Kawasaki ZZR600 progress thread
- Thread starter Diddums
- Start date
Gonna need to research this first. Seems like the kind of thing I'll need a workbench for.
I can neither confirm or deny that I commuted on my first big bike for more than a few days with the whole rear brake drained of fluid and the pads removed because the warped disc was really annoying and I had to order a new one.
Didn't die, didn't even notice.
I think I linked a vid either in this thread or in one of the others - use carb cleaner in all the teeny tiny air passageways (esp the ones just under the butterfly valves) cos as good as ultrasonic cleaning is, you often end up with airlocks in the really small passageways and so the cleaning liquid doesn't do owt!
Brakes really are **** easy, just time consuming. I recently refurbished a pair of 6 pots. Just be methodical and as clean as you can be!
Where are you in the country mate?
Edit - you might find the pistons are stuck in the bores - you can get a dedicated tool to get them out (if compressed air and/or diesel won't shift 'em). The cheap tools don't really work, so get a decent one if you do get one. If you want to save a few quid you *can* use this method
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So now that all the stuff has arrived, here's a photo of it all:
Not in the photo is a centre stand with fixings and spring.
I might order a new clutch, I definitely need fork seals, and another oil filter. I'm hoping to do some compression testing first, then the valve clearances to see if that improves the compression.
Not in the photo is a centre stand with fixings and spring.
I might order a new clutch, I definitely need fork seals, and another oil filter. I'm hoping to do some compression testing first, then the valve clearances to see if that improves the compression.
Centre stand fitted, new oil, oil filter, battery fully charged and put back in. I was hoping to do a compression test but I seem to have lost my extension bar from my socket set so off to Toolstation tomorrow to pick up another one :/
I forgot how helpful a centre stand is:
This oil was spectacularly filthy:
Feels good to make some actual progress. Not much, but then it's not a race and I'm not depending on it for travel so I can just do it at my leisure which is lovely.
Tomorrow should be some decent progress hopefully.
I forgot how helpful a centre stand is:
This oil was spectacularly filthy:
Feels good to make some actual progress. Not much, but then it's not a race and I'm not depending on it for travel so I can just do it at my leisure which is lovely.
Tomorrow should be some decent progress hopefully.
These plugs are pretty much irrelevant as the engine wasn't running with them in, the oil was full of petrol, and the carbs were a mess. Nevertheless, had the opportunity to take pics, who knows if they'll come in handy one day:
Pretty good compression on all four pots:
And now on to the scariest bit yet:
Pretty good compression on all four pots:
And now on to the scariest bit yet:
I got mine from WeMoto - https://www.wemoto.com/
Are you 100% certain on the spec on the clearances? In the pdf you linked above, the intake clearances should be 0.15-0.24mm and the exhaust clearances should be bigger at 0.22-0.31mm. Double check your manual.
If you do decide to do the shims (which I suspect you will!) then you'll also need an accurate way of measuring the thickness of the existing shims if the size markings on them has worn off. I use a vernier caliper - a decent resolution digital one will probably do
Edit: Can you do a diagram of what number 1-16 correlates to the layout of the head? Also - COVER UP THE SPARK-PLUG HOLES IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!!!! (unless the plugs are still in there)
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Cheers. Yes I've got a Vernier caliper in the drawer.
Also, the valve clearances I was going by are the ones in the Haynes manual, which are different to the ones in the workshop manual. Apparently Haynes manuals are quite often wrong.
Gonna remeasure tomorrow, not confident in my measurements. The exhaust ports are also hard to get to meaning I have to bend the feeler gauges too. Really awkward, hard to get a feel on.
Double check then to make sure what the tolerances should actually be!
I added an edit to my earlier post, but you may have missed it - Can you do a diagram of what number 1-16 correlates to the layout of the head (if the tolerances should be .15-.24 & .22-.31) Also - COVER UP THE SPARK-PLUG HOLES IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!!!! (unless the plugs are still in there - you really, REALLY don't want anything dropping down in there!!!)
