Oil leak around engine flares

I recently purchased a 1982 KZ750 LTD. I want to get to know how to fix bikes and this is my first project. I have used this site to solve most on my little problems but now I'm stumped. I have oil coming out around my engine flares and i recently found oil residue on on of my plugs. I am pretty sure its a gasket i just have no clue what I'm diving into and could use any advice you have. Thank you!

Howdy. Could you post a photo of where the oil leak is? I'm not sure what you mean by "engine flares". As for the oily plug, I guess it could be a gasket, a valve stem oil seal, or the piston rings? Since you have an oil leak, maybe the oily plug is related. If the leak is caused by a bad gasket, replacing it might solve both problems?

This is the best I've got right now. I'll get more pictures later this afternoon. But the black on the side of my engine is oil residue and it drips on my jeans once the engine is warmed up and I'm going over 30 mph.

That would be a head gasket and end seal replacement.

Do you know any good places i can find that gasket/ what all will that involve. I''m having a hard time finding them.

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationKawasaki.com shows the head gasket (see first diagram below) for the 1982 KZ750-H3 (LTD) as being discontinued (canceled). However, Johnny's on eBay has a couple of them for sale (see eBay listing below).

REMEMBER - if you are going through the effort to replace the cylinder head gasket be SURE to replace the 2 o-rings that sit between the cylinders and the cylinder head, because most likely that is the source of your oil leak. The good news is that they are still an "Active" part, so any dealer can get them (see second diagram). Partzilla lists them at $4.48 each (see link below second diagram). Ed





www.partzilla.com/search/?q=92055-1147&x=6&y=9

Those orings always leak because heat/rubber don't mix, and heat/rubber and being a goofy oval shape all the worse. I've changed them and not replaced the head gasket and had no problem, but generally this is not good advice.

Thank you all so much! This has me pointed in the right direction.