Rebuild or Rebuilder

Here's my dilemma I have a 1982 kz1100 D1 specter beautiful bike I really want a 6-speed I was looking to purchase an engine that would fit or my problem is it's leaking at the barrels the gaskets are failing or purchase a complete rebuild kit or find somebody in northeast Pennsylvania who actually rebuilds engines for Kawasaki older bikes and I can't find no complete kits like Pistons lifters valves the whole nine any thoughts got anybody help because the other side started leaking now

There are no 6-speed transmissions available that I’ve ever seen for the J-model engines.  I think the earlier Gen 1 Z1/Kz engines have aftermarket ones in Japan but you’re looking at several $1k’s to buy one.

Unlike automotive engines, and maybe HD’s, full engine rebuild kits do not exist.  You can get a piston kit that may/may not have the base and head gasket.  I think Vesrah and maybe Athena offer full gasket kits.  Been a long time since I looked for one though.

Later, Doug

I guess it comes down to budget, your skill levels, facilities, desire and available local builders if you don't have the confidence or desire. All parts are available but not cheap for quality parts (I just received 95% of the parts I require for a "J" motor - mainly gaskets, seals, studs, head-nuts, cam chain and guides etc but without pistons or machining I'm still into around $800  )

Okay is that what I have a J model and I know there's no 6-speed trans missions for that bike

 I have the skill level to rebuild it never did Pistons though oil piston rings I understand usually have to be certain clearance

I seen him home there is a guy who built a six-speed on the older bikes but I might prefer a new engine with a 6-speed that I can put on my bike just to swap out I know it would cost money but I love this bike

lovethemkzs wrote:

Okay is that what I have a J model All 81 on KZ and GPZ 1000/1100 are "J" series motors  and I know there's no 6-speed trans missions for that bike

 I have the skill level to rebuild it never did Pistons though oil piston rings I understand usually have to be certain clearance All the measurements and specs are in the manual available here in the file-base

I seen him home there is a guy who built a six-speed on the older bikes but I might prefer a new engine with a 6-speed that I can put on my bike just to swap out I know it would cost money but I love this bike - To the best of my knowledge to get a 1000/1100 shaft drive with 6 speed you would need to convert to a later "water-cooled" motor !!!! Why 6 speed ? if it's lower cruisin revs you want you could change sprocket ratios ?

Forget the 6 speed.  If that's a dealbreaker for you, sell the bike now and get something else.  These old KZ engines love to rev, so let them, and don't fight it.  These bikes are not big V twins, they are performance 4's.

Regarding the engine, you can't make an assessment on what rebuild parts (other than things like seals and gaskets) until you tear down the engine, and inspect & measure all the parts.

More times than not, on engines less than say 50k miles, you can refresh the engine with a hone job, new rings and new gaskets.  For the head, a proper valve job, or at least, a lapping job and new valve stem seals.  

To measure, it to know.  Everything else is just a guess.