Kawasaki ER-5 / KLE 500 / GPZ 500 / EX 500 - Engine TEARDOWN - Part 1 Cylinder Head

This is part 1 of the ER-500 teardown. In this episode we start at the top and remove the valve cover and camshafts.
ER-500 Parts diagram can be found here - www.dropbox.co...

[@memybikeni9931]

Mate, i recon youre the best presenter of KZbin engine stripdowns ive seen and theres loads out there. Very inspirational, and very back street engineering. Id personally struggle without a Haynes myself but managed a CB500 including piston cleaning, valve removal and lapping etc, but its this sort of closeup detail that help people give it a go. Never give it up buddy !. Rich.

[@dirtygarageguy]

Thanks dude, that is the best comment anyone has every left cheers mate it really makes it worth when I read something like this - matt

[@robertpaonessa1147]

oh man, boy am I glad I came across your channel; I've had a 91 ex500 laying around for the past few years I've been meaning to rebuild. I originally had cracked the case to replace the gears, shift forks and shift drum and unfortunately stopped before getting everything back together. These videos will definitely give me the little details/ reminders of things to look out for while getting it back together. Thanks a million!

[@jota1221]

Had a 2001 GPz 500s , was a belting little bike.

[@Cabalero24]

большое спасибо что потратил время на видео и большое спасибо что поделился! редкий двигатель - очень полезное видео! желаю всем хороших дорог! )

[@13thvarebel16]

Matt, this video is great. I have an EN500C but it looks (and probably functions) very similar to the ER500. The close-up detail and the way you describe each step make engine disassembly look easy! I'm sure I'll eventually have to crack mine open for an inspection and rebuild. If I do I'll definitely be consulting your videos for it. Thanks mate!

[@dirtygarageguy]

No worries dude it is the same engine, with tiny differences - the clutch and rocker cover are slightly different, but overall and internally the same.

[@boriscrisp518]

This guys videos is a good reason to own an er5... .

[@ALARAiswise]

Great series of videos. Looking forward to seeing deeper into the engine. They are a very basic and reliable lump. I put 63K on mine from new before I put it into storage. Only ever had one problem with it. Head gasket leak due to improper finish on head at manufacture.

[@dirtygarageguy]

+ALARAiswise really? that sounds odd. You've done 64K, how do you know the head was warped?

[@ALARAiswise]

I bought the bike brand new in the year 2000. After about 3 years and 20k miles it started pressurising the cooling system slightly. I removed the cylinder head and found the head mating surface was rough due to the machining marks at manufacture. I lapped the head surface and fitted new gasket and it then ran without pressurising the cooling system. Why it took 3 years to happen I don't know.

[@dirtygarageguy]

+ALARAiswise sounds unlike kwakasaki, but these things can slip through. I mate of mine has a 2014 ER-6 3 months from new and brought it too me saying his clutch was really shite. Took it apart and had a look. After fucking around for 2 hours, I started counting. The was 1 friction plate missing?! Shit happens lol

[@conradbielicki774]

i have never taken the head off mine but supposedly the head mating almost always needs to be lapped to mate properly - something to do with the engine getting warped from stress

[@dirtygarageguy]

Heads dont need to be lapped... simply because of the head gasket

[@tonysaint4701]

Great video mate, very useful. Just purchased my first Er5 and just what I wanted to help familurise myself with the engines. Thank you

[@jaccovw99]

the one i'm (kind of) restoring has over 100000km (62000 miles) on the clock, I probably need to go check if all the parts are still okay before I start driving it.

[@SlickD217]

Very in depth compilation. Thanks so much!!!

[@aiurit277]

I love your videos ...if I can suggest more light and will help more the people that want to learn!Thank you !

[@Hitman119966]

I have EN500C and it is pretty much the same engine except camshafts and other small bits and stuff. BTW your videos are amazing and I like how you do videos without any fancy s*itty editing and all that stuff, just plain and straight to the point with little bit of swearing lol! Think I'll rebuild my engine next winter since previous owner kinda ruined it (let it overheat too much and God knows what else is wrong apart from warped head and jugs, slightly oil consuming and fucked up carbs that run way rich). Managed to lapp head and jugs and it runs fine for now except slight oil burning and rich mixture which I can't fix after many tries...These engines are super easy to rebuild but some things on it are just pain in the arse.

