valve adjustment kz750e1

If you have to tell a shop that a KZ750/4 is shim under bucket let alone where the cam chain is HANG UP THE PHONE .

If I or others dig a bit I'm sure we can find a FSM for you . It doesn't help a bit if you don't read it .
K&L Supply markets a large selection of replacement cam chains . All use a proven master link design that I've been using for years with success . Ask K&L for a distributor near you .
Adjustable cam sprockets are one way to get the best out of what you've got . APE or Jeff @ Z!-enterprises .
Just do what I did near 40 years ago . Quit paying someone else to work on your bike . You don't come off like a garden variety vegetable so it can't be any harder than doing yearly taxes or do you have someone do that too ? The FSM assumes that you have a brain and "some" experience . Unfortunately The Manual also assumes you have some "uncommon sense" , most upright walking apes do not . What you have now is instant access to an entire world of information and experience . What I had was no money , a broken bike , a father with tools , a machinist down the alley and one mechanic willing to talk to me . I read everything Gordon Jennings ever wrote . I came to understand Kevin Cammeron and appreciate his fine mind . I absorbed all the classic designers intuition I could find . 40 years later I think I get it finally and I'm still an information sponge .
Most people I take the time to type to end up being too lazy or cheep to buy the manual or have an IQ somewhat less than that of a garden vegetable . In the end though someone almost always benefits from my experience . Either that or I toss the broom and the manual at them and ask them if they're smarter than either ....

~kop

Temporarily clamp off the the line to the vacuum petcock . Does the ticking/tapping stop ?
insert a restriction in the vacuum line (0.025")

isnt this line just to pull a vacuum off the tank....real question being- how would this be related to the noises??
and also to another question...is raising the idle to make the noises go away kind of like wearing a turtleneck so you cant see the tumor on your neck? or just a simple solution?

ya i actually got the service manual right from this site(thank you). ya i do my own taxes...its easy though beacause i make ship for money! i was going to start this morning but the question arose if my bike is welcome any longer where it is....if it isnt i need to rent a storage unit big enough for my bike and a bench..

but thanks again your knowledge is not falling on deaf or dumb ears..

One thing also on your bike, would be that it has a Primary Drive Chain between the Crank & Trans. If the Carb Sync is off it will escalate any noise in that area. They have no tensioner or snubber block, so as they stretch you can get a rattle sound. Good luck and I'm sure you will be able to make it much better after the maintenance is done.

Coming off #2 carb is a vacuum line to the fuel petcock . Place a restriction in the line with a hole approx 0.025" . Or alternately with the fuel lever in the prime position (straight down) clamp the vacuum line and see if the "ticking" stops .The vacuum petcock gets it's vacuum from the pulse of just one intake and the spring/diaphragm bounce on the outlet seat of the petcock causing the tank to echo and amplify the sound .

The cam chain tensioner is just as big an abortifact as the vacuum petcock . We have a member here that builds quality manual adjusters .

If the top end isn't making a "little" noise , worry . Valve clearances are around 0.006" and 4-7 are ok . even 0.004" makes a bit of noise . Hint , if it's new to you adjust the valves . just do it .

If it burns oil get over it . They all do . Kinda goes with the air cooled deal .

Never operate with a dead battery . Stators are expensive .


If it still has the sintered bronze full metallic pads on it toss them for ebc semi-metallic .

Service the front forks . If you open one and find a mixture of gray toothpaste looking crap that smells like fish oil then they haven't been touched since new .

Correct (thank you) It uses an internal primary chain to drive the gearbox from the crankshaft that just adds to the backlash in the system . If the valves arn't right you can't get the carb sync right . If the valves and carb sync arn't right you can't adjust the idle mixture . If you don't have the valves , carb sync and idle mixture right it will sound like a box o rocks . Kawasaki recommends 900-1000 rpm idle , I set it at 1125 rpm or just high enough that it doesn't rock on the primary but just low enough that it will quickly return to idle . Any air leaks , valve sealing problems or dirt , grit , deposits or wear in the carbs will make this difficult to impossible .
Far from being a quick fix it's a complete inspection , examination and adjustment of the entire system .
Last but not least I've seen the mechanical advance wear to the point where the advance at idle will fluctuate as much as 10 degrees . This can be worn out springs , worn advance weight pivot or both .

~kop

kopcicle wrote: The cam chain tensioner is just as big an abortifact as the vacuum petcock . We have a member here that builds quality manual adjusters .



~kop

who makes these then chap , im after one for my kz750 h3.
many thanks!

I'll check to make sure the powers that be will allow such a reference publicly . In the mean time you have a PM

~kop

Dont mean to bump an old thread, but this is something I am pretty interested in as well. I have been debating for some time replacing the automatic cam chain adjuster on my 650C, and going with a manual unit. Of course, APE has one, but if there is someone here fabbing them up, then I would sort of prefer to but from a fellow KZ'er.

PM perhaps if a public posting is not permitted.

Thanks!
Jon

The '78 KZ650-C2 originally came with a manual cam chain tensioner. If your bike has an automatic tensioner someone must have installed it in place of the original one. You may want to just pick up one of the original units; they work great and are readily available on eBay. Ed

Hmmm... Its a pain to be so far away from home, and unable check this out personally. I've had some confusion about model designation and such in the past, or perhaps it is the motorcyle novice coming through again.
The bike has stock aluminum rims, and the 3 rotor setup. It is for sure a 78, and as far I know, and can tell has pretty much most of the stock bits. (Except for the exhaust/pods, and the DYNA i installed last year...)

So, perhaps my understanding of an automatic cam chain tensioner is incorrect, or perhaps you are right ed. Mine is the type where you line up your timing marks to the edge of the case, or on the timing plate. (I forget, but DO have and USE Factory Manual.) then loosen the locking nut on the side of the tensioner and back out the retaining bolt a little. This allows the internal spring to push the chain tension guide in a little, putting correct tension on the chain. The retaining bolt is then tightened to torque, and the lock nut also tightened. So... my (perhaps incorrect) understanding of this type of system was that is was 'automatic' since the spring take up the slack, rather than a manually turned nut something more like the APE model. Now, I know you are a proponent of stock bits on your bike, and generally, I agree. But, either I am just worrysome, and find that i develop some noise from the camchain that makes me nervous and I am unneccasarily adjusting it frequently, or it really is slipping back a little despite everything being properly adjust to manual torque recommendations with a good torque wrench.

Am I hopelessly far away from the right path on this one? I rather hope not, since I was planning on getting into the guts of it this summer, for valve clearance adjustment and carb work, and thought I had this cam chain adjustment stuff locked down. :blush:

Always two steps forward, and one step back, but also, always learning.

Jon

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