Doing a valve adjustment -- with no shop manual

This is my new-to-me 1980 Kz1000 Z1-Classic, the 'G1' model, the first-ever fuel injected Kz1000.

I am going to do a valve adjustment but I do not have a 1980 kz1000 model 'G1' manual.

However, I do have the manual for the 1981 Kz1000 'J' model (although unlike my '80 bike, the '81 Kz1000 'J' is not fuel injected).

The manual I have says the following are correct ranges for valve clearances:

INTAKE: 0.05mm to 0.15mm
EXHAUST: same as Intake

The above specs are from the 1981 'J' model Kz1000 shop manual.

Anyone know if the 1981 J1 Kz1000 specs above are good to use for my 1980 bike?

Yep..those will work for your bike. But as I mentioned in an earlier post...the J manual (998cc) is not the correct manual for your bike. You need the earlier manual (1015cc bikes) with the supplement for your bike.

Mcdroid wrote:

Yep..those will work for your bike. But as I mentioned in an earlier post...the J manual (998cc) is not the correct manual for your bike. You need the earlier manual (1015cc bikes) with the supplement for your bike.

Well, although the 0.05mm to 0.15mm may be useful, I'm pretty gunshy now about following the instructions to line up the cams in order to accurately check the clearances.

I had no idea that they changed the motor from 1015cc in my 1980 bike, and that there is a newer 998cc motor in the '81 bike.

The instructions in the 1981 kz1000 'J' shop manual for aligning the 'EX' mark on the front exhaust cam sprocket, and lining up the 'punch' indentation on the intake cam sprocket, in 4 steps on the '81 bike, could well be different on my 1980 1015cc motor. For all I know, I will be positioning the cams incorrectly when I check clearances, rendering those checks unusable.

It's funny, because today when I read the 1981 998cc 'J' shop manual and its instructions on how to align marks on the cam sprockets to set up properly for accurate valve clearance checks -- it was noticeably different from the procedure I followed a few months back to check clearances on my '78 kz1000A. Not *radically* different, but it was not the same procedure.

The major difference was the process of lining up marks on the camshaft sprockets to check the valve clearances -- it is different in the '78 kz1000 manual and in the '81 manual I have.

I do have a shop manual for another 1015cc bike, that being my 1978 kz1000 'A' bike -- do you think the valve clearance checking procedure on the '78 1015cc motor and the '80 1015cc motor will be the same?

Your G model has more in common with the 1015cc models than it does with the J models (because your G IS a 1015cc model)...but there are sufficient differences between early and late 1015cc models (and your G is a late 1015cc model) that might justify purchasing a late 1015cc FSM and the G supplement. Your early 1015cc manual will get you by in a pinch.

I found an old Clymer manual online for $35 that claims to be appropriate for 1973-1980 bikes and apparently my 'G1' model must not have sold well -- not even ebay has a G1 shop manual. So I'm gonna try the '78 kz1000 valve adjustment process and check to see if the photos of the cams and the markings used to line up the cams looks the same as the cam sprocket markings on my 1980 bike.
Dont feel like spending $35 for a dog-eared old Clymer manual.

I have got to get the valve adjustment done on my '80 Kz so this should work -- the fact that the Clymer manual is the same for the 1973-80 bike makes me think I'll be alright.

newOld_kz1000 wrote:

I found an old Clymer manual online for $35 that claims to be appropriate for 1973-1980 bikes and apparently my 'G1' model must not have sold well -- not even ebay has a G1 shop manual.

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1980-KAWASAKI-KZ...ManualsQ5fLiterature

Above is an eBay supplement for your bike for US$8...but your KZ1000-A1/A2 base manual will get you through most situations. There were about 3000 G units manufactured.

i never understood why if there where only 3000 (u.s model?..imported to u.s??)

why they never draw more money..it is a big crank MKII engine...yes?


i understand the different styling but all the goods are there to produce a decent stomper...

i see them turn up in good condition and trashed and they always seem to draw less than a like condition kz-z1-MKII ect...always wondered why folks dont grab em

that is a steal and even though it will be a thin add on to a proper 1980 kz1000 manual, it will list the simple changes,and the "cautions" before proceeding always do thia ect......

most shared stuff it simply will say refer to standard service manual...then you at least can read into it "No changes"

Mcdroid wrote:

newOld_kz1000 wrote:

I found an old Clymer manual online for $35 that claims to be appropriate for 1973-1980 bikes and apparently my 'G1' model must not have sold well -- not even ebay has a G1 shop manual.

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1980-KAWASAKI-KZ...ManualsQ5fLiterature

Above is an eBay supplement for your bike for US$8...but your KZ1000-A1/A2 base manual will get you through most situations. There were about 3000 G units manufactured.

trianglelaguna wrote:

i never understood why if there where only 3000 (u.s model?..imported to u.s??)

why they never draw more money..it is a big crank MKII engine...yes?


i understand the different styling but all the goods are there to produce a decent stomper...

i see them turn up in good condition and trashed and they always seem to draw less than a like condition kz-z1-MKII ect...always wondered why folks dont grab em

Its that bigass pillow for a seat. The rest of the bike's lines are fine. Then your eye catches that pillow. Does not look swift having a 'fat girlfriend' seat on your cruiser (apologies go out to my bro who likes fat chicks).

Imo, an acceptable option is to simply point cam directly away from shim, and then use thickness gauge to measure clearance between base of cam and shim.

Specification is 0.05~0.15 mm valve clearance for both intake and exhaust.

Good Fortune!

Patton wrote:

Imo, an acceptable option is to simply point cam directly away from shim, and then use thickness gauge to measure clearance between base of cam and shim.

Specification is 0.05~0.15 mm valve clearance for both intake and exhaust.

Good Fortune!

That's not only acceptable, it's the best way because you're absolutely on the base circle when you measure the lash.

Patton wrote:

Imo, an acceptable option is to simply point cam directly away from shim, and then use thickness gauge to measure clearance between base of cam and shim.

Specification is 0.05~0.15 mm valve clearance for both intake and exhaust.

Good Fortune!

Agreed, thanks Patton it makes sense. I also got lucky and out of desperation dug through my huge stack of motorcycle books/magazines etc. and found a dang Clymer manual that covers '73-'80. I have gotten so many manuals with the various bikes I have bought over the years. You go buy a used bike, the bike is fine but there is the seller saying "since you're buying the bike you may as well get the manual" -- how many times has that happened to you folks. I did not remember having it.

So I looked it up, to find the differences between the 1978 kz1000 valve adjustment and the 1980 Z1 Classic kz1000.

The manual says:
"The 1980 Z1 Classic is basically a 1980 Kz1000 LTD. Also, all maintenance for the 1980 Kz1000 LTD and Z1 Classic are the same as the 1979 LTD model" with these exceptions:

1) Gas tank removal is different for the 1980 Z1 Classic (has a 'return fuel' gas line you have to block off)

2) the valve adjustment is otherwise just like the 1979 LTD kz1000.

So I looked in the Clymer book -- here's what separates my 1978 shop manual from the 1979 valve adjustment:

1) remove the air suction valve cover on top of the valve train cover (this air suction valve pulls air from the airbox to the exhaust valve area to more fully burn exhaust gases - an EPA compliance thing I reckon)


That's the only difference between the 1980 Kz1000 Z1 classic and the 1978 kz1000 -- gas tank and air valve cover. The actual process of lining up the cams correctly to check the clearances is identical to the earlier bikes.

Just thought I'd cover those differences here so its searchable in the site's database.


Thanks for your help guys, truth be told I didn't need to find the Clymer to do it, you guys gave me the info I needed, I woulda figured out the differences on my own.