Future 750-4 engine project
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Future 750-4 engine project
11 Jan 2026 19:30 - 11 Jan 2026 22:42
In 2018 I bought a used 1982 KZ750 Spectre engine to put in my KZ650. The deal also came with a complete spare head and barrel with pistons.
The complete engine was sitting in a unheated shed for quite a while so I ended up tearing it down for a valve job and some new rings. I also split the cases to be able to swap in a 650 transmission to convert it to chain drive. The engine did find its way back into a bike.
The 750 Spectre engines come equipped with GPZ type pistons (higher compression) and higher lift cams (slightly less lift/duration than GPZ but more than KZ) When I tore the engine apart I was able to confirm these differences. Since the spares were thrown into the deal I decided the head and barrel would be used on a future build.
The only issue with using these parts was the fact that they could only be used with the Hyvo style cam chain. This limits the use on earlier KZ 650 engines which is mostly what I own. I do have one KZ650 CSR engine from a 1982 bike that does use that style chain/crank.
I decided to use the bottom end and cases of that 1982 KZ650 CSR engine and put the spare Spectre head and barrel on it. When I measured the liners on the 750 barrel the #4 hole was close to the service limit, you can see its rusty in that picture.
I took the barrel to my boring guy who measured the liners more precisely than I could. He did find that was the only one in question, so he gave it a quick hone and found a big gouge under the rust that would need close to a 1/2 mm bore to get it to clean up. We decided I would look a 1 mm over size piston set rather than running one 1/2 mm oversize piston (cheesy fix)
I ended up finding a set of NOS MTC 67 mm pistons = 761 cc from a member on this site about 6 years ago. Probably the deal of the century at $220
I ended up boring and honing that Spectre barrel so it can be used with the matching head that will be going in my upcoming DFI build.
Since I had a set of low mileage 66 mm higher compression stock pistons left over I have been on the lookout for a cheap 1980 KZ750E barrel. After 4 years of waiting I found and bought a good condition cheap barrel today. Below is a pic of the later and earlier barrels.
I plan to build a engine using the early 750E barrel (has slots for cam chain idler gears) with the Spectre pistons and a early 650 cylinder head (small combustion chamber) This should make it a hot rod engine on the cheap.
I could also use that 82 KZ650 CSR head but it was skimmed by .020" a lot of years ago, but that may raise compression too high (need to measure it) I would have to modify that head to use a center cam chain idler like APE sell for the J heads. The 82 head for the 650 does not have the "bath tub" chamber reliefs like the 750 head, it also has the rounded cooling fins and it has a tach drive port.
So in the future one of my bikes will be running this "hybrid" small four.
The complete engine was sitting in a unheated shed for quite a while so I ended up tearing it down for a valve job and some new rings. I also split the cases to be able to swap in a 650 transmission to convert it to chain drive. The engine did find its way back into a bike.
The 750 Spectre engines come equipped with GPZ type pistons (higher compression) and higher lift cams (slightly less lift/duration than GPZ but more than KZ) When I tore the engine apart I was able to confirm these differences. Since the spares were thrown into the deal I decided the head and barrel would be used on a future build.
The only issue with using these parts was the fact that they could only be used with the Hyvo style cam chain. This limits the use on earlier KZ 650 engines which is mostly what I own. I do have one KZ650 CSR engine from a 1982 bike that does use that style chain/crank.
I decided to use the bottom end and cases of that 1982 KZ650 CSR engine and put the spare Spectre head and barrel on it. When I measured the liners on the 750 barrel the #4 hole was close to the service limit, you can see its rusty in that picture.
I took the barrel to my boring guy who measured the liners more precisely than I could. He did find that was the only one in question, so he gave it a quick hone and found a big gouge under the rust that would need close to a 1/2 mm bore to get it to clean up. We decided I would look a 1 mm over size piston set rather than running one 1/2 mm oversize piston (cheesy fix)
I ended up finding a set of NOS MTC 67 mm pistons = 761 cc from a member on this site about 6 years ago. Probably the deal of the century at $220
I ended up boring and honing that Spectre barrel so it can be used with the matching head that will be going in my upcoming DFI build.
Since I had a set of low mileage 66 mm higher compression stock pistons left over I have been on the lookout for a cheap 1980 KZ750E barrel. After 4 years of waiting I found and bought a good condition cheap barrel today. Below is a pic of the later and earlier barrels.
