top head gasket leaking.

I find the Clymer to be okay, but I don't have anything to compare to. I might still try it, I got lots of time ahead of me, riding season isn't for another 3 months or so.

Just watch your cam timing. You will learn to count to 28.
You will actually count to 28 a lot. Did i memtion there are 28 links between the timing marks?

And be very careful when you tighten the cam caps down. Take nore that there is a groove in the cam caps and you need to line the cams side to side so the caps don't bind and you break a cap. Roy

Be careful using the Clymer's book for torque values. I remember somewhere on this site where a couple folks stripped cam caps because the numbers were wrong (too high) but I don't recall which model was involved. Maybe post the numbers here for verification before tightening things down. Ed

Well, FWIW.....the 650 cam cap bolts (6mm) are supposed to be torqued to 95-113 inch pounds....which isn't a whole heckuva lot, IMO....but that's what it says in the FSM.
For some reason, you don't need any "non-permanent locking agent" on the cam cap bolts but you DO need it on the four bolts holding the upper chain guide sprocket. Must be because the guide sprocket bracket is kind of rubber mounted ???

The idler sprocket gets a lot of vibration from the chain links and this varies with rpm. This will tend to loosen fasteners(bolts,screws) unless secured somehow.

Man i'm gettin spooked. I have the clymer book,maybe i'll let the dealership handle it. The guy that is doing it is a straight guy that doesnt rip folks off,he is the one that told me right around 6 hours labor.

kzmarvo wrote:

Man i'm gettin spooked. I have the clymer book,maybe i'll let the dealership handle it. The guy that is doing it is a straight guy that doesnt rip folks off,he is the one that told me right around 6 hours labor.

Did he quote you a price? That's all you really care about, not hours labor. I'd be surprised if a dealer would do it for less than $800, at least around here for sure.

It's not all that difficult of a job, but on a 900 or 1000 make note of what marks are referred to in the manuals for cam timing. A lot of guys have used the wrong marks and bent valves. On a KZ650, marks are no problem so just follow instructions. Be sure and replace rubber orings because these are the leaks, not the gasket itself most likely. I don't remember the manuals ever saying to use loctite on the 4 allen bolts that hold the tensioner to the head and I've never used it and have never had a problem, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt. Even though it's rubber mounted, the bolts still tighten against the steel pins so no problem torqing them down.

kzmarvo wrote:

Man i'm gettin spooked. I have the clymer book,maybe i'll let the dealership handle it. The guy that is doing it is a straight guy that doesnt rip folks off,he is the one that told me right around 6 hours labor.

do yourself and your wallet a favor...do it yourself..
if you are even semi mechanically inclined, do it yourself....i have the clymer manual and i read and re-read it 3 times b4 i jumped in....its basic nuts and bolts...i just completed my first top-end rebuild and with some help from the members here,
everything was good....it might seem like a duanting task, but it really isnt.....

keith1 wrote:

kzmarvo wrote:

Man i'm gettin spooked. I have the clymer book,maybe i'll let the dealership handle it. The guy that is doing it is a straight guy that doesnt rip folks off,he is the one that told me right around 6 hours labor.

do yourself and your wallet a favor...do it yourself..
if you are even semi mechanically inclined, do it yourself....i have the clymer manual and i read and re-read it 3 times b4 i jumped in....its basic nuts and bolts...i just completed my first top-end rebuild and with some help from the members here,
everything was good....it might seem like a duanting task, but it really isnt.....

i would rate my skills as fair to middlin' and i can do the teardown in two hours...get a second set of semi mechanically inclined hands for assembly and thats 2 hours again....add an hour tops if alone....6 hrs is probably book and a good wrench can beat that all day....6 hrs at rate is a stealership bill....not to mention what they will bag you for cam chain componenets that depending
on mileage you will need...you can get em cheaper
than they will charge you....a stock head gasket is cheap....go with a cometic and fill the o ring groove...shave down chain rubbers flush and you,re good....advice that was given to me and it was good...

I'm fairly mechanical,been working on cars since i was 13. I can do carbs,motor swaps,almost everything needed to keep something running. I just nenver got into taking a bike engine apart,never used a torque wrench,my ol man was oldschool like a mofo and would always tear it down and put it back the way it came apart and it always worked.

kzmarvo wrote:

I'm fairly mechanical,been working on cars since i was 13. I can do carbs,motor swaps,almost everything needed to keep something running. I just nenver got into taking a bike engine apart,never used a torque wrench,my ol man was oldschool like a mofo and would always tear it down and put it back the way it came apart and it always worked.

well, you are gonna need to know how to use a torque wrench.....20 bucks at harbor freight and i can tell you how to use it or about 50 other people here can....i used to twist many a wrench on old mopars twenty something years ago and this isnt any harder...trust me....keith