help with Suzuki RMX250 - please!

[rebeltaz]

OK... OK.. I'll admit it... this is a new one on me. A guy brought me a motor off a Suzuki RMX250 - just the motor. Anyway, he said that the exhaust valve rod was broken. Didn't look like it, but I took the side cover plate off and the rod is fine. Everything looks OK to me, but I would like some clarification. I am used to working on 4 stroke engines, so I am not that familiar with the principles behind the 2 strokes.

What is the reason behind the exhaust valve rod and the lower components? Is the lower gear system supposed to actuate the exhaust valve? If so, I can't understand how. The plate that the rod is connected to isn't mated to the gear any any fashion other than through a bearing, and I don't see anyway that that can move that plate.

If anyone could shed some light on this so that I can understand what I am looking at, I would REALLY appreciate it.
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Derek Tombrello
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