I plan to build a engine using the early 750E barrel (has slots for cam chain idler gears) with the Spectre pistons and a early 650 cylinder head (small combustion chamber) This should make it a hot rod engine on the cheap.
I could also use that 82 KZ650 CSR head but it was skimmed by .020" a lot of years ago, but that may raise compression too high (need to measure it) I would have to modify that head to use a center cam chain idler like APE sell for the J heads. The 82 head for the 650 does not have the "bath tub" chamber reliefs like the 750 head, it also has the rounded cooling fins and it has a tach drive port.
So in the future one of my bikes will be running this "hybrid" small four.
1978 KZ650B2 w 1197cc Z1 engine
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
Last edit: 11 Jan 2026 22:42 by Injected. Reason: sp
The following user(s) said Thank You: ThatGPzGuy, Nessism, sf4t7, Sixten, Wookie58, kimchella
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Re: Future 750-4 engine project
Yesterday 13:54 - Yesterday 14:03
I am trying to pull together all my cylinder barrels so my engine guy can measure them for honing.
There is one that is not shown because it has to be taken off a complete engine. That engine was tested with about 60-80 PSI so it needs to be included in a trip to the shop. I don't own a proper bore gauge so its hard to get any accurate sizing and I just leave it up to my guy. These are all for stock rebuilds.
The 750 barrel in the center is the only one with any cross hatching left, hopefully it can be honed. This is the one slated for this project.
That is a 750 barrel can be installed on early 650 cases.
All the 650 barrels shown are smooth to a finger nail. Whatever is at the service limit will have to go .50 mm over or be saved with some CB750 liners. A bought two sets of CB750 liners real cheap a lot of years ago to put 650 barrels back to stock size. The Honda liners need a bunch of lathe work on them to get them ready to install in stock barrels. I am not sure what will be cheaper to do just yet.
I do have some other barrels already bored and honed : one stock bore later model 750, one 650 bored to 720cc, and one later model 750 bored to 761cc. The 720cc is a Wiseco kit and the 761cc is a MTC kit.
There is one that is not shown because it has to be taken off a complete engine. That engine was tested with about 60-80 PSI so it needs to be included in a trip to the shop. I don't own a proper bore gauge so its hard to get any accurate sizing and I just leave it up to my guy. These are all for stock rebuilds.
The 750 barrel in the center is the only one with any cross hatching left, hopefully it can be honed. This is the one slated for this project.
That is a 750 barrel can be installed on early 650 cases.
All the 650 barrels shown are smooth to a finger nail. Whatever is at the service limit will have to go .50 mm over or be saved with some CB750 liners. A bought two sets of CB750 liners real cheap a lot of years ago to put 650 barrels back to stock size. The Honda liners need a bunch of lathe work on them to get them ready to install in stock barrels. I am not sure what will be cheaper to do just yet.
I do have some other barrels already bored and honed : one stock bore later model 750, one 650 bored to 720cc, and one later model 750 bored to 761cc. The 720cc is a Wiseco kit and the 761cc is a MTC kit.
1978 KZ650B2 w 1197cc Z1 engine
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
Last edit: Yesterday 14:03 by Injected. Reason: sp
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Re: Future 750-4 engine project
Yesterday 13:59 - Yesterday 14:00
Are conversion sprockets available (like the 900/1000) to run a morse chain on Hyvo cams ?
1982 KZ1000 Ltd
www.kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/617631...-82-begins?start=192
kzrider.com/filebase-alias?view=download...d-fault-diagnosis&ca
www.kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/617631...-82-begins?start=192
kzrider.com/filebase-alias?view=download...d-fault-diagnosis&ca
Last edit: Yesterday 14:00 by Wookie58.
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Re: Future 750-4 engine project
Yesterday 14:05 - Yesterday 14:10All 650/750 cams both early and late run 2 bolt sprockets with identical mount hole spacing and OD's, so all you need to do is interchange them.Are conversion sprockets available (like the 900/1000) to run a morse chain on Hyvo cams ?
1978 KZ650B2 w 1197cc Z1 engine
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
1977 KZ650B1 w 750cc Spectre engine
1979 KZ650C3 w 831cc Hot Rod engine
1978 KZ650C2 w 762cc DFI project
1977 KZ650C1 stock restoration project
1978 KZ650B2 modified project
1978 KZ650B2 Injected Drag 831cc
1980 Z1 Custom Frame Drag 1327cc
1981 Z50R Honda tow bike
Last edit: Yesterday 14:10 by Injected. Reason: more info
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