TOPIC:

What is the engine serial #?

KZT30AE012752

I have also read about this rare '81 ignition system and it has been prone to complete failure of the ingnition controller, however someone has had a run of new production ingniter boards made so there is hope if it is not functioning. I am going to check for spark today or tomorrow so I will see whats up there. My manual has a supplement for the '81 model year and that should get me through any diagnostics if need be.

The engine is definitely a 1981 engine.

he,he,he,
another recent kz1300 owner. i just picked one up on friday, 500 mile round trip. bought it from the second owner who had it for 12+ years. runs and rides, 15,000 miles. gonna order a a.p.e. manual cam chain tensioner and my chain is growling a bit. bought it with the plans to ditch the fairing and bags.
wait till you fire it up the first time, it sounds like a ferrari!

You haven't herd anything until you herd it with a 6 into one pipe. That's a sound that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. I'm putting a custom 1400 kit into my 79, with custom ground cams and oversize valves. I still don't know what to expect from an engine that put out 120HP from the factory, with these mods.

I put a battery in the bike today, changed oil, and pulled out all the plugs. I cranked it over and had nice bright spark on all 6 cylinders. When I turned the key on all the bells and whistles started woking to. The engine turned over smoothly.

The carburators are a mess inside, I have only just started tearing them down. I hope to get them torn down enough so I can put them in the ultrasonic cleaner at work. they will need a few hours in a heated ultrasonic bath to have any hope of working again. The fuel inlet pipe was cloged SOLID and the vapors form the decomposing fuel in the bowls depositied on everything inside the carbs. These have been sitting for at least ten years if not more. If I can get them back on the bike I feel very optamistic that she will run.

Z1E has rebuild kits available for these carbs.

I ordered kits form Z1-enterprises and a pingel petcock and adapter. The factory one is beyond salvage. I brough the tank to a local radiator repair shop to have it boiled clean and coated. He charges $60 and I can't really juistify doing it myslef for that cost.

The carbs are completely torn down and I found no serious issues other than they are extremely fouled with varnish. All the diaphrams are in excellent shape. I will start running parts through the ultrasonic cleaner over the next few days.

I need to find the upper half of the airbox and the rubber parts that mate it to the carburators. Other than that in a few weeks it should be ready to start.

My carbs all shiny and new after hours soaking in a warm ultrasonic bath. I have been using one where I work after hours and I am seriously considering buying one for home. I am astonished at how well they turned out.

I have one problem though, the small orfice in the pickup tube for the enrichener was missing when I disassembled one of the carbs. This is a pressed in brass orfice and not part of the carb kits, it is not meant to be removed. The thin tube that holds it had cracked. Seeing as the only source for parts was to buy a used set of carbs I had to fire up the lathe and make another one.

I bought a piece of brass rod form the hardware store and used a micro drill set from Radioshack to drill the tiny orfice hole and the small venturi. The outside diameter was .120 inches. The hole was .014"

Nice work.

another pic for scale