Engine trouble/ rebuild kit/ costs

On my KZ650 Bet I spent at least 300 bucks on little stuff too, oil, filters, Loctite, torque wrench, couple small tools, bolts, nuts for engine stand mods, etc etc. Then you move on to tires, a chain, sprockets, brakes seems like its never gonna end lol.

I guess I don't understand why you need a total rebuild. No compression,? Blows smoke? Burned valve? Carbs out of adjustment can make life pretty bad.

Kawasaki builds a good motor. The Concours Owners group has mileage awards at 100k, 200K and 300,000 miles. its not uncommon to see a C10 with 100K + miles and still going strong. There are in fact a small number of C10's with 300,000 miles on them.

I can see $2k happening - I was forced into a repair because on Superbowl Sunday on my '82 GPz1100. I was screwing in 4 new spark plugs, and one broke off in the hole while taking it out.

After the head came off, it had to go to a machine shop to get the plug professionally removed, because I can't replace that head casting.

Looking at the cylinders, they were tapered pretty good, and the rings were getting round edges, something that happened sometimes to the early KZ1000J derived engines, that Kawasaki fixed for the '83 model year with different piston/rings setup.

So I bought the big bore kit, machine work to fix the spark plug hole, weld the crank pins, cylinder boring, new valve guides, injectors cleaned and balanced, all new seals, etc., and my total cost was right at $3k.

Was it worth it? Not if you're practical - because I've got over $8K invested in a bike that has a high book of around $3k, but it's mine, and I intend to keep growing old with it.

But pulling up to a car slot at SONIC, next to the geezer-glides, and seeing what bike everybody stops to look at is PRICELESS.

I almost forgot - after I got the engine rebuilt, and some break-in miles on it - the first time I'm on the open highway and nail it in 4th gear, as soon as the tach hit 8000 rpm's the clutch started slipping - the new engine was overcoming the 30-ear-old springs. Tacked another $200 onto the rebuild -

Does anybody else here think they're stimulating the economy by preserving pieces of motorcycling history?

Stimulating the economy...? That says it! :kiss:

Z1Driver wrote: I guess I don't understand why you need a total rebuild. No compression,? Blows smoke? Burned valve? Carbs out of adjustment can make life pretty bad.

Kawasaki builds a good motor. The Concours Owners group has mileage awards at 100k, 200K and 300,000 miles. its not uncommon to see a C10 with 100K + miles and still going strong. There are in fact a small number of C10's with 300,000 miles on them.

I agree. I'd search CL for a nice used motor unless performance is your priority. I see bikes that have been parked for 10+ years for sale out here, usually for nothing more than carb issues but the motors are mint. :ohmy:

I agree with desertkz..thear's a shop in skoike IL. that sells good used moters . (For just that same reason). fraction of the cost of a rebuild.

Old Man Rock wrote: Never said he needed anything...

All I was pointing out is depending on what they discussed for desired results, performance, expectations etc... a "Top end" rebuild can mean quite a few things where shit can add up real fast.

Same time, rebuild a cylinder, now WTF does that mean.... :blink: :whistle: :laugh:

Would you leave a 30 year old timing chain and guide in (~ $150 alone) in a new top end build... Can't speak for most of you but I sure wouldn't.

Anyhoot, do your research, some good/honest shops out there but most... Is what it is.

I am with OMR on this one I have rebuilt 50+ KZ engines and most of the cam chain rollers are shot you have to keep in mind these engines are tough but are 30+ years old and face it most have had the snot run out of them so you can figure valve guides,seals,springs,cam chain,rollers,piston kit,cyl studs,crank rebuild,clutch hub rebuild,trans work etc so see it adds up quickly to do one correctly not saying you can do one half assed but it WILL COST you in the end seen it happen to many times!