Engine rebuild?

Only if the valves were to tight, it might come up some. Thats why I like leak down tests, as it will show where the compression is escaping.
It sounds like you want to pull it down, rebuild it, and that is most likely what it will take to renew the compression.

Motor Head wrote: Only if the valves were to tight, it might come up some. Thats why I like leak down tests, as it will show where the compression is escaping.
It sounds like you want to pull it down, rebuild it, and that is most likely what it will take to renew the compression.

thanks i'll see what the leak down comes back with.
I'd rather not take it apart as the weather here is just perfect for riding so i'd rather be out on it

The valves should be within 0.08 and 0.18 mm according to Kawasaki, but experience says that it will be fine with anything between 0.05 and 0.3. The tighter clearances will make it more silent and with a tiny bit more top end power, the larger clearances will perhaps make it tick a little, improve idle and low end power at a slight cost of top-end. Unless you race you probably will not notice.

If you have access to a tiny camera, you can lower it throught the spark plug opening and look for scoring. If the cylinder isn't scored, it's very likely that the piston rings are just stuck. If it's scored, though, you probably have a broken ring. I still say it's at least 90% chance of simply stuck rings.

well I've got the barrels off and i can't see anything wrong..
I was hoping to see at least something stuck but all looks fine.
what should it be looking for other than the obvious?
rings seem to move freely, there's no scoring on the barrels.

one other question, the little rubbers on all the cam chain guides are these supposed to be hard? or have mine just gone off and need replacing?

i made the mistake of not holding onto the upper cam chain cog/guide properly as i removed it and the lower oblong washer fell into the engine. I now have the task of getting in out. i'm hoping removing the sump will reveal it.

faffi wrote: The valves should be within 0.08 and 0.18 mm according to Kawasaki, but experience says that it will be fine with anything between 0.05 and 0.3. The tighter clearances will make it more silent and with a tiny bit more top end power, the larger clearances will perhaps make it tick a little, improve idle and low end power at a slight cost of top-end. Unless you race you probably will not notice.

thats great advice, thanks.
I'd rather have low down power as living in Australia we have low speed limits and lot of police to enforce them..

Pictures of motor apart ?

Lots of Police, don't forget the Speed Cameras!! :sick:
With the head off now, put some light fluid, Petrol will work, in each port while the head is set up on edge. Do the EX then the IN, looking for fluid to run out past the valve into the combustion area. Its a simple test, which will show a leaking valve. Do you have any Cylinder Head Tools? Its probably best to take the Head to a Good Machinist, and let them do the valve job, as the correct tools are expensive for just one job.
You should be able to get a Hone, and install the rings though. You just need to be able to check some measurements, Bore Size, Piston size, ring end gap, ring to land clearance, etc. Don't forget a Torque Wrench.

These guy's can help with the parts, www.z1enterprises.com/catalog.aspx?pid=KZ1000-A2-1978-EN0
They are very good, and ship down under.

Motor Head wrote: Lots of Police, don't forget the Speed Cameras!! :sick:
With the head off now, put some light fluid, Petrol will work, in each port while the head is set up on edge. Do the EX then the IN, looking for fluid to run out past the valve into the combustion area. Its a simple test, which will show a leaking valve. Do you have any Cylinder Head Tools? Its probably best to take the Head to a Good Machinist, and let them do the valve job, as the correct tools are expensive for just one job.
You should be able to get a Hone, and install the rings though. You just need to be able to check some measurements, Bore Size, Piston size, ring end gap, ring to land clearance, etc. Don't forget a Torque Wrench.

I was going to do the whole head recon thing myself with checking and sorting out the valves but have too much on my plate already and just dropped off the head to a re-conditioner who's doing the whole lot. He is going to rebuild with cams on etc but it's pretty obvious i wont be able to get it back on with the cams on it due to cam chain. Any tips on how to get around this or do i just remove cams again, refit head and then put them back on?
I'll take the barrels to an engine re-conditioner to see if they need honing. Pics attached that show piston and barrel. it's actually no3 thats the problem, just shows how new i am to this. steep learning curve but all good stuff and even though the bikes off the road i'm sort of enjoying the pain of the job as i'm learning so much!!
Silly question but if it all looks ok and rings etc measure out ok do i replace anything while its apart just to save re-build in the future? I had a quote for a standard set of ring for around 250 bucks so i'd rather not change them unless i need to !!

Street Fighter LTD wrote: Pictures of motor apart ?

more pics

From what I can see in the pictures your pistons look alright. Clean it. Check it out closer. Hone and rings are minimun needed, plus the skies the limit.

I wonder if perhaps the head gasket was blown, causing the lack of compression? Could you see traces of blow-by on the head/cylinder/gasket? Your pistons looks fine and you can still see the honing marks in the cylinders, so I see no reason to do anything to those parts.

faffi wrote: I wonder if perhaps the head gasket was blown, causing the lack of compression? Could you see traces of blow-by on the head/cylinder/gasket? Your pistons looks fine and you can still see the honing marks in the cylinders, so I see no reason to do anything to those parts.

I wondered exactly the same thing and the head gasket did look a little suspicious, also i'm wondering if the last guy that took it apart actually owned a torque wrench as one cam holder bolt sheered off like it had been tightened too much so the head may have also been put on incorrectly.
Oh well the barrels are being honed now and the rings are on order, and the head is off getting reconditioned. At least i know it should be OK when i get it back together.

one question, can you break cam chains so the head can be put on with cams already installed?