Z1 Head overhaul - any advice?

Just pulled the head and cylinders off my Z1 to fix some oil leaks and found that the head had obviously not been touched for a long time. I was thinking about pulling the valves and reseating them and checking the springs. Any advice for "while I am in there"? This is my first Z1 so any advice is appreciated.
Thanks,

Unless you have a LOT of experience rebuilding Kawasaki cylinder heads and the machine shop to go with it, I would strongly recommend you have the head professionally serviced. Any damage you may cause will be far more expensive to undo than having a pro overhaul it.

I would send it to Larry. He is a member here and what he doesn't know about Kawasaki KZ cylinder heads isn't worth knowing. Ed

www.cavanaughracing.com/

The advise I would give you:

1. Get a Kawasaki Factory manual for your bike and read it front to back 10 times as I did.
2. Spend time on KZR asking questions, learning and reading.
3. Get a solid game plan. From A to Z how do you get project completed.
4. Do your homework, put in the time and understand what needs to be done. The steps.

Now go through steps 1 - 4 again.

5. Find a quality machinist / person who knows what they are doing. This guys work is sick. He charges very competitive rates and turns work around quickly. www.cavanaughracing.com/
6. Rob a bank to pay for it. Its expensive.

It would sometimes take me months to do a single upgrade. The oil cooler I added to bike took me 4 months from a dream to functional on bike. I just had to find the items I wanted and to gleam how it would be done. When I pulled the trigger, it was a seamless build with no issues. Getting in a rush will crush a dream. Slow and steady wins the race.

Good Luck

No real risk in breaking down the head and inspecting everything. Keep track of which valve goes where. I soaked my stripped 750 head in a sealed 5 gallon pail with a gallon of carb dip thrown in. Splashed around the dip in the pail every time I could remember and after a few days all the carbon was easily removed with a scrub brush. Likewise, soaking the valves in carb dip will soften the carbon on those.

Once you get the head cleaned up inspect everything carefull per the service manual procedure and decide what needs to be done next. At minimum some new valve stem seals and lapping the valves will be needed.

Thanks guys. I picked up a factory shop manual and will study before I pull the valves. Good tip on the carb dip to loosen the carbon deposits.
Thanks

send it to Larry Cavanaugh and be done with it.

Keep everything sorted so that each valve, keepers, shim, bucket, spring, etc etc.. is kept together for its respective port. I use zip lock bags labled with Ex1, Ex2 etc.. Work on cleaning one valve at a time and replace it to the bag.

Clean everything up, All carbon off.

Then measure and inspect against FSM spec. The decision to send the head to a shop depends on what you find when you measure against spec.

You may be pleasantly surpised that you just need to lap valves and replace seals. Easy to do your self.

But If you have to replace seats or guides, your probably going to a proper shop. If the deck is not flat. You are going to a shop.

Dont use scotchbrite pads to clean anything unless the part you are cleaning is in your hands and can be washed with soapy water. Google it.

Cheers
Chris

Get in touch with LarryC. He IS the best. You get what you pay for and Larry is very reasonable with his prices and the man is bad ass when it comes to KZ's.

I have a thread on doing my valves. If it's just lapping the valves, I suggest new ones as long as the guides are still good. Viton seals in any event. If any problems are found, take it to a pro. Ask your Kaw dealer who they use or from what I've seen here, Larry does fine work. Keep us posted.

$400. for a head that is complete and running when taken apart. New valve guides, seals of course, grind the valves, match everything, new seals. old springs or? new ones. Cleaned with steel shot in a tumbler. No glass bead at all!
I have had Jim do my work since 1977.
Jim ran Top Fuel! I wrenched in the middle 90's