I bought my 86 230s in march 2009 with a broken stator cover. I fixed it up to get it running. I haven't ridden that much just a few weekends at the cabin here and there. It has smoked since i got it but lately it has gotten really bad so today i decided to tear into the top end and get ready for a rebuild. Once i removed the jug i noticed the one piston skirt is broken off! I must have been running all this time with a broken piston! I never had any symptoms that would indicate a broken skirt. Has anyone seen a broken piston skirt with no bottom end damage! Who knows how long it's been like this... I'm just wondering where the skirt is? It must be in there somewhere...

 

Oh by the way... I was thinking about getting a Namura piston to save some $.... but this piston has "NAMURA" stamped inside the other piston skirt. Looks like we're going with good old Wiseco!!

 

exact smae thing happened to me. i decided to do a top end rebuild cause it had never been done before on my 85 230. when i got to the piston the skirt was broekn up. at first i thought that i had done it taking off the cylinder so i split the case and found only one little chunk. but now im thinking like you it was broken off before hand lol.