Valve Question

Checked my intake valves and I don't have clearance in any of them. The exhausts are within spec. Anyway, pulled the first 3 intake shims out and they are sized from 2.25 to 2.35, so when I get some thinner ones, I may be able to achieve the necessary clearance. However, on the #4 intake, there is currently a 2.10 in there and I'm afraid I'm not going to have sufficient clearance as I understand 2.00mm is the thinnest shim. Any suggestions if I can't get any clearance with a 2.00 short of removing the head? I did have alot of ticking coming from the right side and it was probably that #4 intake. Thanks.

kind of strange,usually exhuastvalves take more of a beating than intakes inmy experiance anyway. id say pull the head and see what seats and faces of valves look like.

To answer, .10mm is a TON of clearance. See if you can spin the shim with the 2.10 shim. IF you can, there is a little clearance meaning while not in spec, you are not at absolutely no clearance. Once you figure out if you can shim and fix the problem, if you can't it MAY be that someone installed different intake valves because as Plummen stated, you should find this issue on the exhaust valves and not intake so it is kind of odd. Having said that, they may not have tipped the valves properly when installing. On our webiste, go to our Vintage Bike Tech forum and join up and then download the genuine Kaw KZ1000 Factory Service manual. It has stem length specs and info on tipping. You can probably grind the valve stems a bit and get your clearances back up to where they should be hopefully; otherwise, look for a new cylinder head.

grumpy56; I have surface ground 2.00 shims in the past and they worked for me. I think I only took .002 or .003 off. The FSM states do not grind the shims. I took this to mean that you shouldn't walk over to your bench grinder and hold the thing with a pair of pliers and go crazy. The shims have a lapped finish from the factory and the surfaces are pretty good in flatness and parallelism. I believe the lapped finish is necessary to wear properly against the cam lobe. If you have a machinist friend that knows how to use a surface grinder and you don't need to remove more than a little, go for it. I installed the ground shim with the lapped surface against the lobe (shim over) and the lapped surface against the valve stem (shim under). Z1A/KZ650.
As usual, I'm not a professional wrench and this practice is forbidden in the FSM. Proceed at risk. Ride safe, Steve

I know you said that the valve clearance is not within spec. Did you try a smaller size feeler gauge (.001" or .0005")if you have any clearance at all, you may have a shot with a #200 shim.(how does the cam lobe look?)

You most likely know that as these motors run, the valve face gets beaten into the valve seat. A lot of the time when you look at a used valve, there is a "cup shape" on the valve face (less wear on the valve seat). The more the valve face is cupped, the further the valve stem is moved upward.(a greater stem height)The more it moves up the smaller the shim until you can't reduce the shim size enough. My guess would be that when it had it's last valve job, someone set the stem height very tall. Maybe through ignorance or to use a smaller shim for less weight on the valve train. They could of faced the valves alittle to much. You already have other shims that are on the smaller side(#225-#235)this is a clue. The more miles you put on it the smaller those shims will get. If it's a valve face, I would worry about the valve head coming off. Only you know, what your budget is! Myself, I would do a valve job to save time and money down the road. These are high RPM engines that have been whiped for years. Just my imput, I hope it will help.

If the head needs a valve job, then the valves can be 'tipped" and put back into the center of the shim range.

Thanks to you all for all the helpful info. When I put a 2.00 shim in the #4 intake tonight, I now have about 0.09mm of clearance, so I guess I am OK for now. Also, I have been unable to safely remove all of some sort of gray gasket sealer on the head and valve cover. Do you all think the gasket (new one) will seal it? Or should I use some sort of gasket goop (which I would prefer not to do). But, oil leaks drive me nuts, so your thoughts are appreciated.

yeah a new valve gasket installed on clean surfaces with no sealent will seal....

use brake clean or carb cleaner and a razor blade and take your time that sealer will come off and dont try to put in a new gasket until it is all off both surfaces when it is clean don't ever use any sealent again it is not nesscary just put the gasket in dry