Rebuild of KZ1000J engine

wrote:

I removed the valve seals today. Had no luck with the special plier set I bought. An ordinary needle nose plier did the trick however, confirming what zed1015 said

So dont by any special tool for removing and installing the seals...

After that I used the car power washer to clean up the head some more, especially around the valve guides. Worked pretty well and the runners cleaned up nicely.

Read the clymer manual about splitting the crankcase now, so that is the next task

Just make sure you double and then triple check all bolts and fasteners are removed before using the 3 bolt holes to split the cases, even one left in can be bad news
 

wrote:

It can be tricky to install new seals.  I use a pencil like device that I put in the center of the guide and then drop a seal over the device.  Once it's on the guide it can be pressed on with your thumb.

 

The tool Jonas bought (ref my post) has drifts with centre pins in the kit 

There are 2 bolts under the starter that are commonly forgot and the case can be damaged. 

Thanks for the heads up on the case split, I will make sure to triple check!

@Wookie58 Im sure the center pins will come in handy for that

I removed the engine from the frame today and started with a makeshift engine cradle. 
Edit: anyone have a picture of how you support the engine upside down to remove the oil pan and case? The connecting rods bugs me a bit...

Will go to Norway to visit a friend now for a couple of days, have to use the car though as the family is tagging along (Its some really nice roads and scenary between Sweden and Norway over the mountains for motorcycle riding). Will start the camchain work after that!

wrote:

Thanks for the input!

I have lapped 4 valves now, it was more work with this than I anticipated

A bit late, I performed the wiggle test on all the valves. Every valve wiggle is my conclusion. The exhaust valves a bit less, intake more. I tried both at barely open and somewhere close to full opening. With oil on the shafts and barely open, there is no wiggle.

I have read threads here about replacing these and I understand that the normal procedure is to replace guide, grind seat and new valve?

Does anyone know how much of the wear is typically the guide and how much is on the valve shaft? I tried measuring the shafts with a digital caliper (not accurate enough) and the valve shafts do seem to have measurable wear.

It would be easy to simply buy new valves and lap them, if the result would be good enough. Any thoughts on this?
Also the wiggle test, with or without oil?

thanks!

/Jonas


 

I trick I found for lapping the valves is to use a cordless drill.   With the valves in, put some lapping compound on the valve seats, push the valve tight home on the seat.  Put tape on the valve stem (masking two coats).  Open the chuck on a cordless drill, chuck the valve stem in, tighten to just snug enough to hold (do not over tighten!).   Using low speed spin the valve, and pull up against the seat.   It doesn't take very long to get a nice polish.  Not all valves can be done this way due to position and length.  Reverse direction also, this mimics the back and forth motion of lapping by hand.  I'll say it again, go light, go slow, be care full.  

577nitro-

 

Thanks for the tip, I have seen a couple of youtube vids on lapping with the cordless drill. Im a bit anxious though that I will damage the stem or grind off too much seat. Very well, before I started with the KZ again I installed 2 cases on my Z900RS, will do some touring next weekend! Looks better then expected?
 

Removed engine from frame and then some covers, pan, oil pump and all the case bolts. All good so far!
5 bolts removed with engine sitting on the pan (2 was by the starter)
16 bolts removed with engine upside down + the 8 bigger bolts (4+4) for the crank. This should be all according to the Clymer manual.

 

It should be ready then to pry apart? you dont have to disengage anything in the gearbox before taking it apart?
Any other words of wisdom before?

thanks a lot!

wrote:

Thanks for the tip, I have seen a couple of youtube vids on lapping with the cordless drill. Im a bit anxious though that I will damage the stem or grind off too much seat. Very well, before I started with the KZ again I installed 2 cases on my Z900RS, will do some touring next weekend! Looks better then expected?

 

Removed engine from frame and then some covers, pan, oil pump and all the case bolts. All good so far!
5 bolts removed with engine sitting on the pan (2 was by the starter)
16 bolts removed with engine upside down + the 8 bigger bolts (4+4) for the crank. This should be all according to the Clymer manual.

 

It should be ready then to pry apart? you dont have to disengage anything in the gearbox before taking it apart?
Any other words of wisdom before?

thanks a lot!

Lot's of tapping with a plastic or raw-hide mallet and no "prying" with levers if you can avoid it  ​​​​​​​

wrote:

Lot's of tapping with a plastic or raw-hide mallet and no "prying" with levers if you can avoid it 

Yep! no need for any prying or mallets.
There's 3 m8 threaded holes that take jacking bolts to gently push the cases apart.

Aha! the Clymer does not mention this, it says prying on both sides of the crank. I will see if I can locate these threaded m8 holes tomorrow. thanks a lot!

The cases and faring looking great on your z900!!!

Do yourself a huge favor and get a hold of a genuine factory Kawasaki shop manual. I like how you say your Clymer manual makes no mention of using the three 8mm threaded holes used to help to split the case haves. Clymer manuals have a bad habit of leaving out certain information like that throughout the whole shop manual. The factory manuals are always a more complete manual than your Clymer manual.

!!!!Important Note!!!!!! When you use those three 8mm bolts to split the cases. If you leave just ONE case bolt in place and you keep cranking down on those three 8mm bolts. And your cases are still not coming apart and you crank down on those bolts a little bit more. The next sound you will hear is a snapping sound as a put a nice crack in your lower case!!!! I have watched a few dealership "mechanics" make that mistake!!!  Its a very distinctive sound you don't want to ever hear!!! Just triple check to make sure ALL the case bolts have been removed!!!!  
 

You are correct, lazy US machanics always use impact guns, who cares what´s next......