Trying to Rescue a Late 1970s (1977??) Kawasaki KZ1000

Scirocco wrote:

Why waste money for a new petcock. Your petcock parts are re-useable, you only need a new o-ring and crush washer.
Pro tip: Put a small round neodym magnet into the depression of the sediment cup to catch rust particles, makes your life easier.

Thanks Scirocco, the magnet is a wonderful suggestion.
 

Kelly E wrote:

I ended up using the repop fuel petcock that I bought as a backup. The little sort of square depression in the handle part in your picture had corroded through on my stock petcock plus I didn't want to cut the handle off the original petcock to clear the RS 34 carbs.
I think the repop petcock seeps when off so now I wish the original still was useable. I also didn't have the filter sleeve for it. It would be nice to have a good original one to rebuild but I'll likely end up with a Pingel petcock.

Thanks Kelly E.  I might cut down the long non-reserve brass tube for some more range before needing to switch, but I'd like to get a filter on it.
 

The nylon part is the one that could cause problems.  It wears just enough to allow gas to bypass.  Replacements are very hard to find.  No one seems to make them.  I have a half dozen old petcocks needing that part but are otherwise OK.  

You can reseat the nylon part HRM, much like seating head valves but use toothpaste as the cutting agent.

 

hardrockminer wrote:

The nylon part is the one that could cause problems.  It wears just enough to allow gas to bypass.  Replacements are very hard to find.  No one seems to make them.  I have a half dozen old petcocks needing that part but are otherwise OK.  


Yes, the nylon plug is the most beat part.  Also, I've got half a recollection that nylon doesn't do well with ethanol containing fuels.
 

Going to be away for awhile, rolling my 20 y old Accord toward Charleston, SC, with lots of stops along the way.

In search of some warm weather.

Just is case you think I've given up on the old Zed, and disappeared.................

I've been back from Charleston SC for a couple of weeks, but two weeks of Summer weather hit home, and the 2003 ZR7S was burning about a tank each day to satiate the riding lust.

Meanwhile the 1977 KZ1000 project got buried in a garage full of other "stuff".

I'll be back at it soon.

 

Living in the shadow of the Great Lakes means a rainy April, so there was some time to get back to the 1977 KZ1000.

I had a "lift party" in the garage, and we got the frame/engine combo off the jack, and then extracted the engine from the frame.

So, I've got a bare frame now to clean up and repaint, which will occupy several hours.  Note the specialized tree branch at the headstock tube to assist with the lifting.  No hillbilly here!!

The engine sits on a wooden pallet, and I'll start in on that when the frame is done.

More coming.........................and looking forward to continuing helpful commentary

 

Gave the bare frame a pressure wash to shift most of the dirt and grime.  I was surprised than very little paint was pushed off, adhesion being better than I thought. 

Next step is the tedium of scuffing and cleaning with water, dish detergent, and an industrial Scotch Brite pad.

The red arrows in the photos point to what I think are drain/vent holes for the brackets welded to the frame tubes, where the rear foot pegs hang.  When the pressure washer stream was directed where the bracket is attached to the frame, a good stream of dirt and water came out of these hole.  And I did the reverse flow too.

I can't see any other vents or drains, but perhaps some members might direct me to anything I've overlooked.  Thanks.

Also, a close look at the frame around the welds, after pressure washing, it looks like remnants of the MIG wire are present.  I snagged them with pliers and the just broke off with a twist.

I suppose these frames pre-date robotic welds, and the human was a bit lazy about removing these whiskers.  But you can't blame him, they only got noticed 55 years later!!

 

You mean like how they don't fully weld the main rails before putting the shock mounts on 

 

Off topic- I always liked the yellow ZR7S. I have a red one I bought a couple of years ago as a winter project. I love the thing.