New guy,old bike

I've been lurking on here for a couple weeks, and I was kinda impressed with the layout and information on the kz's. So I decided to join up. Thank you mods for keeping this site rolling.

Anyhow, my name is Josh I just got an 83 kz750 ltd shaft (f1) for 200 with a clean title. P.O. got it from a guy who was going to Bob it. Said it needed a gasket due to oil leaking. He said it was the lower case. Well, I found leaks at the shifter shaft seal and the secondary shaft seal. Also said it cranks but doesn't have spark. I found an ignitor in the bucket of parts, hooked it up. It needed a battery, so I bought one. 33 bucks on sale. Fixed some wiring, charged the battery and, low and behold, spark. Ok. It needed a seat, found one last night, ordered it up.

Now I tried to fire it up but it was a no go. So as of now I'm waiting for a pilot jet that I found was stripped in the carb. Keihin of course. Found one tonight, ordered it up. Atleast I only had to drill the one out, somehow thankfully I didn't mess up the threads. I took the other ones out just to make sure they wouldn't strip. They are good to go ( after I clean the green crud from them)

And that brings us to this moment. Where I decided to join this wonderful site. I bought the bike as a project of course, and I was weary at first but with the forum here, and search functions I've learned quite a bit about these bikes. So thank you.

Adding a couple pics out of the 50 or so I have so far.
Oh, I'm from Minnesota if that really matters

WELCOME TO THE SITE. looks like a fun project.

Welcome to KZR
Lots of good information from some great members
Enjoy your new bike
Dave

Welcome to the site! Bike looks to be in pretty good shape. If you are sure you have god spark, spray some starting fluid in each carb. About 3 shots in each. Then try starting it. Should run for a least a few seconds. If it starts with starting fluid, then you will know it is a fuel issue and not electrical.

KZJOE900 wrote: Welcome to the site! Bike looks to be in pretty good shape. If you are sure you have god spark, spray some starting fluid in each carb. About 3 shots in each. Then try starting it. Should run for a least a few seconds. If it starts with starting fluid, then you will know it is a fuel issue and not electrical.

+1 on this advice. If you don't like starting fluid, a tablespoon of gasoline in the plug holes will make it at least fire for a few revolutions.

Did you check the compression?

I'm also in MN in the east metro (Twin Cities). I'm doing a cafe build from an 82 KZ750 CSR. Where are you at?

Thanks fellas. I would try the starting fluid/fuel trick but I have the carbs sitting on the table. I started cleaning the one and got to the point where I need to figure out a way to get the carb bracket screws to come out. Plus I've been reading the forums learning about these carbs. Quite different from the mikunis I learned on. Found out I have to drill out plugs to get to the idle adjustment.
Anyway, I'm still reading through the oh so many pages of info. Feeling like Johnny5.

Oh, and to answer a quick question, the pilot Jets are clogged, green crud all over, ran thin wire through most holes.but the issue I need to deal with is to get the carbs separated to replaces the o-rings on those two fuel overflow t's in between said carbs. (JB weld is the very last resort) But since this is the new member thread I will cease on the shop talk.


By the way, I live in burnsville.

Just a quick update---- IT'S ALIVE!!! Took it around the parking lot a couple times before I replaced the shifter seal and the secondary shaft seal. Also took out the emissions junk.

But now I'm waiting to see if the leaks are fixed. Either way. Last post about the bike in this forum. Didn't want to start another thread. (Sorry mods)

Greetings from Milwaukee!
Clean bike. A friend of mine just picked up the same one a few weeks ago. Exact same leak as well. I started my own thread which I will post for any future readers to cross reference. Might save them some hassle. Really appreciate the pics as well. Not alot of shots of the bike with the left side cover off.

I was wondering if you had any tips on replacing the secondary shaft seal. I'm going in blind with only the parts diagram from kawasaki. Did you end having to pull the front bezel gear housing or was there clearance? www.kawasaki.com/Parts/PartsDiagram/136238/1983/KZ550-M1

I am trying to get my ducks in a row before I go in. Any words of advice/caution or part numbers used are appreciated.

Cross ref.
www.kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/606734-98...-ltd-shaft-oil-seals

P.S. A service manual would def. help alot. Working on getting one

I'm confused. The OP has a 1983 KZ750-F1. You state that "A friend of mine just picked up the same one a few weeks ago" and you give a "Cross ref." link to a thread that also talks about a KZ750 shaft bike. But you also give a link to " www.kawasaki.com/Parts/PartsDiagram/136238/1983/KZ550-M1 " which shows a parts diagram for a 1983 KZ550-M1 shaft bike. Some of the KZ550-M1 parts may be the same as those on the KZ750-F1, but some parts are different. Is there a reason you are using a parts diagram for a KZ550-M1 while working on a KZ750-F1 instead of using the KZ750-F1 parts diagram? Ed

650Ed,
I don't know for sure, but in jperry's defense, the links on Kawasaki.com are labeled inconsistently. Sometimes downright misleadingly. That is how I inadverdantly posted a link for the chain drive 750.
When I go there and choose, Motorcycle<1983, I see choices for LTD, LTD Belt, Shaft, CSR. None of those is the 750-F1.

Finding the 750 F1 on Partzilla.com is a piece of pie, though there does not seem to be any reference to the seals in question on any diagram.
www.partzilla.com/parts/search/Kawasaki/...LTD+Shaft/parts.html

Where did the op find those seals??

When I go there and choose, Motorcycle<1983, I see choices for LTD, LTD Belt, Shaft, CSR. None of those is the 750-F1.

The 750-F1 is an Ltd shaft, which is one of the pull-down choices, but the linked model is the 550 version. So then what you have to do is manually enter the model in the address bar, changing it from KZ550-M1 to KZ750-F1.

httpz://www.kawasaki.com/Parts/PartsDiagrams/1983/KZ550-M1 -->> httpz://www.kawasaki.com/Parts/PartsDiagrams/1983/KZ750-F1

Thanks Martin. Seems that big K has some cleaning up to do on its "new" website.