Custom GPZ550 (ZX550A and KZ550H)

adventurco · Apr 29, 2016

Nice fab work. Got to say I'm a bit envious of your machining tools.

As far as I know you won't reduce the 'orange-peel' effect by baking. You should only experience orange peel on thicker coats, such as a clear coat. It also depends a lot on what kind of paint method you're using, HVLP and rattle can produce vastly different surfaces. But you can always just wet sand and buff out the 'orange-peel' look.

japstar · Apr 30, 2016

adventurco said:
Nice fab work. Got to say I'm a bit envious of your machining tools.

As far as I know you won't reduce the 'orange-peel' effect by baking. You should only experience orange peel on thicker coats, such as a clear coat. It also depends a lot on what kind of paint method you're using, HVLP and rattle can produce vastly different surfaces. But you can always just wet sand and buff out the 'orange-peel' look.

Thanks

Well I'm envious of my dad and grandpa that they could affort all that. New life goal: set 8)

Thanks for the info, gues I'll only be baking the cylinder paint as stated on the can

Got to do some work today:
Drilling out broking studs in the cylinder head and putting heli coils in them. 4 broken studs, but in the last stud, my drill has broken, so I gues I'll have some work to do

(milling out the drill bit and rewelding and redrilling)
Blasted the cylinder, cylinder head and valve cover in someones blast cabinet, turned out good. Now I have to fix the stud and they can be painted.

adventurco · Apr 30, 2016

Parts look good. Soda blast?

japstar · May 1, 2016

adventurco said:
Parts look good. Soda blast?

Nope, glass bead.

Soda is not agressive enough to remove a lot of paint. Best for cleaning up stubborn dirty parts and loose paint. I cleaned up my wheels that way.

japstar · May 1, 2016

Oh yeah, forgot to post this.
Little test run when adjusting the carbs. Buddy of mine on the bike.

https://youtu.be/d4YmEo9_MbE

SrgtBear · May 4, 2016

Interesting to hear about the 3 head gaskets. I recently got my KZ650 head rebuilt and they shaved a little off the bottom to make it flat. Kind of wish they told me they were doing this beforehand. Now it leaves my concerned, and hoping the valves don't hit. I'll have to keep that multiple gasket idea in my back pocket for later.

It's hard to tell but your pistons might be aftermarket (Wiseco kit). I opened mine up and found a whole slew of upgrades inside. Measure the diameter of the top of the piston and compare it to stock piston specs. If they are bigger than stock then you might need the matching head gasket.

Good luck on your build!

japstar · May 4, 2016

SrgtBear said:
Interesting to hear about the 3 head gaskets. I recently got my KZ650 head rebuilt and they shaved a little off the bottom to make it flat. Kind of wish they told me they were doing this beforehand. Now it leaves my concerned, and hoping the valves don't hit. I'll have to keep that multiple gasket idea in my back pocket for later.

It's hard to tell but your pistons might be aftermarket (Wiseco kit). I opened mine up and found a whole slew of upgrades inside. Measure the diameter of the top of the piston and compare it to stock piston specs. If they are bigger than stock then you might need the matching head gasket.

Good luck on your build!

Pistons are original 58 mm.
(And just curious, is the stock size gasket used when installing oversize pistons?)

Concerning the head gasket for clarity:

This kind of gasket was there when I opened up the engine:

But to my experience, gaskets normally look like this?

Maybe someone can tell me what kind the gpz or KZ series used as stock gasket?

japstar · May 4, 2016

Been doing some putty work today and yesterday.
Just applied third layer of bondo, shape of the fuel tank is almost there, then I still need to do some very fine layers to get the surface as smooth as possible.

adventurco · May 4, 2016

japstar said:
Been doing some putty work today and yesterday.
Just applied third layer of bondo, shape of the fuel tank is almost there, then I still need to do some very fine layers to get the surface as smooth as possible.

Shape looking good. How thick is that bondo?

japstar · May 5, 2016

adventurco said:
Shape looking good. How thick is that bondo?

i think max 1,5 cm in the deep spots, on level surfaces only a mm or two.
The knee dents you see is sheet metal, so no excessive bonde on the corners that you see.

doc_rot · May 5, 2016

Cool project. I think that gasket is a MLS (Multi-Layer Steel) gasket. IIRC, they are usually used in applications where a aluminum head is meeting a iron block, because they can handle the shear force that the two different materials will exert on them as they expand and contract at different rates.

japstar · May 5, 2016

doc_rot said:
Cool project. I think that gasket is a MLS (Multi-Layer Steel) gasket. IIRC, they are usually used in applications where a aluminum head is meeting a iron block, because they can handle the shear force that the two different materials will exert on them as they expand and contract at different rates.

Thanks for the new info to store in my head

Both head and cylinder are aluminium, except for the cylinder sleeves which are steel.
So it wouldn't hurt to place a paper gasket with the steel (or whatever material) rings around the cylinders?

doc_rot · May 5, 2016

The fiber ones will be fine, I'm actually a little surprised that you have that gasket in the first place

japstar · May 6, 2016

Finished the bondo work on the tank. Still got fill up the smalle pores with spray putty.

Also managed to remove the broken bolt and drill from the cylinder head. Now I gotta weld it up with aluminium and redrill the hole.
(the spot to weld is not near the flat surface of the head, and not in the middle but at the end of the head. So I'm not worrying about warping the cylinder head due to welding.

japstar · May 9, 2016

Painted the rims.
Pretty good for a first paint job I think

I'm curious how they will look on the bike

japstar · May 12, 2016

A picture of the paint products I use, if people are interested
Spray cans of Motip (for primer, spray putty, white lacquer) are not included. Glasurit hurts my wallet

But good stuff

hooligan998 · May 13, 2016

Cool build so far. I'm diggin' the fab work you're doing. I'm in.

japstar · May 13, 2016

hooligan998 said:
Cool build so far. I'm diggin' the fab work you're doing. I'm in.

Thanks 8)

And before the building break caused by my exams:

Did some spraying yesterday

The T-piece is not so smooth, but that doesn't matter, it's the licence plate holder, the finish of the steel itself wasn't that good.
Ignition lock and cockpit has some runners, so I'll be redoing those with some other stuff that still needs spraying.

Gotta wet sand the fender, cause I can still see some sanding markes.

Also got around to mounting the tires and balancing the wheels.

Front wheel was a fair amount out of balance

Maybe I'll do some assembling once I get the frame back from the power coater during study breaks, but if not, see ya till end of july

japstar · May 18, 2016

Always fun to recieve some essential parts 8)

Kamn · May 18, 2016

Who did you get the 520 kit from if you dont mind me asking??

Custom GPZ550 (ZX550A and KZ550H)

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