I'm not familiar with that exact engine but, I have a Kawasaki Mule from that era, (mid 90's). Those year models were also notorious in their later years and extended hours of use for breaking the plastic gear off the cam shaft. The fix is a rather loud, whining, "new type" replacement cam shaft with a metal gear. They run/ran like a champ right up until they snap the gear off for no apparent reason (without hot rodding or under stress). It's a long well known problem with some of the mid 90 model water cooled Kawasaki engines that was taken care of in future models starting in the later 90's. I just replaced one not over a couple years ago. I parked it in it's regular parking spot one day and the next time I went out to start it, it wouldn't hit. Drove like a new one up until it wouldn't start, craziest thing I'd ever seen. Some may never give a problem, but many do when they start getting long in the tooth.
