Kawasaki Z1B 900 engine repairs - Episode 1
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- In this series of video's I will be stripping down and rebuilding a Kawasaki Z1B 900 engine, showing typical faults and wear, and what I do to repair it. This engine was made in 1974 and has played dormant for many years. I did start the engine 2 years ago and it ran really well on a test bed - see the first start video in the Kawasaki Z1B 900 repairs playlist
I swear, any time you start disassembling something, it's like the Christmas morning reaction was of you as a kid opening your presents. An engineer in his natural element.
Lol I agree entirely matey
Watching these videos is like mix of meditation and sorrow over never having done anything close to as cool, with very low tech tools and machines, that most of us actually could get access to.
Sooo true!!
I've always pulled my whole engine and reistalled it upon purchase of a different machine (I've only had two), if only to know that I could, and to get to some understanding of how everything works! Made mistakes and learned from them, had an old '82 cx5oo for over a hundred thousand kms, my Zephyr is being rebuilt at 161K , nothing like as gorgeous as that z1! One day hope to have the correct tools that I don't have and a good enough shed to set up a hobby shop. Thanks for your sensible commentary and including us in your lives. Long admired Mr Millyard's work and skillset. He makes ir look easy, and ordered, and definitely not a chore. Kinda liked the finish on that engine, but vapor blast and clear coat (where I can, unfortunately the clear cerakote fell through for my cases, should've sourced that too! Thanks again. Subscribing.
As a mechanic that had to put stuff together someone had taken apart, I would not mind his ordering of parts disassembled.
The mad grin on your face when you were running it without the headers was priceless!
You're recording and editing skills are not lost on me. Absolutely outstanding. You're engineering skills are insane. Please never stop uploading. You sir, are exactly what the internet should be.
Thank you
You’re a pinhead with your pinhead comment @@supermotos
In my youth I was really into VWs and bikes. A couple of the valve guide tricks learned was to use a step drill and stop short of the end and then use a punch to drive it out. The advantage is that the thin section of the guide would stretch and pull away from the head wall without broaching the hole. Installation was accomplished by taking the head off a propane torch, including the orifice (best done outside), and inverting the pipe over a container and letting liquid propane come out and using that to shrink the guide. That, in combination with heating the head, resulted in a cold guide that just dropped into the head without having to pound it in. Thanks for your wonderful videos.....
Good to see you back on here Allen 👍 You have been missed
I swear I just checked last night to see if he'd uploaded anything, figured he must be into something or other. Going to really enjoy this rebuild.
that fucker colesy keeping him bust :) ...... alen a true genius @@monkeybarmonkeyman
busy
Yes, glad to see you back as well.
No ? Surely not, it couldn't have been all the personal appearances he's been making or his TV program schedule could it ?..
Thankyou Allen! Not only for the engineering insight but for giving me an escape from the world right now, watching someone do true engineering with no politics or bull really is a breath of fresh air!! Going to binge watch now!! Have a lovely day. Jamie
It’s a joy to behold watching Allen the engine whisper doing his magic! This chap is a mechanical genius 🎉 Great vid
If any of us were break it down we’d bag and tag each parts bolts individually. Mr Millyard tosses them all together in one parts bin 😂. He has a LOT of experience in this area. LOTS!!
So glad to see you uploading on a regular basis once again. Your videos are something that I can share with my Father & despite being different generations, we both enjoy & appreciate your engineering excellence. Keep up the good work.
Thankyou Allen 👍
When the British manufacturers dismantled these early Japanese multies , they must have run screaming from the room when they saw the superior standard of engineering design.
Very well said !
dont think they screamed at all
Yes, I have run both types, you can see the agricultural early heritage of the British companies and engineering. On the Japanese engine the heritage is industrial, post WW11 and the engineering is made for heavy, mass production and more complex, yet a lot of thought was put in to their construction. I think I read somewhere, Honda put 15% of their profits, into R & D. Kawasaki, had a lot of resources to draw on too.
I own a 1975 Kawasaki Z1900B Back in the day ,and I always wanted to tear down the motor and hop it up . After watching you Allen I'm glad I left it alone . You sure do make things look easy .
I can’t believe with all of the well thought out designs on those motors that they decided to use Philips screws for the covers. Thank god for impact drivers!
Funnily enough, I remember having that thought in the 1970s, taking Yamaha YDS7 250 and Suzuki GT380 motors apart for exchange cranks and a rebore & fresh top end. I swapped them all out for chromed Allen headed bolts. I got a chuckle, swapping them back to a new, stainless screw set a couple of years ago. On the very same motor (the GT380B). In that regard, it’s a case of everything changes, but the bike still remains the only connection to a misspent youth.
