Kz1000 Running Way Too Hot

Spark plug reading??

Exhaust valves too tight??

Fuel mixture too lean??

Ignition timing correct??

Timing advancer functioning properly??

Brakes dragging??

Oil level and viscosity and condition??

Oil filter clogged?? Filter bypass functioning correctly??

Just shot-gunning.

Good Fortune!



Good Fortune!

Oil pump filter screen clogged??

Oil pump malfunction??

Has oil flow to and through the cooler been checked??

Are the cooler lines properly attached and kink-free?

At location of the oil pressure sending unit, are the two aftermarket parts functional and correctly installed (that replace the single oem part)??

Thanks for the replies. How do I check the spark plug temp? Also, the lines going into the small oil cooler read 180f so I imagine it could get that hot just because of its proximity and connection to the extremely hot engine and may not be having oil pumped through it. Im going to test it tomorrow and will report. One of the posts had a chart of temps before and after oil cooler install and my temps are spot on with the before temps.
I have castrol gtx 10 40 oil in it now and just changed it. I obviously dont know a ton about how to solve major problems like this but need to crack this case. Is it dangerous to the engine to continue riding around town with temps like I am getting? Is my oil likely not circulating well?

Also, should I try synthetic oil or will that likely leak? First thing I guess is to find out if oil cooler is working. Is it worth getting a better cooler or do you think this is a problem that has a better solution? thanks

Take your oil pressure measurements first then figure what if on the rest.... Same time, a new 10 row oil cooler won't hurt over the smaller units of yesterday.

Also insure an ideal and accurate tune up has been accomplished. Valve to shim clearances are to spec, ignition timing to spec, carbs sync'd and jetted correctly for that new exhaust etc....

When running on the road, does she ping at idle, back fire (poppity-pop) on deceleration, have a flat spot (hesitations) in accelerations etc indicating carb/jetting issues.

Maybe I missed it but when you run the engine in the garage, you MUST use a fan aimed at the engine front side or she will get extremely hot presenting false over heating conditions.

Synthetic oil is a marvelous product but not for all 30 year old KZ's. Translation, yes she may or may not leak on yours. For those of us that have gone this route we also had rebuilt our engines where new O-rings, seals and gaskets had been installed thus preventing leaks.

Take your time, measure, adjust, think it out and she'll be just fine....

OMR

Like Otto said, the bike should be fine in stock configuration with or without an oil cooler.

Time for some maintenence... check the valve lash first.
Drop your pan and pull out the oil pump while the top end is opened up.
Inspect the oil pump as per manual, and blow compressed air through all the oil passage ways to make sure they are clear and blowing oil up to the top of the head.

It all about oil, so make sure that pump is in prestine condition - else...

good luck.

Thanks to everyone who commented. OMK I took temps directly after riding and the hottest I found was 280f. It has rebuilt jetted carbs professionally installed by PO and i don't think it's a carb/jetting issue as it runs great, no backfire other than everynow and then just after I fire it up I'll get a little pop from around the carb area? Not out the pipe. Never seen that.
The oil cooler temp was only at 125f after my ride on the tubes so obviously doesn't seem to be getting oil through it so I'm going to check pressure and oil pump and passageways this week as tec9ine suggested. Do I need any new gaskets to do that? I haven't read up on it yet. Will post when I solve the issue or if I have more questions which is likely to happen first. Thx again

And we never heard from him again. Did you check your timing?

I've been wondering reading through this thread, is this for real?
Steve