KZ550 Head Gasket

"We stock what we sell", yeah right.
Steve

swest wrote: I have a thread on gaskets. I'd buy only the ones I need. Also the Viton valve guide seals. The vesera gaskets are the ones with the green base gasket. If it is don't buy.
Steve

I was thinking this too as you need the good guide seals anyway ........ and the green base gasket is a Athena that you need to stay away from....... think about and maybe get a few more recommendations (above) about a metal head gasket and not a fiber one too ???

The fiber head gaskets are OK but not for the bigger bikes with the O ring. They will fail, maybe not right away but they will fail.
Steve

The original head gasket I pulled off was metal. I'd like to replace it with another metal one. The 550 has o rings around what looks like oil journals on the sides of the head

Stay with Kawasaki Gaskets. yes on the Kawasaki metal head gasket, and I have only used the factlry base gasket. I believe Z1 who advertises here, might be able to order you these parts. As for the side o-rings (head to cylinders) there are 2. I have used the Viton "Dash 206" O-Rings with great success. If you know someone that can buy from mcMaster Carr, they are better than the factory ones.

These are my opinions, based on my experiences, and others might have different opinions. I have never used Athena Gaskets, so I don't have an opinion on them.

Invest in a new set of rings, and ball honed the cylinders to scuff them up with a cross-hatch pattern like this:

Unfortunately I need most of the gaskets to the point where it's cheaper to buy them as a set than it is to buy them individually. Every gasket I have taken off has crumbled. The kits that I am looking at all have a combination of fiber and metal head gaskets like the factory one. I think I will probably reuse the rings. I talked to a mechanic at the local Kawasaki dealer today who said with such low mileage on the engine, replacing the rings was unnecessary. Just for the sake of asking, is there a way to hone cylinders myself without a machine shop and can someone explain what a cross hatch pattern I keep hearing about is?

nickleo373 wrote: Unfortunately I need most of the gaskets to the point where it's cheaper to buy them as a set than it is to buy them individually. Every gasket I have taken off has crumbled. The kits that I am looking at all have a combination of fiber and metal head gaskets like the factory one. I think I will probably reuse the rings. I talked to a mechanic at the local Kawasaki dealer today who said with such low mileage on the engine, replacing the rings was unnecessary. Just for the sake of asking, is there a way to hone cylinders myself without a machine shop and can someone explain what a cross hatch pattern I keep hearing about is?

Inexpensive ball hones can be purchased/rented at an auto parts store that will mount into a drill. All you are trying to do is break the glaze on the cylinder walls so the new rings seal better.

The cylinder walls should have very faint lines that criss cross at an angle after honing.

nickleo373 wrote: ... Just for the sake of asking, is there a way to hone cylinders myself without a machine shop and can someone explain what a cross hatch pattern I keep hearing about is?

Here's a couple deglazing videos...




Ed

I totally disagree with your mechanic on reusing the old rings. Don't cut that corner, and take that advice. Regardless of low mileage, it is the age of everything that is working against you. Once you get the pistons out, replace the rings with new ones, and ball hone the cylinders. Just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions...

I'd check the installed ring gaps first then decide on new rings, the 550 racebike I had, the PO said the ring gaps were just outside the service limit, dyno testing before and afterwards with new rings showed no difference -this is what he told me.

On the head gasket, the later part number is the three piece laminated metal gasket, earlier ones were a one piece design.

Also there was an uprated oil feed jet design that sits in the cylinder head, the later part has raised ribs to reduce the risk of oil leaks here.

With only 10k on the engine reusing the rings isn't the worst idea if money is tight. Personally, I'd spend the money and get new rings but that's a personal decision.

enginehones.com has some good info on what grit hone to use as well as a video on the honing process.

Athena gaskets, the green ones, are pure evil. I think they may have updated their gasket material recently though since the new gaskets are sort of grayish green instead of bright green like the old material. At any rate, I don't recommend aftermarket gaskets. OEM Kawasaki gaskets are more expensive but worth it. Check ebay since you can often pick up a deal on left over original Kawasaki gaskets there. Just order the base gasket fresh from a dealer though since you don't want any old brittle gasket material.

nickleo373 wrote: Ohh got it. That makes sense. I was referred to a machine shop by the guy who repairs my cars. I'll give them a call tomorrow. I got an email from Z1 saying my versah gasket kit was out of stock until early August at the soonest. I found another kit from Niche Cycles in St. Petersburg, FL. Does anyone have any experience with them? Are the Versah gaskets a better quality and worth the wait?
www.nichecycle.com/ncs/categories/engine...lete-gasket-set.html

If that picture is correct, I don't see the two O-rings for the base oil nozzles.