Do inexpensive rebuild parts even exist?

KaZooCruiser wrote:

I went to Z1. . .and got confused / frustrated and I gave up after about 15 minutes.

"Parts by make"

"Kawasaki"

"small fours"

"Kz650"

"Kz650-D1A 1978"

so far so good, right?

"engine"
Cam chain guides, dampers, pistons, rings, clutch, shims, etc

no pistons listed

Do a search for "piston"

no pistons for 650

Do a search for "piston ring"

no rings for 650

The site needs work. . .sorry

I've never been able to make their search engine work either. It seems to be retarded. It fails to recognize names of parts they actually do have, which is annoying.

timebomb33 wrote:

i have over 8,000 into my 1393 big block and all i have done with it is make 15 or so dyno run's and three drag strip passes and buddy it was worth every penny because it was intense and once i get the cylinder studs to keep from pulling out of the cases, i'd spend another 8 grand on it again because it is that much of a rush building and riding something that you built with your own two hand's and going quicker than you have ever gone before what a rush.

TB what times and speed are you turning??Must be quick to be worth 8Gs.My bike was running 9s for 2Gs :woohoo: :huh:

bountyhunter wrote:

KaZooCruiser wrote:

I went to Z1. . .and got confused / frustrated and I gave up after about 15 minutes.

"Parts by make"

"Kawasaki"

"small fours"

"Kz650"

"Kz650-D1A 1978"

so far so good, right?

"engine"
Cam chain guides, dampers, pistons, rings, clutch, shims, etc

no pistons listed

Do a search for "piston"

no pistons for 650

Do a search for "piston ring"

no rings for 650

The site needs work. . .sorry

I've never been able to make their search engine work either. It seems to be retarded. It fails to recognize names of parts they actually do have, which is annoying.

i thought it was just me....then again, i have problems doing a search at work on excell.....i put in a number i know is there and nada.....aggravating...as far as Z-1, give em a call.....they are great on the phone......

KaZooCruiser wrote:

It's getting time to re-ring my '78 650, and the head gasket at the dealer is 94 dollars, and the rings are over 250.00.

I saw a wiseco kit on ebay and that was 498 for 4 pistons and rings.

I thought motorcycling was supposed to be economical. . .

have you priced pistons and rings for a 409 chevy lately,or 55 chevy parts ??? bikes are a cheap hobby! :laugh:

chance i only made 3 check out passes with it and i ended tearing two cylinder studs right out of the cases and pushed the head gasket right out into the cam chain tunnel blew oil out all over my back wheel called it a day but i did get 165 horse and 127 ftlbs of tourque out of it on the dynoi have been real busy with this teaching thing in my first two years so i haven't spent the time to fix the cases but i have some new studs and heavy duty solid inserts for in the cases so next year in the spring i'm hoping to get down into the high 8's with it once i get all the bugs worked out of the air shifter and the new lock-upplus the new chassis i just built for it last year also that 8,000 grand was in canadian peso's. i wish i was down south for the prices you guy's can get stuff for. i had an air system leak and couldn't shift into 5th and i still went 10.23 at 131mph spinning all the way thru 1st, 2nd and 3rd so i was happy to begin with. i was getting 1.60's and 70's for 60's and i should have been in the 20's.

here is the head gasket

timebomb33 wrote:

chance i only made 3 check out passes with it and i ended tearing two cylinder studs right out of the cases and pushed the head gasket right out into the cam chain tunnel blew oil out all over my back wheel called it a day but i did get 165 horse and 127 ftlbs of tourque out of it on the dynoi have been real busy with this teaching thing in my first two years so i haven't spent the time to fix the cases but i have some new studs and heavy duty solid inserts for in the cases so next year in the spring i'm hoping to get down into the high 8's with it once i get all the bugs worked out of the air shifter and the new lock-upplus the new chassis i just built for it last year also that 8,000 grand was in canadian peso's. i wish i was down south for the prices you guy's can get stuff for. i had an air system leak and couldn't shift into 5th and i still went 10.23 at 131mph spinning all the way thru 1st, 2nd and 3rd so i was happy to begin with. i was getting 1.60's and 70's for 60's and i should have been in the 20's.

Video or it didn't happen.

DAMN!!! did the gasket bend like that from pressure being relieved in that area?

I dont have a 650 per se...but Z1 just sent me everything for a rebuild for under 300 bucks...only thing I forgot was the fuel lines and filter...I am a cheap sunnamabitch and I had no problems with that!

9am53 wrote:

I dont have a 650 per se...but Z1 just sent me everything for a rebuild for under 300 bucks

1. this is on point. Ok. . .so what exactly did you buy from them to do your 300 dollar rebuild?

2. I am not a racer. . . so discussions in this thread about racing and costs to do moon shots kind of don't help. Not trying to be rude, but please don't hijack this thread. I guess whoever wanted to discuss alternatives to stock operation could start your own thread about costs to race or something. Sorry I wasn't clear about this on the front end.

3. As far as contacting Z1. . .I don't think its a 800 number. . .and because I have an expensive 10 cent a minute telephone, I was hoping I could source out what I need via the most inexpensive method possible, the computer internet at the library. Wouldn't make sense to me to call Z1, get put on hold maybe, and then be told 650 pistons and rings are not available, after it seems the Z1 web site has already indicated that.

I am not doing a total rebuild, but since you started out talking about rings and such I thought that my "rebuild" was pertinent.

My bike is an 82 kz1000, and my total cost came to 318 including shipping to canada and in canadian dollars, which (not for long) would be less in USD shipped to the US...

I got:

a set of rings (for all 4 pistons) which were 20 bucks each set, top end gasket set www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=471
which has basically everything except those darned 18mm O-rings. All new plastic cam chain guides (which you won't need as you have sprockets for that). APE cam chain tensioner, cam end plugs, throttle cable and clutch cable.

I have dealt with them before and they truly are great guys who know their stuff, if you do call with a list of part numbers, and a question regarding the piston rings you wont be on there long...they know their inventory quite well and won't put you on hold.

The first time I dealt with them was for a stator that they didn't have in stock or on the website...I emailed them (couldnt call them from work) and they got back the same day. The stator was for 140, and they knocked off 20 bucks cause it was back ordered...do your research for what you need on the site, and email them with a parts list and any questions...

BTW, nobody was trying to hijack your thread...you didn't post anything for a while so people were just talking...

roy-b-boy-b wrote:

Call them at Z1enterprises. They are friendly and very helpful. Just push option 2. ask for Jeff or Rob.

I don't order over the computer. I just call. Roy

+1

Yeah, just call and talk to them. They're super helpful and can usually get anything you want even if they don't stock it.