TOPIC:

I bought a bike in pieces. The head had been done over and I was told that the cylinders looked great and that they would just need to be honed and a new set of rings put in. I had the new rings put in and the engine put back together but I have to top up my oil about every 150 km. The bike doesnt smoke when I start it but it will smoke when I root on it. Is it possible that a ring may have been damaged when it was assembled? I am just going to keep topping up the oil for this season but was looking for some input on what I will be into this winter to fix it. The bike is a 78 KZ1000 with an 82 1000J motor.

Glazed or barrel shaped cylinder

8-12 measurements per cylinder with a cylinder bore indicator would have been better than just a set of blood shot peepers to build a 10 year power plant

1 quart per 1000 miles is normal oil consumption
as per kawasaki enginering dorks

Post edited by: trippivot, at: 2006/07/20 19:28

thanks for the reply trippivot. I am not sure what that means. will I have to replace my cylinders or bore them out? I guess, bottom line, I am in to a tear down over the winter and get the cylinders properly measured.

i think you missunderstod trippivot.

if there is no other problems than the oil burning off there is No need to tear it down. these bikes are oil cooled. since there is no radiator cooling the motor like the new bikes will use some oil over time as the bike gets hot and the oil brakes down.

from what i've read from lowtorq,i think he is wondering why his engine is using so much oil and what are his options to fix the problem.

how much is "top it up"???????
We need more information.....

1045

after about 200 km the oil level in the site glass is down to the bottom line. I dont know exactly how much oil I am adding to top it up because I add it from a four litre jug.

Well, then use a measuring cup until it hits the top line and report back.

Wow! To spend the money on the rings and hone and not spend the money on a shop manual... What TP was telling you that the measurement between the cylinder bore and piston is critical. If it is too wide, no matter how pretty the cylinder bores and pistons look, the rings won't seal. In addition, he mentioned doing the measurement a number of times. The manual will generally call for the diameter of the cylinder bore to be checked in at least three different depths and in multiple places on each depth. The point is, if the cylinder bore is 2" diameter in one measurement and you rotate around the bore and take another and it is 2.1" diameter, the cylinder bore is OUT OF ROUND... I forget what he called this but I generally call this "ovalling" but the point is, reringing and honing won't provide a good oil seal. It was a waste of money. (BTW: The numbers I used are not real and are only used for example). The pistons on a 900 are about 66mm and the pistons on a 1000 are about 70mm and the bore diameters of either are well less than one millimeter more so precision measurements are required!).

If you are using a lot of oil after reringing, either the cylinders are round but too worn relative to the pistons being used OR they are out of round. Either case requires a new set of oversized pistons and cylinder boring OR buying a used block/pistons that are within spec. BTW:

well said, wg...

1045

Wow! To spend the money on the rings and hone and not spend the money on a shop manual... What TP was telling you that the measurement between the cylinder bore and piston is critical. If it is too wide, no matter how pretty the cylinder bores and pistons look, the rings won't seal. In addition, he mentioned doing the measurement a number of times. The manual will generally call for the diameter of the cylinder bore to be checked in at least three different depths and in multiple places on each depth. The point is, if the cylinder bore is 2" diameter in one measurement and you rotate around the bore and take another and it is 2.1" diameter, the cylinder bore is OUT OF ROUND... I forget what he called this but I generally call this "ovalling" but the point is, reringing and honing won't provide a good oil seal. It was a waste of money. (BTW: The numbers I used are not real and are only used for example). The pistons on a 900 are about 66mm and the pistons on a 1000 are about 70mm and the bore diameters of either are well less than one millimeter more so precision measurements are required!).



If you are using a lot of oil after reringing, either the cylinders are round but too worn relative to the pistons being used OR they are out of round. Either case requires a new set of oversized pistons and cylinder boring OR buying a used block/pistons that are within spec. BTW:

Yuppers, exactly what I'm finding out doin my little 1000......

1075 kit here we come!