Z1300 mods & tips.
No self respecting Z1300 mods page could possibly be complete without Alan Millyards phenominal v12 2300cc conversion. WICKED!
Hydraulic Clutch mod.
On this page i want to pass on information about useful modifications to the z1300 and i'll start with a cheap hydraulic clutch conversion that i carried out on my own bike. we all know that commercial kits are available to change to a hydraulic clutch, and they work fine but my mod is much cheaper and is just as effective as the more expensive alternatives. i think you'll agree that it looks pretty good too!!!
This was the first fitting, note: very dodgy screws
This is it completely finished with stainless screws etc.
This is the master cylinder and you can also see how the hose follows the route of the original cable, using the same clips and loops to secure it away from the exhaust downpipes. Right so here goes, this is how to save yourself lots of money. The master cylinder is from a GPZ1000RX of around 1987 vintage ( you could use any really ie fj1200, suzuki bandit etc but i wanted to stick to kwak.) and similarly the slave cylinder is from a gpz1000rx. I'm almost sure the zzr and zxr kwak one's will do but i used the 1000rx one cos that's what i had! You will need to remove the round clutch adjuster cover and replace it with a home made effort which will NOT fit inside the recess and which has an extra section where the slave cylinder fits to centre the piston directly onto the clutch adjuster screw. This is important as the pushrod has to twist as it's pushed. I made my first replacement casing from 3mm alluminium plate and it flexed, so i changed it to 6mm. probably overkill but it's fine now. I bored the large hole for the slave cylinder using good old ring drilling with a 2mm bit and then filing to clean things up. The top slave cyl mounting, lines up with the top original casing screw hole, the left one is nut and bolted thru the new casing and the right one, which lies in the extra section of the plate, has a countersunk m6 screw through from the back with a stainless domed nut at the front. The small actuating arm and spring are of course removed prior to fitting the new casing assembly and the hose(which is 4ft 1inch long) uses a 90 deg. fitting at the top and a 45 deg. at the bottom. The resulting clutch is a joy to use and is light enough to operate with a couple of fingers, all day long!!!! (i will tell you how to mark out the new casing for drilling when i get more time or you can email me with a tel no. and i'll explain.)
Depending on work commitments, i may be able to do this full conversion for you and i also intend to gather parts together and sell kits for you to fit yourselves. The cost of the kit,including casing and both master and slave cylinders but excluding the hose is likely to be less than the cost of the slave cylinder from klasmo bikes. EMAIL IF YOU'D LIKE ONE?
Camchain Tensioner mod.
This is probably the most important mod you'll ever do to your big Z. The original z1300 camchain tensioner was a crap affair which with wear can let go suddenly, and without any warning!!! The resulting damage can be un-economical to repair so please mod your's NOW!. The cct from a zzr1100 fits straight in as a direct replacement and is the positive ratchet type which cannot back off. If your original one is worn, it may allow the chain to go slack (this can even happen on tickover) and jump a few teeth, wrecking the engine. Another way round this problem it to drill and tap through the end of your existing tensioner then use an m6 bolt and locknut with a tiny 'O' ring seal just like the old manual adjusters, and using finger pressure only you can follow the piston in to prevent it backing off!
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! click here for comprehensive info including pics (where the yanks say zx11
they mean zzr1100)
Fuel Solenoid Removal.
The fuel solenoid was i think fitted to prevent the 25+ litres of fuel from forcing its way through the carbs when the bike is parked. This it seems to do very effectively but the trouble is it creates more problems than it solves! If this valve goes faulty, either mechanically or electrically you can find yourself at full chat, overtaking something when you suddenly 'run out of fuel' temporarily! It's happened to me and it's very scary (not to mention fookin embarrassing when you splutter to halt after your latest hooligan passing stunt). Another problem is that due to the massive heat build up under the tank, our bikes can boil the fuel away in the carbs when we park up, and because this valve stops fuel flowing until it's powered up, we can end up churning the already flimsy starter whilst we refill the carbs. problem is that if the battery is less than perfect and the voltage drops this stupid little valve can shut again!!! The cure is simple TAKE IT OFF AND BIN IT! You can easily replace it with a 90deg bend or similar but be careful not to restrict the flow of fuel. You'll also need to make sure your needle valves are in good condition! Another idea is to replace it with a low pressure fuel pump using the same wires to power it as this will prevent fuel running when it's offline but will fill all the carbs instantly when powered up and maintain the correct level in the carbs when then engine is working hard. It's very important that the pump comes from a bike
with carbs and not injection as injectors work at much higher pressure and fuel will be forced past your float valves.
GPZ1100 Nose Fairing Mod.
You may or may not know that the nose fairing from a gpz1100 elr is a perfect fit for our headlight. What you know for sure is that without this mod, at 90mph plus our neck muscles take enough of a pounding to put us off long distance, high speed motorway work! Find yourself a fairing like this (genuine gpz or a good quality pattern item) and simply use 'L' shaped brackets from the headlight bolts as i've done here. You'll be amazed at the difference on hi speed runs!
I think you'll agree it looks ok?
And it's simplicity itself to fit. The following bikes all have fairings we can use for this easy mod. Z1000R/Z1100R ELR, early GPZ1100, early GPZ750, 550 and even the humble GPZ305! Screens are still available on the net so find one of the above at a jumble and you're in business click here for current screen prices available in the uk
Valve Clearances Chart.
If the tappets sound too quiet, they probably are and burnt valve seats could follow! Right click on the chart and save it on your pc so you can magnify it for clearer reading.
Have any useful tips or mods for the z13? email me and I'll include them on this page.
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