Kz1000 valve cover removal

[Kz1000duncp]

Hi everyone been a member for a while did do intros few months back. As stated above I removed my valve cover today but to say it was tight to get it past the frame did some doing. Is there an easy way as I have to refit it yet. Need to fit new gasket and new end caps. Do the end caps need rtv? Thanks

[zed1015]

The only easier way is to remove the carbs and slide it on from the rear.
A light smear of RTV is needed on the end plugs.

[gray]

Has your frame got an additional brace across the 2 frame rails above the valve cover? If so that can make the cover more difficult to get off.
Mine is braced there and I usually remove the tank , pull the HT leads off the plugs and pull them up through these frame rails so they're out the way. May be necessary to loosen the coils /remove their retaining nuts
Making sure the gasket stays on the head and doesn't stick to the cover itself -this gives an extra mm or so. Then pull the cover up and wiggle it to the right. It will foul on the top of the cam chain central roller idler, but as that's rubber mounted it will give a tiny bit. Hitting the left side of the cover with the heel of your hand is usually sufficient force.
The cover is 2mm thick I guess so I removed 1mm of it with a hand grinder at the tightest bit ( at the rear of the bump that covers the central cam idler) and that made it easier for all future valve checks
Another option might be to loosen all the engine mounting bolts, let the engine slip down a mm then retighten . Someone might have tightened up the engine mounts while the engine was supported on a jack , thereby ensuring the engine was in its "highest " point possible, hence your difficulty.

[Kz1000duncp]

Thanks for the replies thought there might be a bit more to it. Just didn’t want to take too much apart.