Genuine Head Gasket

Does this look like a "real" Kawasaki KZ-1000 head gasket? Just wondering....Thanks.

Rick H.

Looks like a O.E.M. Kawasaki head gasket to me. The parts tag should read 11004-076 if Kawasaki didn't change the part number since I bought these back in the 80's!!!!

Oh Yea, that raised edge on steel ring faces upward when you use gasket too!!!

Looks OEM to me. The part numbers were superseded several times through the years. I recently bought these for my 81 J motor.



Your mileage may vary.

Can't believe it!!!! I just ran the part number 11004-076. It has not been superseded by Kawasaki!!!!!!

Its still 11004-076!!!!! Thats a first!!!!

Thanks Guys! The reason I asked about this was due a person on FleaBay that had four (4) of the alleged OEM gaskets for sale. If you bought all four they were $14.00 a piece which seemed pretty reasonable compared to what they normally go for. I wanted to make sure they appeared to be genuine Kawasaki.

Rick H.

Rick H. wrote: Thanks Guys! The reason I asked about this was due a person on FleaBay that had four (4) of the alleged OEM gaskets for sale. If you bought all four they were $14.00 a piece which seemed pretty reasonable compared to what they normally go for. I wanted to make sure they appeared to be genuine Kawasaki.

Rick H.

Thats a DEAL DEAL price. Partzilla has a retail price of 77 DOLLARS EACH!!!!!!!

Dr. Gamma wrote: Can't believe it!!!! I just ran the part number 11004-076. It has not been superseded by Kawasaki!!!!!!
Its still 11004-076!!!!! Thats a first!!!!

Yes, it does not seem to have changed for the 77 Kz1000 according to Partzilla. They also list it at $77.06 each. Partzilla lists part number 11004-1222 for the 81 J at $42.78 each. Johnny's Vintage Lists 11004-1106 as superceeding the 1222 gasket for 20 bucks a pair. I think I paid ~12 bucks each for the 1106 gaskets with fast-n-free fleabay delivery.

The gasket Rick posted a pic of does not look the same on the outer stud holes (o-ring areas). Not sure what's up with that, nor interested enough in it to find out.
:whistle:

The bores are different between the models, so different gaskets are needed. (998cc-1015cc etc.)If the fire ring sticks into the combustion chamber, it can glow red and cause detonation / pinging. There are also thickness issues that may make a CR difference between models.

To close out this thread, the 4 new gaskets arrived today. They certainly look like OEM Kawasaki and they match up to my old gaskets I took off. I know Partyzilla and some other places are great to deal with, but $77.00 for a head gasket just seems a bit much even if OEM.


Rick H.

Rick H. wrote: To close out this thread, the 4 new gaskets arrived today. They certainly look like OEM Kawasaki and they match up to my old gaskets I took off. I know Partyzilla and some other places are great to deal with, but $77.00 for a head gasket just seems a bit much even if OEM. Rick H.

Agreed!
PLUS< they charge ~8 bucks freight to slap a stamp on a padded envelope, so that the united package shredders can fold it over and jam it into a mailbox. Truthfully, partzilla packages their parts well, actually earning the frt charge.

The main thing about partzilla with their >LIST< pricing is that it should be brand new fresh, non-counterfeit OEM parts in prime condition. Not NOS (new OLD stock) that laid in a warehouse (or barn) for 40 years drying up and getting brittle. I bought a NOS stock valve cover gasket a while back and ratholed in in my gasket stash. 6 months later when I went to set my valves, the gasket broke when I went to take it out of the plastic, and every time I touched it, it broke somewhere else. I ended up tossing it and reusing the old gasket (was rubber laminated metal... a magnet sticks to it) Apparently some are laminated metal ( I thought this one was). By the time I gave up trying to use this POS gasket, it was at least 7-8 pieces. It was too late to get a refund from fleabay, but I didn't pay much for it anyway.. Live and never learn.




Should have put the money here in the first place.

The cycle of life pictures for that valve cover gasket are funny, especially the last one!

Rick H.

By old_kaw: ... By the time I gave up trying to use this POS gasket, it was at least 7-8 pieces. .....

Okay, that made me laugh. thanks for the chuckle. :laugh:
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