I think I bent my valves

I picked up a 1980 Kz1000 shaft that had been living in a field for years, my goal is to get it running as cheaply as possible, and just have for riding around town, possibly short trips.

The motor was locked up due to water in the cylinders, and the odometer says 24k (what little history I have on the bike says this is probably correct).

So I tore the motor down for a quick and dirty rebuild.

1. Inspected the bottom end, all looks quite good, nothing done.
2. Replaced the jugs, pistons, etc.
3. Tore down the head, cleaned and inspected it. Yes, a valve job is in order, but it looks good enough to run. Cleaned the valves and entire head, checked the springs, replaced the stem seals.
4. Re-assembled with needed cam chain idlers, gaskets, etc.
5. Quick check of valve clearance: 3 need adjustment, but are not too far out, and ALL have clearance between lobe and tappet (all should close completely).

Now the first problem...

I was rushing to get it back together, lighting was not ideal, and I put in the exhaust cam 180 degrees out of correct position...
I turned the motor by hand slowly and it seemed to ever so slightly bind up. I should have stopped right here and investigated, but I didn't. Very, very dumb! Thinking this was just the new parts, I didn't look any further. After that it turned easily and smoothly.

It cranks under the starter just fine, but there's no compression in any cylinder. I pulled the valve cover and found the cams running in perfect sync, so there won't be any compression.

I fixed the cam position, and verified valves open and close with correct timing.

Re-check compression and I get:
cyl 1: 45psi
cyl 2: 0
cyl 3: 0
cyl 4: 65 psi

It's clear something is wrong but I gather more data:

Add 1 tblsp oil in each cyl and re-check compression:
cyl 1: 75 psi
cyl 2: 0
cyl 3: 75 psi
cyl 4: 100 psi

My theory is that the 180 out cam installation and subsequent turning of the crank bent some valve(s), no seal, no compression. The oil just helps slow the leak and probably helps build up the brand new ring sealing.

What do you think? If valves are bent, what generally needs to be replaced (just valves, or more?)

thanks,

n

probably just new valves and a good valve job,check the guides while youre in there.did your chain and other valvetrain parts look ok when it was apart 1st time?

Yes, chain looked great. I did replace the chain idlers, some rubber buffer pads, chain adjuster skid.

I was actually blown away how clean the inside of this motor was... what killed it was a small amount of water in 3 cylinders. Wasps got into the reed valve caps too, but all else was impressive.

Do you think the 180 out cam would have caused valve damage?

picture your intake and exhuast valves trying to occupy the same space at same time!:blink: or rosie odonnel and roseann barr both trying to occupy the same porta potty,it aint a purdy sight!:laugh:

I'm sad enough as it is to have trashed my motor, and you have to bring up Rosanne?? That's just mean man, just mean! :S

Here's the thing though. In the 180 out position I caused (at TDC, the intake was correct, and the exhaust was 180 out), the lobes on the cams are pointing in the same direction, so the intake and exhaust will open and close at the same time.

The intakes should be happy, and the exhausts should be ok too since they are opening and closing as the intakes do...

or am I missing something?

they open towards each other is the problem,thats the binding you felt when they went bump

Ahhh. My stupidity is now very clear.

Thanks for your input. I'll pull the head and pay more attention this time.

if thats the worst thing you ever do youre doing pretty good, ive made much bigger more expensive screwups! :laugh:

tell us o wise plummen dood what have you messed up or exploded and then we can all share :blush: :blush:

i sunk a dragboat with a brandnew heavily breathed on Ls-7 454 in it with 30 minutes on motor, i put a bunch of pieces through the bottem of a kaw turbo cuz i didnt think welding the crank was needed with that little back tire,i put 5 rods through the sides of a small block chevy once,i drove my 61 chevy 1t 4x4 dumptruck across a good chunk of the platte river out to the sandbars to prove to my buddies in the jeeps it was no big deal,spent next 2 days cleaning mud/sand out of my axles but it was fun!:woohoo: ....... trust me ive done much stupider things in the name of trial and error!:laugh:

PLUMMEN wrote:

i sunk a dragboat with a brandnew heavily breathed on Ls-7 454 in it with 30 minutes on motor, i put a bunch of pieces through the bottem of a kaw turbo cuz i didnt think welding the crank was needed with that little back tire,i put 5 rods through the sides of a small block chevy once,i drove my 61 chevy 1t 4x4 dumptruck across a good chunk of the platte river out to the sandbars to prove to my buddies in the jeeps it was no big deal,spent next 2 days cleaning mud/sand out of my axles but it was fun!:woohoo: ....... trust me ive done much stupider things in the name of trial and error!:laugh:

All normal things that occur in the lifespan of a gear head......Down the road, those are the funny stories that get told....

larrycavan wrote:

PLUMMEN wrote:

i sunk a dragboat with a brandnew heavily breathed on Ls-7 454 in it with 30 minutes on motor, i put a bunch of pieces through the bottem of a kaw turbo cuz i didnt think welding the crank was needed with that little back tire,i put 5 rods through the sides of a small block chevy once,i drove my 61 chevy 1t 4x4 dumptruck across a good chunk of the platte river out to the sandbars to prove to my buddies in the jeeps it was no big deal,spent next 2 days cleaning mud/sand out of my axles but it was fun!:woohoo: ....... trust me ive done much stupider things in the name of trial and error!:laugh:

All normal things that occur in the lifespan of a gear head......Down the road, those are the funny stories that get told....

I love you guys...LOL