Different cams?

A question I always had and alway forgot to ask:
I have a 1982 550 LTD and a 1980 750 LTD. Is there an easy drop in cam from a different bike that could improve performance at all?

I saw some people put 750 GPZ cams in the KZ 750 motors, but it looks like they don't have the tach worm gear drive.

I saw some people put 750 GPZ cams in the KZ 750 motors, but it looks like they don't have the tach worm gear drive.

The whole GPZ models have electrical tachometer. I can confirm at least for my bike (KZ750-R1 1982 aka GPZ 750).
You could always put a electrical tachometer after putting a gpz cam (and plug your tachometer hole).

Avoid turbo cams. They have less lift and less duration.


regards,
laurent

Thanks for the reply. Excuse my ignorance on this, but would I have to rejet or re-time anything? (I have eletronic ignition) It sounds a little too good to be true to just drop them in and go...

Never done a cam swap but you will need to do the following:


-Sync the timing with the crankshaft (anyway you have to do this every time you remove/install a camshaft)

-Convert to electrical tach

And since you switch to electrical tach get the GPZ 750 1983 cams they have even more power in the top end but you will loose power in the low end rpm.


And unless you changing something like pipe or pods... carb mixture are likely to be okay.


Please correct me if i forgot something


EDIT: oh yeah and shim your valve clearance accordingly to your new cams.


regards,
laurent

For the 550's, the 81-83 gpz550 cams will drop in. Even the valve clearance shims may be close enough to not change shims, but obviously you have to double check.

Only the 81 kz550D gpz550 cams have the tach drive on the exhaust cam. Otherwise the intake and exhaust cams are identical on the 81-83 gpz cams.

Timing the cams is the same. Ignition stays same. The 81 gpz carbs are the same as the kz550C, but the main just is two sizes bigger. (94 instead of 92).

Supposedly the gpz heads are ported better than the KZ heads, but I haven't confirmed this. The gpz's also have oil coolers which may become necessary on hot days if you are really using the cams to their fullest.

Here's is all you want to know about kz550 cams:
home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/CamsKZZ...KZZXZR550500400.html