Brilliant, nice to see you again Allen, but no cakes !! 🧁🧁🧁😂
It's like watching a professional golfer or tennis player when watching Allen work on anything; He has this ability to make everything look easy, but until you have a go yourself, you can't truly appreciate Allen's workmanship. And I'm just talking about the wrenching like in this video. The Frankensteining of engines into something that looks and behaves like a mass-produced factory engine...is simply something else.
Without doubt my favourite channel.
Bravo Allen.
P.s. the manual impact driver is one of my go to tools. I've come to the rescue so many times with it. Go and get one. About $60AUD.
I would mix the longer bolts with the shorter ones and get scared why in the universe they do not fit anymore!
After a tough day out in the big wide world, there is nothing more relaxing than watching Mr Millyard, stripping and rebuilding an engine. As they say, very good for your mental health.
Allan is the Bob Ross of motorcycle engine building 👍🏻
So therapeutic and calming to watch. Just what I needed before I go to kip. Thanks Allen!
OMG ! Someone on youtube that uses proper tools ! Thank You !
I really appreciate you taking us along on these gentle journeys of superb motorcycle engineering :)
being a life long fan of Suzuki GS & GSX 4cyl engines i was pleasantly surprised to see how well thought out these early Kawasaki were
1:31 😊 ...that really is a three mile smile......👍
Allen's back with his JIS screwdriver and camera, that's always a good day!! I'd forgotten all about this engine. Glad to have it see the light of day and a bit of TLC! Thanks for the video!
Shout out for getting proper JIS screwdrivers. Many’s the case and cover screw I knackered, using my foster dad’s Phillips drivers, in the 1970s & 80s.
They are so nearby right that I didn’t realise until I was in my late 40s that there was a different standard! One of the Suzuki GSX or GT guys mentioned this so of course I had to buy a basic set covering most needs.
@@GT380man yeah, more or less the same with me! Always wondered why every old Japanese bike I bought had wallered out Phillips screws, ruined many a float bowl screw head myself before someone finally told me "hey, they're different.. dude!" Bought a really well-made set of Japanese-made JIS screwdrivers and Jap bike life has been so much better ever since 🤣
This man is a pure genius
Top man Alan your a national treasure
Such an awesome engine, thanks for sharing. Love the additional bolt holes to "wedge" off the engine cases, awesome feature you don't see anymore.
Who’d have thought it, a rear axle spindle as a rotor removal tool? Alan at his finest 👍
its the swinging arm spindle
🤦must pay closer attention!
@@AllenMillyardI have a feeling it’s a recommendation in the manual, no? On the GT750 motors, I believe it’s one of the long engine mounting bolts you can use. IIRC, that’s one I made a special tool for. You screw in a piece of threaded rod, with the threads ground off at the business end, right in the centre of the rotor, until it bottoms onto a depression in the nose of the crank, using a straight blade screwdriver to pinch it tightly into place. The rod sticks out into free air. That end has a hacksaw cut deeply across it, for the screwdriver. When you screw in the engine mounting bolt, it goes tight against that end of the extractor tool. A sharp tap on the mounting bolt head with a light, metal hammer head, and off comes the rotor with a satisfying crack.
The authors of some Haynes manuals, back when they weren't utter shite
Hey Man, Glad To Get The New Video Notice & Can't Wait For The Next Episode! Thank You.
There is something very satisfying about using old tools. When you said it’s your “dad’s valve extractor.”
I have my grandads tools and what ever job I do I always feel that he’s helping me.
Looking forward too part 2 Allan.
I know exactly what you mean, I have my dads old Sidchrome socket set and spanners, before they moved production to Taiwan, Sidchrome was made in Australia and guaranteed for life. The socket set has 1/2" drive so don't use it too much on my bikes, but the metric ring spanners get used all the time, and the fit and feel is still as good as when they were new 50 yrs ago.
Marvellous undressing of an engine , clear description. And wildlife . Great video 👍🇬🇧
I remember that grin when you fired it up without the headers! You looked so happy. Looking forward to this rebuild. 👍
Thanks Allen ! Love seeing you disassemble a Z-1, giving me hope to purchase another one myself now !
This man is an inter-national treasure! Long live The Rascal King!
6 legged hedgehog next
Milly - your videos are just utterly delightful to watch. I loved the grin when the engine ran with no exhaust and was spitting flames. Brilliant. Thank you.
