Adjusting Camshaft Chain 81 KZ650 CSR

Well first off I have been going off of a Clymer service manual this whole build. I just installed the head and now I'm installing the camshafts and getting them back in time. I first set the crank to the line next to the "T" for 1&4. Then placed the exhaust cam with no slack in between the cam and crank. Making sure to line up the KZ6EX with the top surface of the head, for some reason the KZ6EX is upside down not sure that matters. Then I placed the intake cam till the line above "IN" is parallel with the surface of the head. I then adjusted the chain till I had 45 pins in between both exhaust and intake marks. After that I torqued the cam caps properly. The next step is where I think I am having the issues, the manual states to install the tensioner, which I have the cross wedge type. Once the tensioner is installed I notice that the crank is slightly rotated clockwise but the cams have not.. After multiple attempts of fixing this I went ahead and rotated the crank clockwise twice to find out that the intake cam becomes out of time. The intake mark will then be below the top surface of the head. I also have a chain guide in the valve cover which I am rotating the crank without placing the cover on, since that is the last step. I can't seem to figure out what i'm doing wrong or what I am missing. Any advice or tips are much appreciated.

If your pin count is correct , installing the cam cover will advance the cam to the correct position.


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Before putting the cover, you should create the zag between sprockets to accomodate the top guide. If you don't, the chain will be overtight.....here you will see better aligment with the intake line.

//......of course, the automatic tensioner makes it a pain doing all this, but it has to be done.....if not loosened, at least remove the cross wedge and press on the chain. The intake cam should rotate a little clockwise...……….a manual tensioner would make it a breeze, but right now is wishful thinking.


....I have a 750 and the exhaust mark is on 7ZEX, but the fact your exhaust mark is upside down, would bother me...as if the camshafts are not oriented properly, intake and exhaust were mixed, or the sprockets were removed from the shafts and installed incorrectly. …...or more to the point, would you have two intake sprockets?????!!!!!

....also, the fact the crank moved clockwise, and not the cams, when tightened, would suggest the chain may not been taut at the front when the exhaust cam was aligned on the tooth. I'd check this again. Unfortunately, we can not count pins between the exhaust and the crank.

Kawasaki service manual. jarlef z650. the 1981 KZ650 pdf manual is in the Files section. Also, paper Kawasaki manuals for the 650-CSR are readily available on EB & usually pretty inexpensive.

1981 KZ650-H1 CSR wiring diagram from the FSM. i.imgur.com/nxc8yZE.jpg . ... in case you need it for later. I labeled a few of the components.

That was my first thought was that I had slack in between the exhaust cam and the crank, which I made sure I didn't the second try.
I think I may have figured it out last night, after setting the exhaust cam in place, when aligning the intake cam I gently pressed the chain guide where the tensioner would push at. When no pressure is pressed on the the chain guide the intake cam is off by about a 1/4 inch. But once the tensioner is placed everything lines back up. I also rotated the crank and the intake stayed in its exact place every time.
I did notice the cam sprockets are mounted correctly using the the hexagon shape for the exhaust cam and the circle shape for the intake. But the sprocket are identical, do you know if the the sprockets should differ in anyway?
Thank you for your help

From the diagrams at Partzilla for the 1981 KZ650-H1 CSR, the intake & exhaust camshaft sprockets are the same as they have the same part number.

SPROCKET,CAMSHAFT 46
12046-1021
Qty = 2

OK, from looking at my 750 factory manual, and it is stated, the two sprockets are identical. The camshafts are not, but the sprockets are.

Now, if it was the 750, the Z7EX with the line, is inverted(reversed) to the other Z7EX w/out the line marking about 90 degrees apart, and that would be my exhaust line and would be straight up. But with the 650 am not sure about the Z6EX markings, as they are not inverted or reversed related to each other, therefore, they would always look upside down on the exhaust side.

......so, I no longer think you have the wrong sprocket, but don't know why it should be inverted on the 650,-,,,Am thinking only the line matters, not the words, ...I don't have a manual for 650, but have seen pictures on the web, and it does show the Z6EX marking upside down, so other than the broken valve cover bolt, it looks you are getting it right.