KZ550- Iron Geek K Zeta

Re: KZ550- Iron Geek K Zeta- *This Article Should Make Your Day*

PeteyWash said:
This should make anyone's day who is struggling through a kz550 project:

http://www.maclean-nj.com/kwak55.htm
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Awesome! I particularly like this amazing note, and how perfect the fuelling is on this bike: "Gave between 19 and 85 mpg" Jebus. That's like saying I'm anywhere between 2 feet and 8 feet tall. 8)
 
MotorbikeBruno said:
Awesome! I particularly like this amazing note, and how perfect the fuelling is on this bike: "Gave between 19 and 85 mpg" Jebus. That's like saying I'm anywhere between 2 feet and 8 feet tall. 8)
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Yeah. That guy seems like character.
 
Looking good. So many KZ's are getting done around here. Hopefully mine will be done this year ;D
 
M.B Co said:
Looking good. So many KZ's are getting done around here. Hopefully mine will be done this year ;D
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Thanks man. Yeah the mags just look so good when you shoot 'em black. That and the kz's just performed!
 
PeteyWash said:
Thanks man. Yeah the mags just look so good when you shoot 'em black. That and the kz's just performed!
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Indeed. Next step on mine is do my mags black.
 
Here's a snapshot of the valve checking procedure sir!
 

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I am guessing the 550 and 650s are real similar this what I did so I didn't mess up the timing, hopefully helps you out if you need to reshim one of them. Remove your upper camchain idler, unbolt the cam, remove the caps, then carefully keep all chain slack between the cams and the chain tight going down in the engine and carefully move the cam towards the center of the engine, remove one of the valve buckets needing adjustment, retrieve the shim, note the size and obtain your suitable replacement, reinstall, carefully lift the cam back in position keeping chain tight going down in the engine, torque down the camcaps and you're done with that cam. Recheck clearances and move to the other cam. One cam at a time, do the way I say and timing will not be fouled up.
 
jeffw said:
I am guessing the 550 and 650s are real similar this what I did so I didn't mess up the timing, hopefully helps you out if you need to reshim one of them. Remove your upper camchain idler, unbolt the cam, remove the caps, then carefully keep all chain slack between the cams and the chain tight going down in the engine and carefully move the cam towards the center of the engine, remove one of the valve buckets needing adjustment, retrieve the shim, note the size and obtain your suitable replacement, reinstall, carefully lift the cam back in position keeping chain tight going down in the engine, torque down the camcaps and you're done with that cam. Recheck clearances and move to the other cam. One cam at a time, do the way I say and timing will not be fouled up.
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Thanks dude.
 
Update:

So we went forward and bought new points and installed them..... not going to be an interesting photo anyways. Currently the valve adjustments are slowly but surely being figured out, and the exhaust is the next thing on the list. Hopefully on Thursday we will have some progress to show for you guys.
 
So, currently we are waiting on some new shims... and then this bike should finally have to power that it should have. all the valve gaps were way small..... I mean like .03 instead of .15! Here's a photo and Saturday should be another productive day
 

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I don't envy you. I've done valves on 4 or 5 KZ's in the last few years. At least there's quite a few places to get the shims now! Can't wait for you to see just how powerful these little engines are. ;)
 
MotorbikeBruno said:
Where did you get them from? I thought they were reasonable...$4 or so?
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I don't know if this will work for you guys, but when I did my Yamaha, the shims were crazy expensive, I had a gentleman steer me towards BMW, same diameter and only a couple bucks each...
 
ApriliaBill said:
I don't know if this will work for you guys, but when I did my Yamaha, the shims were crazy expensive, I had a gentleman steer me towards BMW, same diameter and only a couple bucks each...
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Yeah. I had to settle for $6.50 a pop I think which isn't awful, but it's not cheap
 
You weren't able to switch some of them for others? As in, cyl#1 is too tight, cyl 2 is too loose, swap them? I think I remember I had to order 4 shims, as 4 of mine were able to swap to other valves to get the correct clearance. I agree 6.50 isn't bad, but it's not cheap when you add it in to the total cost of putting the thing back on the road right? :'(
 
MotorbikeBruno said:
You weren't able to switch some of them for others? As in, cyl#1 is too tight, cyl 2 is too loose, swap them? I think I remember I had to order 4 shims, as 4 of mine were able to swap to other valves to get the correct clearance. I agree 6.50 isn't bad, but it's not cheap when you add it in to the total cost of putting the thing back on the road right? :'(
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Yes I agree with you. Motorcycles take money. No, I think one shim was going to be able to be switched, so I just went ahead and got a bunch of new ones.... oh well. SHould make the bike run right now
 
PeteyWash said:
Yes I agree with you. Motorcycles take money. No, I think one shim was going to be able to be switched, so I just went ahead and got a bunch of new ones.... oh well. SHould make the bike run right now
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Yessir! I just dialed in the jetting on the pilot circuit on mine. It's going to the new owner soon. I'll edit my quick go pro vid and toss it up in my thread. Have fun! These really are a blast to ride!
 
So.....
Sorry for the wait, but we were waiting on the shims to come in and life got a little busy. Anyways, the shims came, and we replaced all of them as well as installing new oil caps and gasket for the cam cover. Here's a picture
 
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