I added an edit to my earlier post, but you may have missed it - Can you do a diagram of what number 1-16 correlates to the layout of the head (if the tolerances should be .15-.24 & .22-.31) Also - COVER UP THE SPARK-PLUG HOLES IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!!!! (unless the plugs are still in there - you really, REALLY don't want anything dropping down in there!!!)
Then I reckon that they should be 0.15-0.24 for your intake and 0.22-0.31 for your exhaust then - all of your exhaust gaps are bigger than your inlet (which is what I would expect if they should be different tolerances for intake and exhaust tbh)
Exhaust:
1 ok
2 too small
3 too small
4 ok
5 ok
6 too small
7 ok
8 ok
Inlet
9 too small
10 ok
11 ok
12 ok
13 ok
14 ok
15 ok
16 ok
Gaps usually get smaller with time as the valve seat deforms, allowing the valve to recess more, in turn raising the valve stem, closing the gap. I still think you need to double check what the tolerances should be and take it from there
Yep, gonna double check tomorrow, then pull the cams and start measuring. Tell you one thing, that telescopic magnet thingy I bought on Temu has been absolutely proceless today! The plugs are still in the holes, but will probably stick something in the top tomorrow as even though the plugs are there, the second I pull them any crap in the holes will simply fall straight in to the cylinders.
This is from the workshop manual:
Turns out these are exactly the same as in the Haynes manual, I just didn't see the two different measurements for inlets and outlets
This is from the workshop manual:
Turns out these are exactly the same as in the Haynes manual, I just didn't see the two different measurements for inlets and outlets
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Look mum, no cams 
Measurements, a bit more confident this time:
Inlet:
9: 0.1mm
10: 0.23mm
11: 0.18mm
12: 0.18mm
13: 0.18mm
14: 0.20mm
15: 0.20mm
16: 0.20mm
Exhaust:
1: 0.28mm
2: 0.25mm
3: 0.25mm
4: 0.28mm
5: 0.25mm
6: 0.27mm
7: 0.28mm
8: 0.25mm
According to these measurements, only valve no. 9 needs reshimming, new shim ordered.
Also, how bloody expensive are caliper parts
I'll also swap the clutch out I think. Being the 13th owner I suspect this thing's not been ridden with much mechanical sympathy so that clutch will have put in some serious work I reckon.
Measurements, a bit more confident this time:
Inlet:
9: 0.1mm
10: 0.23mm
11: 0.18mm
12: 0.18mm
13: 0.18mm
14: 0.20mm
15: 0.20mm
16: 0.20mm
Exhaust:
1: 0.28mm
2: 0.25mm
3: 0.25mm
4: 0.28mm
5: 0.25mm
6: 0.27mm
7: 0.28mm
8: 0.25mm
According to these measurements, only valve no. 9 needs reshimming, new shim ordered.
Also, how bloody expensive are caliper parts
I'll also swap the clutch out I think. Being the 13th owner I suspect this thing's not been ridden with much mechanical sympathy so that clutch will have put in some serious work I reckon.
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Finally a bit more progress after the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride:
Valve shim replaced, cams back in. Was a bit of a faff as an o-ring the size of a 5p coin came out of its groove and I only noticed once the cams were back in so I had to pull it all apart, retrive the o-ring and redo everything:
Also replaced the cam chain tensioner gasket:
Unfortunately my little engineer brain is incapable of refitting the valve cover in this state, so it's gonna get a good scrub and a sesh in the ultrasonic cleaner before going back on:
I also ordered a petrol tap refurb kit as I'm extremely dubious about vacuum systems as it is, I'm not keen on any petrol leaking in to the oil again, so that'll get refurbed too.
Quick update on costs:
Valve shim replaced, cams back in. Was a bit of a faff as an o-ring the size of a 5p coin came out of its groove and I only noticed once the cams were back in so I had to pull it all apart, retrive the o-ring and redo everything:
Also replaced the cam chain tensioner gasket:
Unfortunately my little engineer brain is incapable of refitting the valve cover in this state, so it's gonna get a good scrub and a sesh in the ultrasonic cleaner before going back on:
I also ordered a petrol tap refurb kit as I'm extremely dubious about vacuum systems as it is, I'm not keen on any petrol leaking in to the oil again, so that'll get refurbed too.
Quick update on costs: