Topic: Terry's new Kawasaki Z1B build, the OCD special...........

[Terry in Australia]

Doing a valve shim swap is general maintenance Alan, and I’ve never even thought about the possibility of the end of the tool (an expensive little jigger, but obviously meant for a GS Suzuki and not a Z1) breaking, so I was totally unprepared (and horrified) when it went “SNAP!”. Ok, hot night, more drugs required to get back to sleep, where’s that morphine?

[MauiK3]

I'm using the funny little Kawasaki tool, it works fine but it's fiddly and has to be set just right.
I may try a different tool at some point.

[grcamna2]

I bought some OEM Honda tools for doing CB750/900/1100 dohc bikes and they are small little wedge tools with spacing along it to fit the bucket down so you can remove the shims(25mm I think;Terry yours are 29?)and they're both good quality hard steel.The first step is use the wedge shaped tip one to compress the valve spring then use the 2nd one to hold the bucket in place;they both have a plastic knob to make it easier to apply force to.

Terry,I have the same type tool you have for Suzuki's from Motion Pro,it's cast iron from.. some country.. 

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Bill, that was a motion pro tool, what annoys me is yep they're probably made in China, but we're paying "Made in USA" prices? WTF? If Motion Pro decided to move their manufacturing to China, their prices should reflect the third world country quality.....

[Trevor from Warragul]

Can you get "half size" shims for the Z1B?  I got some for my CBX, and it allows greater accuracy.

When I was a "noob" at adjusting the CBX valves, I assumed all shims marked a certain size would actually be that exact size..  silly me!  Eventually I learned to order at least 3 of a required size, and 1 would usually measure close to it.

[Terry in Australia]

The wet weather has continued today, the poor cats have been hiding from the thunder and lightning which has flooded my patio workshop, only the Z1-B and workbench have survived relatively dry. Working from home has been particularly quiet this week with a public holiday on Wednesday, a lot of the public servants that I'm so lucky to work with took the whole week off. Oh well, I decided to make the most of my paid "Quiet Time" and prepare my shiny new gas tank. I brought the box inside and Leo decided that he owned it, but I kicked him off it when he started ripping up the bubble wrap that the tank was packed in.

Z1 Friday 28 Jan 2022 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I let him keep the box after I removed the beautiful tank.

Z1 Friday 28 Jan 2022 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Installing the tank furniture was a real "heart in the mouth" situation, especially installing the spring loaded cap latch. I thought I took a pic of all of the masking tape and shop towel that I taped to the top of the tank to avoid scratching it when I had to tap the "Roll Pin" into the fuel cap's hinge mechanism, and then the gut churning method of using a centre punch to expand the end of the rivet on the spring loaded latch. Took way longer than it should have because I was sh1tting bricks, the last time I had a shiny new gas tank was when I smashed my shiny new CB750F over a gutter, thru a tree and into a "Give Way" (Yield) sign @ 90MPH when I was drunk, in 1978, and "Boomeranged" the original..... Anyway, I managed to get it all together without any damage, and mounted it on the bike temporarily.

I need to do a compression check (only because I haven't done one) re-do the ignition timing and change the advance curve because after reading the Dyna 2000 blurb, I'm using the wrong advance curve and not quite enough ignition advance, adjust the clutch (I seem to have way too much clutch cable, for same reason?) adjust the mixture screws, install the horn, and make a centre stand "Stay" to stop it acting as a chain tensioner. Only little things, but if the rain pisses off, I might actually get it done.

Z1 Friday 28 Jan 2022 3 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

[Terry in Australia]

Can you get "half size" shims for the Z1B?  I got some for my CBX, and it allows greater accuracy.

When I was a "noob" at adjusting the CBX valves, I assumed all shims marked a certain size would actually be that exact size..  silly me!  Eventually I learned to order at least 3 of a required size, and 1 would usually measure close to it.

I haven't seen any "Half Sizes" Trevor, could be that they're out there, but in the 30 years or so of adjusting valve shims (I still have my original factory Suzuki GS shim set, but they're 30mm OD, from memory) I've never seen "Half sizes"?

