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1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
- bluejacobs
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11 Aug 2016 07:42 #738249
by bluejacobs
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
Replied by bluejacobs on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
Got the chain thing straightened out - though now I keep thinking that it's noisy....
And also haven't had good luck lately - broke a rear turn signal lens and right side mirror... bike is sort of running like crap again... thinking about naval jelly-ing the tank, rinsing with acetone and getting an inline fuel filter... maybe running some seafoam through the gas tank too? Spark plugs are also black again... and only a year old with maybe 800 miles on them... might do a complete tear down over winter...
Anyone have any advice on any of that? Also what diameter fuel filter would I need and on what line does one install it?
And also haven't had good luck lately - broke a rear turn signal lens and right side mirror... bike is sort of running like crap again... thinking about naval jelly-ing the tank, rinsing with acetone and getting an inline fuel filter... maybe running some seafoam through the gas tank too? Spark plugs are also black again... and only a year old with maybe 800 miles on them... might do a complete tear down over winter...
Anyone have any advice on any of that? Also what diameter fuel filter would I need and on what line does one install it?
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
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- jimgcastle
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11 Aug 2016 11:48 #738284
by jimgcastle
Replied by jimgcastle on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
Use a bore scope to look inside the tank for rust. Unless it is real bad like big flakes, i wouldn't do anything about it. Bikes this age will almost always have some rust in the bottom of the tank. Fuel line will be something like 7.6mm. Good luck finding it. I use 5/16 low pressure fuel line from Pep Boys, Works just fine. I also use an inline 5/16 automotive fuel filter for maximum flow. Sounds like your carbs need serviced. From your questions I wonder if you can do that? If not, find a good indy wrench that specializes in KZ's or at least inline four jap bikes to do the job.
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- SWest
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11 Aug 2016 17:19 #738321
by SWest
Replied by SWest on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
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- bluejacobs
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23 Aug 2016 05:42 #739594
by bluejacobs
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
Replied by bluejacobs on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationRunning some Seafoam today to clean things out.
On an unrelated note, does anyone know if mirrors from a 1981 kz440 will fit the bike? I can't imagine they'd be that different, and the ones I'm looking at look identical from what I can tell, but the mirror part numbers listed on kawasaki.com/parts are different for the two bikes... had the right hand one crack into about 10 pieces a couple weeks ago, need to replace it for NYS inspection and don't want the new replacement ones, so I found some on ebay. Anyone know if they're the same?
On an unrelated note, does anyone know if mirrors from a 1981 kz440 will fit the bike? I can't imagine they'd be that different, and the ones I'm looking at look identical from what I can tell, but the mirror part numbers listed on kawasaki.com/parts are different for the two bikes... had the right hand one crack into about 10 pieces a couple weeks ago, need to replace it for NYS inspection and don't want the new replacement ones, so I found some on ebay. Anyone know if they're the same?
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
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- martin_csr
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23 Aug 2016 05:52 - 23 Aug 2016 06:42 #739597
by martin_csr
Replied by martin_csr on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
Every KZ mirror I've ever seen is 10mm. At Z1Enterprises you can double-check the 440 mirror size, but I bet they are the same.
Last edit: 23 Aug 2016 06:42 by martin_csr.
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- bluejacobs
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03 Jun 2021 04:23 #849522
by bluejacobs
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
Replied by bluejacobs on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
Bumping this thread back from the dead with some exciting news - yesterday afternoon this bike started with minimal effort after sitting for 4 whole years!
Checked the bowls, and they were empty, drain screws weren't tacky with varnish, tank was as clean as I left it. Emptied the old half gallon of gas out, put in fresh. Battery is on its way out after sitting that long so I did have to jump it, and after about 10 collective seconds on the starter it jumped to life! Ran and idled for 10 minutes even with the choke open. Can't tell you how excited I was! Compared with the 440 I've been working on, this thing is in amazing shape and I can't wait to get back on it!
Checked the bowls, and they were empty, drain screws weren't tacky with varnish, tank was as clean as I left it. Emptied the old half gallon of gas out, put in fresh. Battery is on its way out after sitting that long so I did have to jump it, and after about 10 collective seconds on the starter it jumped to life! Ran and idled for 10 minutes even with the choke open. Can't tell you how excited I was! Compared with the 440 I've been working on, this thing is in amazing shape and I can't wait to get back on it!
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
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- TexasKZ
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03 Jun 2021 04:43 #849523
by TexasKZ
1982 KZ1000 LTD parts donor
1981 KZ1000 LTD awaiting resurrection
2000 ZRX1100 not ridden enough
Replied by TexasKZ on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
WOOOOP!
1982 KZ1000 LTD parts donor
1981 KZ1000 LTD awaiting resurrection
2000 ZRX1100 not ridden enough
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- bluejacobs
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04 Jun 2021 04:16 #849587
by bluejacobs
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
Replied by bluejacobs on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
Getting a fresh battery, oil and filter today. Cleaning up the plugs and getting the dust off and then hopefully taking it in for inspection!
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
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- TexasKZ
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07 Jun 2021 05:53 #849729
by TexasKZ
1982 KZ1000 LTD parts donor
1981 KZ1000 LTD awaiting resurrection
2000 ZRX1100 not ridden enough
Replied by TexasKZ on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
Good luck! Hopefully, inspections are as lame there as they are here in Texas.
1982 KZ1000 LTD parts donor
1981 KZ1000 LTD awaiting resurrection
2000 ZRX1100 not ridden enough
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- bluejacobs
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07 Jun 2021 06:16 #849732
by bluejacobs
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
Replied by bluejacobs on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
Thanks! It went fine I was in and out in 10 minutes, lights, turn signals, brakes, horn, done. Just towed it 500 miles to Indiana on one of those front wheel dolly things and it did alright for $90 versus a one way trailer being $350...
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
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- bluejacobs
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07 Jun 2021 07:41 #849739
by bluejacobs
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
Replied by bluejacobs on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
Actually ran into something that I thought was interesting when I took off the chain for transport... the chain on this has o rings inside what I assumed was the master link but there was no clip on the chain? Am I missing something here? I read about the o rings being there to help reduce wear by keeping lube in place but is the clip missing or what? Or is this chain not supposed to be taken apart??? Sorry if this seems dumb but I’ve never seen a chain like this, and if it is indeed supposed to have a clip then I’m going to consider myself to be EXTREMELY lucky on this one.
1981 Kawasaki KZ750 LTD - running strong but undergoing cosmetic surgery after a crash 4/15/24
1980 KZ750 - 7k on the clock been sitting 30 years - possible donor for 1981
1981 KZ440 A - was running until the end of 2022, sitting in a barn for now
1981 KZ440A - donor bike
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- Nessism
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07 Jun 2021 08:28 #849743
by Nessism
Replied by Nessism on topic 1981 KZ750 LTD four questions
The OEM chains were endless and didn't have a master link.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Mikaw
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