1983 Kaw ltd 440 Electronic Ignition

Cant find anything about the electronic ignition in any of the manuals I have seen, everything is showing points.

Anyone have a link? - Or any clue how to test to see if it has gone bad. The timing is off on the bike, but no clue how to dial it in, and to get a new one is $200. So I would love to be able to test it before I bang the old ebay budget up a little more.

Thank you in advance for your time, this is crazy that I went through two manuals and both are showing the older model points system, but research says they switched to electronic in 1982.

From the diagrams at Partzilla the 81-on 440s had electronic ignition.
The KZ400.com site has a 440 workshop manual w supplements >> 1980-82 KZ440 manual w supplements
The 81 supplement has the info for the electronic ignition. The 83 440 electronic ignition is probably identical.
The 82-84 KZ750-Twins had the same elec ignition as the 440s, but different timing advancer.
Forum warning: the forums on the KZ400.com site might harm your computer. I haven't tried using them for several years, though.

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I would have literally never thought to go all the way to the back, I passed that manual about 8 times, and kept checking the section and finding the pins.

Seriously thank you!

But really no way to test the pickup to make sure it is working properly?

There should be resistance checks for the various ignition components. I don't know that much about it, but I think many of the pickups on most KZs are the same or operate the same. but don't quote me on that, though. hee.

ps: the motorcycle needs a good, fully charged battery to run right. I do a headlight high beam test.
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Its been on a trickle charger, it is completely full.

Miss firing around 3400- 4000, which I am ready is when the advancer take effect.

The battery should be load tested. After charging, sometimes a battery can test fine using a multimeter, but fail the voltage test under load.

High beam test (engine off). After charging, the battery should be 12.6 VDC, but a good battery will be higher. Turn ignition switch to ON & turn on headlight high beam (engine off). The voltage should drop to around 12.2 VDC if the battery is good. If it drops below that, the battery may need replacing. If it drops below 11 VDC, the battery is probably shot. These are the numbers I use. I have a Ctek US 0.8 smart charger & VC97 digital multimeter.
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Battery is showing good, advancer has free motion with no corrosion, looks like the day it rolled off the showroom.

My guesses now are - 1. Weak springs in the advancer?
2. The box from the advancer.
3. I am out of guess.

Carbs are all cleaned, airbox is still on, idles like a dream.

Right at 4000rpms, it sputters and loses power.

Help?

Years ago I had a similar problem. Make sure the fuel line is not kinked at all or blocked. Ed

If the bike idles cleanly, then the pickup is probably fine. There is a small chance that the added vibration from higher RPMs can make it intermittent, but I wouldn't assume that as my first guess.

The pickup works at all RPMs. The advancer goes from retarded timing to full advanced timing in a short range of RPM. Once fully advanced, the advancer is basically out of the equation. Just use a timing light to see if the advancer moves to the advance position, and that's where it should stay up to redline RPMs.

There are many other things that can cause the hesitation. With a new-to-you bike, you will want to do a compression test, at the very least, and probabl;y a valve-lash check. Then next is to confirm the ignition timing with a timing light per manual. Then move on to fuel flow and carbs.

Compression test came back 109, or what I can assume by the gauge.

Book says 109 -150 is good.

Low end cause for concern? Or move on to checking the valves?

Update - Valves are shimmed.

Note - when doing that valves and the valve is on the downswing about to go up, the manual notes it should be a quarter turn to the timing mark, though mine was a half turn.

Still miss firing at 3500-4000.

Nowadays, compression that low leads me to believe the gauge is no good. That is very common. The Harbor Freight compression tester is notorious for incorrect low-readings. They need a check valve in the tip to work correctly. They don't have it.

Your 440 does not use shims for valve adjustments. It uses adjustable rockers set with a screw and locknut.

Does it rev past 4000? If so does it get to redline? If so, then the advancer is not stuck at the base timing. It would not rev up to redline.