Cam end plug blow out

Ok guys I've read about this many times here and I wanted to do a cam cover and plug replacement on my '80 1000 B4,SOOOOO I took the advice of alot of you guys with the installation of the plugs and gasket.I've been rebuilding small & Big blocks v8's,late 60's Triumphs since the mid 70's, any way I know that a CLEAN,DRY,FLAT surface is important.I installed my cam plugs with some yamabond ,installed the cam cover without gasket,bolts only hand tight and let it sit overnight.Installed gasket the next day.Reassembled and test drove,3 good pulls of 9 grand shifts the right side exhaust plug blew out(luckily I was close to home)I'm thinking maybe the plugs are not OEM specs or maybe too much crankcase presure.I have a small filter pod with a 90 degree hose on the crankcase breather. Z1 billet plugs?Any help would be great.

Try reversing the plug, so the ridge is on the inside, this way, it has something to stop the plug from comming out under pressure.

O.K. this is not my thread, but I just replaced my cam cover gasket,& I put it on dry, like Patton suggested, & torked it down, I still have a lot of work to do on the top end , & iIhave"nt started it yet,do I need to put some kind of sealer, over the cam plugs ????

filztoy wrote: I installed my cam plugs with some yamabond ///3 good pulls of 9 grand shifts the right side exhaust plug blew out

That surprises me. Is it possible they are installed backwards? The OEM ones have a metal flat on the inside surface.

filztoy wrote: maybe too much crankcase presure.I have a small filter pod with a 90 degree hose on the crankcase breather.

Yeah, I would suspect that breather is too restrictive?

After all the hassles I've had with my '78 KZ1000 I think I will only use the aluminum cam end plugs from now on. Just bought a set of APE plugs for the next motor I work on. It's not worth spending a lot of time hassling with the rubber plugs and getting oil all over your leg is no fun.

I hear ya brother,pants, shirt, TCX boots, I've already ordered my billet plugs!

so do I need to put some kind of permatext on my cam plugs or just leave them dry ? tell me b-fore i start my enginine ......Patton , where are you ???

Here's Bounty Hunter's technique:

The rubber caps have to be installed in a specific way. Clean the head very thoroughly, then apply a film of 3-bond to the curved surfaces of the plug and head. Set the plugs in and then set the cover on (no gasket) and install bolts. Tighten the bolts (use fingers) and socket so the cover pulls down and seats the rubber plug into the head. You pull it down just far enough that the top of the plug is a shade higher than the top head surface. LET SEALER DRY OVERNIGHT. That secures the plug in the correct position to seal. Now install gasket and cover and torque bolts to about 70 inch pounds.

You can read the whole story in this thread .

I'm sure Bounty Hunter procedure is just fine, but this is not a complex thing. If you have original Kawasaki plugs, I coat them with Yamabond #4 which I think is same as 3-bond. Coat the curved as well as the top of the plug and also out onto the head a little ways. Put on your gasket dry otherwise. Install the cam cover and torque it down, but keep an eye on the plugs and make sure they are looking like they are seating correctly and not squishing out for some reason. All done and I never have a plug blow out ever or leak ever. Now next time you need to remove the cam cover for any reason, just be sure the gasket all stays on the head and it can be reused many, many times and never leak. At least mine never do. Like I say, OEM plugs work fine this way, aftermarket is a crap shoot every time.

I use permatex gasket maker. I usally put it together right away and let it sit overnight.

RonKZ650 wrote: I'm sure Bounty Hunter procedure is just fine, but this is not a complex thing. If you have original Kawasaki plugs, I coat them with Yamabond #4 which I think is same as 3-bond. Coat the curved as well as the top of the plug and also out onto the head a little ways. Put on your gasket dry otherwise. Install the cam cover and torque it down, but keep an eye on the plugs and make sure they are looking like they are seating correctly and not squishing out for some reason. All done and I never have a plug blow out ever or leak ever. Now next time you need to remove the cam cover for any reason, just be sure the gasket all stays on the head and it can be reused many, many times and never leak. At least mine never do. Like I say, OEM plugs work fine this way, aftermarket is a crap shoot every time.

Actually, I bought Kawi OEM plugs and had one suck into the engine when installed all in one step. The problem is: rubber compresses more than aluminum. Where the cover gasket runs over the plug, the gasket will actually push the plug down below level with the aluminum. The gasket squeezes together a bit all places it is in an aluminum sandwich, but retains it's original width above the rubber plug since rubber doesn't push back like aluminum.

If installed and torqued in one step, mine would over squeeze the sealer around the rubber plug not leaving enough to hold in place.