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My pride and joy 01 Oct 2014 08:22 #649302

  • mtbspeedfreak
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Hey folks,

Time to get my KZ fixed up. Just gonna do the valve guides and seals while I save up for a proper rebuild.

To pull the head off, does the engine need to be out of the frame? Do I need to cut the cam chain or can I slip the cams out carefully with the slack in the chain? Anything else special I need to be aware of?

Thanks! I miss my old gal!!!
2000 ZRX 1100
1976 KZ 900- Daily Driver
1980 LTD 550- Dalton Highway survivor!

If it has tits or tires, it'll give you problems!

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My pride and joy 01 Oct 2014 08:50 #649306

  • KZJOE900
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No need to take it out of the frame nor cut the cam chain.






There are some factory videos on here which are professional with more information then just disassembly compared to mine. But I go over some of the real world issues that you may run into like stuck cam caps, head or jugs. It may be to replace any worn chain guides. Pay close attention to the front chain guide which is held in by a screw in the front of the cylinder block. Good luck.
Current project 76 KZ900 (This was a Vetter model)
76 KZ900
81 XJ550H SECA (Current Project)
82 XJ550R SECA
Past:
86 FJ1200
74 Z1900
72 CB450

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My pride and joy 03 Oct 2014 07:46 #649518

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What are you doing to your bike Mark?
Kawasaki


Someone once told me to marry that motorcycle I was riding ......there's times I wish I hadda listened .

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My pride and joy 03 Oct 2014 08:16 #649520

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BlackZ1R wrote: What are you doing to your bike Mark?


Just valve guides and seals. I'm burning a lot of oil and she smokes like a triple after start up after she's been sitting for awhile.
2000 ZRX 1100
1976 KZ 900- Daily Driver
1980 LTD 550- Dalton Highway survivor!

If it has tits or tires, it'll give you problems!

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My pride and joy 05 Oct 2014 18:13 #649757

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Alright, got the head pulled off today.
Head work by mmsmithgall , on Flickr

There was A LOT more carbon on the piston tops and combustion chambers than I thought there would be. I use to run a strong dose of Seafoam through every 1,000 miles or so
Head work by mmsmithgall , on Flickr
Head work by mmsmithgall , on Flickr
Head work by mmsmithgall , on Flickr
Head work by mmsmithgall , on Flickr

I also noticed something funky on the cam bearings:
Head work by mmsmithgall , on Flickr
Head work by mmsmithgall , on Flickr
2000 ZRX 1100
1976 KZ 900- Daily Driver
1980 LTD 550- Dalton Highway survivor!

If it has tits or tires, it'll give you problems!

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My pride and joy 05 Oct 2014 18:24 #649759

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Have a few questions... This is a low budget get on the road as cheap as possible rebuild. The 1105 will come later. B)

I was not planning on removing the block, just pulling the head to replace valve guides and seals; however, considering the amount of carbon build up on piston domes, I'm thinking I should pull the block and pistons to gently wirebrush the carbon off the domes and get a new set of rings and hone the bores.

This might not be a bad idea, as who ever does the head will clean it up, and there was some oil seepage from the head gasket down on the block and this would be a great opportunity to clean up the block as well.

Regarding the wear pattern on the cam bearings, it looks as though it's a material issue, not really a wear pattern. There is no sign of anything wrong on the cam journals.

I've had this bike since it had 14k miles on it and have never removed the cams, they are likely the original bearings Should they be replaced as well?

Manual cam tensioner... A good idea or not? I've heard conflicting results.

While the head is off, I'm also thinking of replacing the stock 6mm exhaust studs with APE 8mm studs to hopefully eliminate any problems for myself down the line. Yay or nay?

Lastly, thinking about a replacement set of APE cylinder head nuts.

Thanks!!!
2000 ZRX 1100
1976 KZ 900- Daily Driver
1980 LTD 550- Dalton Highway survivor!

If it has tits or tires, it'll give you problems!