To be honest I haven't looked for them either, and as they come in .05mm (.002 thou) steps I shouldn't be too far out, the biggest issue I had was that the set I bought from "Oink Johnson" wasn't a complete set, just a box of shims, so in some cases I had to go an extra .05mm more clearance than I needed, but really that's neither here nor there on a big Zed ("Zee" in the US) with hot cams, as I said, I'd rather have too much clearance, than not enough.

I will try to buy some more to increase the range of the set that I have, but they're stupidly expensive to buy new, so they can wait. my other 2 Zed engines (more on that later...) have "Shim under buckets" and I was able to buy a cheap shim set for them. 13mm shims are much cheaper than 29mm shims, for some reason.

[MauiK3]

That is a beautiful beast!

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Steve, it truly is. I asked the wife if it wasn't just the most magnificent thing she's ever seen, but she said "no"? I still don't understand women, I'm afraid......

[Alan F.]

It's gorgeous Terry. I can't understand women either though. Should I worry about that? I never have before....

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Alan, I'm guessing that the reason I've never understood women is because I'm not all that interested, but if you tell my wife I'll deny ever saying that......

[Alan F.]

Yep. There's always another bike....

[grcamna2]

Terry,That's a beautiful KZ900 Z1 classic with 1100cc? !   

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Bill, I'm really happy with it, yep, I used the Moriwaki 1100cc high comp pistons from the drag bike in this build, along with NOS Eagle race crank, ported head, Engle cams, 33mm Mikuni smoothbore carbs, Delkevic 4 into 1 pipe, Dyna 2000 ignition, etc etc. It should be scary fun to ride.

[grcamna2]

Terry,you're getting closer to it's first 'break-in run' with many more to follow.

[PeWe]

Nice sounding engine and good looking bike!
The 4-1 seems to sound just right, not too much or too silent.

I had missed the updates of this thread. Tapatalk is not that reliable sending mails about thread updates.

Your wife might prefer a pink bike?

[Terry in Australia]

Well I finally ran out of excuses today and so after I did a compression test (150 PSI across all 4 cylinders cold) and reset the valve timing to match the correct advance curve on the Dyna 2000, adjusted the clutch, fitted the tank petcock and cut the fuel lines to suit, I decided that a test ride was in order. It fired right up and ran better than the last couple of times, and the clutch was great.

It is, however, a drag bike engine in a road bike frame. I think it's running way too rich down low with the 33mm Mikuni smoothbore carbs, which is a common issue with 33's, they run superbly at WOT, but run rich at idle. I thought about it for at least 5 minutes, then hit the "Buy it now" button for a set of new RS34's, which seem to work better on street bikes. Apart from the carbs, I don't think I'll need to change anything else to make it a better street bike, and I'll try the 33's on the 1428cc engine when I install that engine into the Z1000 bike.

I'm looking forwards to getting it thru the Roadworthy Inspection and getting my cheap classic bike plate, so I can try it out on longer rides away from the 'burbs. I better book it in.....  

Z1 Sunday 30 Jan 2022 1 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

[ken65]

Thats a nice looking bike Terry.  Well done old fella.

[PeWe]

Your bike look really good Terry!!
I like that view that show the bike's really good design and well matching 4-1

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks guys, I've decided that I can't live with the handlebars (CB750K0-K1 replicas) so I've just ordered new Z1 replica bars. They're only a slightly different bend, but they bug me. I somehow managed to buy another 200 bucks worth of parts while I was at it, but there you go......

[MauiK3]

Looks really nice.
Are you staying with no rear fender?

[seanbarney41]

No rear fender?  rear fender would complete the sleeper image...ha ha Maui beat me to it!

[BenelliSEI]

Thanks guys, I've decided that I can't live with the handlebars (CB750K0-K1 replicas) so I've just ordered new Z1 replica bars. They're only a slightly different bend, but they bug me. I somehow managed to buy another 200 bucks worth of parts while I was at it, but there you go......

Spent +$700 on the S/C last week, without even trying! It’s only money…

[Kelly E]

The bike looks great. You just can't beat the classic style of the Z-1.

[grcamna2]

No rear fender?  rear fender would complete the sleeper image...ha ha Maui beat me to it!

Yeah,put the rear fender on and install the KZ900 sidecover emblems