KZ 550 A2 Valves Clearances

Ok I'm going to start a process in which I've never done before, Valve Reshimming on an '81 KZ 550 A2. I've got a manual, new gaskets, feeler gauge, tools, and determination. If you have ever done this before and have some pointers or advise, it would be extremely appreciated. Thanks

To really do the job right takes a lot more time than it appears necessary.

One big pointer is to follow the manual's warning: Don't install the valvecover while the chain tensioner is installed. You will damage the chain, guides, tensioner, and/or camshafts.

Another issue is measuring clearances. Measure them at least 3 times with rotating the crank in between each measurement group. You will find different gaps at different cam orientations. Use the smallest repeatable measurement as your working measurement.

Another issue is whether you are going to order shims one at a time or a kit. Some kits only come with two of every size. The motor can theoretically have many of the same size shims (and often do). So you'll run out of shims in the sizes you will need. Most early 550 motors had 260 and 255 shims from the factory. So you'll probably need a lot of 250 and 245 shims if this is the first time the motor is opened. It may be very cost effective to order the shims (from Z1 Enterprises) after you do your measurements and see what you have.

Don't mix up any parts. Buckets are not always interchangeable, they vary a little. Keep track of what cylinder every part came from. I set them on a large piece of paper with labels on it.

Get a micrometer.

Take a lot of time and dig out any sealant from every valve cover bolt hole. Old sealant can cause the bolt to strip out very easily.

I put a thin layer of antisieze on the gasket and only a tiny bit of sealant on the cam end-caps. This way it's a lot easier to clean up next time. Most of your time should be spent removing the old gasket. take a lot of time and use a vacuum while you scrape. Keeping things clean is very important, obviously.

I'll try to dig up some inch to mm conversions.

Here's a good place for diy pointers and advice -- the valve adjustment section is in there too.


kzrider.com/component/option,com_joomlab...5/view,flat/catid,2/

Lot of good info on that link Patton gave you. (That's where I copied this from.)

You should print this out:


From the factory, most of the early 550 motors came with mostly #260 and #255 shims installed. The shim # is in hundredths of a millimeter. These values are rounded off.


#200 = 2.00mm = 0.0787in.
#205 = 2.05mm = 0.0807in.
#210 = 2.10mm = 0.0827in.
#215 = 2.15mm = 0.0846in.
#220 = 2.20mm = 0.0866in.
#225 = 2.25mm = 0.0886in.
#230 = 2.30mm = 0.0906in.
#235 = 2.35mm = 0.0925in.
#240 = 2.40mm = 0.0945in.
#245 = 2.45mm = 0.0965in.
#250 = 2.50mm = 0.0984in.
#255 = 2.55mm = 0.1004in.
#260 = 2.60mm = 0.1024in.
#265 = 2.65mm = 0.1043in.
#270 = 2.70mm = 0.1063in.
#275 = 2.75mm = 0.1083in.
#280 = 2.80mm = 0.1102in.
#285 = 2.85mm = 0.1122in.
#290 = 2.90mm = 0.1142in.
#295 = 2.95mm = 0.1161in.
#300 = 3.00mm = 0.1181in.


0.00mm = 0.0000in.
0.01mm = 0.0004in.
0.02mm = 0.0008in.
0.03mm = 0.0012in.
0.04mm = 0.0016in.
0.05mm = 0.0020in.
0.06mm = 0.0024in.
0.07mm = 0.0028in.
0.08mm = 0.0031in.
0.09mm = 0.0035in.
0.10mm = 0.0039in.
0.11mm = 0.0043in.
0.12mm = 0.0047in.
0.13mm = 0.0051in.
0.14mm = 0.0055in.
0.15mm = 0.0059in.
0.16mm = 0.0063in.
0.17mm = 0.0067in.
0.18mm = 0.0071in.
0.19mm = 0.0075in.
0.20mm = 0.0079in.
0.21mm = 0.0083in.
0.22mm = 0.0087in.
0.23mm = 0.0091in.
0.24mm = 0.0094in.
0.25mm = 0.0098in.
0.26mm = 0.0102in.
0.27mm = 0.0106in.
0.28mm = 0.0110in.


0.000in. = 0.000mm
0.001in. = 0.025mm
0.002in. = 0.051mm
0.003in. = 0.076mm
0.004in. = 0.102mm
0.005in. = 0.127mm
0.006in. = 0.152mm
0.007in. = 0.178mm
0.008in. = 0.203mm
0.009in. = 0.229mm
0.010in. = 0.254mm
0.011in. = 0.279mm
0.012in. = 0.305mm
0.013in. = 0.330mm
0.014in. = 0.356mm
0.015in. = 0.381mm
0.016in. = 0.406mm
0.017in. = 0.432mm
0.018in. = 0.457mm
0.019in. = 0.483mm

Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2007/01/30 20:38

Ok so I was reading the manual over and over again before I start, and I found something I don't quite understand. (Never Put Shim Stock Under a Shim) Are they saying never put the stock shim back in with the new one?

