TOPIC:

So I just recently got two mid-90s KZ1000 police cruisers. One of the two definitely has a bad engine. The number three cylinder is not happy to say the least. It was full of metal, to the point where even the back of the carburetor is covered in metal. So what was once going to be just a cool bike to cruise around on, has now turned into a full-on engine build. I'm looking into getting parts to do a stock rebuild, or possibly a big bore kit. With a Big Bore Kit, is the time and money Wasted by not adding a performance cam to go with it? If you do a Big Bore Kit and a cam, will the stock head flow well enough or does it need a port and polish? I've built engines before, but this will be the first time touching one of these engines so I'm not that familiar with them. I'm in the Houston area, does anyone know or have experience with a machine shop there That they would trust?

Most of the stock parts are still available from Kawasaki and online vendors like Partzilla.

Some 72mm pistons (1075cc displacement) and some mild performance cams will make a noticeable improvement and will not break the bank. The stock head flows plenty for a mild build. 

Do not click this link unless you hate money. 

kzzone.com

Yeah I found that place already, bad news for my wallet

Easiest and cheapest solution to performance upgrade/fix of a z1000j engine is to use gpz 1100 top end. Straight swop and parts are readily available.
Straight swap UNLESS it's the GPZ1100A Unitrak top end as they use 18mm gudgeon pins and the J uses 17mm.

In general new stock parts are usually more expensive than performance parts so that's probably the way to go.
If you went for used parts to upgrade such as 1100 barrels etc you are likely to still need at least a hone, new ring and gaskets ( if you are very lucky) which will still put the cost not far away from a Wiseco kit or similar which includes everything you need and a performance boost as a result for your troubles.
Personally i go for the aftermarket perfomance stuff every time.

 

Hopefully this won’t high Jack the thread. But it’s in the same subject. Will 82-83 1100 cylinder block fit a J engine case? If so is it true the 1100 block can be bored bigger then the 1000j without sleeving?

Looking at that plug. Somebody rode that bike a good distance with a dropped valve!!! Very good chance the small end of that cylinder's rod is got some serious damage to it!!!
The head is trashed. Same with the barrel. And I will lay you odds so is the crank....
 

Mikaw wrote:

Hopefully this won’t high Jack the thread. But it’s in the same subject. Will 82-83 1100 cylinder block fit a J engine case? If so is it true the 1100 block can be bored bigger then the 1000j without sleeving?

Yes! All 1100 (1089cc ) blocks can be use to overbore the 1000J .
It's just the 83-85 18mm pin pistons that won't fit the 17mm J rods.

That's handy, I picked up an A2 block a while back for a "take it or leave it bid" for now my motor will stay stock but who knows what the future may hold 

When you find aluminum shavings in the intake port and inside the throat of the carb, your motor definitely dropped a valve.
I have seen enough of them over the years.
So when you pull the head these photos will give you idea on what you find!!

 

 

More than likely I'm just gonna look for a new donor engine, but I'm still gonna pull it all apart and see what's salvageable.

Here’s another example of a J engine that dropped a valve. Look at the similarities of the spark plug to your.