Brat-ish build: '81 KZ-440B

**UPDATED WITH NEW PICS OF BRAT SEAT ON PAGE 7!! 11/16/13**

Greetings KZR! I just bought an 81 kz440 B2 for 270 bucks. It has 4,700 miles on her too. It barely runs and doesn't start on its own, but with the low mileage, it shouldn't take too much to get her going.

I'm planning to repair first, then mod into a budget-brat after.

Here is my list of repairs, let me know if you see anything dumb or think i should add anything while i have something apart. I'll be updating this thread with progress and also frequenting the tech forums a lot.

- Carb rebuild
- petcock rebuild (ended up replacing with manual one)
- replace clutch (didn't need it)
- adjust valve clearances
- rebuild front forks (seals and oil)
- replace wheel bearings (didn't need it)
- replace chain
- replace sprockets
- replace rear brakes

Well i pulled, disassembled, and cleaned the carbs, had some trouble with the pilot jet (I made a thread in the carb tech forum:http://www.kzrider.com/forum/3-carburetor/551490-removing-pilot-jet-chrome-polish) and polished up the diaphragm caps with aluminum foil and water. pretty neat little trick.

Once the rebuild kits come in I will tear em' open again and rebuild them as well as the petcock.

Welcome and nice score.
Have you picked up a repair manual yet?
I suggest you keep the stock air box for now.
CV(constant velocity)carbs are difficult to get set right with pod filters.
The clutch shouldn't need to be replaced for a very long time,maybe adjusted.
Are the wheel bearings damaged?
Chain and sprockets should be replaced as a set,replaced individually will cause accelerated wear on the others.
But since the bike has only 4700 miles the chain probably shot from just sitting and rusting up.
I suggest replacing the carb boots (head to carb rubbers) and air box boots(carb to air box rubbers).
These tend to dry up crack over time leading to air leaks that cause carb problems.

Nebr_Rex wrote: Welcome and nice score.
Have you picked up a repair manual yet?
I suggest you keep the stock air box for now.
CV(constant velocity)carbs are difficult to get set right with pod filters.
The clutch shouldn't need to be replaced for a very long time,maybe adjusted.
Are the wheel bearings damaged?
Chain and sprockets should be replaced as a set,replaced individually will cause accelerated wear on the others.
But since the bike has only 4700 miles the chain probably shot from just sitting and rusting up.
I suggest replacing the carb boots (head to carb rubbers) and air box boots(carb to air box rubbers).
These tend to dry up crack over time leading to air leaks that cause carb problems.

The good new is that if you get pods you won't need to spend money on tags or insurance because the bike won't run well enough to use on the street. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Nebr_Rex wrote: Welcome and nice score.
Have you picked up a repair manual yet?
I suggest you keep the stock air box for now.
CV(constant velocity)carbs are difficult to get set right with pod filters.
The clutch shouldn't need to be replaced for a very long time,maybe adjusted.
Are the wheel bearings damaged?
Chain and sprockets should be replaced as a set,replaced individually will cause accelerated wear on the others.
But since the bike has only 4700 miles the chain probably shot from just sitting and rusting up.
I suggest replacing the carb boots (head to carb rubbers) and air box boots(carb to air box rubbers).
These tend to dry up crack over time leading to air leaks that cause carb problems.

Yea i downloaded a fsm, already i don't know what i'd do without it.

The clutch felt like it was slipping when i rode it, the last owder bought a clutch kit for it, so i figured i would just throw it in. But if it really won't need it, i guess i shouldn't waste time. what do you think?

I figured that from sitting the bearings could probably be due for a replace, also when driving it home the back wheel was wobbling as if it wasn't balanced. But the p.o. just put new tires on it, so they probably balanced them then. Could the wheel bearing cause the wobble?

Yea i figured from sitting so long, i may as well replace the chain. What you say makes sense about replacing them all, so maybe i'll just do that.

The carb boots (carb>head) are cracked, i planned on just putting some epoxy around it to seal it up instead of spending 20 bucks a pop for them. but maybe i'll just pull the trigger and get them.

I pulled the trigger on a allen bolt set to replace all the engine cover screws.

www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?i...80-81+&item=NGSS-215

Anyone have any experience with it?

I plan on painting all the engine covers gloss black eventually and i think the stainless allen bolts will set it off.

jbeebe1 wrote: ...just bought an 81 kz440 B2...4,700 miles...in such good shape that i drove it home...planning to repair first, then mod...
Here is my list of repairs, let me know if you see anything dumb...
- Carb rebuild (possibly go pods with socks over them just to get rid of the airbox)
....

Imo, replacing the air box with pods qualifies as "dumb." :woohoo: :lol:

Why? -- Because CV carbs, and especially CV carbs on KZ440, are reportedly difficult if not impossible to tune for acceptable performance throughout their range, without the stock air box.

Do a search here on KZrider for "pods" and enjoy a learning experience.

Good Fortune!

jbeebe1 wrote: I pulled the trigger on a allen bolt set to replace all the engine cover screws.

www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?i...80-81+&item=NGSS-215

Anyone have any experience with it?

I plan on painting all the engine covers gloss black eventually and i think the stainless allen bolts will set it off.

I would invest in an impact driver first.


.

Patton wrote:
Imo, replacing the air box with pods qualifies as "dumb." :woohoo: :lol:

Why? -- Because CV carbs, and especially CV carbs on KZ440, are reportedly difficult if not impossible to tune for acceptable performance throughout their range.

Do a search here on KZrider for "pods" and enjoy a learning experience.

Good Fortune!

just edited the original post to remove the "possibly do pods" part haha

Nebr_Rex wrote:
I would invest in an impact driver first.

already have one. I've used them before working on cars, specifically brake rotor retaining screws.

If you use the allen bolts in place of the cross-head (JIS) screws you should consider using a small inch/lb torque wrench and follow the torque specs in the FSM. Otherwise you may strip the threads in the aluminum engine as it is softer than the bolts. Ed

650ed wrote: If you use the allen bolts in place of the cross-head (JIS) screws you should consider using a small inch/lb torque wrench and follow the torque specs in the FSM. Otherwise you may strip the threads in the aluminum engine as it is softer than the bolts. Ed

great point. I have a large torque wrench but i'll go to harbor freight and pick up a small cheap one.



Also, anyone have any input on the wheel bearings? Should i definitely replace them just bc they have been sitting for so long? That back wheel wobble, could that be the wheel bearing? Or must it be the balance?