1977 KZ1000 LTD

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Looking good....!!!

New battery in, oil up to the window bottom line limit, a splash of gas in the tank. Turned the key and kill switch on, good and bad news...

On the upside my bike had the oil indicator lamp turn on, the high and low beam work, all turn signals work (replaced the rear indicators), the horn works.
Gas flows from the tank through the petcock (replaced O-Rings, patched up the fuel tube) as I can see inline filters filling. Carbs didn't seem to leak or spit out the overflow tubes (rebuilt gasket and O-Rings) but I didn't leave the fuel on for very long.

The downside is that I couldn't get the bike to start... I didn't try for very long as it is around 100*F out and I'm not enjoying sweating while sitting.
Haven't done much for diagnostics yet, but know that nothing happens when I hit the Start button (hoping its not the starter motor being out), and it didn't try to fire up when I gave it a dozen or so kicks. About all I double checked so far was that the cam chain was able to rotate easily still from the 17mm bolt, which it was able to easily do a few rotations.

I am running out today and picking up a multi-meter so I can run down a checklist of power supply. Will be following a list from this forum and seeing what I can find.

I also want (need!) to replace the fuse box and update that to the blade style fuses. Unfortunately the CWS fuse harness 'plug and play' setup I found listed from another thread has been out of stock for the last month or so. I've also struck out looking locally at ace/oreilly/autozone/walmart/etc. so far. I've also tried to follow some other links posted in the past but they all seem to be old enough that they don't lead me to the right place.

The build is done for now, and so begins my battle to get it running :blink: :blink:

Picked up a multi meter today, and still no luck on an appropriate fuse box for updating to the blades.

With the starter not making a noise, I wasn't sure where to begin. I ended up checking the new battery, with and without the ignition on. Was good at 12.9V and 12.6V respectively. From there I checked the wires into the coils with both points closed, then only one closed, then the other. Across the board I was getting high 11V's in, and around 0.3-0.4V's on the other wire. Seemed like it should be good enough to toss a spark out. While spinning the points open and closed I slipped a card with some iso alc on them and got a little surface dirt off them. Gave up and had a consolation icee pop to cool off.

Went back out and decided I'd double check the fuel delivery and then did a few full off/ig/on with the key to make sure it was moving clean. Then did the same thing with the kill switch. They both loosened up after a few turns.

After all that the starter button wouldn't cause a peep to be made. Started running through things in my head, and decided the clutch might be the culprit. I had replaced the wire and cleaned up the internal mechanism. Turns out that I need the clutch lever to be pulled around half way for it to correctly register and work, if it is pulled all the way then the bike/clutch doesn't read as engaged. With a half lever pull of clutch the starter motor started turning over happily.

Tomorrow I'll toss the new spark plugs in and add some more gas, see if I can't get it started up, then take a look at adjusting the clutch. I'm guessing I need a combination of lengthening the cable housing and possibly turning the clutch release screw out a tiny bit.

To be continued

Had a semi full day of running around looking for spark plugs that would fit. The b8es are discontinued, and the br8es replacement I had were solid terminals, apparently finding the threaded terminal br8es wasn’t as easy as I thought.

Found new plugs and got them on the bike. Added another little splash of gas and was able to coax the bike to life!!! It turns over alright by button or kick starter. I definitely need to get the carbs tuned in. The idle is rather low and makes starting or staying running without a little choke almost impossible. Still need to dial in the clutch as well.

I did notice a higher pitch ticking coming off the right hand side of the motor. I will let everything cool down and retighten the exhaust and points cover cap to eliminate those as potential causes.

I must be missing something. Rather than installing the wrong spark plugs why not simply order the correct spark plugs from eBay? There are plenty of them available there. Ed

Hey Ed,
Maybe my wording was funny, but I believe I did find the correct plugs in the end, but I could very well be mistaken.
I read on the NGK website the B8ES has been discontinued and was replaced by the BR8ES. The only difference I could find was the newer version is a resistance plug.

Is it bad for the bike to be running a “r” plug?

The problem I found with the set of plugs I ordered online was that the terminal head was solid, and I need the skinnier threaded terminal, found under the terminal nut, to allow my wires to fit on the top.

If it was mine I would try to find the non-resistor spark plugs and make the switch when I got them. If your spark plug caps are the resistor type and you also run resistor plugs you may run into problems. On my 1977 KZ650 I do not use resistor plugs or caps, and I've never had a spark plug issue. I'm the original owner. I could be wrong, but I think the only thing resistor caps or plugs do is prevent radio static in cars that may be nearby. That has never been a big deal to me, but I'm probably a bit on the rude side. :laugh: Ed

I would be careful ordering NGK plugs from the internet. Lots of fakes out there.

