EL 250/ZL 400/500/600/900/1000 Replacement Master Cyn Site Windows

[R. J.]

I ordered 4 sets of 4 18 mm master cyn SITE Windows @ $6.90 from a US seller. Thats 85 cents each. https://www.ebay.com/itm/4x-18mm-Mo...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 I ordered some from a CHINA seller months ago and never got them. This happened to me many times when ordering parts from across the big pond. When I install them I'm going to try to do it while the master cyns are on the bike. The instructions state to install them with a hammer. No way, I'm going to press them in with a C-clamp and a socket if I could. I'll post up on this thread when I put the site windows in with pics and how to do it.

 

[Eastwood]

Are the windows on these bikes made from glass or plastic? Wondering because I would like to try some paint stripper on mine. I used some on my oil site glass and it came out looking new. Can’t tell by tapping on them. They sound plastic. If plastic the stripper will be too harsh to use.

 

[R. J.]

I think the OEM ones are plastic because carb cleaner dulled mine.

 

[R. J.]

My replacement site windows came in the mail today. I think they are made from plastic.________________________________

 

[R. J.]

Today I installed the new site windows in both the front brake and the clutch master cyns. Time spent 5 hours not including bleeding the front brakes and the clutch. I couldn't do this job while the master cyns was on the bars. Also using a C clamp or pressing the site windows in with my vice wouldn't work. I used a 13 mm deep well socket to install them part way. Then I used a hammer. . They was really hard going in. The O-rings that came with the site window kits are to big in thickness so I used the old ones. Do not remove the old O-rings. Just run a Q-tip around the site window hole. The O-rings are hard to put back in. The first master cyn that I done took 3 site windows. . I messed up the first one and the other one I got pissed off and smashed it. . See the pics for installing the site windows and what tools that I used. In the last pic the old site window is on the left. It looks smaller than the replacement ones. Must be because the medal insert is on the outside of the replacement ones instead of on the inside.

 

[markus56]

Thanks for documenting this, it's bound to be helpful in the future. Does the o-ring actually hold the site glass in or does it just bottom out in the bore? Lots of windows out there are cloudy and need replacing. Thanks again Brother!

 

[R. J.]

MARKUS: You are welcome. I'm always glad to help. After removing the old site window you will see that the O-ring sits in a grove/slot. So it sits behind the site window and not around the outside edge of it. Like I said leave the old one in unless it is bad. One other thing the replacement site window is thicker than the OEM one. It sticks out about an 1/8 of an inch past the surface of the master cyn. The O-ring that comes with the site window kit may work because I throught it was keeping me from hammering the new site window flush with the surface of the master cyn. Some time later, no time soon I'm going to rebuild both master cyns with OEM rebuild kits which I already have. Also my Powder Coat guys Dave and Kyle from PowderKoat Plus told me that they can powder coat master cyns. _____________________________________

 

[R. J.]

UP-DATE: My clutch needed bleed more. When taking the cover off the master cyn I noticed that the O-ring was sticking out a bit at the rear of the site window but it was not leaking. So I put another site window in anyway. I tried using the O-ring that came with the site window kits. I spent 2 hours fighting with it. . I spent another 2 hours going looking for an O-ring that would fit. . I ended up using gray PERMATEX gasket maker. The sight window went in easier. I cleaned all the excess gasket maker off the inside and outside of the master cyn. with Q-tips. Also I put some duct tape on the end of my ball peen hammer so that I wouldn't damage the face of the site window. So it took 5 site windows to get in two. .

 

[87kawzl]

https://www.amazon.com/Metric-Rubbe...ocphy=9051988&hvtargid=pla-473618561519&psc=1

Surprised you didn't pick up some o-rings at harbor freight, these have saved me many trips to the hardware store.

 

[Raf900]

It would be nice to see thru the windows again. my glass is totally cracked. I am using zrx levers ,Do you know if zrx master cylinders work ? Clutch seems ok ,brake on zrx has more capacity. Nice job R.J. it looks like a time killer.

 

[R. J.]

I do have both metric and standard O-rings from Harbor Freight. They are all 2 and 3 mm O.D. The O-rings that came out of the master cyns. are 1.5 mm. I think all KAWASAKI master cyn from the 80s and early 90s will work on our ZLs.

 

[R. J.]

It would be nice to see thru the windows again. my glass is totally cracked. I am using zrx levers ,Do you know if zrx master cylinders work ? Clutch seems ok ,brake on zrx has more capacity. Nice job R.J. it looks like a time killer.

Thanks RAF900. Not sure on the ZRX master cyns. If the levers work the master cyns may be a good fit.

 

[R. J.]

When replacing SITE Windows leave the old O-ring in the master cyns unless they are damaged. The O-rings that come with the SITE Window kits are to big to go into the slot on the inside of the cyn site window hole. If the OEM site windows O-ring can not be used substitute it with ULTRA GRAY gasket maker or black. Use your finger or a Q-tip and put a light coat of gasket maker on the inside of the SITE Windows holes grove where the O-ring would of been._______________________________________________________________________________________

 

[Wads_ZL1]

Thanks for a great post, will be needing to do this myself one day soon. Just flushed my brakes and clutch but can not see anything through the sight glass on the master cylinders.

 

[R. J.]

My replacement site windows are holding up great. It's been a year.

 

[Ed]

What's the hole diameter? I have a bunch of glass lenses that are 20.5 mm.

 

[R. J.]

ED: I'm not sure of the diameter of the site windows hole on a master cyn. I can measure one of the site windows it's self. I'll have to find my spare windows to do so. Post #1 of this thread states that the site windows are 18 mm. I'll still measure them to make sure anyway.

 

[Ed]

The lenses I have are made for flashlights. 18mm lenses are a pretty common size too. Online Chinese shops sell them but I prefer to buy from flashlightlens.com even if they cost a bit more. They aren't very expensive to start with. I see 18 x 1.9mm, 5 for $5 plus shipping. The reason I have spare 20mm is because I replaced them with A/R lenses.

 

[R. J.]

Thanks ED. When I replaced the site windows in my ZL 10 2 master cyns. they was very hard to install. I tried pressing them in with my vice but they wasn't in the whole way. I ended up using a hammer. . Glass site windows may break.

 

[Ed]

I wouldn't put in glass the same way. It can be JB Welded in permanently because it'll never get cloudy and solvents won't hurt it. Maybe dress up the outside with a thin, tight-fitting aluminum ring to hide the epoxy and keep it more secure.