Will I lose the ability to do OTA updates if I flash a custom ROM or custom kernel?
What if I just flash a custom kernel by itself and keep stock ROM?
Currently rooted on stock 4.4.2.
Yup..
If the OTA detects either a Custom recovery, a Custom kernal or any build Prop mods..
the OTA will fail..
What I do.. Its a long method, but it works.. make a Nandroid of your Data partition only..
then flash to stock, then OTA, then install a custom recovery.. then restore your Data partition..
All should be well.. Im sure there is a much easier way like extracting the System.img from the OTA or from the Stock rom,
and Dirty flashing just the System.img.. That should also work.. OTAs are kinda hard on Rooted devices..;'
If your coming from a Custom Rom, you can wait for the Rom Devs to catch up, and then dirty flash the updated rom with out having to do a clean wipe.. But I make a Nandroid of my Data partition and restore it if I need to do a wipe..
Hope this helps