Well, it rattled like crazy, and I think I pin-pointed the problem to the front cam chain slider. Which meant a complete top end strip down. So I got stuck in today . Stripped everything out, it's going to have new front and rear cam chain sliders, new timing chain, full gasket set. All for the sake of a £29 part. Thats all the front slider costs from the dealers. But to do it you have to split the engine so.........total cost in parts is £240. Looking at it though, it's probably a good job that it did start to rattle a bit, because some of the valve seals have started to leak quite badly on the intake side. Exhaust side isn't too bad considering; I've seen a hell of a lot worse. And I've just realised that I shouldn't have bothered laying out the valve shims like I have, keeping them all in order, because the valves will get re-ground and re-seated, thereby changing the gaps, so I'll have to do them all again anyway. These engines don't like to run too tight, and then I'll have to re-balance the carbs as well. Oh well, it'll run like a new one again soon
im gonna whip the top of the VF off soon i think, its getting tappier by the day, its motor out to do it on the VF, didnt think you could take the head off a zzr without dropping the motor, or did you tilt it forward a bit? i love doing motor builds, but hate lapping valves and all the cleaning bullshit on old motors
that intake looks like some old diesel motors ive built! are you changing the stem seals too or just the gaskets?
Hell no am I leaving it like that Thats the reason I'm having the full gasket set. New stem seals most definately. I can't see the point of stripping an engine this far and not doing the full job while it's all out, as so many people do. Once it's done, it's good for another 50k miles at least. For me that's another 12 to 15 years on it. The head and barrel come out of these nice and easy without tilting the engine at all. The hard part is getting the pistons back into the bores without snapping a ring. I've found that a ring compressor is just too big for the gap on these to do the job nicely. But i use the same method i use on the scooters; put the pistons into the barrel first then offer the lot up to the rods and push the wrist pins through, then loads of cloth to cover the holes, and have a whale of a time with the circlips.
i do that with pistons too, its much easier, didnt think you used a ring compressor on these as you feed the pistons up from the bottom of the motor and not the other way round like a car? or am i massivly confused here?
You're right they do, there is quite a generous lead in to the bores as well, but getting four pistons into the bores at one time, straight and without snapping a ring that i don't notice, probably play it safe. It's fairly easy to do the other way as well. Pistons in from the bottom as normal, push them up the bore some, then block it up and push each individual piston down to the rod without clearing the rings and connect it. At least that way I can see the rings are fully into the bores. But I'll have a look first and decide when I get to it. Just don't want to screw it up for myself. Plus the fact that Kawasaki say to put the ring gaps at different places around the piston, god only knows what for, as far as I know, the rings turn some in the bores anyway don't they? Just like in a car? No pin to stop them doing it.
i always make sure the gaps are in differnt places, its just a good habit to get into, dont think it makes and difference personally, but its better to be safe.
Everything ordered, £229 in total, FFS. Should be here tomorrow so hopefully should all be done by the end of the week. Let the cleaning and lapping begin!
Unless they got two wheels and run on god's own fuel, ain't interested. Once you've seen 'em, aint nothin' special
does this mean the zed will be erm... faster? do love a good engine rebuild... post lots of pics? pwetty pwease
well, all my new parts turned up today. Next day delivery as standard. Thank you Cradley Kawasaki. All genuine parts. Still a bit sick at the price but for an engine like this, don't want to take a chance with pattern parts. Not knocking them, most are pretty good, some are better than standard, but then you get "the other stuff."
Very doubtful it will be faster than it already is; I mean, 193mph on the rolling road at the back wheel is pretty quick for a 22 year old bike. Should be smoother I think, or maybe drink a little less fuel as the ports will be nice and clean again, and the valves seated properly; but that really depends on how wide I open the taps doesn't it......... Wouldn't surprise me if the engine note sounds a little different from before, and it may be easier to balance the carbs perfectly as well. I'd better not hear another rattle after all this
I have a feeling this head has never been off before. Took me nearly two hours to clean the valves. Before: After: All nice and clean now And the cylinder head is getting there: Not as clean yet as it will be, still got more to do on it, including the outside of it. It wont go back on until I'm happy with it.
use autosol and cardboard for polishing alloy, it works a treat, much better than any other product/thing i have used, card is like the right roughness so that it polishes without scratching if that makes sense?
Yeah, makes sense, but i'm not polishing the mating surface or the outside, just nice and clean for UHT painting on the outside.
REALLY, narrow valve seats on this thing, cant be more than 1mm, makes it easy for lapping though. Only have to use the fine paste, and a magnifying glass All done now That's the old stem seals in the background
