Hey guys, FIRST POST!! WOOT WOOT!

So, i just picked up my first kawi and it is a 1991 ZX600-D2, and it runs, however there is no compression in one cylinder.... a perfect bike with 15,000 miles on it and perfect paint... picked her up for $300..... yeah!! go get some paper towels to clean up the pee that just leaked out!!! Anyways, i was thinking of just replacing the head.... but i'm not sure this is the correct route... I NEED YOUR HELP, do i need to replace it or can i look for other problems that may be causing it??? Also if i go the replacing route, are there any other models that would fit besides the 1990-1993?
I appreciate every answer and all of your time!
Thanks guys!

 

93 would be harder to install. that is the year kawi made the move to fuel injection and the new body. 93 is also the first year of the 636. looking at the frame of a 01 it looks the same as my 04. i am not sure how hard it would be to put the new motor. from what i understand the newer zzr are the same as the older zx6. you might want to see how cheep a new motor is. with that motor being in service so long with the zx 1 then the zzr you might be able to find one cheep.

 

2003 was the first year of the 636 and I beleive fuel injection also.

One thing to try while doing a compression test is a "wet" test. Put a very small cap full of oil in the spark plug hole and try the test again. If the compression is better, than you know that the rings are gone and not the head. If there is no compression in one cylinder and plenty in the others, than most likely it is a bent valve or hole in piston. The only way to find out is to take it apart and look at it. I would stick with the ZX-6D's (90-93) or ZZR of the same time period for a replacement head if needed.

Good Luck!

 

^+1

 

Could also be a blown head gasket. Take you radiator cap off and crank the motor over. If the water/ coolant gushed out, it's a head gasket. Also look for water/ coolant in the oil or leaking around the engine. What are the compression readings?

 

We are still waiting on the compression readings speed.

 

I forget what my buddy told me the pressures were, but 0 in one cylinder and all the rest were the same. i believe it is a bent valve....

 

May be rare to have a bent valve in only one cylinder unless there was something in the chamber that bent it. It could also be a burnt valve if it's only in one cylinder.

 

i would buy a leak down tester. it fills the cyl with air and you listen to where the air is head. if the exhaust its a valve on the exhaust side, like wise with the intake. if you hear it through the oil cap its the bottom end

 

That's a great idea; in fact, you can take your compression tester hose and hook it up to an air hose and you will find out really quick where it's leaking. If there is a hole in the piston, you will hear it/ feel it from the oil filler cap hole. Listen at the exhaust, the Airbox and take off the radiator cap too.