kz1000r camshaft options
- peter1958
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kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 03:18
What options do i have for a performance cam for the elr. Larry said the gpz 1100 cams would be an upgrade but I dont think they have a tac drive on them do they? I would like to keep the tac stock if possible. Any suggestions ?
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cavanaughracing.com/kzdata.html
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- peter1958
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 03:32
okay I am brain dead just got a flashlight and have no idea how the tack works on this j engine. Just shoot me
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- Mcdroid
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 05:35
The tach is fired off the ignition coils on both the R model and the ZX1100. The 1100 cams, like Larry C suggested, should be drop in. Sometimes they are readily available on eBay and at other times, rare and expensive.
Michael
Victoria, Texas
1982 GPz750
1977 KZ1000A
1978 KZ1000A
1982 GPz1100
1975 Z2A
Victoria, Texas
1982 GPz750
1977 KZ1000A
1978 KZ1000A
1982 GPz1100
1975 Z2A
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- peter1958
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 05:37
I dont think there drop in cams.
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- DFIGPZ
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 06:11
Make sure they are 83/84 GPZ1100 cams and yes sometimes they drop right in depends on the head casting.
1984 750 Turbo
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- LarryC
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 06:41
They should drop right in a J head. KZ heads need a little clearancing. The last ELR I put them in was an R2 and they plunked right down in there. Pushed 92CFM through the head, topped it off with a K&N Jet kit and that pig woke right up

Larry C.
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- jonarmstrong
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 06:48 - 16 Mar 2014 06:52
Just put 81gpz1100 cams in my 82 kz. Dropped right in. I can tell a difference on top. Still trying to dial in the bottom end. They change the airflow enough to require some carb adjustments. OnkelB posted all the specs for 81-83 GPS cams on my thread "gpz cam swap"
82 Kz1000 gpz1100 cams dyna ignition kerker k&n
Last edit: 16 Mar 2014 06:52 by jonarmstrong. Reason: more info
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- Old Man Rock
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 07:07 - 16 Mar 2014 10:26
Took Larry's advice on those GPZ cams... they rock absolutely LUV them...
Sweet low to mid range to 3/4 throttle performance!
NOTE 1: I believe mine where 1983 cams and they did not have the tac threads...
Dial caliper measured in @ .375 lift, unknown duration for OEM spec sheets hard to find....
NOTE 2: CAM Sprockets, 2 bolt only, can obtain the sprockets at APE.
NOTE 3: Cam degree for 108 on the intakes, 106 on the exhaust.
Non J head pre 1980 as in my '78 KZ1000 head, yup have to clear the bucket journals...
Can't say for J head or other outside of pre '80 kz head, follow others advice.
via Mfolks... Thanks Mike!
Sweet low to mid range to 3/4 throttle performance!

NOTE 1: I believe mine where 1983 cams and they did not have the tac threads...
Dial caliper measured in @ .375 lift, unknown duration for OEM spec sheets hard to find....
NOTE 2: CAM Sprockets, 2 bolt only, can obtain the sprockets at APE.
NOTE 3: Cam degree for 108 on the intakes, 106 on the exhaust.
Non J head pre 1980 as in my '78 KZ1000 head, yup have to clear the bucket journals...
Can't say for J head or other outside of pre '80 kz head, follow others advice.
via Mfolks... Thanks Mike!
1976 KZ900-A4
MTC 1075cc.
Camshafts: Kawi GPZ-1100 .375 lift
Head: P&P via Larry Cavanaugh
ZX636 suspension
MIKUNI, RS-34'S...
Kerker 4-1, 1.5" comp baffle.
Dyna-S E.I.
Earls 10 row Oil Cooler
Acewell 2802 Series Speedo/Tach
Innovate LC1 Wideband 02 AFR meter
Phoenix, Az
MTC 1075cc.
Camshafts: Kawi GPZ-1100 .375 lift
Head: P&P via Larry Cavanaugh
ZX636 suspension
MIKUNI, RS-34'S...
Kerker 4-1, 1.5" comp baffle.
Dyna-S E.I.
Earls 10 row Oil Cooler
Acewell 2802 Series Speedo/Tach
Innovate LC1 Wideband 02 AFR meter
Phoenix, Az
Last edit: 16 Mar 2014 10:26 by Old Man Rock.
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- jonarmstrong
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 07:17
If they are going in a j motor you can use your existing cam sprockets.
82 Kz1000 gpz1100 cams dyna ignition kerker k&n
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- peter1958
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 07:29
I have a set of superbike mike cams 390 lift I know there not drop in and would need to make room for them. Will they work in a j head?
www.kzzone.com/
cavanaughracing.com/kzdata.html
www.mtceng.com/index.php/us-dealers/44-f...-performance-orlando
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- LarryC
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 08:22 - 16 Mar 2014 08:42peter1958 wrote: I have a set of superbike mike cams 390 lift I know there not drop in and would need to make room for them. Will they work in a j head?
Depends on the base circle size that the lobes are ground on. If they are 1.110" base circles then the tappet bores might need just a touch of clearancing. The smaller the base circle the smaller the overall height of the lobe. Therefore, a cam ground on a 1.110" base circle is taller overall than the same cam ground on a 1.050" base circle.
This has been covered so many times that i lost count and yet it goes on and on and mistakes get printed

Take the lift in mm and multiply it by .039374 to get lift in inches.
8.4 x .039374 = .330"....8.8 x .039374" = .346" ....so it would seem to me the cams mentioned above were NOT 82 model year if they measured .375" lift. I would tend to think someone installed the later 83-85 cams in that bike at some point.
Measure the cam this way...Yellow Measurement - Red Measurement = lift.
Attachment camliftmeasure_2014-03-16.jpg not found
Red Measurement = Base Circle Dimension. This will be 1.110" for stock 900/1000/1100 grinds. Common aftermarket sizes range from 1.060 down to 1.00 or even less for very serious cams.
Also, on many current aftermarket cams the problem isn't so much with the lift as it is with the shitty castings being sold by some vendors. I just had a brand new set of cams that I had to walk over to the bench grinder to clean the blobs of slag off the side of the lobe or they would have dragged on the side of the tappet bores. NEVER take anything for granted when you're dealing with aftermarket cams. The VERY BEST cams you can buy these days are ground by Megacycle. They are head and shoulders above every other grind I have had in my hands for the past 5 or 6 years.
I just this past week finished setting up a J head with big intake valves and brand new cams. Every valve installed height was dead nuts on the same...but #2 intake took a shim 2 sizes thicker than the other three....go figure.
I had a used set of aftermarket cams for another head. I could get up to .003" variance in lash, depending on where on the base circle I checked it.....

Installed heights get measured with a dial indicator so there's no approximating or guessing.
Attachment installtools_2014-03-16.jpg not found
Larry C.
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Last edit: 16 Mar 2014 08:42 by LarryC.
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- LarryC
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Re: kz1000r camshaft options
16 Mar 2014 08:54
Pete,
If you're going to go with a true performance cam then you want new springs. You also have to be careful about how much cam you put to the motor if you want to keep stock pistons.
I've seen so many J heads with loose / sinking exhaust guides that it's wise to pull the pipe and look at the guides to see if you have a problem creeping up....
If you're going to go with a true performance cam then you want new springs. You also have to be careful about how much cam you put to the motor if you want to keep stock pistons.
I've seen so many J heads with loose / sinking exhaust guides that it's wise to pull the pipe and look at the guides to see if you have a problem creeping up....
Larry C.
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