I agree with hardrock,I purchased a box of 10 on ebay and 4 out of the 10 worked on my bike.

I looked it up on their site. It said while supplies last nothing more. Guess I'll be gathering and cleaning my old ones.
Steve

I always ran Autolite Plugs for years in the dragbike. Someone gave me them for free. Was a 4 digit #.
Champions suck in bikes. Don't use Champion. Sucked in the Shovelhead!
Too bad no one needs a cooler #9 plug. We run them in the AA/Gasser Blown Hemi, on Methanol. I have a pile of them plugs.
Here is a cross reference list:

Construction: Standard construction
Terminaltype: Removable

NGK B8ES replacement spark plugs
AC Delco 41XL
AC Delco 42XL
AC Delco 438XL
AC Delco S42XL
Accel 112
Accel 142
Aprilia 847085
Autolite 2594
Autolite 2612
Autolite 2614
Autolite 4053
Autolite 4054
Autolite 4063
Autolite XS4063
Beck Arnley 176-5008
Beck Arnley 176-5030
Beru 14-3CU
Beru 14-4C1
Beru 14Z-3CU
Beru 260/14/3
Beru Z38
Bosch 0241248534
Bosch 0241248538
Bosch 0241248543
Bosch 0242250517
Bosch W240T2
Bosch W250T2
Bosch W260T20
Bosch W3C
Bosch W3CC
Bosch W4C
Bosch W4C1
Bosch W4CC
Bosch W4CPX
Bosch W5CC
Bosch WR4CC
Bosch WR4CP
Bosch stk 7529
Bosch stk 7530
Brisk 1344
Brisk L14
Brisk L14C
Champion 805
Champion 8902
Champion A2HC
Champion N2C
Champion N3
Champion N3C
Champion NA10
Champion OE040
Champion OE040T10
Champion OE068
Champion OE068/T10
Champion OE068T10
Champion P-N5C
Champion PN5C
Champion stk 801
Champion stk 805
Daihatsu 90048-51006-000
Daihatsu 9004851006000
Denso 4030
Denso 5316
Denso 5713
Denso IW01-24
Denso IW24


Denso W24ES
Denso W24ES-U
Denso W24ES-U11
Denso W24ESR-U
Denso W24ESRU
Denso W24ESU
Denso W24ESU11
Denso X27ESU
Denso stk 4030
Enker FE80C
Eyquem 0911007223
Eyquem 1000L
Eyquem 1100L
Eyquem 1100L MOTO
Eyquem 1100LMOTO
Eyquem D1000L
Fuji 065-01401-40
General Motors 5613103
General Motors 5613161
General Motors 5613457
Hitachi L43W
Honda 98069-59717
Honda 98079-58810
Honda 98079-58810-01
Honda 98079-58840
Honda 98079-58870
Iskra FE80
Iskra FE80S
Iskra TWE275
Jaguar EAC8344
Kawasaki 92070037
Kawasaki 92070053
Kawasaki 920700534
Kawasaki E92070-037
Kawasaki E92070037
Kawasaki E92070053
Kawasaki E920700534
KLG FE100
Lodge 25HL
Lodge 3HLN
Lodge HF2HL
Magneti Marelli CW9L
Magneti Marelli CW9LJ
Marchal Valeo 2 / 32H
Marchal Valeo 2/32H
Marchal Valeo H34F
Marchal Valeo HA32 / 2
Marchal Valeo HA32/2
Marchal Valeo HF34F
Mazda 0420 18 110
Mazda 0420-18-110
Mazda 042018110
MBK 9079Q-0415900
Mercury 828987
Mitsubishi MS 851 165
Mitsubishi MS851165
Motorcraft AG091
Motorcraft AG1
Motorcraft AG1C
Motorcraft AG1CX
Motorcraft AG1X


Motorcraft stk 69
Motorcraft stk 71
NGK stk 2411
PAL (Brisk) L14C
Piaggio 847085
Prestolite 14G1
Prestolite 14G2
PSA Peugeot Citroën 7567.66
PSA Peugeot Citroën 756766
SCT-GERMANY AR41C
Splitfire SF405D
Splitfire SF406C
Suzuki 09482-00056
Suzuki 09482-00091
Suzuki 09482-00196
Suzuki 09482-00225
Tacti V91104030
Toyota 90098-24505
XL F8C-11
Yamaha 94700-00045
Yamaha 94701 00045
Yamaha 94701-00045
Yamaha 9470100045
Yamaha 94702 00045
Yamaha 94702-00045
Yamaha 9470200045
Yamaha 94703-00045