[@pussycat6469]

i reckon these motors are tough and dependable . going too watch all your vids glad you made em .cause i am hanging on too this motor cause i feel there special

[@dirtygarageguy]

its quite a dependable plant. One thing I do like the the very simple coolant system, with most of it external. Thanks for the comment - matt

[@pussycat6469]

+Pony Power i have a 1994 kle i want too keep her. im fifty and i want it too see me out .i hope one day they make a third oversize piston and rings .someone will . i could talk i all day about this but i wont .awesome video

[@dirtygarageguy]

Hello mate, they don't do over-oversized pistons because its a sleeved cylinder. If you motor got that worn then you'd need the cylinder re-sleeving and then you can start again with standard sized piston and so on - cheers for the comment - matt

[@pussycat6469]

+Pony Power that sucks i thought they had a second oversize piston i could be wrong . but damn looks like theres enough room . but they didnt .huh tell me more the sleeve looks expensive but its a good motor so be it .tell me your knowledge

[@dirtygarageguy]

This is the OEM parts listing, www.kawasakioriginalparts.com/road-bikes.html?blockref=99917-1768.B-05&machineid=914&year=1999&model=ER500-A3&country=GB there are 2 piston sizes, standard and 1/2mm oversized. You might be able to get an aftermarket size over that but I'm not sure. I'll check. The sleeve can also be seen. The sleeve is something that I don't recommend you do at home. Once the sleeve is removed the cylinder need to be bored and honed to size for the new piston.

[@chrismills1516]

Dude. Thank you lol. Ive been having a hard time this helps a lot

[@paulbudford]

Great work Matt

[@dirtygarageguy]

+Paul Ford thanks dude - matt

[@maostefani1911]

Tutorial guarnizione testa Kawaki e r 5

[@marcelhollis3137]

Obviously a little late to this channel, but I've buggered the clutch basket on my 1988 GPZ500s, and I'm trying to find out if I can get it out without needing to split the case on my engine. Is this the only way to get it out?

[@dirtygarageguy]

Remove the steel bushing in the centre by threading a bolt into the hole in the side, pull it out and then basket can move. I did a video on it in this series.

[@mariusm5187]

So useful, learnt so much just from a single video :D

[@dirtygarageguy]

+Mariusmssj M cheers dude, thanks for the gracious comment as always

[@mariusm5187]

Also big thanks for being active on the ER5 forums and helping out the community! It's much appreciated

[@miguelangelvazquezruvalcab7228]

What do you say in Spanish ? Talk to mi in Spanish. I dont speak inglis.

[@jayk2k]

Hi , What I would really like to know , is how you pulled the metal coolant pipes out so you can remove the valve cover ?

[@dirtygarageguy]

Do you mean the pipe into the cylinders?

[@jayk2k]

@@dirtygarageguy ermm yes , i think ... the two that go into the engine block , i don't know where they go in the engine block , but they are attached by two little screws on the middle of the valve cover , i can't lift the valve cover off because those metal coolant tubes are in the way , I've managed to wiggle them and move them about a quarter turn back and forth after about two hours of playing but can't pull them out

[@dirtygarageguy]

Can you send me a picture through Facebook, my link is in the description

[@jayk2k]

@@dirtygarageguy sent

[@kenledger9356]

Hi, can tell me does the front cam chain tensioner pivot back towards the rear cam chain guide giving a clear view of the bolts head? Only my front can chain tensioner does not move back into the cam chain tunnel cheers

[@dirtygarageguy]

Sorry dude, I'm lost here - you can contact me through FB and send some pictures if that helps?

[@oceano271]

Hi my cam chain tensioner like the one you took off here is stuck in my engine (ER5) and I don't know how else to take it off :( I took off all three screws but it's jammed in. Any advice?

[@PetRatty]

nice one Matt, would that cam chain ever need to be changed?

[@dirtygarageguy]

+Steven Ruscoe I'll be going into that in an upcoming video - thanks for the comment matt

[@aiurit277]

Hello!Do you know ignition swich from gpz 500 is ok for er5?Thank you!

[@dirtygarageguy]

Yes it should be

[@blindcheto195]

Does the head cover gasket need replacing when putting it back together?

[@dirtygarageguy]

Do you mean the rocker cover or the head gasket? I think you mean the rocker cover and no it doesn't because its not a crush gasket - matt

[@blindcheto195]

Yes I meant the one at 5:00 mark on this video. Wasn't sure the exact name in English. Thank you.

[@robertbrandywine]

So there's no bearings for the cam shafts -- they just turn against the aluminum?

[@dirtygarageguy]

Yes. Engines including cars are this way. Aluminium is a very good bearing material. Unlike the crankshaft which has even loading (when a cylinder fires) the camshaft has even loading (i.e pretty constant from one direction). The bearing surface will wear out but way past the life of the engine, in most cases. Like crankshafts the cam rides on a film of oil. Unlike the crankshaft the tolerance of the camshaft isn't as important.

[@pussycat6469]

how many miles are guys getting out these donks looks like a lot tell me i hate too part with it i want toi keep

[@mirniygitel1913]

Hello, how to visually determine how much horsepower in Kawasaki is 5, 34 or 50? Kawasaki er 5 twister 98 'year of release! Thank you

[@trevorsmit2454]

i spent 1100 dollars in my bike and it was really worthy ill never regret,but mine was the ninja 250

[@miguelangelvazquezruvalcab7228]

Se requiere que sean traducidas al español las palabras de los maestros.

[@Shadow0fd3ath24]

the ex500/ninja 500/gpz500 were the exact same engine/hp/spec....nothing special at all even for the time