TOPIC:

Need some quick advise. I located a '74 ZI900 engine. Its complete but disassembled. The asking price is $500 local pick up. Is it worth it. I've seen carbrs and head's minus cams at total more than the asking price. I'm looking for a '76 KZ900 for my LTD, but so far only find empty cases. Would it be a good investment to buy the complete engine and use it to assemble the empty cases? I could also rebuild the Z1 engine and sell it off running what would the value of that be?

It doesn't sound like your target is a '74 900 CC motor, but only you know that. While the price "sounds" good, there has to be a reason it was taken apart. No one that I know would take a perfectly good motor apart just to say, "There I took it apart". Why was it taken apart? Take a real good look at the components and try to figure out what it is going to need. Carefully measure important items. You could conceivably drop a couple of thousand dollars into that motor at the drop of a hat and then you may not have what you really want. My suggestion would be to find what you really want and don't worry about building something to try and make money from. Unless of course you are independently wealthy and can afford such an endeavor.
Rick H.

Shipping a mc motor is fairly spendy, and just wrapping in bubble wrap isnt the answer. Parts is parts until they run. And are only worth what you will pay for, ebay is always a tough decision

>>> "Need some quick advise. I located a '74 ZI900 engine. Its complete but disassembled. The asking price is $500 local pick up. Is it worth it. I've seen carbs and head's minus cams at total more than the asking price. I'm looking for a '76 KZ900 for my LTD, but so far only find empty cases. Would it be a good investment to buy the complete engine and use it to assemble the empty cases? I could also rebuild the Z1 engine and sell it off running what would the value of that be? "

$500 is a good deal for an engine, as others mentioned it was disassembled for a reason, ie it needs something, best to go get it, shipping is expensive.
What happened to your engine ?

73z1 wrote: $500 is a good deal for an engine, as others mentioned it was disassembled for a reason, ie it needs something, best to go get it, shipping is expensive.
What happened to your engine ?

I'm hoping to hear for the experts here that the sum of the parts are worth the $500 asking price. I understand the risk of the unknown hidden damage but if you had the opportunity to pick up a complete unassembled '74 Z1900 engine how many of you would turn it down.

73z1- life happened to my original '76 engine. I was young and they were cheap and abundant 25 years ago. so I pulled it, it had a bad oil ring in one cylinder. Well then life happened and I was forced to sell the house and had to prioritize they items I needed to take with me... unfortunately the engine and related parts were low on the list. Again because then they were cheap...

... "Well then life happened and I was forced to sell the house and had to prioritize they items I needed to take with me... unfortunately the engine and related parts were low on the list."

You took the bike with you and left the engine behind with the house ?
Can you return to the house ? Buy the engine back.
Do you have another engine ?

The bike was stored in a different garage, I took the engine to my garage. It was set up to work on cars. Back in the day I ran with the 1/4 and 1/2 mile asphalt circle track crowd. The engine is gone with the wind! I have a 78KZ1000 running engine but its not the right year 0r CC for the '76 KZ900LTD

>>> " The engine is gone with the wind!"
The engine did not blow away in the wind. It would take 1000 mph wind to blow a Kaw engine away!
Return to your old house and buy the engine, if house owner sold it follow the trail and buy the engine back.

>>> " I have a 78KZ1000 running engine but its not the right year 0r CC for the '76 KZ900LTD "
All you need is a set of 76 cases (which I have) and a 900cc cylinder and you have a 76 engine, however above ^^^^ is better.

Id rather not tear down a running engine for parts. Will the '74 parts fit in the '76 lower cases? Would give me the opportunity to get the '76 cases cleaned up and do a side by side swap form the '74 to '76. the '74 lower is completely assembled. It has the barrels head and carbs removed. pistons are still on the con rods.

Yes they will.
Steve

If it were near me I would buy it. If you're planning to rebuild your '76 engine from the cases up you're going to need all those parts anyway.

There were minor changes in the cases from year to year but all of the '74 parts will fit '76 cases. You could probably sell the '74 cases on ebay for $500. They would be of interest to anyone who has a frame within 250 (numbers) of your engine.

hardrockminer wrote: If it were near me I would buy it. If you're planning to rebuild your '76 engine from the cases up you're going to need all those parts anyway.

There were minor changes in the cases from year to year but all of the '74 parts will fit '76 cases. You could probably sell the '74 cases on ebay for $500. They would be of interest to anyone who has a frame within 250 (numbers) of your engine.

Thank you. I first wanted to make sure the part were interchangeable. Then I figured it would be worth the money. Taking a ride out tomorrow to check it over,