KZ750E engine swap ignition problem

Hello guys, i am new to the forum and also relatively new to doing more 'advanced' mechanics aka swapping engine blocks. I do not know a lot of the terms (English not my native language) and part names, so excuse me if it is incorrect or unclear.

The situation: I am doing a enige swap into my the frame of my Z 750 GP (1982). The old engine was totally worn and revision of the engine was not an option. I came upon a KZ750EE engine from a ZR7 (2001) after i read ( www.kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/602366-zr...tor-in-kz750?start=0 ) that these are able to be swapped out.

I started fitting the engine and except for some minor mounting bracket differences (Bolt lenghts mostly) I got it in very well. The big challange for me at the moment is the ignitor difference.

Here is the picture of the ignitor of the old engine with 2 pick-up points. This has a double pickup point. One with yellow + red wire and one with blue+black.


This is the picture of the new engine with 1 pick-up point.
3 wires: Blue is the oil pressure sensor? and yellow + white/black go to the single pickup point. (as i read in www.riderforums.com/threads/gpz-750-into...ested_reply_top_post )


Is there a way to wire this? I cannot swap out this piece from the old engine into the new one to make the wiring work so i will have to change the wiring to work with the 'new' engine. Any suggestions on how to solve this?

There's a post going over this on the forum but i do understand how it was fixed sadly. Either it was not explained or i did not understand it properly.

Thanks in advance!

Luc from the Netherlands 

The ZR7 ignition has the advance curve built into the ignitor.  Your old engine, uses a mechanical advance unit.  They cannot be interchanged, unless you have the ZR7 igintor, and swap over the entire system, wiring and all.

How come the old ignition can't be installed in the newer engine?  And remember, you would also have to install the mechanical advance unit.

Thanks for the quick answer!

So i'd have to get a ZR7 ignitor and replace the mechanical advance unit/wiring with it, seems like a complicated but not impossible task? 

Why i cannot swap the old ignition; i came across the best explanation for this problem in a different topic regarding the same problem so i stole this (As i am bad with the right terminology):

"Unfortunately you can't just swap the rotors on the crankshaft. The zr7 has a splined fitting where as the gpz has a small knob sticking out on the crank and it simply bolts to the end of crank."
 

To use the ZR7 pickup coils, which are already installed in the engine, you will need the ZR7 ignitor and wiring.  

Edit: i just checked out ZR7 cranks on ebay, and I can see that spline on the ignition end.  That sure complicates things.  

Good luck with your project.

Alright thanks. I guess i have to dive into the wiring and see if i can manage to get a ZR7 ignitor and wire it all in. I just compaired the two wiring diagrams and that does seem like a nightmare. 

Would it be possible to buy a entire cable tree of a ZR7 and wire it in 'fresh' or would it not work with different aspects of the 'old' engine/gages?

Edit: Would  www.motorparts-online.com/nl/kawasaki/zr...5NW7diIaAruNEALw_wcB be the correct ignitor for these crankshaft sensor/pickup points? Am i correct that the ignitor is also called CDI-ECU unit?


 

There seems to be a misnomer in some parts of the world where ignitors are denoted "CDIs", which they are not.  Anyway, you may want to check the OEM parts fishe for the original PN's before you buy anything. I think there may be more than one ignitor PN applicable to the ZR7, and I don't know what's different between them.  Maybe nothing, but I won't guarantee that.  What I would do is fine a salvage harness with matching ignitor, then study the wiring diagram and strip out everything that isn't related to making spark.  You can then transplant that abbreviated system into your bikes, laying the harness next to the original harness for your bike.  That's what I would do anyway.  Or, use parts from the ZR7 engine, to rebuild your existing engine, if it's salvageable.  

Once you have the parts I can help you with the wiring

@Wookie58 - Awesome I will probably hit you up by that time!

About getting the parts. I do not have a lot of information about the engine; I can get the complete engine-number but besides from that i have the follow information as this was advertised when i bought the block:

KZ750EE KAWASAKI ZR-7 750 2001

Would you guy think  bor-motorparts.com/shop/nld/onderdeel/B6...-2000-2001-2002-2003 is the correct part?

I was planning on buying the above + a wiring tree from a ZR-7 like the following:

www.motorparts-online.com/nl/kawasaki/zr.../kabelboom/201260784

Thanks again for all the help:)

Hi Sevenhuijsen, If you want to sell the old ignition/ignitor from the old engine, then i am interested to buy it!
willemZ900, also from the Netherlands (Haarlem)
Good luck with your project

So I have had a look into this and below is what I found (you will also need a resistor in one of the feed wires to the igniter as later Kawasaki's have a resistor in the ignition switch as an anti-theft aid. If the igniter see's more than approx 9v on the grey wire it won't start)

 

Alright that is interesting that the rotor is from a ZX6R....

I am about to order the rotor, the igniter and a wiring harness from a ZR7 and start the project.

The only thing holding me back is the mention of the TPS sensor missing on my ZR7 carbs...Do you think the replacement of the carbs with TPS (ZR7S carb?) is mandatory to avoid these flat spots or i can figure out a work around? These carbs i have a recently cleaned/restorted and finding new carbs is not so easy and a pretty big expense. 

Greetings,

Luc 

You could speak to somebody like IgniTech who make aftermarket igniters which are mappable - this may allow you to dial out any flat spots etc with the stock carbs

Electronic for motorbikes - IgniTech Přelouč