Changing primary clutch basket with cylinder fixed on engine possible?

This morning I had an hour to spare and I have already prepared my engine for removal, now the engine can easily be removed next week...


 

Hey Joe!! Just refuse to keep those paws clean, ha. If You were counting..how many times previously have you done the removal/install engine thingy?

Hi Clay,
ha, sooo often that I almost enjoy it now (at least when I'm not under pressure because I have to or want to ride it). It's still a luxurious feeling for me to have a second motorcycle to ride, so I can take it easy

What I always have the least desire for is the removal/installation of the rear carburettor rubbers, but if they are relatively new, as is usually the case in my case, then it's fine, but I don't really have fun DOING IT
 
 

Engine´s out today,..will it split next days...

 
 

Today, I disassembled the engine with a friend, it was good to do the whole job with 2 persons, and he is also a great mechanic, with a lot more experiences on this engine insides than me! , And you all know, most of the time is spent cleaning the sealing surfaces, ...and of course, unforeseen events, like in my case, a broken starter bolt!, I´ve drilled it out, new thread cut, and that was history, but it had takes time...).
As soon as I removed the left cover of the shift housing, I saw the cause of all the noise: The shift fork shaft retaining clip was inside the cover!!! This allowed the shaft to move toward the inner primary cage, where it rattled!!!

    

Luckily there was no further major damage, the shaft had a burr, so we used a good used one as a replacement! - I had to heat up 2 of the outer rear M8 housing screws to get them out of the housing without tearing them off, you always have to keep a cool head here and approach everything carefully, haste can quickly lead to the housing screws being torn off!!!

     


Then we separated the housing, removed the transmission mainshaft along with the clutch basket,( that was not too bad, but some torsion springs worn out, ) replaced it with a good spare part I had lying around, cleaned all the sealing surfaces, and reassembled everything. From experience, it still took many hours, cleaning all the threads by tapping amd all this cleaning stuff ....but tomorrow the engine should go back into the frame..., and than complete the outer engine with ign parts, and all, and reassamble the bike...
 
      

Great news that no major damage found Joe, and at least by doing this full strip down, you have the chance to examine all of the internal parts and can replace any worn items at the same time. 
Happy days 👍👍

Great Job Joe!! Have you ever seen those spacers/collars "over shift" bushings? It slides over the fork shift shaft and sandwiches that circlip against the engine case. Can't ZOOM your pictures but it looks like your trans cover raised boss "nub" is worn down? Where the shaft pushes against inside cover. That circlip Should Not of been floating around loose in there!!  

Hi Clay,
No, i´ve never seen any safety ring inside the housing on that shift shaft, that´s new for me?!
Yes, I was also surprised that the clip was loose in the cover. I have no idea how it popped out of the shaft groove; I've never seen or experienced that before! Normally, a snap ring like that sits very tightly in its recessed seat?! Yes, you have good eyes: the "boss" in the cover is a bit worn... I hope it still works like that...
 

While "technically" not made for keeping the fork shaft/circlip in place, it would suffice to make-up for the worn down nub. Those over shift bushings are designed to keep that arm that changes shift drum pins in place. You're a master machinist, you'll figure it out. Looks like the old rod had a crapload of wear, probably wasn't true straight either?  

Old one also looks like the wrong one too. 

No, Clay, I'm just an ordinary mechanic who definitely doesn't know everything, but like all of us, sometimes i have to make compromises
The replacement shaft we had available was straight and does what it's supposed to, so we reassembled it, and I think I can live with that...
Sure, if i have had a perfect new cover and shaft, i would prefer that, but i havn´t had, so i do the second best with theese parts....And as I mentioned earlier in the forum: I didn't own a Kawasaki between 2017 and 2024, and my last total engine overhaul was around 2008 or so,...I keep realising how much I've forgotten about it in the meantime...luckily I have a friend who can identify every screw at a glance, he's a huge help when things get more complicated and you're pressed for time!
Anyway, engine is bolted together, and i hope to run it again next weekend or so...I'm absolutely sure you have the luck and collecting a large spare parts for  inventory and the chance to build something better, but I just took what was acceptable to me

Edit early afternoon:

 



The engine is back in the frame,..fixes some bolts,...and now, i´ve got enough  PitA , i´ll need some recovering hahaha...to get older is sometimes a KitA
Luckily i´ve got the A1 for riding on tuesday next week, weather report promise a very dry and warm day,..i must be on the road for relaxing!!!
 

..and going further today,---sprocket , covers, ignition , carbs and exhaust mounted,...the original timing chain tensioner had quit by the side M6 threat, obviously to often to hard screwed in + out by the pre owner,
..so, i´ve mounted a manual tensioner that i´ve self fabricated years ago, (it´s nearly same like the things from APE and others).
End of th week it will go further....