99 nomad 1500 engine fit

[soccer4m]

HI, I am a newbie, but have years of experience with old inline yammie fours, and will be getting a 99 nomad 1500, that had the dreaded oil gear shredded. The internals are good as my buddy shut it down immediately. He took it in to kawi dealer to repair but it wasnt worth it. I am keeping the carb setup to avoid elec. issues. I am getting it from him and need to know which years engines will fit????? I see the nomads are vn1500 for a lot of years but which ones are plug and play for the 99 nomad? Thanks for quick replies...Mike in Sun DIego

[ringadingh]

Any Nomad motor from 99 to 2008 will bolt in, even the 1600 you will have to drill & tap a hole to mount the carbs if you use a FI model motor. Everything else is straight forward.

[mick56]

Originally Posted by soccer4m

HI, I am a newbie, but have years of experience with old inline yammie fours, and will be getting a 99 nomad 1500, that had the dreaded oil gear shredded. The internals are good as my buddy shut it down immediately. He took it in to kawi dealer to repair but it wasnt worth it. I am keeping the carb setup to avoid elec. issues. I am getting it from him and need to know which years engines will fit????? I see the nomads are vn1500 for a lot of years but which ones are plug and play for the 99 nomad? Thanks for quick replies...Mike in Sun DIego

If that 99 engine is still ok,just weld a new gear cog on it mate.All that drama of stripping the engine to fit one,is not needed.

[soccer4m]

Thanks for the quick info,,,,I did read that a weld on gear is ok too and will try that but the oil pump gear and shaft was popped out at the shop before I could get the bike, so I will attempt to get the circlip back on, if not, its split the case to put the gear in. Sooo, I was looking at getting an engine to get the bike going right away, and put the engine rebuild down the road,,,,but I will weld the gear if I can get the clip on the back of the oil pump gear shaft.

Also wondering why the earlier vulcan, nomads 1500's before `1999 do not fit,,,is it a mount or electrical connnection difference???

The 1500 vulcans, nomads were listed as VN models also before 1999, maybe one of the members here knows why the earlier motors do not fit???
Thanks again for the info.......Mike in San DIego

[mick56]

Originally Posted by soccer4m

Thanks for the quick info,,,,I did read that a weld on gear is ok too and will try that but the oil pump gear and shaft was popped out at the shop before I could get the bike, so I will attempt to get the circlip back on, if not, its split the case to put the gear in. Sooo, I was looking at getting an engine to get the bike going right away, and put the engine rebuild down the road,,,,but I will weld the gear if I can get the clip on the back of the oil pump gear shaft.

Also wondering why the earlier vulcan, nomads 1500's before `1999 do not fit,,,is it a mount or electrical connnection difference???

The 1500 vulcans, nomads were listed as VN models also before 1999, maybe one of the members here knows why the earlier motors do not fit???
Thanks again for the info.......Mike in San DIego

I think you will find that from 1997 the engine changed,and are the same in the Nomad,and Classic.Prior to that they were a twin carb engine,that looks totally different.Whether they can be fitted into a later frame,i dont know.The first Nomads were the G1,in 1998.

[MAS Tequila]

Any 5 speed from a Classic, Nomad, MeanStreak, or Difter will bolt in.

The older A model engine is narrower and could be bolted in.

The ignition set up on the A is what keeps you from using it.

The newer engine is too wide for the A model, and takes a lot of cutting and welding to make it fit.

Get yourself an 01 or newer engine, some of the 00’s have the POG.

[soccer4m]

Picked up the 99 1500 nomad with the shredded pog,, so just checking again to make sure,,,from the previous replies, is the 99 nomad 1500 engine the same fit from 1997 on? Or is it a new engine fit from 99-2006? There is a local 1998 vulcan 1500 engine,,,so I know the better engine is the later 1600's but this one is close and appreciate your wisdom,,,as I continue the quest to get it back on the road....................Mike in Sun Diego

[mick56]

Originally Posted by soccer4m

Picked up the 99 1500 nomad with the shredded pog,, so just checking again to make sure,,,from the previous replies, is the 99 nomad 1500 engine the same fit from 1997 on? Or is it a new engine fit from 99-2006? There is a local 1998 vulcan 1500 engine,,,so I know the better engine is the later 1600's but this one is close and appreciate your wisdom,,,as I continue the quest to get it back on the road....................Mike in Sun Diego

Like MAS said.However.A bike registered in 1998 may have sat in the dealers for a couple of years,and could be the last of the earlier bikes,( a classic) with a different gearbox.I am led to believe that the 96/97 Classic engines were a 4 speed,as apposed to a 5 speed.Ask the seller,and get him to send you a photo of the engine,and post it on here.There must be a kawasaki site, that has the engine numbers,to identify the year it was made. Google it mate.

[DragonLady58]

What RAD, MAS, & Mick said! Its all a bolt in! Sometimes, the 99/00s have been thru the callback that Ma Kawa put out and have had the repair already done. Soooooo, sometimes you can pick up a good early engine, from someone thats the 2nd or 3rd owner that just didn't know any better. Its best to look to be sure.
If its (the gear) white or grayish, its plastic, you can confirm & verify with a magnetic pickup tool. Just pop off clutch side cover and look behind the clutch basket....
All the 01 and up had steel gears....just as you were told.
Complete bolt in, except if a carb, gotta install the intake by drilling hole....MAS is a expert installer and can walk you thru intake install....

[MAS Tequila]

98 was the first year for the five speed, anything earlier will be a 4 speed.

There were issues with the 4 speeds as bad as the POG issue.

Get an 01 or newer engine, some 00's still had POG's.