1978 KZ 750 Rebuild Project

I recently aquired a 1978 Kawasaki KZ 750 for very cheap and I have begun to rebuild it. after rebuilding the tank and the carbs it runs and it able to be driven, but its still rough. when reved high it gets really high pitched, revs quickly, and sounds like crap, and i think that this means that the valves need to be adjusted. Does anyone know the intake and exhuast vavle tolerances or has a manual available? this would really help. also if you think that the valves are not the issue here let me know.

also the spedo and tach lights arnt working and I am wondeing what it takes to get thoes working.

I have worked on motorcycles and jetskis before so I know my way around an engine, but is there anything I need to know that is important or specific to this model? Thanks again.

Welcome!

Here's the complete "Kawasaki Service Manual" for the '76-'79 KZ750 twin in PDF format , donated by Homer/Davie from KZRider.com. NOTE: It kinda' got chewed up a bit in converting from DOC format to PDF in OpenOffice - after being chewed up a bit from the OCR in MS Office - but I hope it helps...

For me, the tach/speedo lights had broken at the split connector inside the black tube-o'-wiring, right behind the dash. I had to cut back a bunch of the black stuff 'till I could reach teh split. Cleaned it up, re-soldered,... fine.

Check the carbs float levels, and balance. And don't run any bike lean! This is how you ruin pistons.

If I ever bought another 750 twin, the first three things I'd do: 1.) engine maint. stuff like valves, carb float levels, pilot screws, oil change, etc., 2.) disassemble and repair the starter clutch before it fall apart on you, and 3.) replace the coil and do the "coil power mod".

thanks a bunch for the help.

do you think that I am running it to lean? would that be the reason it revs high?

alexk243 wrote:

thanks a bunch for the help.

do you think that I am running it to lean? would that be the reason it revs high?

Oh, I don't know, I guess I was speculating... my mind was wandering in the span of time it took to write that post...

...on the other hand... it *could* be the reason, but so could alot of other things. It's most likely in the carbs though.

Really... set the float level first. Its easy, and predictable. There are tons of old posts in here on different ways to do it.. the upside-down way (25 or 26mm from gasket surface, depending on who you ask), the home-made clear-tube gauge way (you can jam some hose in the bowl drain and use that, or make a fitting, then measure the fuel gap from the bowl-top).... etc...

Set your pilot screws... somewhere around 1 1/2 tuens out from seated.. to about 2 turns out max...

Run about 1/2 can Seafoam in a full tank of gas (or so)... this will clean parts of the carb you missed... and unless you had them cleaned by a pro or dip/soaked them, I guarantee you missed some....

And so on...