the outer cog, and the plated chain link.
• There is a diagram in the manual showing it all lined up with the front sproket marks pointing to about 3:30, the crank sproket to about 11:30, and the rear one to about 5:00.