You make the whole process look so simple and easy, stripping a relatively complex engine with basic tools available to every one. The clever solutions to problems that would stump the less skilled (me) are an eye opener and the calm and steady approach to the task do you credit. Put simply you are a master.
The little nature breaks are quite enjoyable. That pigeon looked like he was ready to move right in. I really like the stand you made for the engine.
Nice to see you back, much prefer proper spannering to the TV stuff.
Ditto. Threw our TVs out of the house, cancelling the wretched licence, in early summer 2020. No more lies. Me and Mrs GT380 chat & listen to music of an evening now!
@GT380man I think we're at 16 years without a TV licence now. UA-cam, netflix and amazon are far better value.
The pigeon wanted to see if you needed any help with the disassembly! Cracking video, can't wait to see how it progresses in the next one
Those roasting trays are in better nick that the ones we use for our Sunday Roast!!
Great to have you back Allen can't wait for the next instalment! Cheers
Great work Allen, I love your attention to detail but also your calm methodical manner and simple creative solutions to any problems that come up. Excellent!
Evening Allen, sitting watching you with a cuppa and biscuits.....What a good evening!
Fantastic video again Alan, love your work. Brilliant to see you strip the engine using basic hand tools and not a battery electric impact wrench. As a retired mechanic/ engineer, I know how you can feel the bolts and screws yielding and undoing through the spanners and sockets. Totally missing if using an impact wrench. Nice mower in the background, love the 12 blade cylinder. Looking forward to the next instalment.
One of the simplest, best designed engines ever 👍
So easy to disassemble and rebuild. From boring the cylinders to installing oversized sleeves, head porting, valve jobs (including oversize valves) and flow testing, I built so many Z-1, KZ and GPZ engines that I was able to throw the cams in by eye and have them degreed within a couple of degrees of where I wanted them (with valve to valve and valve to piston clearances being the limiting factors)...
Cam lobes facing each other at TDC slightly pointing downward, had a 1325 street motor back in the day.
That’s how pretty much all the 4 cyl dohc Japanese engines work…point ing the lobes together at tdc gets you close (or the opposite depending on which side of the engine your reference is be it #1 or #4 cylinder it can be they will be pointing away from each other!)
I’m sorry Alan but that tea has far too much milk in it. Everything else is spot on, thank you for taking the time to make this video.
That is just out of this world mechanic skills. Respect
Allen, moved to see you use your dad’s valve spring compression tool. He’d be chuffed to see it still in use and more importantly, his son carrying the torch of mechanical engineering down the generations.
I use my wife’s grandfather’s bench vice very often. I give him a mental salute. I’ve got it because his son, my father-in-law, who had two daughters, was looking for someone who’d make good use of it. I’ve had it 40 years, about as long as I’ve had his daughter!
I made some soft jaw covers from bright mild steel, like I was taught at school in 1971.
Perfect love the show
The gentle commentary and consummate skill make for compelling viewing. Please keep it coming.
Thanks Allen! 👍💪✌
My impact screwdriver is one of my favorite tools. I bought a set of 5/16 impact-rated JIS bits for it, and man is it great!
Absolutely a pleasure watching you strip that engine, I look forward to every video you do, very informative and inspiring. Thankyou so much for sharing your experience
Thanks Allen, most enjoyable and therapeutic, looking forward to the next instalment 👍🙂
Love the grin when it fired up without headers ! Had me grinning too ! I wish the internet had been round 50 years ago; these videos would have been excellent tutorials for working on my Kawasakis ! I am still getting good use from my impact driver I bought for getting engines apart all those years ago!
Allen, you should do some basic maintenance videos and how tos etc. Maybe even some hints and tips for riding etc. You'd be fantastic at it I reckon. Plus you're opinion would mean more than some unheard of UA-camr
Thank God you’re back! Can you please do two long videos every week now…..just to satisfy demand 😂
that would be a full time job
Another awesome video. Once I start watching I can’t stop. I find it fascinating.
Great to see you back Allen, I always enjoy your videos!
Mr. Millyard...you make engine disassembly a zen experience...
So very glad to see You on here once again Allen!!! LOVED watching this disassembly! Can't wait till the pieces make it back from the vapor-blaster! As always,I LOVE watching each and every video You do,showing how You ever so carefully,take things apart,and put them back together again! Thank You for your videos! As they are wonderful to watch! (especially loved how You and Tracy carefully encouraged the dove to go back outside! Lol.) Cheers Mate! : >)
Excellent, Ive not ridden, or even though much about Z900's since about 1980, now I want an engine to play with 🤣
Enjoyable as ever Allen and very interesting. Thanks for the video.👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it
Brilliant, legendary engine stripped by a legendary engine builder.
