z650 engine number identification help please

To all you anoraks (english technical term for a buff who knows all those little details that everyone else forgot) out here. I'm negotiating a used motor and want to know more about it before buying. Seller says number is KZ650BE101031 can anyone tell me where it's from: japan, us and where it went, france, italy, germany? and from what model it is?

If it's from an non B1 model, can I still take out the alternator and put in a B1 three-phase alternator when and if I need to?

Many thanks

PS too cold and wet to ride much, so I'm trying to get some tinkering set up for winter, haha.

According to the engine number you supplied, the engine is made in Japan and is from a 1979 C3 - 79 C3 engines start at BE092001, 80 C4 engines start at BE114501. Can´t tell you where it went though.

As for the alternator, the C3 uses a 1-phase permanent magnet alt. - I think you can transplant the B1/C1 alternator to the C3 engine, as far as I know the cranks are the same. However, if you transplant the alt. you have to use the B1/C1 cover as later model covers do not have the mounting holes for the field coil - if I recall correctly the cover dowel pins are located differently, so you´ll have to drill either the cover or the cases to make it fit. Would probably be easier to swap the old style reg/rec for one that fits the 1-phase alt, would also do away with the mechanical regulator.

Here´s a list of 650 alternators that Lou compiled a while back, if you´re going to look for parts:

KZ650 Alternators:

1977 B1 3phase excited field
1977 C1 custom 3phase excited field
1978 B2 1phase permanent mag
1978 C2 custom 1phase permanent mag
1978 D1 sr 1phase permanent mag
1979 B3 1phase permanent mag
1979 C3 custom 1phase permanent mag
1979 D2 sr 1phase permanent mag
1980 E1 LTD 1phase permanent mag
1980 F1 custom 1phase permanent mag
1981 H1 csr 3phase permanent mag
1982 H2 csr 3phase permanent mag
1983 H3 csr 3phase permanent mag up to KZ650DE052650
1983 H3 csr New type 3phase permanent mag starting at KZ650DE052651

Post edited by: onkelb, at: 2005/12/05 09:01

Wamblamadoodle Onkel, you know your stuff and have got all the info you must qualify as a grade 1 anorak! Congratulations:)

At least I know now what I'm heading for now. I'm trying ot pick up a good engine cheap, i don't really have space to store a complete bike so this seems a good compromise, but I did want a B1 engine because of the cam chain and alternator differences.

Onkel do you know when they changed the cam chain on the 650 motor too? Thanks alot for a speed reply and all the info I wanted. I don't know if you can tell where the engines were sold, with the bikes it seems anything with kz side panels is stateside, and there were some colour modifs for the tanks I believe with some of the models shipped to Italy, but I may be wrong there, it is amazing how much this bike was modified in minor ways over the years.

Like you say I should be able to get round the alternator problem if and when I may need to change engines. It will enable me to tinker and to 'pick' off the parts I need or to keep it as a second motor whilst doing strips on the first one.

Hope you're surviving winter ok too.

All the 650s from 1977-1980 used the regular roller camchain. That is KZ650B1-B3, C1-C3, D1-D2 which are what was sold in the USA. The 1980 B4 or C4 may have been sold in other parts of the world also. Also E1 and E2 use this setup. So anything else would be hyvo. Not too many of these made. Cam chain tensioner was changed to automatic in 1979.
Like you know the 1977 had a compleley different charging system. To change over to a 1978 or newer you need to use the newer rotor, stator, stator cover, reg/rect and drill the engine or the stator cover to swap the dowells position to allow the cover to bolt up.

Thanks ron, I now know that I really need a B1 or C1 motor so as to be able to swap the alternator easily if and when the time comes. As I recently invested some money in a new electrex regulator-rectifier unit I don't really want to have to change all that for a permanent magnet alternator.

This explains why the B1 is so hard (and sometimes impossible) to bump, even though it used to nearly always fire up on kick. I have no kick now and have to be very careful with battery power level, 'cos if the battery is accidently drained you can't start the baby without the help of a charged battery.

Still I've got a B1 so I'm sticking with it now.

Reporting back: I let the motor go, even tho' it seemed like a good deal, it seemed it was the magnet type alternator. So I'm picking up the engine in parts and renovating the bits as I get hold of them, should be able to keep my engine going like this and learn a bit more about cleaning up, I'm trying to concentrate on the most used parts, clutch, carbs, head, jugs etc. So far I'm doing ok and the budget is still pretty good.