Help on my 2003 450 fse. Does a suzuki cam work???

[Chrishughes1989]

Hi I have a 2003 450 fse and it's hard to start with mega compression on the kick. If I was to buy a suzuki drz400 exhaust cam (or both) what year do i need and does it work fine or do you need to modify it in anyway? Also is here a way of repairing standard ones?

 

[MercyFlush]

Hi I have a 2003 450 fse and it's hard to start with mega compression on the kick. If I was to buy a suzuki drz400 exhaust cam (or both) what year do i need and does it work fine or do you need to modify it in anyway? Also is here a way of repairing standard ones?

DRZ400 hot cams are about the same specs as standard FSE ones. It's pretty normal for the kick to be bullshit hard because the lever is short (It's like kicking the ground when it gets near TDC sometimes). To fit DRZ cams you need to mill away a few mm or material on the exhaust (possibly intake too) right hand side bearing journal as the autodecomp on the DRZ is a little wider.

Before getting into it too much I suggest taking the valve cover off and checking the autodecomp is free to move. Also I suggest checking the clearance of your valves and also check that the autodecomp pin is indeed contacting the exhaust valve. Also check the small pin which transfer the rotation from the centrifugal actuator to the decomp pin (the one that contacts the valve bucket). The small pin can fall out and then you have no autodecomp anymore.

Most people get the 2004> kickstarter because it's longer, and should make it easier to kick since it's got the extra leverage
I just use the cheater button

 

[Sfdemo]

I bought a Yamaha kickstarter to replace the original. It is a lot easier to kick, but I still use the button to start, but like to have a viable back up, too

 

[Chrishughes1989]

Hi is there a certain year drz cams that I need? Would I be able to kick if the decompressor is no longer working ( occasionally starts from electric start when cold)? Also is the timing the same with drz cams?

 

[Chrishughes1989]

DRZ400 hot cams are about the same specs as standard FSE ones. It's pretty normal for the kick to be bullshit hard because the lever is short (It's like kicking the ground when it gets near TDC sometimes). To fit DRZ cams you need to mill away a few mm or material on the exhaust (possibly intake too) right hand side bearing journal as the autodecomp on the DRZ is a little wider.

Before getting into it too much I suggest taking the valve cover off and checking the autodecomp is free to move. Also I suggest checking the clearance of your valves and also check that the autodecomp pin is indeed contacting the exhaust valve. Also check the small pin which transfer the rotation from the centrifugal actuator to the decomp pin (the one that contacts the valve bucket). The small pin can fall out and then you have no autodecomp anymore.

Most people get the 2004> kickstarter because it's longer, and should make it easier to kick since it's got the extra leverage
I just use the cheater button

Hi is there a certain year drz cams that I need? Would I be able to kick if the decompressor is no longer working ( occasionally starts from electric start when cold)? Also is the timing the same with drz cams?

 

[MercyFlush]

Hi is there a certain year drz cams that I need? Would I be able to kick if the decompressor is no longer working ( occasionally starts from electric start when cold)? Also is the timing the same with drz cams?

AFAIK drz cams have been the same for all models (Dimensionally) but the cam timing and lift is different for the S and E models, I'd go for as new as you can. If you can't get hot cams, then get get E model cams as they are about the same. There is a thread here that has info you need.

In all honesty it could be cheaper to just buy a new exhaust cam from a GasGas dealer or off someone wrecking a bike, because the machining and dicking around is going to cost you at least $100aud, and surely the price difference isn't that great.

 

[BSM2]

I have 63hours old cams from FSE 450 2009 model. Just send me a PM

 

[Gordonian]

I fitted a Hotcams DRZ400 stage 2 exhaust cam Pt No 2252-2E to my 02 400FSE. No machining of the head as it doesn't have the vernier sprocket like the one in the other post. Profile is virtually identical to GG original. Been running past few months with no issues.