Oh and the clearance issues. Ok so a scenerio:
I put the feeler gauge b/w the cam lobe and the lifter.
Should the lifter be touching that cam lobe and if not, is that the clearance that I am measuring to get rid of?

Sorry guys, I'm just nervous. I don't want to screw this up.

Post edited by: Joe, at: 2007/01/30 21:43

Don't worry about shim stock....you'll never use it. It's quite possible that you can swap shims around to get your clearances...sometimes it works out that way.

Don't count on the shims all having readable numbers. It's best to have digital vernier calipers or micrometers to measure the shims.

Those things run pretty loose clearances, you might not even need to reshim anything..

Take your time..pay close attention....put oil on the threads of the cam cap bolts when your put them back in. Finger tight all the bolts with a 10mm socket as tight as you can get them with your fingers. Tighten the exhaust cam left to right and the intake right to left....that order places the least strain on the threads...then torque them properly. 1/4 drive tools work best.




mm * .03937 = inch
inch x 25.4 = mm

TIP:

After you remove your valve cover, bring cyl#4 to TDC overlap [both lobes pointing at each other. Turn the motor over 2 full revolutions and you'll come right back to TDC overlap again...LOOK CLOSELY AT YOUR TIMING MARKS and make a mental or actual note on them. It will make things easier for you when you reinstall the cams.

Post edited by: larrycavan, at: 2007/01/30 21:52

Post edited by: larrycavan, at: 2007/01/30 21:58

What they mean is to never try to "build up a shim" by adding additional material to it. So in other words whatever shim size you need, use the correct size. Only one shim per valve. Lou's comment of never putting the valve cover on before the tensioner has me wondering too. The way I always did it with the automatic tensioner was to remove the 6mm bolt near the end of the tensioner and install a longer bolt that locks the tensioner in position so it doesn't change during camshaft service then when all reassembled, simply reinstall the short bolt, then the adjuster is free to work again and still adjusted just where it was before you started. Now over the years I've questioned Lou's advice about 10 times now and I've been right very few times, actually none that I can think of :laugh: There's different ways to do each job and sometimes the manuals are a little screwy as I'm sure the GPZ1100/KZ1000J Kawasaki manual said to do it the way I describe, whether the KZ550 is the same, I'm not positive.

Lou is 100% correct.

On any side load tensioner, if you remove the cap on the side of the tensioner and pull out the side plunger, that's all you need to do when reinstalling the valve cover.

After it's installed, reinstall the side plunger and cap BEFORE you turn the motor over again.

Those tensioners are auto type. What happens is the side plunger pushes against the inside plunger. The spring in the side plunger is such that it is "supposed" to put the proper tension on the chain.

So if you remove the valve cover, what happens?

Since the valve cover has a rubbing block in it, that block also puts tension on the chain. When you remove the cover, the side plunger feels slack and shoves the inside plunger in to tighten it up.

If you reinstall the valve cover at that point, the chain is actually over tensioned.

Post edited by: larrycavan, at: 2007/01/30 22:05

Thanks guys
Joe

Ah, now I get it. You're right, remove the cap to allow the tensioner to retract into the body until everything is assembled. This is the newer tensioner, the old tensioner 79 era works by adding the longer bolt like I described. You can tell what tensioner type you have easily. If it's got the cap, it needs to be removed. I thought Lou meant you had to remove the entire tensioner from the back of the block and I thought that didn't sound right. Sorry about that.
larrycavan wrote:

Lou is 100% correct.

On any side load tensioner, if you remove the cap on the side of the tensioner and pull out the side plunger, that's all you need to do when reinstalling the valve cover.

After it's installed, reinstall the side plunger and cap BEFORE you turn the motor over again.

Those tensioners are auto type. What happens is the side plunger pushes against the inside plunger. The spring in the side plunger is such that it is "supposed" to put the proper tension on the chain.

So if you remove the valve cover, what happens?

Since the valve cover has a rubbing block in it, that block also puts tension on the chain. When you remove the cover, the side plunger feels slack and shoves the inside plunger in to tighten it up.

If you reinstall the valve cover at that point, the chain is actually over tensioned.<br><br>Post edited by: larrycavan, at: 2007/01/30 22:05

Yes, I believe my manual says to remove the tensioner just to be sure there is no chance of tension on the chain, but you can accomplish the same thing by removing the cross wedge or maybe even just by loosening the cap on the cross wedge.

The cam lobe's round part should not touch the bucket, but the pointy part will (obviously). There is a clearance there, which is what you will measure, then calculate a new shim for. The intake clearance is slightly less than those for the exhaust.

Normally, the clearance you measure will be smaller than what the spec calls for. Therefore you will normally need smaller replacement shims. If your lucky, you will be able to swap some of the existing shims to get by. You should not grind the shims or build-up shims.