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KZ tappets

first timer

first timer

Forum Sage
NO really this is for a GS1000,

As I have been slowly collecting parts for my 1000 yosh build I have heard a few times that KZ650 tappets can be used for GS1000 tappets and prefered because of the under the bucket shim style.

Did a little research on bike bandit and the 78-81 KZ650 shares the same tappets as the 80-83 KZ550 and the 80-82 KZ750. So my question is this, anyone here have a above mentioned KZ tappet for me to buy/try? I have a extra gs1000 motor that is a apart and not big deal for me to try a kz tappet in.

Has anyone elese heard of the KZ tappets in a GS?
 
yes KZ 650 and gpz 750 all have the shim under bucket style that are an exact match for a Gs 1000. they are a bit soft for heavy valve springs and hi lift cams. the flat top surface will dish a little after extended heavy duty use. But for street they will work perfectly. it's a bitch adjusting valve lash unless you are comfortable removing and reinstalling the cams in time.

you can rev the engine higher and not spit a shim
you can run .425" and higher lift cams

9500 RPM and .395 is the limits for safe shim over bucket operation (stock)

Kibblewide makes a better product; bucket,SSvalves,.550" lift springs,titanium retainers, but the price is much more than the KZ stuff.
 
cool thanks for the tips, I belive this is the site you are talking about http://www.blackdiamondvalves.com/ and the company is kibblewhite, I'll check that out. Thanks for the heads up on the softer metel but yeah most of the time the bike will be used on the street, maybe a track day here and there. I'll be running 750 oil gears and not going to crazy with the cam lift. I was just worried about spiting a shim like you say. So depending on the Kibblewide price I might just stick to oem kaw stuff until I wearout a tappet.

BTW, got any tappets laying around that i can mes with?

*edit here is another place that might have some promis as well http://www.dynoman.net/index.html
 
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K&L handles them.

$350.00 buckets and titanium retainers set of 8 13mm shims extra

KZ 650 head off of ebay maybe 70.00 shipped your choice

finding the right thickness shims is a chore the first time thru.
 
The Kawasaki (900,1000,1100) tappets are 1/2 mm smaller than the Susuki GS1000
 
Big Jay said:
The Kawasaki (900,1000,1100) tappets are 1/2 mm smaller than the Susuki GS1000
Click to expand...
I think what he is trying to do is convert from the large-shim-over-bucket to the smaller-shim-under-bucket.

Not sure what First Timer is trying to accomplish with this mod, but you have to ask yourself if the effort is going to be worth the extra work it's going to take to adjust the valves. The only reason I can see for going to the shims under the bucket is if you are going to spin the engine faster, especially if it has higher-lift cams. For most street use, it might be a really trick mod, but who will ever notice? :-s


.
 
Is there a price, size(thickness), or availability advantage?
 
I understand he is trying to go from shim on top to shim on bottom to prevent shim loss. I was pointing out that the Kaw buckets are smaller.

I have shim on bottom GS1000 buckets in stock.

Jay
 
So, instead of losing material on the shim, you lose material on the (more expensive) bucket? How does this help? I get that it may help to increase redline RPM. I erally don't see much benefit beyond that. Shims are pretty cheap.
 
drhach said:
So, instead of losing material on the shim, you lose material on the (more expensive) bucket? How does this help? I get that it may help to increase redline RPM. I erally don't see much benefit beyond that. Shims are pretty cheap.
Click to expand...


We are talking about the valve adjustment shims that sit on top of the tappet ( bucket ) that the cam rides on. When you increase lift by going with a "high lift" cam, the nose of the cam contacts the shim farther from center than a stock cam does. This can cause the shim to be pushed down into the radial groove in the top of the tappet. The other side then lifts up. This can result in the cam lobe slinging the shim our right thu the front of the head.

This is prevented by using the "shim under" arrangement. The shim is not located under the bucket and there is no chance of the cam lobe slinging it out.

It is not about wear. If you are wearing your shims or tappets, you have other issues.

Jay
 
yes Big Jay i am looking to go high lift cams and higher revs when i rebuild my motor. So are just the 900, 1000, and 1100 kawasaki tappets 1/2mm smaller in dia? or are you includeing the 550, 650 and 750 tappets as well in this list?

pulling cams is no big deal to adjust valve clearances. BTW anyone know what is the adjustment intervals for the above mentioned kaws?
 
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Not to get to far off the subject with KZ's/ GS1000... Let's consider that George Babor (BPM) has been over 200mph on KZ Shim Over Bucket. So if you're riding this bike on the street you shouldn't have issues with Shim Over.
 
I have kz 750 buckets in my gs engine big jay 1/2 inch smaller where?

29mm shim kz versus 29.5 mm shim suzuki diameter... the kawasaki adjusting shim is smaller but the bucket diameter is exactly the same

AND the shim under bucket diameter and height is identical. a 13mm adjusting shim diameter is required for shim under buckets.

same retainers , same springs, same valve stem diameter and length there is a difference in the valve keepers (kawa. square - suzu- rounded) just match the keepers with the matching poppet valve


I also have kawasaki pistons 76mm 18mm pin in there too late model gpz had 18mm pin


be careful listening to "experts" on the internet

buy measuring tools and answer your own questions
 
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I was refering to GS1000 2 valve. They are 1/2 mm larger than all the Kawasakis. For years, the fix for damaged tappet bores in Kawasaki heads was to rebore the tappet bore out 1/2 mm and use a GS1000 tappet.

You are correct in that the shim on top shims are the same size.

Jay
 
last I knew and measured the kawaski shim on top shims measured 29mm and the suzuki shim on top shims measured 29.5mm.

I am getting a little confused with this conversation. The info I had come across said the KZ650 shim under bucket buckets fit the gs1000.

Jay says the KZ650 shim under bucket buckets are .5mm smaller then the gs1000.

Trip says the KZ650 shim under bucket buckets are the same size as the gs1000.

So which one is it. I don't really want to buy a KZ650 head to just measure things.

Would I need to change my keepers to Kawasaki square ones so they can work with KZ650 buckets? or can I just drop in the KZ650 bucket no problem?
 
High Lift

High Lift

Big Jay said:
That would have to be a turbo motor with small lift cams.

Jay
Click to expand...

So you thinking George was spinning the Motor @ 8,500 RPM'S ?:)

Also the question would be... How High on the Lift?...

A fast look at the MegaCycle Cams Catalog on Pg. 53 indicates anything up to .417 lift is good with Shim on Top, anything higher requires Shim under. We're talking a Street Bike....
 
I apologize I am guilty of giving wrong information!!

the bucket diameters are bigger on the GS just as the shim diameters!! compared to KZ!! (0.5 mm)

I have made a bad mistake and will check twice before I speak up in the future.

I was under the impression that the buckets in my Duane Williams head were KZ I measured them and remeasured a set of kawasaki buckets. they are NOT the same diameter.


I hope you will forgive me. sorry
 
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