2018 KTM 250sx help - vibrating suspected counter balancer issue

mazza159
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mazza159
I have searched internet far and wide for topics on the new KTM 2T counter balancer issues or videos how to remove/repair and not found much. Basically I have a 2018 250sx 50 hrs and all of a sudden has started vibrating and making a sort of grinding windy noise at idle all the way under power and even off the pipe, so my suspicion is they key way in the counter balancer shaft as shared and it’s out of balance (hence the vibration) when the counter balancer is meant to reduce vibration. It’s just odd it’s happened as can’t see anyone with similar issue I have asked mx mechanics they said could be bottom end gone as they have herd no issues with counter balancer but I don’t think bottom end is gone based on I can still ride it and it’s not making a bearing banging noise more of a howling windy noise like something is out of balance. Any help is much appreciated and if someone has a workshop manual on how to remove inspect counter balancer shaft would be great. Kind regards
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Paul_Pitzonka
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Paul_Pitzonka 9/1/2019 4:00pm
9/1/2019 4:00pm
mazza159 wrote:
I have searched internet far and wide for topics on the new KTM 2T counter balancer issues or videos how to remove/repair and not found much...
I have searched internet far and wide for topics on the new KTM 2T counter balancer issues or videos how to remove/repair and not found much. Basically I have a 2018 250sx 50 hrs and all of a sudden has started vibrating and making a sort of grinding windy noise at idle all the way under power and even off the pipe, so my suspicion is they key way in the counter balancer shaft as shared and it’s out of balance (hence the vibration) when the counter balancer is meant to reduce vibration. It’s just odd it’s happened as can’t see anyone with similar issue I have asked mx mechanics they said could be bottom end gone as they have herd no issues with counter balancer but I don’t think bottom end is gone based on I can still ride it and it’s not making a bearing banging noise more of a howling windy noise like something is out of balance. Any help is much appreciated and if someone has a workshop manual on how to remove inspect counter balancer shaft would be great. Kind regards
Sounds more like it could be a failing main bearing...But to access the counterbalance shaft gear pull the clutch side case, remove the clutch basket and the gears located behind that... it’ll be very easy for you to tell if it broke the key...
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mazza159
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mazza159 9/1/2019 4:19pm
9/1/2019 4:19pm
mazza159 wrote:
I have searched internet far and wide for topics on the new KTM 2T counter balancer issues or videos how to remove/repair and not found much...
I have searched internet far and wide for topics on the new KTM 2T counter balancer issues or videos how to remove/repair and not found much. Basically I have a 2018 250sx 50 hrs and all of a sudden has started vibrating and making a sort of grinding windy noise at idle all the way under power and even off the pipe, so my suspicion is they key way in the counter balancer shaft as shared and it’s out of balance (hence the vibration) when the counter balancer is meant to reduce vibration. It’s just odd it’s happened as can’t see anyone with similar issue I have asked mx mechanics they said could be bottom end gone as they have herd no issues with counter balancer but I don’t think bottom end is gone based on I can still ride it and it’s not making a bearing banging noise more of a howling windy noise like something is out of balance. Any help is much appreciated and if someone has a workshop manual on how to remove inspect counter balancer shaft would be great. Kind regards
Paul_Pitzonka wrote:
Sounds more like it could be a failing main bearing...But to access the counterbalance shaft gear pull the clutch side case, remove the clutch basket and...
Sounds more like it could be a failing main bearing...But to access the counterbalance shaft gear pull the clutch side case, remove the clutch basket and the gears located behind that... it’ll be very easy for you to tell if it broke the key...
Cheers thanks for reply will check that out first - hope it’s not main bearing after 50 hrs, iv owned 4 KTM 250sx and never done a main bearing most of them got to around 150 hr mark with just top ends changed a few times before on sold with no issues
CarlinoJoeVideo
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CarlinoJoeVideo 9/1/2019 6:30pm
9/1/2019 6:30pm
Could it just be a ring or piston problem? You can remove the pipe and check the piston/rings to make sure they are still intact.
DynoDan22
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DynoDan22 9/1/2019 6:42pm
9/1/2019 6:42pm Edited Date/Time 9/1/2019 6:44pm
I've read a forum where the left side counterbalancer needle bearing went out and caused a racket. It's a needle bearing located up fairly high in the engine case and doesn't seem to get enough oil. I'd start there. Take off the ignition cover and see if you can wiggle the balancer shaft. If all looks good, proceed on to looking in the right hand side of the balancer shaft to see if the keyway let go as mentioned above. I wouldn't suspect a lower end bearing as I've seen these motors go 200+ hrs without issue. Good luck and let us know what you find!

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mazza159
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mazza159 9/1/2019 7:17pm
9/1/2019 7:17pm
CarlinoJoeVideo wrote:
Could it just be a ring or piston problem? You can remove the pipe and check the piston/rings to make sure they are still intact.
Don’t think it would be that as I should of mentioned I still rode the bike around for 10-15 minutes with little change in performance, it just started to vibrate like a previous 250sx without a counter balancer and a howling windy grinding noise coming from engine cases where the counter balancer is.
mazza159
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mazza159 9/1/2019 7:26pm
9/1/2019 7:26pm
DynoDan22 wrote:
I've read a forum where the left side counterbalancer needle bearing went out and caused a racket. It's a needle bearing located up fairly high in...
I've read a forum where the left side counterbalancer needle bearing went out and caused a racket. It's a needle bearing located up fairly high in the engine case and doesn't seem to get enough oil. I'd start there. Take off the ignition cover and see if you can wiggle the balancer shaft. If all looks good, proceed on to looking in the right hand side of the balancer shaft to see if the keyway let go as mentioned above. I wouldn't suspect a lower end bearing as I've seen these motors go 200+ hrs without issue. Good luck and let us know what you find!
Thanks for reply yea think I saw that vid and the left side was a bit sloppy. I checked that out as soon as I herd the noise while I was still at track on the flywheel side and there was no slop in the counter balancer from flywheel side ... which led me to think key way sheared or slipped a tooth so it’s out of balance causing the vibrating - the bike still seems to run fine but I only rode it for another 10 min as worried something worse might Happen. Anyway will remove clutch side this week pull clutch basket out and check if Keyway and update. Cheers
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