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Stock KZ1000 Camshaft technical info
- testarossa
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- Attack life, it's only trying to kill you.
My current engine setup is a 78 1015cc motor with stock pistons and bore. I have changed to a welded KZ900 crank since my alternator was spun on the original crank. I still have the VM26 carbs for now with pods and a 4 into 1 exhaust. Like I said before, this is strictly a street driven bike. I already have a hot rod bike, so I want this to pull well from a stop to the midrange. It doesn't kill me if I don't have the ultimate top end performance. Thanks in advance for your help.
1978 KZ1000 A2 Click--->Build Thread
2004 ZX-10R
2007 Harley Sportster 1200
2020 Harley Street Glide Special
Angola, IN
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- nads.com
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- larrycavan
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I was hoping to get some help with the correct specifications for the stock camshafts on a 1978 KZ1000 A2. Primarily, what I am interested in, is what angle the lobe centers should be set to from the factory. Also, I would like to know if there were any good changes that can be made with the stock cams for a street driven bike. I am interested in degreeing my stock cams just for informational purposes. I would like to see how close they are to correct with the stock pulleys, and if I could change the timing a little to change the power delivery.
My current engine setup is a 78 1015cc motor with stock pistons and bore. I have changed to a welded KZ900 crank since my alternator was spun on the original crank. I still have the VM26 carbs for now with pods and a 4 into 1 exhaust. Like I said before, this is strictly a street driven bike. I already have a hot rod bike, so I want this to pull well from a stop to the midrange. It doesn't kill me if I don't have the ultimate top end performance. Thanks in advance for your help.
Use a new cam chain and just bolt them back in the motor with stock timing marks. If you pull the centers down to 106 or so you can pick up a little more peak torque but overall the 110 centers are just fine for a stock motor.
Torque can be increased at the peak or spread around a little. You can't get both from cam timing changes
It will rev as little quicker with the lighter 900 crank anyway.....
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- testarossa
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stock is 110. 104 to 105 on both is good for 4to5hp and a good broad power band. You'll leave the stop sighns with alot more gusto.. Then I'll blow by you around 80 and you'll wish u were on your other bike, cuz I would'nt set mine nowhwere near that :woohoo:
Thanks for the information on the stock separation angle. I couldn't seem to find it by searching last night.
I guess that I am confused by this statement. If I tighten the separation angle to 105 then I gain 4-5 hp and broaden the power band, but I'll loose the top end? Usually horsepower gains are made at the top end with all else being equal. Are you speaking about gaining mid-range hp? Have you actually tested this on a dyno? I'm sorry, and I'm not trying to bust your balls, but some of this information seems to conflict with what I have read elsewhere.
After reading through OMR's "Motorcycle Cam Degreeing for Zombies." I took the link to Web Cams calculator and I found this little chart:
VARYING LOBE SEPARATION ANGLE
Tighten
Moves Torque to Lower RPM
Increases Maximum Torque
Narrow Powerband Higher Cylinder Pressure
Increase Chance of Engine Knock
Increase Cranking Compression
Increase Effective Compression
Idle Vacuum is Reduced
Idle Quality Suffers
Open Valve-Overlap Increases
Closed Valve-Overlap Increases
Natural EGR Effect Increases
Decreases Piston-to-Valve Clearance
Widen
Raise Torque to Higher RPM
Reduces Maximum Torque
Broadens Power Band
Reduce Maximum Cylinder Pressure
Decrease Chance of Engine Knock
Decrease Cranking Compression
Decrease Effective Compression
Idle Vacuum is Increased
Idle Quality Improves
Open Valve-Overlap Decreases
Closed Valve-Overlap Decreases
Natural EGR Effect is Reduced
Increases Piston-to-valve clearance
OMR's tutorial is an excellent resource for those who are interested in learning to degree their own cams.
1978 KZ1000 A2 Click--->Build Thread
2004 ZX-10R
2007 Harley Sportster 1200
2020 Harley Street Glide Special
Angola, IN
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- testarossa
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Use a new cam chain and just bolt them back in the motor with stock timing marks. If you pull the centers down to 106 or so you can pick up a little more peak torque but overall the 110 centers are just fine for a stock motor.
Torque can be increased at the peak or spread around a little. You can't get both from cam timing changes
It will rev as little quicker with the lighter 900 crank anyway.....
Thanks Larry. I was hoping that you would chime-in. I figured that you would say this, but I had to ask anyway. Who am I to question what Mother Kaw decided was the best timing for the stock cams. BTW I did put a new Tsubaki cam chain in there.
1978 KZ1000 A2 Click--->Build Thread
2004 ZX-10R
2007 Harley Sportster 1200
2020 Harley Street Glide Special
Angola, IN
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- PLUMMEN
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Still recovering,some days are better than others.
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- nads.com
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nads.com wrote:
stock is 110. 104 to 105 on both is good for 4to5hp and a good broad power band. You'll leave the stop sighns with alot more gusto.. Then I'll blow by you around 80 and you'll wish u were on your other bike, cuz I would'nt set mine nowhwere near that :woohoo:
Thanks for the information on the stock separation angle. I couldn't seem to find it by searching last night.
