Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C10, aka Kawasaki Concours - The Original => The Bike - C10 => Topic started by: gpineau on June 21, 2018, 09:46:35 PM
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I was dreading it because of what I had been told.
Valve guides are murder to get out!
You need to put the head in an oven at 400 degrees for an hour.
the new guide will need to be reamed.
the tools alone will cost as much as a used head. well sort of...if you buy new tools.
waited 3 weeks for the right tool from China. $9.98 including shipping. It was worth the few weeks for deliver because it it made the job easy.
I took a torch and heated the area of the head around the guide (both sides) for about 2 minutes being careful not to heat the guide. After a couple minutes Inserted the tool and hit it with a hammer about 5 times. Came out easily.
Meanwhile the new valve guide was sitting in the freezer getting it ready. When it was time I set it in place and inserted the tool. I hit it about 10 times moving it just a little each time. It seated perfectly. It is has a shoulder to keep it from going in too far.
The new valve slid right in. It hung a little on the top where tool had left a burr. Removed the burr and now all is perfect. checked it again after everything was the same temperature and it is still a perfect fit.
Took less than 15 minute start to finish. (not counting the 3 week wait on the tool)
New valve, I think was $29, valve guide $28, tool $9.98. , valve spring retainer, $13.95. Also picked up a valve keeper install/remove tool for $13.99. So roughly I guess was about 75 bucks to refurbish the head and learning a lesson on purchasing genuine Kawasaki parts.
So now I got a spare head if anyone is interested.
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That's great news!
Hang onto it and eventually some one will need a head.
Ride safe, Ted