Wilsons Sandbox

Hey all- Finally started stripping down my spare engine off an A1 before I start in on my good engine off my A5 and I noticed that the A1 has a one-piece idler lever (doohickey) and a circlip to hold it on the shaft. I didn't notice this on my A5 when I "upgraded" to the post-96 lever, and the parts diagrams show exactly the same parts, and no circlip for both the A1 and A5. Anyone else found a retaining circlip on their pre 96? Just wondering if mine is AWOL in the engine somewhere Z DC

At 12:55 PM -0400 8/28/2002, Zachariah Mully wrote:

>Hey all- > Finally started stripping down my spare engine off an A1 before I start >in on my good engine off my A5 and I noticed that the A1 has a one-piece >idler lever (doohickey) and a circlip to hold it on the shaft. I didn't >notice this on my A5 when I "upgraded" to the post-96 lever, and the >parts diagrams show exactly the same parts, and no circlip for both the >A1 and A5. Anyone else found a retaining circlip on their pre 96? Just >wondering if mine is AWOL in the engine somewhere

'87s and some '88s had the stamped, bent, thin, soft, one-piece lever with a circlip. When they beefed up the lever for the following years, there was no room for the circlip, although the groove for it still remains on the idler shaft. Mark B2 A2 A3

On Wed, 2002-08-28 at 13:16, Tengai650 wrote:

> > '87s and some '88s had the stamped, bent, thin, soft, one-piece lever > with a circlip. When they beefed up the lever for the following > years, there was no room for the circlip, although the groove for it > still remains on the idler shaft. > Mark > B2 > A2 > A3 >

Any idea if the shaft itself is the same size? I tested both Jake's and the OEM, and both had noticeable play when mounted on the shaft. I am trying to figure out what parts from this A1 engine I can salvage and are interchageable with later years. One nice thing I noticed last night, both the cam chain and the balancer chain seem to be about half way through their adjustment range... Once they're out, I'll measure them to be sure. Z DC

At 1:20 PM -0400 8/28/2002, Zachariah Mully wrote:

>On Wed, 2002-08-28 at 13:16, Tengai650 wrote: >> >> '87s and some '88s had the stamped, bent, thin, soft, one-piece lever >> with a circlip. When they beefed up the lever for the following >> years, there was no room for the circlip, although the groove for it >> still remains on the idler shaft. > >Any idea if the shaft itself is the same size? I tested both Jake's and >the OEM, and both had noticeable play when mounted on the shaft.

The shaft is the same. I think there's a lot of variation in the measurements from bike-to-bike. Kawa definitely does not use precision methods in making some of their parts. Mark B2 A2 A3

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Tengai650 wrote:

> The shaft is the same. I think there's a lot of variation in the > measurements from bike-to-bike. Kawa definitely does not use > precision methods in making some of their parts. > Mark > B2 > A2 > A3

I thought one of the benefits of Jake's lever is that it fits tightly over the shaft. The theory is (I thought) that if the lever is tight on the shaft and then secured tightly by the lever bolt, the peening wear from the shaft rotating back and forth in the lever is eliminated. Removing the peening action takes away the resulting stress on the lever which may be causing the rash of broken OEM levers. Has any one else replaced the OEM lever with Jake's and noticed any looseness? The fact that Jake's lever is most likely much stronger than the OEM, may render this peening action unimportant. Brad -> whos has Jake's doohickey and spring on order.