ouch!!! $$$ valve buckets

Hey, I have reached a standstill in my project. I cannot do any more work on the motor until i purchase gpz valve buckets.
I found out that the buckets from my kz head will not fit, was kinda expecting it since the gpz valves are larger. I stopped by my local kawi dealership and asked them to give me their price on the buckets, and they came up with $25 each. Doesnt sound too bad until you remember that you need 8 of them!
Is there any aftermarket sources for these buckets, or do I just have to watch ebay until i grow old trying to find buckets for the head?
Or do any of you good souls have a pair i could purchase?

According to kawasaki.com parts diagrams, the 550, 650, 750 four (including GPz), all use the same buckets (Kawasaki calls them tappets).

Here is the list.


KZ550-A1 (1980)
KZ550-A2 (1981)
KZ550-A3 (1982)
KZ550-A4 (1983)
KZ550-C1 (LTD) (1980)
KZ550-C2 (LTD) (1981)
KZ550-C3 (LTD) (1982)
KZ550-C4 (LTD) (1983)
KZ550-D1 (GPz) (1981)
KZ550-F1 (Spectre) (1983)
KZ550-F2 (LTD Shaft) (1984)
KZ550-H1 (GPz) (1982)
KZ550-H2 (GPz) (1983)
KZ550-M1 (LTD Shaft) (1983)
KZ650-B1 (1977)
KZ650-B2 (1978)
KZ650-B2A (1978)
KZ650-B3 (1979)
KZ650-C1 (Custom) (1977)
KZ650-C2 (Custom) (1978)
KZ650-C3 (Custom) (1979)
KZ650-D1 (SR) (1978)
KZ650-D1A (SR) (1978)
KZ650-D2 (SR) (1979)
KZ650-E1 (LTD) (1980)
KZ650-F1 (1980)
KZ650-H1 (CSR) (1981)
KZ650-H2 (CSR) (1982)
KZ650-H3 (CSR) (1983)
KZ700-A1 (1984)
KZ750-E1 (1980)
KZ750-E2 (1981)
KZ750-E3 (1982)
KZ750-F1 (LTD Shaft) (1983)
KZ750-H1 (LTD) (1980)
KZ750-H2 (LTD) (1981)
KZ750-H3 (LTD) (1982)
KZ750-H4 (LTD) (1983)
KZ750-L3 (1983)
KZ750-N1 (Spectre) (1982)
KZ750-N2 (Spectre) (1983)
KZ750-R1 (GPz) (1982)
ZN700-A1 (LTD Shaft) (1984)
ZN700-A2 (LTD Shaft) (1985)
ZR1100-A1 (ZR1100 Zephyr) (1992)
ZR1100-A2 (ZR1100 Zephyr) (1993)
ZR1100-A3 (ZR1100 Zephyr) (1994)
ZR1100-A4 (ZR1100 Zephyr) (1995)
ZR550-B1 (Zephyr) (1990)
ZR550-B2 (Zephyr) (1991)
ZR550-B3 (Zephyr) (1992)
ZR550-B4 (Zephyr) (1993)
ZR750-C1 (Zephyr 750) (1991)
ZR750-C2 (Zephyr 750) (1992)
ZR750-C3 (Zephyr 750) (1993)
ZR750-F2 (ZR-7) (2000)
ZX1100-A1 (GPz) (1983)
ZX1100-A2 (GPz) (1984)
ZX550-A1 (GPz) (1984)
ZX550-A2 (GPz) (1985)
ZX550-A3 (GPz) (1986)
ZX750-A1 (GPz 750) (1983)
ZX750-A2 (GPz 750) (1984)
ZX750-A3 (GPz 750) (1985)
ZX750-E1 (GPz 750 Turbo) (1984)
ZX750-E2 (GPz 750 Turbo) (1985)


When you say the GPz has bigger valves than the KZ, I assume you are comparing GPz750 to KZ650? I make this assumption because the KZ750 and GPz750 valves are the same size.

I have a 83 GPz750 head and a 80 KZ750E head laying here and I just checked to confirm that the buckets will interchange, and they do.

Maybe there is a problem with the pocket in the head where the buckets fit, have you checked it with a small bore gage?

You have probably posted about this before and I just missed it, so I'll go look and see if I can help.

Last post was long enough, I'll start again

I found the other thread, and your question about the buckets was never answered (accurately anyway).
Retainers go over the valves, hold the valve springs, and are held in place with the keepers, and are shared with all the models in the list above, so they have nothing to do with your problem.

If your problem is that the buckets will not fit in the bore, then the bore is probably messed up. But keep in mind that the buckets have to go in perfectly straight, if they are cocked even a little tiny bit then they won't fit.

Try coating the buckets with oil and gently wiggle them around (just a tiny amount) while trying to fit them in the bore. Do not under any conditions try to force them in!!

he didnt say this, but I was wondering if the valves are too long, or they are too deep in the seats

BSKZ650 wrote:

he didnt say this, but I was wondering if the valves are too long, or they are too deep in the seats

Dunno, we need a lot more details of the problem so we can quit making guesses

My guess was that he was saying the buckets wouldn't fit in the bore, since he didn't mention clearances, but that's only a guess.

I thought I put something in the original "Tech Forum Rules" that I wrote a long time ago, about providing enough info to diagnose a problem, but they have been edited since then, so maybe I did or maybe I should have but didn't, I really don't remember.


Internet diagnoses of a mechanical problem is tough

Steell looks like you have diagnosed my problem corretly, i was having a hard time sliding the buckets over the valvespring assembly. But when I went over to my 750 head, they slid right on. I will try again, I probobaly didnt have them going on perfectly straight. Thanks alot and I will let you know how it goes.

Didnt get a chance to try today, but i was under the impression that the 83-85 gpz750's had larger valves. If not, then what would be the advantage of having a gpz head over a kz head.

The valves may be larger but could still use the same buckets. The valve size doesn't affect that area of the valve. The spring tension and cam lift could vary with the larger valves on different heads though.

k, did some research, and found that they do have the same valve size. Now does anyone have any idea what the advantage of having the gpz head would be. I was advised to get this also.

The GPz750 head has some minor porting according to the magazine articles of the period. Some articles went so far as to say the heads were hand ported.

Other than that, The GPz750 heads lacked provision for a mechanical tach and the fins are shaped differently.

The things that contributed to the extra 11 hp the GPz750 had over the KZ750 were:

Porting on head
Higher compression
Cams
Thinner rings
BS34 carbs

The 83-85 GPz750 head at least through 85, is the best 750 head, I don't know if the ZR7 head is any better.

Post edited by: steell, at: 2007/12/19 01:19