Head Gasket.

Hello All,
I am new to motorcycling. I just bought my first bike a KZ-650 1980. I want to replace the top head gasket and do not have much experience with bike motors. Is this extremely difficult? I recieve different answers from everyone I ask about the matter.

It's fairly simple to do with a shop manual (and a bit of help from a friend to hold things). The hardest part will be getting the motor out of the frame. Once you have it on the workbench, take out the spark plugs and be careful prying the glued-on valve cover from the head so you don't break-off any cooling fins.

After you are able to see the cams, rotate the cam chain until you find the master link at the top. Loosen the head bolts up before you remove the master link on the chain. Remove the master link. **IMPORTANT** put a 12" length of wire through each open link of the chain before you unwrap it from around the cam sprockets to get it out of the way. The purpose of this is so you don't drop the loose chain down into the lower cases. DO NOT rotate the cams after the chain has been unwrapped!

Next, pry loose the glued-on head from the cylinders and lift it off while holding the cam chain ends taut. Don't pull either end of the chain so you won't move the pistons.

Set the head on the workbench. Again, be careful to not rotate the cam sprockets (make a vertical mark with a marking pen at the top of each sprocket so you can see where they were positioned before you removed the chain).

Scrape off the old gasket from the cylinders, being careful to not push down on the pistons (this would change their timing position and damage the valves when you try to start the motor again.

Install the new gasket. Then, (with a friend's help) hold the head over the cylinders and slip the cam chain ends (with the wire) through their openings in the head. Sit the head on the cylinders. Check to see that the marks you made on the cam sprockets are in their correct vertical position. Now, attach the two ends on the chain with the master link and tighten down the head bolts to their proper torque (found in the shop manual).

There. You just saved a load of money and you learned a little about your bike's motor. Good luck and have fun.

P.S. If this was a Harley, it would have been an easy 2 hour job, as the motor can stay in the bike's frame, and there are no overhead cams or chain to worry about.

Wow! Thank You So Much. After I get a few miles under my belt the Harley will be the first thing on my list. For my first bike I didnt want to ruin something expensive. Thanks Again when I finish Ill let you know how it went.