Buy one it'll pay for itself the first time you use it. Any method that holds a valve open and then you rotate the crank risks another valve opening and hitting the open one - potentially bending both. The Kawasaki tool , once in place, will not let the cam ( and hence the crank) from going round to...

I think that's a round section O ring ( but I'm sure I will be corrected if wrong)

don't be tempted to use an o ring that's the right size. the seal has flat surfaces top and bottom where it presses against tank flange and tap face flange

Nice journey, thanks for the pics.
Gute Reise!

make sure its resistant to ethanol in petrol - I have a notion that it should have a "J" as part of the code number on the side. (If I've got that letter wrong feel free to correct me)

I remember seeing a comment on the website ( a long long time ago - decades ) that it didn't matter unless the crack extended all the way up the spark plug threads , from combustion chamber to outside world

I know this sounds a bit daft ... but brass bristle brush and tomato ketchup - it's apparently mildly acidic but washes off easily

trove = to remove. bloody predictive text

I agree with above - if the timing is 180 degrees out, then it won't start and you'll get the occasional backfire. Easy way to correct it is to trove the tank and swop the feeds to the coils. Each coil has 2 low tension input wires , one is (I think) yellow/ red and the other is some other colour. B...

John Browse?

was the bearing you took out seized solid? If so, it could have been spinning its inner race against the inside of the brake plate, wearing the inner face of the brake plate down ( hence closing up the clearance between drum outer face and outer periphery of brake plate.)

chisel out the needles and cage leaving the bearing outer, that gives you a good lip to get a blind bearing puller on it. Use heat on the outer then hit hard. Will need repainted afterwards. Once you have 1 out, the second will be easier to get at.

if the valve is bent , you may be able to test it now the head's off. With the park plugs in, Turn the head over, so the combustion chamber is facing up and pour a tablespoonful of something runny ( paraffin or white spirit might do ) into the chamber and see if it runs out. Fill all 4 chambers so y...

yes static timing gets it in the ball park so at least it runs, then once its running then strobing gets it spot on.

Somebody else will be able to quote you the piston to bore clearance that is normal and acceptable ( which you will feel as a looseness of the piston in the bore) , for a cold engine ( which will tighten up as the engine heats up) The questions I would ask are - does it smoke? Does it use oil? is it...