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Hi guys

Got a Kawasaki Z200 project bike, with a smashed tachometer. This isn't an electrical tacho, but a cable-driven one that runs off the cam..
The picture attached shows how it looks. This is entirely my fault - it happened when removing the forks. However, now that it's broken, it sort of lets me get on with a plan I had in the back of my mind.

What I'd like to do is permanently delete the tachometer. There are 2 reasons:
1) It's not that much use on a single-cylinder bike - you can hear when it's time to change up a gear.
2) The tacho cable is STUCK in the cylinder head!

With regard to point (2), it's a really serious case of galvanic corrosion. I've tried mole grips and a hammer and punch. It isn't going anywhere. Removing and inspecting the cam, etc. isn't happening with the tach drive gear still inside there.

What I plan to do is, CUT OFF the tach cable that leads out of the cylinder head, then yank out the inner cable from that spindle, before filling up the hole with JB weld or some suitable filler.

Any thoughts about this plan? Would it work? If it's a stupid idea, don't hesitate to say so.

Thanks in advance

i.ibb.co/2KrN4bs/smashed-tacho.png

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationSeveral on eBay.

Thanks, but the clocks are ugly, I don't really value the aesthetics of these items and this old bike is a classic but will never be worth something like a Z1.

The tacho cable being stuck in the valve cover is ugly as well, because it's a mechanical imperfection. What I really want to do is snip it off, pull out the remains of the tacho drive cable from the engine side, and stuff the hole with filler. Do you think that might work?

I would try Liquid Wrench penetrating spray lubricant & give it time to work, several days if necessary & reapply periodically. also, vibration helps. tap tap tap it with a mallet & wood block several times each day. Heat also helps, so you could run the engine to full operating temps each day, then reapply. Alternate between each method. note: a propane torch may not be a good idea in this case.

Or you could gently hand saw the fitting length wise till it's almost through the fitting then split the fitting and peel it off.
For capping the hole I would probably find a cap like the link below.
Then either thread lock it or teflon paste it.
Try to find a cap material that doesn't corrode to the aluminum.

There was someone earlier that used epoxy for that fitting and the plug failed and blew oil out.


www.belmetric.com/banjo-bolt-caps-c-1041_929/

I would be very hesitant to use JB weld in there, it's entirely possible you will lock the tach drive gear thus locking the motor.

As the old saying goes, if a job is worth doing then do it well, it will be removable if you spend a little time and patience on it, a little heat and vibration will loosen it, if you do not have the inclination to do the job well just use the good old JB weld botch up method:laugh:

Thanks guys. I'm not convinced it will ever come off the normal way, because it's the screw-on type. I could cut and split open the ferruled part and pull it away, but then the problem would be plugging it up. I would, obviously, prefer to use an oil-tight method. The destructive removal of the cable poses a problem, and so does finding a suitable plug/blank for the hole. Therefore I've bought a replacement tachometer from Ebay. It was an unusual Ebay sale - seller has just one feedback, and it remains to be seen if I ever receive it. But, for now, I'm proceeding on the basis that the tacho will be fitted.