How hard is it going.to be

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20 Aug 2012 20:44 #543723 by Ironhead55
How hard is it going.to be was created by Ironhead55
Howdy guys newbie here just bought a basket case 1976 Kz900 how hard will it be to put it back together . I m not
not bad with a wrench and have a service manual . Would like to get the motor gone thru but do the rest myself..Thanks in advance
for any help

Oh yeah I'm an old man ride a Harley but love sport bikes and classics too .

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20 Aug 2012 21:26 #543728 by ramtough_63
Replied by ramtough_63 on topic How hard is it going.to be
welcome the parts for these things are readily available ebay has nealry anything you could need
I always rode harleys but my KZ is my baby

post some pics and the guys here will be happy to help any chance they get well at leat I am lol

1978 KZ1000 A2
Thrown Together To Ride Til Winter
Facebook Page
Free Range Custom Art


1982/83 750R/GPZ
1984 Goldwing 1200 Interstate
1982 Yamahopper QT50
Previous
2 79 HD sporty XLH
02 HD FLSTS Heritage
60's HD Hummer
70's Honda 550 Four
70 Yamaha 100
and various enduros dirtbikes minibikes...

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20 Aug 2012 21:26 #543729 by MFolks
Replied by MFolks on topic How hard is it going.to be
I'd contact Larry C here about your concerns:
www.cavanaughracing.com/

1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
The following user(s) said Thank You: wireman

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20 Aug 2012 21:29 #543730 by MFolks
Replied by MFolks on topic How hard is it going.to be
Your new project will probably benefit from doing this:

Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics

1. Get some of the De-Oxit electrical contact cleaner and figure on spending a good day going from the front of the bike to the back. It’s a plastic safe cleaner/preservative. www.deoxit.com is their website. It can be purchased at most Radio Shack Stores or any electronic supply places. Or use any plastic safe electrical contact cleaner(NOT WD-40 !).

2. On the older Kawasaki's, a majority of electrical connectors are inside the headlight housing requiring removal of the headlight, then the fun begins.

3. Do one set of electrical connectors at a time to avoid mixing up what connects to where. Usually disconnecting, spraying with De-Oxit and reconnecting is about all you'll need.

4. However, when encountering the green crud of corrosion, a brass wire brush may be needed on the pins you can reach. Some 400-600 grit wet and dry sandpaper strips rolled into a tube should reach the male and female pins in the more difficult to clean connectors.

5. Smoker’s pipe cleaners, cotton swabs and wooden toothpicks work as cleaning aids.

6. Really small electrical connectors may require the use of a welders tip cleaning tool assortment.

7. Most pins in the connectors are coated with a thin plating of tin, and others may be nothing more than copper or brass.

8. If moisture is added, the resulting corrosion lowers the voltage/current being carried causing dim lights, slow engine cranking, slow turn signal responce and lower input voltage to the ignition coils resulting in weak spark.

9. The left and right handlebar switch pods will need attention too as they have circuit functions like turn, horn, run/stop, and start. The older Kawasaki’s have reports of the soldered connections crumbling, if your bike has this problem, just ask, as I’ve got a repair procedure for this.

10. Usually a spritz or two with actuation of the switch is about all needed for these switches unless corrosion is detected and then careful disassembly is required.

11. The ignition switch may or may be not sealed to allow spraying the internal contacts. I urge caution if attempting to open this up as springs, and ball bearings may fly out never to be seen again!

12. If your bike has the older style glass tubed fuses, I suggest replacing them as vibration can cause internal failure. AGX is the type used, and most auto parts stores can get them for you, along with boating supply stores.

13. Clean the fuse holder clips, looking for signs of overheating(discolored insulation, signs of melting). I use metal polish on a cotton swab, followed by spraying another clean swab with the De-Oxit and then rubbing the inside of the fuse clip.

14. All battery cables must be clean and tight for maximum current transfer. Check the cables going from the Negative(-) battery terminal/post to the engine mounting bolt

15. Also the one going from the Positive(+) terminal to the starter solenoid and from there to the starter motor.

16. If any battery cable feels ”Crunchy” when flexed, replace it as possible corrosion is inside the insulation. Inspect all heavy duty battery cables and the smaller wire terminations(Bullet Connectors), for failed crimps, and those used in the electrical connectors, as they can fail over time.

17. Each "Bullet Connector" will have to be sprayed to ensure good connectivity, especially the ones going to the energizing coil of the starter solenoid.

