Z550

Bonneville · #1 PostAuthor: **Bonneville** » Fri May 22, 2015 9:03 am

In 1990 I bought a Z550 to use as a despatch bike and, despite several house moves and the usual life things, I managed to keep it. I was intending to restore it when retired but recently tried to move it across the garage and it had seized in place...
With that and the lovely one here in projects recently, I got all motivated and started work on it:-

[img][img]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a247/mole24/IMG_20150109_110826_zpshpujkjkv.jpg[/img]
It was worse than I thought. It had sat outside for 5-odd years and then in the garage for 15 but everything is ruined. I had to cut the tyres off the rims because my bead breaker wouldn't shift them.
[/img]

[img][img]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a247/mole24/IMG_20150109_110834_zpsfzo3prq1.jpg[/img]
Engine has wrong cam cover and broken fins. Despite the occasional soaking with ACF50, the covers are pitted.

Bonneville · #2 PostAuthor: **Bonneville** » Fri May 22, 2015 9:57 am

Got the frame and wheels back from powdercoat, satinized the wheel rims and spokes and then put it all together. I was rushing through these bits so I didn't take any pics but I also did the brake calipers at the same time and had the fork stanchions re-chromed at Philpots. The lowers, disks and other bits were blasted in my homemade blasting cabinet and painted.
Still looking for original style brake hoses if anyone knows a source?

DavidZ1R · #3 PostAuthor: **DavidZ1R** » Fri May 22, 2015 12:07 pm

Hi Bonneville, I had the same fun with mine, my Kz that is

http://www.z1ownersclub.co.uk/forum/vie ... 50&start=0

Crofty · #4 PostAuthor: **Crofty** » Fri May 22, 2015 12:11 pm

Great bikes, had a GPZ550D1 twin shock.

pertonpc · #5 PostAuthor: **pertonpc** » Fri May 22, 2015 1:35 pm

These guys do a lot of old style hoses - might be worth a contact if you know the dimensions you need??

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-CB550K- ... 2583957a6e

Also - if the rubber is good and just rusty unions you can get the old ones re-zinced for less money.

From Mark

Bonneville · #6 PostAuthor: **Bonneville** » Fri May 22, 2015 3:34 pm

Thanks for the link, they look about right. I just got an order back from Webike but thought I could rescue the originals (wrong) so didn't bother.

David, your Z was the reason I started mine. I couldn't find decals for the tank striping but Flying Tiger will be getting my business as that looks perfect. Also, that link came in very handy as I had only seen the 'z550 finished' thread and I was struggling with the loom today and didn't take any pictures when I took it off...really inspiring work, well done.

Here's the engine going in:-

Bonneville · #7 PostAuthor: **Bonneville** » Sun May 24, 2015 8:48 pm

Some more pics. Head blasted and painted, engine going together:-

The exhaust was hard to find. It's a Jama Original (gave up trying to find an OEM 4-2) and came from Germany for Â£300

Crofty · #8 PostAuthor: **Crofty** » Mon May 25, 2015 2:33 pm

Your moving along quickly, taking shape nicely.

DavidZ1R · #9 PostAuthor: **DavidZ1R** » Mon May 25, 2015 2:40 pm

Looking good Bonneville, dont make the mistake I made and put in the old head oil jets, make sure you use the modified ones, with O rings to suit, I found out the hard way, with two oil leaks, the ones shown in the manual are the old ones.!!!!!

Bonneville · #10 PostAuthor: **Bonneville** » Mon May 25, 2015 3:04 pm

Oh, that's worrying....top end has been off 3 times in the last 20yrs and never leaked so I'm hoping I've got the right ones in there already. Going out to check the manual :-)

Bonneville · #11 PostAuthor: **Bonneville** » Mon May 25, 2015 3:25 pm

Anyone know where I can get carb rebuild kits for sensible money (not Â£25 each..)?

Spent the weekend fighting the loom. Many replacement connectors and soldering. Motobatt is yellow; why do they do that? Great batteries, though....

Black bars were my mistake when I ordered from Webike but they are growing on me. Should I find chrome or leave them?

DavidZ1R · #12 PostAuthor: **DavidZ1R** » Mon May 25, 2015 7:23 pm

The pins are triangle shape, little pyramids. I bought a set of four rebuild kits from America, cheap as chips, were rubbish tho, ended up getting mine from NRP carbs in Manchester, if you have cleaned them with ultrasonic fluid, make sure you flush out all the ways well, it leaves residue which comes loose when you run it, also the vacuum petcock is a pain for passing petrol, you cannot turn it off! changed mine for on off type. Last point make sure you have a good earth for the engine, including the igniter, found that out to my cost and patience.

Bonneville · #13 PostAuthor: **Bonneville** » Tue May 26, 2015 7:42 am

Pyramid pins? My oil jets looked like 92043 in this picture:-

http://www.kawasakioriginalparts.com/ka ... 1987&ca=GB

A bit like a sardine tin with a hole in it.

DavidZ1R · #14 PostAuthor: **DavidZ1R** » Tue May 26, 2015 4:23 pm

The modified pins part no is 92043-1546, the seal to use with them are92055-1147, Phil at Z Power got them in for me, with the revised head gasket.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOS-Kawasaki- ... 1250181139

Bonneville · #15 PostAuthor: **Bonneville** » Thu May 28, 2015 9:29 am

Yes, I seem to remember seeing a pair of those when I ran a Z400F for a while. A steel head gasket rings a bell too.
Anyway, thanks for the info but I'm going to risk it and see. I wasn't impressed with the Vesrah head gasket anyway (they used to be quality) so it may have to come apart later.
Does anyone sell the sleeving for HT leads? Mine are heat damaged:-

I also found this in the wiring. Back in the day, this is what I considered to be an acceptable way to deal with a blown fuse.

Youth, as the man said, is wasted on the young.

Z550

Z550

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