kz750 cylinder head nuts - change

Hello guys!

My engine is running very nice now, so I am doing some fancy cleaning and chrome.
The original cylinder head nuts ( are pretty old by now and the chrome is fading.
The nut is still available from Kawasaki, the question is:

Can I remove one nut and replace with a new one, and so on until the 8, applying factory torque with out the risk of a gasket leak?

Yes, and retorque the head after a heat cycle.
And use some lube on the threads for a proper
torque reading.


.

To anyone who might be unaware, re-torquing after a heat cycle means first getting the engine up to normal operating temperature, and then allowing the engine to cool until it's stone cold (as in leaving the bike parked overnight), and torquing the head fasteners on the stone cold engine (in the tightening pattern as specified in the Factory Service Manual a/k/a "FSM").

I don't use any lube incident to the re-torque.

Good Fortune!

Thanks for explanation Patton... was just about doing it the wrong way.
I should read more!

They have used 3 different nuts for the head over the years, I forget the exact names, but the first one was the one with the bulged top, quickly discontinued, then on the KZ650 they had the tall chrome head nuts on the outer bolts and the inners used flanged open nuts. Probably by 1980 they used all the tall chrome nuts if that is what you are after and still available I'm surprised, they used the flange nut over the years in many models for many purposes. I like the look of the open nut better than the 1.5" tall things.