Valve Noise/No compression

BIGKEVIN wrote: Can the head be be removed from the motor while the motor is still in the bike ?

Sure can, easy actually. Use a piece of tie wire to hold up the cam chain, you will need to fish it through the tunnel and tie it off to the frame to hod it. Assembly can be a bit of a trick to fish it back again, helps to have another hand there, but you can do it by yourself as the head isn't that heavy.

That is true, Motor Head, when reassembling you have to feed the chain back through the head as you set it in place. I did it by myself on my GPz, so I know it can be done.

Voice Of Experience:

Lock down your cam chain tensioner if you have an automatic unit. Having the tensioner parts "fire" into the oil pan WILL make you cuss.

Cynjut wrote: Voice Of Experience:

Lock down your cam chain tensioner if you have an automatic unit. Having the tensioner parts "fire" into the oil pan WILL make you cuss.

Personally, I just remove it and it is no longer in the equation. Also a good time to rebuild it while it is off.

That would have been terrific advice BEFORE I ended up pulling the bottom of the engine.

To give you an idea how bad that day ended up going - I ended up pulling the entire engine to fix that particular mistake. It ended up being the start of a whole list of things I wasn't planning on doing and added WEEKS to my rebuild schedule, mostly because I ended up opening the tranny and plastigauging the mains.

Motor Head wrote:

BIGKEVIN wrote: Can the head be be removed from the motor while the motor is still in the bike ?

Sure can, easy actually. Use a piece of tie wire to hold up the cam chain, you will need to fish it through the tunnel and tie it off to the frame to hod it. Assembly can be a bit of a trick to fish it back again, helps to have another hand there, but you can do it by yourself as the head isn't that heavy.

Yeap did it on my last KZ900, not a problem at all.

Cynjut wrote: That would have been terrific advice BEFORE I ended up pulling the bottom of the engine.

To give you an idea how bad that day ended up going - I ended up pulling the entire engine to fix that particular mistake. It ended up being the start of a whole list of things I wasn't planning on doing and added WEEKS to my rebuild schedule, mostly because I ended up opening the tranny and plastigauging the mains.

LOL. Live and learn, right? I can't count how many times I split the cases on my engine before I got everything right.

I have a couple of questions. How do I know if I have the automatic cam chain tensioner ? Also, what head gasket and exhaust valve do I order, if I find out that the exhaust valve is bent ?

BIGKEVIN wrote: I have a couple of questions. How do I know if I have the automatic cam chain tensioner ? Also, what head gasket and exhaust valve do I order, if I find out that the exhaust valve is bent ?

I would check with z1enterprises.com, they list the valves for your bike, and I would get a top end gasket set as its more than likely cheaper than individual gaskets. The o-rings for around the studs for the oil galleys will be separate. Those z1 guy's can set you up with everything you need at a reasonable price.
www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?i...eper&item=EM18-55821

The factory chain tensioner is an automatic tensioner. If it looks like the one in your factory service manual, it is an automatic tensioner. Pull it, rebuild it, and go another 30 years.

I have emailed Z1 for parts needed if the valve is indeed bent. I do have a question or two about removing the cams. The Haynes manual says to rotate the crankshaft until the 'T' mark for the 2&4 cylinders is alinged with the timing mark. I did this, but I do not see any marks on the end of the cams to ensure that it is aligned with the cylinder head. I do show the 28th pin mark on the intake valve where the Haynes manual shows it should be. I read somewhere that you can take different color finger nail polish to mark the cam/chain to ensure that they are put back together and be timed correctly. This is my first time doing this, so forgive for asking so many questions.

Z1 kawasaki's did not have an automatic cam chain tensioner. The bolt and nut 10MM face the left side of the bike.

Cynjut wrote: Voice Of Experience:

Lock down your cam chain tensioner if you have an automatic unit. Having the tensioner parts "fire" into the oil pan WILL make you cuss.