1979 engine rplacing 1978

My question is how to deal with the fact that the 79 motor have the air passages and the 78 dose not. I do not wont to put different air box on. Just wont to know if I can just block this off on 79 motor. Thought I could just switch valve cover

Ask at www.z1enterprises.com Jeff is very knowledgeable about the older Kawasaki's

The cylinder head and valve cover have the emissions ports in them on a 79. So you have 2 choices, you can either use the 79 valve cover and have to block the ports at the top, or you can use the 78 valve cover and block the ports in the head. I've never done either, but would bet JB weld stuck in the ports of the head would seal them up, then the 78 valve cover could be fitted.

when i was younger,(not dumber,cause i haven't got much smarter)i used spent .38 special cases with a jb weld smear drove into the smog ports(in the head)to plug them and ran the old valve cover.still got the head,and my buddies still alternately think i am a genius or a dumba$$.i get confused:huh: .

See if you can find yourself a Canadian or UK 79 MKll or LTD rocker cover- no EPA,no ports.US was the only country to have the polution ports,same for J/GPZ's later on. Good luck.

yabut,the head will still have the holes that will still need to be plugged. :huh:

531blackbanshee wrote:

yabut,the head will still have the holes that will still need to be plugged. :huh:

Don't think so.

We had this discussion some time ago, and someone posted pics of the UK valve cover. It was different than any sold in the US, the UK version looked exactly like the 79 US version on bottom, it just didn't have the passages. In other words, the valve cover and gasket sealed the holes on the UK/Canada model.

APE sells the block off plates. Just use those. I know where a Canadian valve cover is. Tony might get upset if he came home and found it missing. :laugh:


Edit-woops is it 650? If it is you could make your own plates and cover the port.

I have taken the covers off and will make 2 cover plates.

Thanks for the help.

Blocking off the top would be the safest bet. Expanding on Steeles note, I'm not sure if a 1978 cover would actually cover the emissions holes in the head or not, but assuming it does as Steele suggests if anyone did go that routt be sure and use a 1979 gasket. The 78 has no gasket material to go around the emissions holes so if you did use a 1978 cover and it actually covered the holes there would be no gasket seal using a 1978 gasket. Hope this makes sense.

dammit man,once again my lack of knowledge about non-us models gets me a lesson.thanks for the heads up steel:blush: .

The 78 valve cover won't cover the ports coming up from the runner just outside the exhaust valve in the cylinder head. Another issue is the 78 used a smaller idler assembly for the cam chain I think and the 78 valve cover won't fit over the 79 idler assembly... you would have to use the smaller 78 idler assembly as well. I personally wouldn't try plugging the port going down to the combustion chamber area with JB Weld as some might drip down in there. I would prefer to use the 79 valve cover and plug the two snouts where the hoses go with JB Weld or Permatex black silicon or something. Others have threaded those snouts and screwed in large bolts or something along those lines.