Purchased a non-running 77' Kz1000A

How about posting up some photos of the metal debris you found in the oil? This will help us offer up suggestions on what might be wrong. Also, what part of California are you in?

To everyone that has provided their technical expertise on my recent acquisition, Thank You Very Much !!! Part of me wants to challenge myself in rebuilding/restoring this bike. The other part is considering selling the bike as is to someone who has much technical abilities than myself. So I did list it on the For Sale site too. Your technical advice gives me a little more confidence to challenge but I have to reasonable to what I can afford. Nessism, I live on the Central Coast of California.

kcdcw, I think you are doing the right thing. Doesn't sound you want to tackle this right now, unless you look at as a hobby. Expensive hobby. An engine rebuild done properly cost anywhere from $1500 to $2000 for a basic stock build. That is doing the bottom and top half. Just how much of your labor you put will have a bearing on the cost. And then you may have other expenses such as brakes, tires etc... Most of us here love these bikes and are willing to make the investment in time and money. And other newbies that are not as attached yet, usually have bike in not so much dire need as yours. So leaving emotional attachments out of it, you need to look at it from a cost benefit point of view. And I think in your case, the cost is outweighing the benefit. Makes more sense to buy a newer bike for around $3000 to $4000 that will require little to now work. Good luck.

Just wanted to add that when my 1981 kz1000 had metal on the drain plug, it was from the starter gear to flywheel.The three bolts came loose , 2 sheared and 1 was hanging. Metal was chipping from the starter gear in big chunks!

KZJoe, If I could find someone to rebuild the motor for around $1500, I think that would be a deciding factor to continue on with this project. I've been quoted $2500 and up for rebuild. This seems to be the bulk of the expense. I don't have a clue on the condition of the trans. and clutch? The wheels I would keep as the chrome polished up nicely, The seat's been recently recovered though not right for the model but doable.. Carbs. are complete and seem to move freely. I sure they need a good cleaning. I think I could buy a few more parts for a few hundred dollars more to make it stock again, Which leave brakes. tires, exhaust, paint and other misc. items. If I stayed in the neighborhood of around $5000, that might be doable? And for me it is a Hobby but in my youth I had the original ZL1 in 73' and my Dad had a 74'.

OK, if I remember correctly, I had estimated I could get a first overbore done and head redone for around $700.00. That is if I did all the work that I could do myself. I had planned on taking the cylinder block and pistons(which I was going to purchase from Z1Enterprises) to Pit Stop Performance here in Orlando. In my case, it is cheaper for me since I don't have to pay for shipping. Pit Stop is about 75 miles from me. This would have included the following. Purchase of new pistons and rings for first overbore. Would take my 903cc to 916cc. PSP would bore and hone each cylinder to match each specific piston. Also planned on having them redo the head with new valve guides and lapping, etc. So if I remember, that would have cost me around $600.00 for everything, head, cylinder block and purchase of new pistons/rings (remember, no shipping involved only for the piston and rings). Next I would need a gasket kit. Cheaper to buy the kit then to buy the gaskets individually. But mainly you need the bottom cylinder block gasket, head gasket, tunnel o-ring (or what ever its called), o-ring for the bottom of each cylinder, valve cover gasket and I think it comes with the o-rings for the oil passages. The kit comes with the valve seals as well, but my intention was to purchase viton type valve seals. The kit is about $90.00. So there you have it. For a stock rebuild on a KZ900, but with out changing any of the cam chain parts( cam chain, cam chain sprockets, rubber damper and rollers, etc..). These parts could add $300 to the bill.
So there you have it. And lots of time involved. I would say a winter project for most of us. Since we all have jobs and other time commitments. This is how much it would have cost me if I took everything apart myself and put it all together myself after having the machine shop to its thing. Call Pit Stop Performance and get an idea of cost. But without having the engine apart at least part way, you have no way of know precisely what it needs. For example, are the cylinders still usable? And so on...

KZJoe, Now that's certainly doable in cost for me. Pit Stop Performance must do pretty good work for their name seems to come up often in other posts. I just wish someone here on the forum lived in Ca. and had experience with a business in Los Angeles, Ca. area where I could drive down to? Never have rebuilt a motor before, but it doesn't really intimidate me too much. In the past, I've always had sent out my motors to someone to professionally rebuild or modify them. Then I would assemble everything else. Some of my recent projects were a 79' Honda CBX and 72' Kawasaki H2. Both came out exceptionally gorgeous requiring large expense to complete. But with this Hobby, the fun for me is in building and personalizing them and not worry about turning a profit. The ZL1 and KZ models have always had an interest in me due to my past and relationship with my Father. Unfortunately for right now, the finances aren't like they used to be before, so have to pay a lot more closer attention to my budget. KZJoe, I do appreciate you taking the time for answering my post for I know it requires a lot effort to do so.

There is a 2001 Kz1000 P motor I saw for sale. Says has low miles and good compression and certainly a lot less than cost of a rebuild.. How would this motor fit into my 77' frame? I don't think the motor has a kick starter provision. Would my carbs. and linkage work? But maybe thinking this way would cause a lot of problems with everything that had to interface it to work? Just an idea that was suggested by forum members who posted their advice to help.