How to set auto-adjust cam chain tensioner?

Whilst working on some jetting issues on my '79 KZ650C I took it for a test run and gave it a right fistfull - it ran good!

On my return, it seemed to have developed a bit of a clunking/slapping of, I think, the cam chain at idle. The bike did it a little before when the revs dropped below 1100rpm but now it's more pronounced.

Do I just adjust that play out - and if so, how?

Please.

my 77 KZ650B1 had a noise like that around or under 1100 and found out it was my ignition. I had adjusted or at least made sure my camchain was adjusted correctly. But my points/capacitors were fouling out or shorting at a low idle,causing the hyvo chain to clunk which I heard was common on these bikes but more pronounced then normal. easy to adjust cam chain. I replaced the points and condencers and the noise is gone and now runs smoother at idle. I think when its not tuned right (ignition,carboration)off it will clunk near idle?

On my 1977 KZ650-B1 I also noticed that it was much quieter and smoother after doing a carb sync with my vacuum gauges.

I'm surprised KZ650's still had points ignition systems by 1979. I thought they would all have been electronic by then... go figure.

Best of success.
Bill

PS
Please add your year, model and location to your signature to get the best responses... and it's considered real friendly too.
Bill

Thanks for the info - I have been fooling with the carbs and so this may have something to do with the change in low rpm noise. Can you help with the tensioner? I'm not sure how to adjust it - there's a bolt on the side. Do I undo that to allow the tensioner to take up slack?

Pete Bayman
KZ650C 1979
BC Canada

Look at your tensioner and see what kind it is. 1979 should have the automatic tensioner. This is identified by a single 10mm head bolt tightened up flush with the body of the tensioner. This type is full automatic, so you do nothing.
These were known to cause some trouble so some may have been replaced with the earlier manual type. This type is identified by having a 10mm head bolt on the side of the tensioner with several threads showing and a 10mm head jamnut on it tightened up to the body of the tensioner. On this type to adjust you remove your right side engine points cover, turn the engine over slowly with a 17mm socket clockwise while watching the timing marks up behind the points plate. After the 2-3 timing marks pass you'll see the timing plate has a flat side. Right after you pass 2-3, keep turning till the point where the flat starts and at that position stop. Loosen the jamnut on the tensioner, loosen the bolt a turn or so, retighten and you're done.

Hey - Thanks alot for the info - I'll get right on it...

Pete Bayman

bill_wilcox100 wrote:

I'm surprised KZ650's still had points ignition systems by 1979. I thought they would all have been electronic by then... go figure.

Not sure when it became standard for all the bikes, but my '79 kz400 had points and the '80 kz440 was electronic ignition. The kz750-4's starting in 1980 had electronic ignition, so I'd guess '79-'80 to be the switchover time.

On large fours, points were used through 1978 models.

Electronic ignition was introduced on the 1979 KZ1000-A3 (standard model) and 1979 KZ1000-D2 (cafe racer model).

kawasaki.com shows 1979 KZ1000-B3 LTD with points, and 1980 KZ1000-B4 LTD with electronic ignition.

Good Luck!

Yea the points went on for a long while which I never fully understood as they had elecronic way back in 1972 on the 750H2 and it worked fabulous too. Rarely a H2 have ignition problems. Also the H2 will and can be run without a battery if necessary. We don't need no stinkin battery to run.:laugh: Well enough of H2, as mentioned KZ1000 1979 was the year of electonic except on the lowline model which of course was the LTD which was one year behind. 650s and 550s used points up till 1981 when they went electronic. Not sure on the 440s and stuff, probably about the same time.