KZ1000 P5

missionkz wrote: "On these motors there's a cam chain guide in the valve cover which places additional tension on the chain, so if you remove the cover without disabling the automatic tensioner, it will take up that slack, then when you put the cover back on, it will either strip the threads out, stretch the chain, break something, or all of the above. The warning is in the manual too, but it's always worth repeating.

From what I hear people need an oil cooler at least for street riding a big bore KZ1000. Hell, they could use an old cooler stock. Old Kaw Man breaks it all down on his website. "

I didn't know about that with respect to the cam cover....
Yeah I read that on the Old Kaw Man site.
My stock KZ1000 runs nice with no oil cooler.... I have one though and have threatened to install it numerous times.

Yeah. Sometimes it seems like these motors were boobytrapped by the engineers. So many stripped cam cap and cam cover bolts and stretched out camchains and chewed up guides... The police bike is the worst... You have to wonder how they expected anyone to be able to change a tire etc. Take it to a shop and they'll wreck your exhaust trying to get the rear axle bolt out, screw up the speedo drive coupling trying to put the front wheel back on etc.

Approach everything on these bikes like you're disarming a bomb...

I too have an oil cooler I've been sitting on for 6 or 7 years while looking for the right fitting to attach it with The bikes run fine when moving, but traffic in anything than 80 degree weather is hard on everything. All those little rubber seals are easy to bake and hard to replace!

That's why you have a MANUAL.
Steve

swest wrote: That's why you have a MANUAL.
Steve

Lots of that stuff isn't in the manual. The misprinted torque figure in the manual is the cause of countless stripped cam cap bolts too...

I have bought a lot of parts to replace worn parts. I will be posting picks this weekend. This is my first motorcycle, normally I am fairly mechanically inclined but getting the motor back in pieces has placed an extra hassle on getting everything back together. I do not have a compression tool, I have seen people use a soda bottle to build their own on youtube. The valves and compression chamber are so coated with carbon. I soaked it and took some scotch pads to it, one of the valves is crumbling and has brass showing. I replaced the rings, I am not going to hone the cylinders. I just want to see if it will run after the fly by night brought me back a bucket of bolts. I plan to do a solid rebuild eventually but money is tight. I am not sure if I have to buy a cam chain or not. I want to invest in the motor before the cosmetics. I bought some stuff while it was sitting: mirrors, a new to me tank, clip-ons, now I am regretting buying anything but need to have parts. I broke my speedo on the front tire. The axel had welded to the nut, rubber mallet and torch would not even hurt it's feelings. I ended up cutting it off and ordering a new axel just to replace the wheel bearings. More to come...knightmare in more than just name ugh.

Yeah therapy, my buddy told me shrinks are expensive wind is free. I will let you know how free it is when the damn thing is running again.

You don't need to build or even buy a compression tester. Autozone, Advance Auto, etc. have free loaner tool programs and lots of tools. I've borrowed a weird, one-time use tool from them when replacing a wheel bearing in my Cadillac Allante. Ed

Get a Kawasaki Service manual.
Steve

Knightmares wrote: I have bought a lot of parts to replace worn parts. I will be posting picks this weekend. This is my first motorcycle, normally I am fairly mechanically inclined but getting the motor back in pieces has placed an extra hassle on getting everything back together. I do not have a compression tool, I have seen people use a soda bottle to build their own on youtube. The valves and compression chamber are so coated with carbon. I soaked it and took some scotch pads to it, one of the valves is crumbling and has brass showing. I replaced the rings, I am not going to hone the cylinders. I just want to see if it will run after the fly by night brought me back a bucket of bolts. I plan to do a solid rebuild eventually but money is tight. I am not sure if I have to buy a cam chain or not. I want to invest in the motor before the cosmetics. I bought some stuff while it was sitting: mirrors, a new to me tank, clip-ons, now I am regretting buying anything but need to have parts. I broke my speedo on the front tire. The axel had welded to the nut, rubber mallet and torch would not even hurt it's feelings. I ended up cutting it off and ordering a new axel just to replace the wheel bearings. More to come...knightmare in more than just name ugh.

I think you're thinking of a carburetor synchronizer. A compression tester isn't something you can build.

The valves aren't made of brass, but steel. The valve guides are made of bronze, through, and if you can see those through the valve then you're really in some kind of trouble.

You have to hone the cylinders if you want the new rings to seat properly--no way around it. You are also well advised to follow the break-in procedure described in the manual.

Many times if a shop changed the tires or engine sprocket, the nuts will have been installed with an impact wrench (and waaaaay over torqued). The cheapest and fastest way to get these off is to also use an impact wrench (Harbor Freight sells a cheapo electric one for $50 that'll go up to 240 ft/lbs or so, $50 spent replacing nuts and axles and cut off wheels goes pretty fast). When you put it back together, use antiseize and a torque wrench to set it to the proper torque. Oh, and in case it isn't obvious never use an impact wrench to install anything on your motorcycle!

Pics of what you're talking about.
Steve

Pics

My goal is a a military style cafe/street fighter.

Do I get a gold star for donating? Well at least I get advice and help from a bunch of degenerates :evil: