Andrews Cams & Valve train ?

Hi Guys, I am sorting out this new to me 1978 KZ1000A2. Engine is a Z1 Bottom, welded crank, 1075 or 1105 10.25 Wiseco pistons. Big valve ported 900 head, 29 smooth bores, Andrews 3X cams.

Question; on valve clearance's? Andrews calls for .004'' all around. Current clearance's are; INT .0025'' to .004'' ( shim them to .004, correct?). All Exhaust vales are at .007''. Do I bring them down to .004 or run them loose?

This is a shim on top set up, engine was built by Ray Manchini in the early 80's. Should I change over to a shim under set up?

Are there different shim buckets? These look to have a smaller oil grove. There is no noticeable movement in the shims when tuning the engine over.

Opinion on the Andrews 3X cams? First impression's, soft under 3500 RPM, mid range ok, big hit at 7000 RPM to ????. I shift at 9500 RPM, but it is still pulling hard. Basically at 7000 I just hold on and keep shifting. What is max RPM?

I just changed gearing, to make it more ride able. From 15/32 530 set up to 17/46 530 set up. I need to dial every thing in but , I would not mind some more mid range power.

Thanks Guys

I run WEB cams.

They want my valve clearances at .006 thousandths for Intake and Exhaust.

I have all valve clearances at .006 on the nose.

What is 3X cam lift ?

You should run what the manufacturer asks you to run. There is a reason they post this measurement.

I would not go any tighter than .004 run them at .005 if you have to but don't go .003

As the bike heats up, the internal parts expand and clearances can close up.

When you cant get to the required valve clearance though shims.......you will need to remove stock/material from the top of valve stem to get into range.

Thanks, 4 the KZ1000
Andrews 3X cam .418 lift 282 degrees duration.

I will follow manufactures specs, unless others com up with a reason not to. Just odd that all the exhaust clearance's where the same and loose.

better loose than tight . Tight burns valve and seats :blink: ...... :dry: . 007 won't hurt it, just more clatter from the tappets and as the kz 1000's have a thicker valve cover its a matter of preference :woohoo: valves usually tighten up as the seats wear ... more so on the exhaust because of heat :pinch:

Here's what Web Camshafts say about their #218 Grind (.418"/.418") cams: "Street or turbo. Broad overall power range. Requires Shim Under Followers, and Performance Valve Spring Kit."

I would swap to shim under especially if you're going to beat on it and run it to redline frequently.

Later, Doug

is that .006 inches, or .06 millimeters. There is a HUGE difference - someone once recommended to me that you always use mm measurements on metrics bikes, and I've never had a reason to not.

.006 inches is .15 mm, which is the extreme high end of the clearance.

The reason they were all off the same amount is because the profile of the cam lobes is different from the stock cams, which have a thicker back end than your new cam. Regardless of the lobe profile, the clearance on the closed side of the lobe is critical to proper operation. If you go above .15mm (or .18 on some setups, see manufacturers documentation for more) you run a real risk of turning your cam into a "shim launcher". firing a shim through the front of your head (which is the best outcome) is no picnic.

The normal clearances for these over-bucket cams are .05 to .15 mm, which (using my handy-dandy Internet Calculator) is .002 inches to .006 inches. Keep it between the lines, and you will be fine. As always, use your manufacturer's recommendation, specifically the cam maker, for the clearances.

You want to get as close to .006 inches as you can get without going over so that your 'closed' time is maximized. This allows the valve to contact the head and maximize the heat transfer. The less time, the less heat transfer, which can lead to valve warping (in some cases). Any longer than the max and you run the risk of an impacted valve. Any less than the minimum and you overheat the valves, until you get to "no contact", at which point you lose compression.

pit stop performance now sells the old andrews 3X grind as the PSP 3X :S ............. :huh: largest lift that can use shim on top buckets...see quote from their site and recommendations , below.... :blink:


Kawasaki Z1, KZ900, KZ1000, KZ1100.
New Pit Stop Performance PSP-3X
High Performance Camshafts.
The PSP-3X camshaft is the same grind
as the old Andrews 3X camshaft.
This is the best camshaft grind ever
made for the air cooled Kawasaki
four cylinder engine for
street use with a displacement
of 1075cc or larger.

Pit Stop Performance looked for years
to find a camshaft that was equivalent
to the Andrews 3X for our high
performance customers.
There was nothing available.
Many camshafts came close, but none
would match the Andrews 3X grind.

Finally, Pit Stop Performance was
able to buy the Andrews 3X camshaft
master profile along with the rights
to the camshaft grind. The camshafts
are being reproduced for Pit Stop
Performance only. The profile is now
known as the PSP-3X.

The PSP-3X provides excellent mid range
and top end power for hot street engines.
The PSP-3X will allow your high performance
street engine with MTC K1075 10.5:1 compression ratio
pistons to run cooler. The increased duration
of the camshaft profile will decrease the
cranking compression of the engine. This
will allow the engine to run much cooler.
Idle and bottom end throttle response are
amazing using the PSP-3X camshafts.
The PSP-3X utilizes a stock base circle
making head setup easier.
The PSP-3X must be used with
heavy duty valve springs.
The PSP-3X has .418" lift with
282 degrees duration at .030" lift
The PSP-3X is the largest camshaft that can
be used with stock on top shims.

Cynjut wrote: is that .006 inches, or .06 millimeters. There is a HUGE difference - someone once recommended to me that you always use mm measurements on metrics bikes, and I've never had a reason to not.

.006 inches is .15 mm, which is the extreme high end of the clearance.

The reason they were all off the same amount is because the profile of the cam lobes is different from the stock cams, which have a thicker back end than your new cam. Regardless of the lobe profile, the clearance on the closed side of the lobe is critical to proper operation. If you go above .15mm (or .18 on some setups, see manufacturers documentation for more) you run a real risk of turning your cam into a "shim launcher". firing a shim through the front of your head (which is the best outcome) is no picnic.

The normal clearances for these over-bucket cams are .05 to .15 mm, which (using my handy-dandy Internet Calculator) is .002 inches to .006 inches. Keep it between the lines, and you will be fine. As always, use your manufacturer's recommendation, specifically the cam maker, for the clearances.

You want to get as close to .006 inches as you can get without going over so that your 'closed' time is maximized. This allows the valve to contact the head and maximize the heat transfer. The less time, the less heat transfer, which can lead to valve warping (in some cases). Any longer than the max and you run the risk of an impacted valve. Any less than the minimum and you overheat the valves, until you get to "no contact", at which point you lose compression.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

It's what it says .006 thousandths ....... its an American company and doesn't quote millimeters for valve clearances.

___________________________________________________________________________________________
Cynjut wrote:
The reason they were all off the same amount is because the profile of the cam lobes is different from the stock cams, which have a thicker back end than your new cam.

I guess you are referring to "BASE CIRCLE" stock KZ is 1.110

If you don't want people to help, just say so.

It's 6 thousandths of an inch or .006 inches, pick one. Just because it's an American company doesn't mean that they can't use millimeters, especially on an iconically metric motorcycle. Having said that, however, .006 mm is WAY too tight.

I don't care about the actual numbers - I'm concerned about the units. Sorry, the pedantic engineer in my head wants to see units. If you mean inches, say inches. Throwing numbers around without units is how things like "Mars Probe crashes into planet after units left of measurements" happen.

Finally, with this cam duration, I'd be inclined to convert this to "shim-under" buckets, I'm not sure the springs can react fast enough to keep the shims in the buckets with these cams. All the measurement in the world won't help when one of your shims pops out and tears into your head.

Easy Guys, It was I who ask for Help!
My exhaust valves are at .007'' of an inch. Should I run them at .004'' ( Andrews cam recommended, 30/40 year old info) or more like the web cam equivalent, say .006''.

There is enough information out there suggesting that this set up is on the dangerous side of the shim on top set up. But some how has lived for 30 years and 15,000 plus miles, luck may be? Or did this engine builder know something, like different buckets?

The shim on top debate has been going on as long as these cams have been sold.

You will get ten different answers if you ask 10 people. I will leave this to the experienced forum members. I do know of a bike running .425 lift cams with shim on top.

I would call the current owner of the PSP or Andrews 3X cam grind. He is a respected KZ engine builder...... go to the source listed below.

His name is Joe:

pitstopperformance.com/

Star Racing is selling performance cams........they claim .006 to .008 thousandths for valve clearance.

store.valueweb.com/servlet/starrace/-str...AWASAKI-KZ900/Detail