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KZ900: Cylinder Head Gasket: 1 or 2 Piece???
- Old Man Rock
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Question, which is better, the 1 or 2 piece head gasket?
Reason I ask is I ordered a complete gasket set from Z1 and it contains the 2 piece head gasket. When I received my Weisco piston kit, they also sent a head gasket but in a one piece design...
As can be reviewed in the attached image, OEM calls for a two piece gasket so safe to assume, stick with OEM...
Thoughts, comments or experience otherwise?
Thanks,
OMR
1976 KZ900-A4
MTC 1075cc.
Camshafts: Kawi GPZ-1100 .375 lift
Head: P&P via Larry Cavanaugh
ZX636 suspension
MIKUNI, RS-34'S...
Kerker 4-1, 1.5" comp baffle.
Dyna-S E.I.
Earls 10 row Oil Cooler
Acewell 2802 Series Speedo/Tach
Innovate LC1 Wideband 02 AFR meter
Phoenix, Az
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- timebomb33
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1973 z1 2-1974z1-a,2-1975z1-b dragbikes1015cc+1393cc, 1977kz1000,1978kz1000,1981kz1000j, 1997 zx-11, 2000 z12r,1428turbo nitrous pro-mod and a shit load of parts thats all for now leader sask.,CANADA
I THINK MY POWERBAND BROKE
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- PLUMMEN
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what he said!hey omr, i've used both on lots of different egines i've built over the years it doesn't really matter which you use the only thing you have to do different on the one piece gasket is to fill in center o-ring tunnel i've seen epoxy used but i always use high heat silicon not that r.t.v crap the high heat stuff always holds better against the hot oil flowing around it. i've never used the epoxy method in always seem a more permanant method. i've had about the same luck with each so pick-em. i personally don't build alot of small inch motors anymore so i'm stuck using one piece copper gaskets on these big motors the last one i built for my self was a 1075 i used the one piece cometic gasket that comes in the wiesco kit i built that motor 8 years ago ive got around 20,000 miles on it and i have never had a problem with it. hope this helps.
Still recovering,some days are better than others.
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- Old Man Rock
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only thing you have to do different on the one piece gasket is to fill in center o-ring tunnel
Since there isn't any true difference, I'm with you where I don't like the epoxy idea and RTV seems a little messy and if not done accurately, I could develop an oil leak.
2 Piece it is, thanks guys...
OMR
1976 KZ900-A4
MTC 1075cc.
Camshafts: Kawi GPZ-1100 .375 lift
Head: P&P via Larry Cavanaugh
ZX636 suspension
MIKUNI, RS-34'S...
Kerker 4-1, 1.5" comp baffle.
Dyna-S E.I.
Earls 10 row Oil Cooler
Acewell 2802 Series Speedo/Tach
Innovate LC1 Wideband 02 AFR meter
Phoenix, Az
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- shighley
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\'74 Z1-A, Bought new, worn out 3 times, being ridden now
\'83 XVZ12TK, was daily driver until frame broke
\'78 KZ650SR-D1A, Son's bike, I'm the wrench (He's young)!
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- Jack
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I've had copper base and head gaskets in my 1075 MKll for years and it seeps just the tiniest tiniest bit at the head gasket, using APE studs and nuts, 1211 3 Bond and Gaskacinch. YMMV.
79 KZ 1075 MKll
79 KZ 1500 MKll dragbike
Gone but not forgotten:
3 X 73 Z1's
1 X 74 Z1A
1 X 75 Z1B
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- Sandy
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- Fly High,Tony
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The bike ran great til it warmed up.
This was the result,when I pulled the head.
(lesson well learned).
And as far as the silicone you see in the pic,it was only a skin,to help keep the o-ring in place.No thickness at all.
Look closely at the pic,and you can clearly see where the head was leaking.
1977 KZ1000 A-1
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- Old Man Rock
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That's why I couldn't understand how that was going to work out ideally without leaks. The picture you provided was how I imagined but wasn't sure, screwed with my mind it did...
Definitely 2 piece it is....
Thanks all, cleared my old head... :S
OMR
1976 KZ900-A4
MTC 1075cc.
Camshafts: Kawi GPZ-1100 .375 lift
Head: P&P via Larry Cavanaugh
ZX636 suspension
MIKUNI, RS-34'S...
Kerker 4-1, 1.5" comp baffle.
Dyna-S E.I.
Earls 10 row Oil Cooler
Acewell 2802 Series Speedo/Tach
Innovate LC1 Wideband 02 AFR meter
Phoenix, Az
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- Jack
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NB. Just thought of this : If you run copper head gaskets on the street the cylinder sleeves MUST be o-ring grooved at a machine shop and stainless wire of the appropriate diameter inserted into the grooves. If you don't it will leak like Jed Clampett's hole in the ground.
79 KZ 1075 MKll
79 KZ 1500 MKll dragbike
Gone but not forgotten:
3 X 73 Z1's
1 X 74 Z1A
1 X 75 Z1B
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- nads.com
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- School Teacher
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Sandy, can't use the o-ring and a one piece- the groove must be filled to use a one piece head gasket and the o-ring gets tosssed.
NB. Just thought of this : If you run copper head gaskets on the street the cylinder sleeves MUST be o-ring grooved at a machine shop and stainless wire of the appropriate diameter inserted into the grooves. If you don't it will leak like Jed Clampett's hole in the ground.
so i just bought a two piece copper gasket and installed it without this. so i guess i'll be taking it off soon? why use a copper gasket then? does the wire need to be replaced each time the head comes off?
1976 kz900 in parts but will be going some day soon
1980 kz1000G1
1976 kz900 parts bike
1979 kz1000 shaftie parts bike
1978 kz1000 33mm smoothies 1075 kit
Troutdale Oregon USA
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- Sandy
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- Fly High,Tony
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Sandy, can't use the o-ring and a one piece- the groove must be filled to use a one piece head gasket and the o-ring gets tosssed.
That post was my whole point,Jack,thanks.
I learned the hard way,but it only cost me a new head gasket and some more time.
If you look at the date on that posted pic,you'll see that it was a few years ago.
Someone here told me(back then) that it WAS ok to use the o-ring WITH a one-piece head gasket.
Sometimes the best experience is doing it wrong the first time.
1977 KZ1000 A-1
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