On another note, I assume we’ve had to wait for this video because you’re messing around with that Cole fella !!!😅
🤔
Some are good at what they do, others are masters and true artists, jaw dropping and if curing cancer was Allen Millyard's passion, we probably would have solved it already, and probably with a green plant he found in his backyard....
God bless and much love from Norway.
Thank you, I owned several Z1s in my early years, now you've shown me inside.
49 year old bike amazing allen its always a pleasure to see you at work
Great to see another video from Allen obi wan, you certainly know your way round engines, and probably any machinery.
With special guest Mr Henry Cole! Excellent video Allen -- thank you for sharing.
Great entertainment Allen as always, fantastic work.
Ha Ha, The grin your face at the beginning of the vid, when you have that engine running...... Priceless. keep up the good work Sir Millyard you are indeed a master of the motorcycle engine.👍
All facsinating engineering stuff, but the nicest part was the massive grin you gave us when the Z1 engine fired up on the back of the truck and we can see the flames firing out the exhaust ports. It took me straight back to 17 years old when we stripped our mates GS 750 and fired it up without pipes, deafening and hilarious
Brings back memories, remember uncrating these back in the day. Did a few crankshaft rebuilds too.
Lovely to see Allen back cuppa on & watch the genius for 20 mins 🙌💯🔧🪛🔩⚙️
Its been too long alan, looking forward to seeing more soon 👍. addictive viewing👌😉
Allen, your videos are just so well put together its ridiculous ;)
thank you, its all done on my iPhone 11 Pro 🙂
Just having tea with hubby.. been waiting for this.. best sort of TV🤘.
Superb, as per usual. Can’t wait for the follow ups.😊
Strip down with the Millyard, a place for everything & everything in its place. Love your attention to detail Allen, looks so much easier without Henry getting in your way 😂
Yes it’s a lot easier without a film crew
Pure joy to watch Allen
You make it seem so easy, Allen 🙂 ... and with the right tools and some care and thought, it is. Your measuring of the diameter of the new valve guides at 24:30 brought back memories for me... was having my GS1000S cylinder head fitted with new valve guides years ago by a motorcycle mechanic, and he failed to make this check. Suzuki GS valve guides are, I believe, always made a few though oversize, and they need to be turned down to the correct diameter. What followed of course, was mushrooming metal as the mechanic tried to force in an unprepared guide. Thankfully he stopped and investigated, and there was still enough good material to locate the guide after he turned them down to the right diameter. The lesson is... check!
You always make it look so easy- thx.
Just home from a funeral, so I needed this, thanks!
Needed two glasses of red wine too.
Red wine, evil stuff. I’ll have a glass on you 🍷
@@gdfggggg Nice of you to let me know, that I won't be drinking alone, thanks!
@@leifvejby8023 chin up, bro 👊🏻
I have torn down several KZ1000 engines but never seen one that pristine. Very nice!
Awesome engine and video 👍
I love the exhaust flames 🔥
PS - Allen better be careful if he leaves his tea on the back porch or the squirrels will be sipping it.
☕ 🐿 🐿 🐿
Allen, your videos are "just perfect".
Thanks Allen I never realised how well designed those engines were.
Where the blazes have you been Alan? 😢 So missed the updated Haynes manual that you are but all for us to see working your magic as usual mesmerising is an understatement!!! 👌🏻👍🏻😁
Thanks for the video Allan, love your videos and how you explain things please don’t let Henry loose on that engine 😂👍George in Stoke.
Natural sunlight provides a lovely rendering of the metal surfaces. I love that happy grin as the flames come out of the exhaust ports. A superb moment.
Amazing work Allen, up to your usual high standards.
Hi Allen! I had a 1977 KZ1000 in the 1980's. I LOVED that hunk of steel!
Your usual standard of calm, methodical excellence, Allen 😊 Always a pleasure to watch.
It so good to see you back
Great to see you back Allen. The Z1 engines are so well engineered.
Best wishes, Dean.
I have taken more than a few engines apart in my time, but never had the pleasure of disassembling a Z1B, I was impressed with the number of aids built into the casings and components to make the process easier and without any special tools. Excellent.
Hallelujah, another series to look forward to. It has made my day.
great video, looking forward to the next one.
Set the carbs without starting the engine using bits of wire, you are not human 😀👍
Man I absolutely love this engine and design! Brilliant video once again
Well done to you and Tracy getting that pigeon out without it getting into a panic and crapping all over the place.
An armature engineer’s nightmare.
Well done, as usual Sir.
John