[Kawasakian]

On other bikes, and a few cars, I've torn down, there's a thrust washer, but it's not even that thick. Maybe that's how it runs? It's an electronic pic up so it wouldn't matter.

 

[Kawasakian]

You're absolutely sure there isn't a piece connected to the crankshaft that the piece bolts into? It seems like an awful amount of play. You'd think a big "crunch" is around the corner. I think that piece is connected to the crankshaft but is not part of it. I don't have the manual on it, but after looking at pics on the net, it seems like that is the only way you could get that kind of movement. The connecting rod journals would not allow for that much movement. If you could look at the other end of the crankshaft and see the same movement, then something is horrifically wrong. I'd open the other cover and put a dial indicator and see what kind of movement your getting. There is a pin numbered "555" in the parts diagram, but it doesn't show where it goes on that side. A dial indicator should give you a couple of thousandsths movement, but the other end (pick up end), while being turned by the crankshaft probably cannot slide along that longitudinal axis. Just speculation on my part. Best of luck.

 

[Kawasakian]

I wouldn't worry about it. If it is running the way it always has been, then just keep riding. There'll be enough time to fret over it in some unforeseen trouble..........................Staying in the motorcycle land of faeries, lest your feet touch the ground and ye become mortal.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.....................Yates


Been reading too much "Yates" lately.

 

[Kawasakian]

It may just be the design. Those pistons and Connecting rods will hold the crank in place, and any movement will be within spec of the elastomeric qualities of the parts, if it was designed that way.. You ride the bike. If it feels good, then keep going. Could you imagine taking it apart and finding out there's nothing wrong?!?

 

[Kawasakian]

I just found this. The inside bearing acts as a thrust washer. The tolerances given are pretty tight. This was for a KZ1100, I found it on "manualslib". It's kind of scary. If what it reads is true, it depends on how much movement you read determines where you're at. The solution for any bad bearing is replace the crank.. If the crank let go, or any of the connecting rods, the forces would probably trash the engine cases. Look in your manual and see if it matches the attached picture. If it's a pressed crank, which a lot of these were, it may have slid out, which means it could be welded after pressed back into place. Not a cheap endeavor.

 

[Kawasakian]

I didn't refresh my page when I posted. my bad. How much did yours measure in movement?

 

[Kawasakian]

Those look like roller bearings, they're too wide to be ball bearings. I think only Yamaha used those on their XS650 Overhead cams. You're only .005" out of tolerance. I wouldn't mess with it, personally.

 

[Kawasakian]

Oh, again, my bad. From what I read in another forum, they are roller bearings. I'm not authorative on these bikes though.

 

[Kawasakian]

Yes, it is. The Kawasaki Clean air system makes me think a lot of superb bikes we lost because of poor dealerships service centers. In the dealerships I worked in, we made so little on new motorcycles. The money was in accessories, and in service, good service, and good accessories, and good access, fast access to O.E.M. parts for the DIY mechanic. Supporting that mechanic too. On these motorcycle forums I belong to I read about so much stuff the dealerships just missed, like the crappy Suzuki electronic Stator/Voltage R/R design. So many bikes with blown electronics, with the stock put back in and the bikes breaking again the same way back then. For a while you could get a GS1150 for a song, now that people know how to fix them, they aren't cheap to buy anymore. This is good for people who join these forums. They can buy bikes, fix them, and have a excellent bike for not much cash, a fraction of what a new one costs. The guys who amaze me are the ones interchanging front ends from different manufacturers, and coming up with really hot bikes. That is something I wish I knew more of.

If I can, I would like to purchase maybe 1 or 2 more bikes to teach my son how to turn over. They will have to be special ones.

 

[Kawasakian]

I think that bike would all of a sudden start to vibrate a real lot, and you would know to shut it down. Of course, you could just ride it without leaning, on straight roads.

Are those crankshafts pressed together?