18. The alternator output “Bullet Connectors” are usually behind the engine sprocket cover and will need inspecting and cleaning too.

20. The turn signal light sockets will benefit from a spritz from the contact cleaner along with the tail light/brake light socket.

21. Some brake light switches can be sprayed on the actuating rod, with the spray running down inside to the electrical contacts, others may be sealed requiring replacement if the switch is intermittent in operation.

22. Some people put the Di-Electric Grease on cleaned terminations/connectors, I don’t, as I’ve read/heard it can cause problems when it gets hot, actually insulating the connections, so the choice is yours to use or not.

I think I've covered about all of the electrical systems on the bike.........

“I spent a weekend going through every electrical connection and switch on the bike with a little scotchbrite pad and DeOxit - what a difference! Everything was brighter, gauge backlights, indicator lights, turn signals, I was getting a nicer spark, it fired up quicker, etc. Well worth my time. WELL worth it! “

From a forum member at www.kzrider.com





Why WD-40 Should Not Be Used On Motorcycle Electrical Items.

For many years, I was proponent of the use of WD-40 on fuse clips, fuses, switches and connectors. After hearing of other peoples experience with intermittent and sporadic activity, I shrugged it off as maybe they did something wrong in the application of the product.


It wasn’t until the time I rode my 1982 GPz1100 B2 model to downtown San Diego that I encountered the problems others had gone through.

After concluding my business downtown, I walked to where my bike was parked, turned the key to unlock the forks, and prepared to start the engine. The key was in the "On" position, yet I had no lights in the dash panel, the fuel pump was not running(I have FI), and the horn and tail light were not working.


Puzzled as to why nothing electrical was happening, I remember my earlier conversations about how WD-40 will over time become a non-conductor(more like an insulator). I had some pieces of 400 and 600 grit sandpaper in my tool kit and with them was able to scratch away the coating from the WD-40 on the fuses and clips.

After removing the insulating film, the bike started and ran like it should. Since that time, I’ve told people about the problem with WD-40. If you must use a contact cleaner, I recommend getting some "De-oxit" from Radio Shack Stores or any good electronic supply store.

1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)

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20 Aug 2012 21:32 #543731 by KZJOE900
Replied by KZJOE900 on topic How hard is it going.to be
Welcome to KZR Ironhead55! Can't be any harder than any other bike. If you have the time, space, tools, a little bit of money and patience, then you have all you need. Helps to have an understanding wife :lol: Plenty of helpful members on this site. Start a build thread under projects. You can do a photo journal of your build there. Good luck, Joe

Current project 76 KZ900 (This was a Vetter model)
76 KZ900
81 XJ550H SECA (Current Project)
82 XJ550R SECA
Past:
86 FJ1200
74 Z1900
72 CB450

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20 Aug 2012 21:32 #543732 by JEFFG1
Replied by JEFFG1 on topic How hard is it going.to be
welcome for a vintage bike your cant beat a kz :woohoo: now some people use the term basket case quite different than others so if your bike is truly in a basket, motor out nuts and bolts out forks off ect. if you have never built one before it mite be tough not even knowing if all the parts are there. if it is all togeather but looks like shit them all you have to do is take alot of pics-lable everything replace what need be and rebuild very simple ;) a pic of the bike or the parts would help for a more positive answer. all in all good luck and have fun an ask questions everyone is sitting around waiting for someone to post somthing B)

1976 KZ 900 PRO STREET 1977 kz1000 dragbike project

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  • 4TheKZ1000
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20 Aug 2012 21:54 #543736 by 4TheKZ1000
Replied by 4TheKZ1000 on topic How hard is it going.to be

MFolks wrote: I'd contact Larry C here about your concerns:
www.cavanaughracing.com/


+1 the forum really likes Larry...

I have a-bit of experiance with the KZ myself....
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  • z1kzonly
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21 Aug 2012 00:47 #543778 by z1kzonly
Replied by z1kzonly on topic How hard is it going.to be
I love that double bucket Corbin!
Thats the 1st time I seen an upclose, nice picture of one.
Thats nice! Makes me want to put mine together

Livin in "CheektaVegas, NY
Went thru 25 of these in 40 yrs.
I SOLD OUT! THE KAW BARN IS EMPTY.
More room for The Old Girl, Harley 75 FLH Electra Glide,
Old faithful! Points ign. Bendix Orig. carb.
Starts everytime!

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