Thank you for the video! Could you make a little list of what parts you ordered and where you got them from? I think my new to me 80 kz440 ltd needs to get torn down and I've never done an engine rebuild before. I've converted cars from auto to manual, I've built a few rx-7's from a box of parts (See: NOT the engines), so this is a new thing to me fully and I don't want to mess it up. What book was it you had and where did you get it so I can pick that up? I know you said this isn't a how-to, but yours is the newest video out there and wayyyyyyyyyyyy more comprehensive than anything I've seen thus far.
Thanks man! Glad you found it useful. I found it difficult finding parts, and resorted to Ebay. The parts I couldn't get here i had to wait for, as they came from America and Spain. However, America had the best prices for all replacement parts. For consumable items, seals and whatnot, I used Fowlers (UK) and Cradley Kawasaki (UK). There are also specialist Kawasaki parts finders in the UK who can obtain out of stock parts (Z Power) - there will be a company like them in the USA as well. What I normally do is look up the bike on cmsnl.com, look at the parts blowup diagrams on there, and find the part number, then enter that part number into those parts suppliers' sites. If they're not there, I cast a wider net and Google for different sellers, and use Ebay. The pistons and rings came from IMD Pistons (UK). This company produces them in sets of batches for old bikes, and they offer just one or 2 sizes at a time, so you need to have the bore measurements correct for whatever you can get your hands on. If they (IMD) haven't got what you need then you can look at Japanese suppliers such as Cruzinmoto. I got my bores done by PJ Motorcycle Engineers (UK) as they've got a good reputation for having decent machines. In another comment someone asked where I got parts, and I gave him a list with Ebay item numbers, which will be of no use now as it's well out of date. Good luck with the rebuild.
Im currently rebuilding a kz400B. It's my first engine rebuild and this is very informative. Also, where did you get the new seals? Finding parts for these bikes seems to be the hardest part of rebuilding them.
From my emails: crank seal was a NOS (Ebay item number 295028139827). Some O-ring seals (less important ones) came with the (pattern) full gasket set I bought. Those are for the oil filter banjo and rocker adjustment caps iirc. Others as well maybe. Internal engine oil seals are a special type (flattened at the top, and tapered) and I bought these from Cradley Kawasaki. Gear shaft seal also from Cradley Kawasaki. The clutch pushrod seal I bought earlier (from Ebay) and had installed it before the engine broke, but you can get a replacement (which is slightly different) from Wemoto. I may have bought a couple of items from Fowlers too - will have to check my account there as those emails aren't saved. Z Power in the UK may be able to help source one or two hard-to-find wear items if they're hard to find, but it could take them a while (I didn't need to use them on this occasion). Good luck with the build.
@GTMarmot Hey I've started resembling the engine and I noticed that my crankshaft has side-to-side play. Do you know how much play is allowed? The play is not at the connecting rods. the case has been rejoined and it has a small amount of side-to-side movement.
@@NoahT98 I wouldn't worry about it - just run it. The manual says that the side-to-side play wear measurement must be done when the engine is split open, with the end cap (containing the balancer) is still installed. It says, measure the maximum gap between the end cap and one of the crankshaft webs (flywheels). This should be 0.45mm at most. However, now that your engine is together I would just run it and not worry about it.
well done. I am about to embark of similar teardown though not due to damage, but leaky seals.
Thank you for the video! Could you make a little list of what parts you ordered and where you got them from? I think my new to me 80 kz440 ltd needs to get torn down and I've never done an engine rebuild before. I've converted cars from auto to manual, I've built a few rx-7's from a box of parts (See: NOT the engines), so this is a new thing to me fully and I don't want to mess it up. What book was it you had and where did you get it so I can pick that up?
I know you said this isn't a how-to, but yours is the newest video out there and wayyyyyyyyyyyy more comprehensive than anything I've seen thus far.
Thanks man! Glad you found it useful.
I found it difficult finding parts, and resorted to Ebay. The parts I couldn't get here i had to wait for, as they came from America and Spain. However, America had the best prices for all replacement parts. For consumable items, seals and whatnot, I used Fowlers (UK) and Cradley Kawasaki (UK). There are also specialist Kawasaki parts finders in the UK who can obtain out of stock parts (Z Power) - there will be a company like them in the USA as well.
What I normally do is look up the bike on cmsnl.com, look at the parts blowup diagrams on there, and find the part number, then enter that part number into those parts suppliers' sites. If they're not there, I cast a wider net and Google for different sellers, and use Ebay. The pistons and rings came from IMD Pistons (UK). This company produces them in sets of batches for old bikes, and they offer just one or 2 sizes at a time, so you need to have the bore measurements correct for whatever you can get your hands on. If they (IMD) haven't got what you need then you can look at Japanese suppliers such as Cruzinmoto. I got my bores done by PJ Motorcycle Engineers (UK) as they've got a good reputation for having decent machines. In another comment someone asked where I got parts, and I gave him a list with Ebay item numbers, which will be of no use now as it's well out of date. Good luck with the rebuild.
Well done! Very informative and detailed account of your endeavours.
Im currently rebuilding a kz400B. It's my first engine rebuild and this is very informative. Also, where did you get the new seals? Finding parts for these bikes seems to be the hardest part of rebuilding them.
From my emails: crank seal was a NOS (Ebay item number 295028139827).
Some O-ring seals (less important ones) came with the (pattern) full gasket set I bought. Those are for the oil filter banjo and rocker adjustment caps iirc. Others as well maybe.
Internal engine oil seals are a special type (flattened at the top, and tapered) and I bought these from Cradley Kawasaki. Gear shaft seal also from Cradley Kawasaki. The clutch pushrod seal I bought earlier (from Ebay) and had installed it before the engine broke, but you can get a replacement (which is slightly different) from Wemoto. I may have bought a couple of items from Fowlers too - will have to check my account there as those emails aren't saved. Z Power in the UK may be able to help source one or two hard-to-find wear items if they're hard to find, but it could take them a while (I didn't need to use them on this occasion).
Good luck with the build.
@@GTMarmot Awesome. I appreciate the info.
@GTMarmot Hey I've started resembling the engine and I noticed that my crankshaft has side-to-side play. Do you know how much play is allowed? The play is not at the connecting rods. the case has been rejoined and it has a small amount of side-to-side movement.
@@NoahT98 I wouldn't worry about it - just run it. The manual says that the side-to-side play wear measurement must be done when the engine is split open, with the end cap (containing the balancer) is still installed. It says, measure the maximum gap between the end cap and one of the crankshaft webs (flywheels). This should be 0.45mm at most. However, now that your engine is together I would just run it and not worry about it.
@@GTMarmot Okay thats what ill do. Thanks man.
👍👍👍🏍🌪🤙