I guess that I am confused by this statement. If I tighten the separation angle to 105 then I gain 4-5 hp and broaden the power band, but I'll loose the top end? Usually horsepower gains are made at the top end with all else being equal. Are you speaking about gaining mid-range hp? Have you actually tested this on a dyno? I'm sorry, and I'm not trying to bust your balls, but some of this information seems to conflict with what I have read elsewhere. Dale Walker (owner holshot performance) has a cam degreeing video and on that video he states ,, for degreeing yourt stock cams on either suzukis or kawasakis, move lobe centers to 104 to 105 for an increase of 4 to 5hp and a good broad power band. Basically what your doing there is moveing the power band peak down just a bit. With the intake opening earlier the engine gets more charge in the cylinder, and closes earlier increasing cranking compression. Add the now retarded exhaust cam opening later (allows more burn time torque is increased) and the fact that it closes later ( is open longer while the intake is open and drawing in charge) the result here is more fuel charge pulled into the chamber (scavenging). I personally would stick with 106 since piston to valve clearance starts to get close with the intake valve close to the piston on the intake stroke. The clearance should be measured on both valves just for peace of mind. I'm sure the power will increase and I think you'll like how it will be. It just won't be quite so forgiving when you miss a shift since clearance won't be what it use to be.
After reading through OMR's "Motorcycle Cam Degreeing for Zombies." I took the link to Web Cams calculator and I found this little chart:
VARYING LOBE SEPARATION ANGLE
Tighten
Moves Torque to Lower RPM
Increases Maximum Torque
Narrow Powerband Higher Cylinder Pressure
Increase Chance of Engine Knock
Increase Cranking Compression
Increase Effective Compression
Idle Vacuum is Reduced
Idle Quality Suffers
Open Valve-Overlap Increases
Closed Valve-Overlap Increases
Natural EGR Effect Increases
Decreases Piston-to-Valve Clearance
Widen
Raise Torque to Higher RPM
Reduces Maximum Torque
Broadens Power Band
Reduce Maximum Cylinder Pressure
Decrease Chance of Engine Knock
Decrease Cranking Compression
Decrease Effective Compression
Idle Vacuum is Increased
Idle Quality Improves
Open Valve-Overlap Decreases
Closed Valve-Overlap Decreases
Natural EGR Effect is Reduced
Increases Piston-to-valve clearance
OMR's tutorial is an excellent resource for those who are interested in learning to degree their own cams.
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- nads.com
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- mark1122
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lets be realistic though, u are not going to feel a really big dif with a lc change alone. but if u want to learn about cam degreeing, what a great opportunity to try it booth ways, and feel the dif..
u already had a killer zx10, so this old kz is going to be a big disappointment in the power department. so u may as well build it for what it was meant to be, a low end torque machine. that is what makes it a very dif animal than the zx10.
76 KZ, frame gusset work,1200CC.Ported by Larry Cavanaugh, 1.5mm.over intakes, Carron Pipe, ZRX12 rear end, and seat,96zx9 front end.
01 CBR600F4i Track bike.
Cobourg, Ont. Can.
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- testarossa
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1978 KZ1000 A2 Click--->Build Thread
2004 ZX-10R
2007 Harley Sportster 1200
2020 Harley Street Glide Special
Angola, IN
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- larrycavan
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I'm a great advocate of short duration camshafts in combination with a good flowing head, compression and reasonably sized carburetors. I've preached that for several years on here.
You've never seen any post by me telling anybody to put in any cam with more duration that 252@ .050 lift for a street motor.
The cams I use most frequently are:
CM Z1 or Z2 grinds
Web 118 Grinds for 1015 motors with 29's and street heads.
Web 483 grind .395 / 242@ .050. also for small street motors with good head and proper size carburetors.
1135 J motors run 6.18 1/8th mile time after time with compression, 38 Trons and GPz11 cams.
I don't get it why people hang on to the notion that big carbs and big cams are needed for street bikes....just ain't so :kiss:
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- PLUMMEN
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word! :laugh:I don't build engines targeted for only top end performance as was suggested. That's hogwash.
I'm a great advocate of short duration camshafts in combination with a good flowing head, compression and reasonably sized carburetors. I've preached that for several years on here.
You've never seen any post by me telling anybody to put in any cam with more duration that 252@ .050 lift for a street motor.
The cams I use most frequently are:
CM Z1 or Z2 grinds
Web 118 Grinds for 1015 motors with 29's and street heads.
Web 483 grind .395 / 242@ .050. also for small street motors with good head and proper size carburetors.
1135 J motors run 6.18 1/8th mile time after time with compression, 38 Trons and GPz11 cams.
I don't get it why people hang on to the notion that big carbs and big cams are needed for street bikes....just ain't so :kiss:
Still recovering,some days are better than others.
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