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My pride and joy 05 Oct 2014 21:01 #649771

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mtbspeedfreek, if you are planing on going with a 1105 kit later I wouldn't bother with taking the block off right now. Unless your compression numbers were low to begin with. New rings, honing and bottom gasket would add at least $150-$200 to the cost. I'm sure some of that carbon you see may actually be burnt oil from the leaky valve seals. I wonder if you can clean your piston domes while they are still in the block. But not with a wire brush. Maybe with a scotchbrite pad soaked in some WD40. Being carfull not to touch the cylinder walls. In my case, I had the block off when i cleaned my pistons and used a sctochbrite on 3m roloc (HF knockoff) attached to a drill with WD40. The pistons were not taken off their connecting rods. If I had to do it again, I may try it with the block on.

Either way, be sure to check the front cam chain guide located within the block on the exhaust side (front) of the block about half way down the block. It is only a $19.00 part from Z1E and should be inspected and replaced if worn.

Not to sure what to say about the patterns on your camshaft lower half bushings. Like you said, doesn't look like wear markings.

Your cam chain tensioner is a manual tensioner. Just make sure that the plunger can freely move back and forth when the side locking bolt is loose. You can always take it apart and clean if you want to be thorough.
Current project 76 KZ900 (This was a Vetter model)
76 KZ900
81 XJ550H SECA (Current Project)
82 XJ550R SECA
Past:
86 FJ1200
74 Z1900
72 CB450

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Last edit: by KZJOE900.

My pride and joy 05 Oct 2014 22:49 #649776

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I also noticed something funky on the cam bearings:

Head work by mmsmithgall , on Flickr
Head work by mmsmithgall , on Flickr


I have seen that before, misalignment of the bearing cap causes it. one side of the bearing wears clean, the other shows spotting from surface corrosion. Put your cams in and plastiguage several spots, that will tell the story.
If I knew what I was doing all the time life wouldn't be any fun.

'80 KZ650 E 700cc, dyna ignition and coils, frame up restoration, daily driver
'81 KZ1300 A3 full restoration, custom big bore pistons, 1400cc 6 cylinder super bike
"77 KZ650 B1 - Barn Find, work in progeress
"74 Yamaha DT 400 Enduro

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Last edit: by Tyler.

My pride and joy 07 Oct 2014 09:35 #649961

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Thanks for the input guys, turns out we were all close... it's from water/moisture contamination in the oil causing the babit in the bearing to erode or pit. Boat engines have this problem often.

Anyhow, my OCD won't be able to stand it... I'm going to pull the jugs to better clean the pistons.

What are my options for raising the compression ratio? Stock is 1:8.5... how can I get it in the range of 1:9/9.25 without new pistons? Deck the head? No base gasket? Anything else?

The 1105 is a completely separate engine from this 903, and frankly, it'll be at least 6 months before I have enough saved up to go through and replace things in the 1105. So I gotta rebuild the 903 the right way.
2000 ZRX 1100
1976 KZ 900- Daily Driver
1980 LTD 550- Dalton Highway survivor!

If it has tits or tires, it'll give you problems!

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My pride and joy 11 Mar 2015 12:08 #664094

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Just purchased new valve guides, seals, and cam bearings! The head has been off this bike since October and I haven't ridden it in over a year! Pretty excited to get back in the saddle!
2000 ZRX 1100
1976 KZ 900- Daily Driver
1980 LTD 550- Dalton Highway survivor!

If it has tits or tires, it'll give you problems!

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My pride and joy 12 Mar 2015 06:40 #664170

  • 531blackbanshee
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congratulations on parts procurement sir!

leon
skiatook,oklahoma 1980 z1r,1978 kz 1000 z1r x 3,
1976 kz 900 x 3
i make what i can,and save the rest!

billybiltit.blogspot.com/

www.kzrider.com/forum/5-chassis/325862-triple-tree-custom-work

kzrider.com/forum/5-chassis/294594-frame-bracing?limitstart=0

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Last edit: by 531blackbanshee.

My pride and joy 01 Oct 2015 12:14 #692852

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I'm making progress, ever soooo slowly... Yesterday I dropped the head off to a local and recommended machine shop to have the valve guides and seals, and cam bearings replaced. I should get it back next week at the latest.

Gotta buy a few gaskets and o-rings, purchase a new battery, and clean my smoothbores! Any idea what sort of jetting to start with? It has pods and a Kerker?

Hopefully I'm back on the road in a month!
2000 ZRX 1100
1976 KZ 900- Daily Driver
1980 LTD 550- Dalton Highway survivor!

If it has tits or tires, it'll give you problems!

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