TOPIC:

How come every time I see bare engine cases the block studs are still installed ? Same with the block and exhaust studs. Are they non removable ? What happens if one breaks or the threads strip ? They don't ever stretch and need replaced ?

The reason they are in there is because they are supposed to UNTIL you want them out.
The threads in the cases and heads go into aluminum and wear out if you mess with them to often.
Yes they do come out,
Yes they can be replaced with stock or better studs,
Yes they do break (CAN BE A MAJOR BUMMER)

That help ?

Mike

Oh yeah that helps. Majority of my mechanics are involving cars so when i see certain things with these bikes it makes me scratch me head.

So is it wise with a total rebuild to "upgrade" the studs ?

I would, but if its a stock motor, its probably not neccesary.

Well I'm seriously considering building a 1428 and turning this old kz of mine into a street fighter. It'll take me a couple years to build do to the cost of building it but I already have a bike for a cruiser and would like to have a ground pounder to ride when the wife isn't with me.

Just trying to gather all the info I can so when I get ready to do the engine I know what I'm building.

If you are pumping the motor up to 1428, I would definitely install the Heavy Duty Studs as well as HD inner case bolts and camshaft cap plate, all these are sold by APE. One consideration when using the HD studs is they are bigger diameter that stock so the outer oil passageways leading up to the head become restricted. There are a few ways (and opinions)on how to overcome this...one is to dry block the motor (see Zed 1015's thread on how to) and the other is to drill out the oil passageway in the cylinder block. I have done neither of these so I don't know which one is best but I will have to choose in the coming months for the motor I will be building.

Does MTC Engineering still make their H/D "Golden" cylinder studs for the KZ's??

Same dimensions as the stock studs, just made out of better metal.

Never had or showed any signs of oil starvation in the cylinder head with those studs.

Nicely made, all rolled threads!!! Installed height was always right on too!!

bluezbike said: One consideration when using the HD studs is they are bigger diameter that stock so the outer oil passageways leading up to the head become restricted.

I installed APE cylinder studs in my stock KZ1100 engine, and haven't experienced any problems with oil restriction. The studs are thicker in diameter, but not significant enough to cause noticeable issues on my engine, except for having to modify the head gaskets to fit around the center-most pairs of studs.
I had two instances where head-gasket oil leaks developed at the front outside stud locations, which I attribute to stretching of the OEM studs over the course of time and a couple head replacements.

Not an issue any longer, thanks to the APE studs and nuts.

So..........stud removal for upgrade, how to properly remove them ? Heat the case then remove studs ? How does the broken stud removal work ?

Apparently Snap-on has a really good tool for this that works like an automotive oil filter removal tool but I remove them (I have done this on three cases) with a small pipe wrench gripping the stud near the base which does wreck them up a bit but if you are replacing with heavy duty who cares?....no need to heat up the cases. Some of them come out pretty easily, no rhyme or reason. I would imagine the usual broken bolt removal process should work with drilling a hole and an extractor although I have never done one.

two nuts jammed together then put a wrench on the bottom nut and unscrew it out

Or if theyre junk take a some vise grips and use them to break the studs loose.