My second Kz440 1981

I used a crap ton of seafoam and a crappy knockoff dremel tool with a soft wire attachment to clean it up. I ran out of seafoam, brushes and time before I had to go to work, but here is my progress.

Please tell me I haven't destroyed anything!

swest wrote: Looks like you've been burning oil. Possibly rings and/ or valve guide seals. That doesn't explain the loud pop and loss of power. I'd like to see the plugs. It might have been a back fire caused by a fouled plug, clearing itself under full throttle and POW, fouled again until you turned it off. What do the cam chain guides look like. More pics.
Steve

Educate me! What did you see that makes you suspect burning oil? I was about a quart low.. lol

I am at work now, but will post more pictures when I can get home and take some.

Did you take the bolts out of the cam sprocket, or did they fall out?
Black carbon on the pistons, clean around the sides of the pistons, in the head, intake valves carboned, exhaust lighter in color, tells me you were burning oil. Likely rings and valve guide seals should be done too.
Steve.

I removed the sprocket bolts because that is what the manual said to do. I have been making sure to do everything exactly like it says. I don't want to bork an engine.

That's good. I didn't see any bent valves but I had to ask. Did you find any damage besides the oil build up?
Steve

It is 3am so I'm calling it a night. I didn't find anything damaged. I was terrified I was going to find a broken rod or something.

I stopped by wallie world on my way home from work at got some more supplies.

I'm letting the exhaust vales soak in cleaner over night, but everything else seems to be coming along really good.

Now, who has some tips and tricks for removing these old gaskets!

dom2570 wrote: It is 3am so I'm calling it a night. I didn't find anything damaged. I was terrified I was going to find a broken rod or something.

I stopped by wallie world on my way home from work at got some more supplies.

I'm letting the exhaust vales soak in cleaner over night, but everything else seems to be coming along really good.

Now, who has some tips and tricks for removing these old gaskets!

Dry the combustion chamber out really well and sit the head on it's exhaust ports so you can pour some mineral spirits in the intake port.... then watch the intake valves for any seepage... flip it over so it is standing up on the intake ports and do the same thing with the exhaust ports to see if there is any seepage with the exhaust valves.
Much of any at all and you have either bad valves, valve seats or bent valves.

missionkz wrote:

dom2570 wrote: It is 3am so I'm calling it a night. I didn't find anything damaged. I was terrified I was going to find a broken rod or something.

I stopped by wallie world on my way home from work at got some more supplies.

I'm letting the exhaust vales soak in cleaner over night, but everything else seems to be coming along really good.

Now, who has some tips and tricks for removing these old gaskets!

Dry the combustion chamber out really well and sit the head on it's exhaust ports so you can pour some mineral spirits in the intake port.... then watch the intake valves for any seepage... flip it over so it is standing up on the intake ports and do the same thing with the exhaust ports to see if there is any seepage with the exhaust valves.
Much of any at all and you have either bad valves, valve seats or bent valves.

I had some seepage at the start of the whole process, but after after cleaning everything up, both exhaust and intake are not seeping at all.

In that last picture, the exhaust ports are actually filled. I am hoping that letting it sit over night will help remove some of the carbon build up.

While you're in there, change the valve guide seals, Viton ones. That way you can check the valve guides and valves. You also need rings and a course cross hatch hone. You don't want to be getting on it, foul a plug, hear a loud POP, loose power and have to do it all again.
Steve

swest wrote: While you're in there, change the valve guide seals, Viton ones. That way you can check the valve guides and valves. You also need rings and a course cross hatch hone. You don't want to be getting on it, foul a plug, hear a loud POP, loose power and have to do it all again.
Steve

I think my lost of power and loud pop was probably a combination of things, but my exhaust probably was a large factor. I removed the pipes several times and never replaced the gaskets.

That wouldn't explain the oil burning. A reduction in back pressure could have aggravated it though.
Steve

swest wrote: That wouldn't explain the oil burning. A reduction in back pressure could have aggravated it though.
Steve

I know it probably sounds a little strange but I have to get the bike back together asap. I am supposed to be moving at the end of the month

Opening him up was a combination of curiosity and confidence booster. My plan is to get him all back together, move then tear back into him once I have a new place set up. As of now I do not have the tools or knowledge to correctly remove the valves or hone the cylinders. Once I am situated at my new place I want to start over from square one. I am working on building up confidence on this little guy before I move on to Kalie, my prized 750, so I really don't mind ripping this 440 engine apart a few times. I am also working on building up my tool chest, a honeing tool and valve spring removal tool are the top things on my shopping list right now.

Thanks for all the help!