 

[Kawasakian]

Same thing with the early GS1100 Suzuki's. I think the 1150's are one piece forged. I never liked the idea of pressed cranks. It seems to me if they are going to do that, then weld them up, make them flat plane and reap all the benefits. Ah, what do I know. I wake up and go to sleep everyday with the realization that I haven't a clue as to what's going on. I'll probably utter my last breath and waft out a hissing, "What was that all about?". 🤔

 

[Kawasakian]

$89 buck is more than reasonable. I won't even take my Tig welder out for that much. Redoing the whole crank for $1K , that is a "gulp" for sure. Doesn't it seem that the only thing that would allow that crank to move like that would be an outer bearing, or one end of the pressed crankshaft having lost it's location? Also, wouldn't it have to be the one on the opposite side? If the number 5 bearing lost the pin, then the movement would be either the end bearing(s) have moved. The crankshaft spreading might cause that end to come out, but the movement in and out is really weird. The connecting rods would not allow that kind of movement, the only thing left is a problem with the outer pressing of the crankshaft ends, and without seeing one in the crankcase, I don't know how you could check these parts without a tear down. The rods would bend with that kind of play, methinks. I think the crankshaft is being held in place, but one of the crankshaft ends has done something that defies physics.

 

[Kawasakian]

Wow!! That answers a lot of questions. Talk about a picture saying a 1000 words. Seeing that pictures makes me think, just ride it.

 

[Kawasakian]

That crankshaft is using all the available play possible, looking at the last picture, it would seem. Something is not right. Some bearings have keepers split in half to locate, but there is no indicator of anything even taking such a stop. The journal on #1 piston doesn't even seem to be able to allow such movement. I have no idea of what is going on. It would be very interesting to see ultimately what is going on. Isn't Bearing #5 just a plain bearing meaning the engine case journal would hold it in position? Bearing so shiny, lubed with oil, it wouldn't offer much friction.

 

[Kawasakian]

I've not seen split keepers in bike engines, only automotive. The mystery bearing is the answer to the issue, methinks, but all the other journals are so tight. This is above my pay grade. It will be interesting to see if someone comments, or you end up taking the lower end apart. Those engines are good for many other kinds of vehicles, such as trikes. I would like to see what's going on as I want to make a tadpole type trike using a Kawasaki 1100 engine with shaft drive, so I can hook it up to a solid axle with a differential.

This style, with a Kawasaki engine though, and a front brake, different looking tank, and a little wooden pick up box in back for carrying groceries. This is Ian Roussel's trike. He used a VW carb and made a custom intake out of exhaust pipe, on a Goldwing 1100 engine!! :

 

[Kawasakian]

Actually, the build was from an Episode last year. He got the rear end for free from an El Camino. I don't like the Coffin tank either, but I think it took him a half an hour to make.

 

[Kawasakian]

If you put a drop of 30 weight oil on the tip of the dial indicator, and end of the crank, it would give you enough time to get a measurement. I used to have to do high speed out of round tests on a specialized machine for bending up to 10" diameter screws used for all kinds of things, this particular one was for raising and lowering a mount for a missile on a Destroyer. It spun really fast and they wanted to see a dynamic out of round measurement. The same machine would be used to straighten it out. It was more of an art than anything that can be taught. Once I figured it out, I regretted it, because every time an order came in, they would give me the job, and some days, you just don't have the touch.

 

[Kawasakian]

That's a good idea. I have all Brown and Sharp, and Mitutoyo indicators, and a few Starret. I am very careful with them. The Starret comes with an extension arm it on a pivot, to the end actually never touches the actual dial indicator. It is very old, in new condition, and has many little set ups for doing oddball kind of measurements. They sell the same kit for $309 dollars, mine is over 45 years old! I know it's American made. It's range is .200" of an inch.

The pic below is the one I collections have:

 

[Kawasakian]

I purchased virtually every Dial Indicator I found at Tag sales, it's amazing what people think are junk. I have a Brown and Sharp 5" inch sine bar in the box, I paid $10 bucks for it. I have a huge collection. They are each in their own plastic bags, and I have 3 that read in .0001" tenths of a thousands of an inch. You can see the heat affect the machined part. Brown and Sharp, another mainstay, and I have some of them too. I also have a good collection of the test indicators, which are excellent for locating hole centers of milling machines. That transfer arm has so many uses, and it's extremely hard. Mine shows no signs of wear. The Horizontal Indicators are fantastic, but they have to be at 30 degrees to actually measure something, otherwise, they are good for indicating flatness, hole centers, etc. The tip is fully adjustable, as I'm sure you know.

 

[Kawasakian]

Very possibly. Ultimately, you have to decide if you are willing to live with it, or wish to take apart. It's hard for me to say, "rip apart the bottom end and ust find out", as my Spinal Cord injuries preclude me from doing anything that is not imminent. I don't know if this is imminent. You have other bikes you can ride, and have the expertise to do the job. You also have the desire to get this issue over. That seems to me that you're probably going to tamke the bottom end apart. A thread I will read with much interest.