Anyone use aftermarket cam end plugs?

I put the RTV on the flats, too - a THIN, smooth coat all around, then let it all cure before installing. Worked perfectly, and I've removed and reinstalled the ones on my GPz1100 two or three times now without having to clean off the RTV or apply any more RTV (i.e. they are now "re-useable"). And they don't leak - at all. I bought new OEM ones, too, but they are still in the packages...no need now.

KZB2 650 wrote: Looking at your valve warning link I see your plugs are like mine where as there is a 45 degree angle on the plugs on the outside of the plugs that the 1111 plugs lack......... please punch up a 1111 plug picture on Ebay and you will see that there is no angle around the outside on them and are smooth and straight.

I need to to learn how to link Ebay links on here but if you punch up the auction # 351133659549 with a picture showing a used oem plug and the 271237371841 showing the oem #1111 plug you can see the difference (angle and lack of angle) I'm talking about.

Ok, I see what you mean now. I wonder why they changed it. All of mine must be originals then, as they have the lip.

i'm just in a process of checking the valve clearances, ordered new aftermarket valve cover gasket and those rubber cam plugs.

The problem with the aftermarket plugs is that they are ~1mm thicker then stock ones, see the pictures.


So my question is, is it normal for new plugs to stick out like that, and the cover should compress them?
The original plugs are flush with the head surface, so is the paper gasket on top.
Or i should rather install the original ones. Actually i didn't have any leaks at all , just pulled the cover to check valve clearances. Thanks.

edit: and i forgot to ask, what is the purpose of those rubber plugs? there is no distributor cap, or a timing belt outside of this engine, so why these openings instead of solid metal?

Well, I've never seen end plugs that fit like that...something is not right, IMO.

Sticking up past the cam cover surface, sure. They need to compress to seal. I'm more concerned with how they fit axially. If they squish out enough under compression from the valve cover to extend past the edge of the head circular cut out on the outside, they will also squish inward and rub against the cams (from what I see). I wouldn't do that...

Z550tim wrote: edit: and i forgot to ask, what is the purpose of those rubber plugs? there is no distributor cap, or a timing belt outside of this engine, so why these openings instead of solid metal?

The factory machining process uses an align boring machine to finish cut the cam bearing surfaces in the head and the caps to size. Think of a shaft running through the entire head with the cutters rotating while fed through each journal, starting at on end of the head then going all the way through to the other. The 1/2 circular holes at the ends of the head are to allow the align boring cutter shaft to extend out of the head to attach the shaft locating guides and the drive motor...

Yes, that's why you don't buy the cam tower caps separately. They are an exact fit and no two are the same. My billet plugs are 20 years old.
Steve

Z550tim wrote: i'm just in a process of checking the valve clearances, ordered new aftermarket valve cover gasket and those rubber cam plugs.

So my question is, is it normal for new plugs to stick out like that, and the cover should compress them?

Are those plugs OEM Kawasaki parts? Assuming yes, they will be fine and will crush down once you install the valve cover. If they are aftermarket plugs then all bets are off. They most likely will be fine but I can't say for sure.

Kray-Z wrote: Well, I've never seen end plugs that fit like that...something is not right, IMO.

Sticking up past the cam cover surface, sure. They need to compress to seal. I'm more concerned with how they fit axially. If they squish out enough under compression from the valve cover to extend past the edge of the head circular cut out on the outside, they will also squish inward and rub against the cams (from what I see). I wouldn't do that...

My concern too... the aluminum is exposed. The originals covered the aluminum.

I hope those things are really soft. Maybe then they will end up right.

loudhvx wrote:

Kray-Z wrote: Well, I've never seen end plugs that fit like that...something is not right, IMO.

Sticking up past the cam cover surface, sure. They need to compress to seal. I'm more concerned with how they fit axially. If they squish out enough under compression from the valve cover to extend past the edge of the head circular cut out on the outside, they will also squish inward and rub against the cams (from what I see). I wouldn't do that...

My concern too... the aluminum is exposed. The originals covered the aluminum.

I hope those things are really soft. Maybe then they will end up right.

My concern, besides the potential for leaks, is the plugs compressing and rubbing against the end of the camshafts. It may sound far - fetched, but the rubber is mildly abrasive and will wear the cams and the plugs eventually, adding fine abrasive particles to your engine oil. It just all looks wrong in your photos...

Z550tim wrote: i'm just in a process of checking the valve clearances, ordered new aftermarket valve cover gasket and those rubber cam plugs.

The problem with the aftermarket plugs is that they are ~1mm thicker then stock ones, see the pictures.

Attachment camplug01.jpg not found

Attachment camplug02.jpg not found

So my question is, is it normal for new plugs to stick out like that, and the cover should compress them?
The original plugs are flush with the head surface, so is the paper gasket on top.
Or i should rather install the original ones. Actually i didn't have any leaks at all , just pulled the cover to check valve clearances. Thanks.

edit: and i forgot to ask, what is the purpose of those rubber plugs? there is no distributor cap, or a timing belt outside of this engine, so why these openings instead of solid metal?

I'm not sure this applies here due to the through bolt but I've always installed end caps with the lip on the outside of the casting....??
Never had any leaks if I installed them with a VERY thin film of sealer and then dry fitted the cam cover back on with no gasket, two cover screws on each end and light clamping pressure at the cap end.
Typically I would do that at the end of the day and come the next day to remove and install the cover correctly with gasket.

Looks bass akwards to me. :dry:
Steve

Thank you 550 Tim for the picture........ finally shows what I found out when I bought new ones..... the after market from Z1 and the oem 1111 plugs from Partzilla are both exactly like that ..... and although them seemed like the smashed down ok they still left the alum exposed on the outside and did not smash out.....

Another thing is that the hole is quite a bit larger too. on the stock plugs the bolt threads tightly through it and the others are loose and have less of a surface between the bolt hole and the outside and rear because of it.