[kaseyl 55]

A friend dropt off his 02 450 because it locked up on him. upon inspection i noticed he only had about 3/4 of a cup of oil in the crank case. I put a wrench on the flywheel and was able to get the motor to turn over but the crank does not feel the best. I was looking for a little advice on replacing the crank

[JAWS]

First, get a shop manual. Clymers makes an excellent version that covers from 02-05. Available on Ebay and other locations.
Joe

[124]

There are 3 ways you can do it. Obviously, either way you must split the motor and remove the crank. If your not skilled in motor rebuilding, this is the 2nd hardest thing to fix in a dirt bike engine. Also, you must at least purchase a new full gasket kit. Main crankcase bearing and seals is a highly recommended purchase also.

1) Rebuild it. This can be the cheaper route but can be complicated by logistics. After removing the crank, purchase a Hotcams or equivalent Hotrod kit. It includes the new connecting rod and con rod bearings. Find a local rebuild shop that can perform the repair and take it to them. A crank kit (Hotcams) retails for around $140, cheaper kits for around ~$80-90. Your local shop should cost no more than $60 to do the labor. This route is reasonable if you want premium parts, you get good discounts somewhere, or don't want to deal with shipping stuff.

2) Send your broken stuff to Mr. Crankshaft. ( www.mrcrankshaft.com ) I've dealt with him before and he is very reasonable. He can perform your rebuild for about $150 + shipping. Depends on the condition and what is needed. Price includes everything parts and labor. Your not getting Hotcams level of parts, but the labor will be top notch and his turn-around is quick. This is the hands-off method of getting a crankshaft repaired, you just need to ship it over.

3) Buy a new crankshaft assembly. A new HotRods Crankshaft Assembly retails for $300. Use that shiny new credit card and bust it out. This is your easiest method.