Kickstart Not returning to original Position

Started up the ol '79 KZ750B twin yesterday and it started as per usual with one kick, but the kickstarter didn't wind back up. Just making those clicky noises when the engine is running.

Popped open the kickstarter cover and expected to find the spring broken. Nope. It seems fine.

Any ideas on what else is could be.

When using the kickstarter it ends up at the 6 O'clock position, this seems farther then it used to go.

Please tell me that I just need a new spring, the idea of removing the engine and splitting the case to find the problem is a little intimidating.

thanks
steven

ok you just need a new spring!feel better now?:whistle: thats what i would probably start with.

There isn't much inside the engine that can break or go wrong on a 900/1000 (not sure about a 750 but I suspect it is the same). There is a stop on the engine case and a stop on the internal kicker and when the external kicker is installed correctly, there isn't much that can go wrong. On the external stuff, note there is a hole in the engine case for one end of the spring and a hole in the spacer that goes inside the spring for the other end. If either spring end slipped out of a hole, the kicker would behave badly... just like you described. Make sure you have a new kicker gasket as the old one will tear when you remove the plate. I am pretty sure you will end up finding your problems inside the engine cover and not having to split cases.

Update: Opened up the kickstart cover - spring seems okay - both ends in their required holes. Here is where the strange part starts. With the cover off - kickstart works properly, put the cover back on and the problem happens again.

I don't see how all of a sudden there can develop enough friction between either the shaft and the oil seal or the shaft and kickspring retainer to interfere with the spring return??

Can springs just suddenly loose their spring. I always use the kickstart to start the bike - did I wear it out??

When I rebuild an engine, I buy an oil seal kit. One of the seals is for the kicker cover. I bet there is someone who didn't use this seal and has an extra one. I have never heard of your problem and would appreciate if you got back to us after you figure it out. That spring is sort of stout and I don't see it suddenly going limp. I am surprised to hear the spring didn't pop out of one of the two holes. This one has me stumped! Good luck.

If spring is good then something else is broken or missing.
Have you looked at the diagram.
www.kawasaki.com/scripts/ImgServ.exe/con...lSC=50&ilIV=0&ilBR=0

The link posted didn't work for me.

The internal stuff has little that can go wrong or break. There is a one-way ratcheting mechanism that engages with first gear. When the kicker lever returns, it resets by hitting a stop on the engine case. The stop on the mechanism and case are both very sturdy. If there is a problem that is NOT in the spring or the position of the spring ends in the case, then something broke inside. Cases will need to be split. It actually isn't all that big a deal EXCEPT for the gasket scraping that is required to replace all the case gaskets.

the image is 482 pixels
max is 550

something wrong in code
i believe the board script checkws the image size after it is uploaded, then retains the file. when a new image with the same file name is uploaded, the board sw checks the old file.

trying a third time. i suspect the board sw is also not overwriting the file. if it is, then second try with same image shoudl work.if not, board sw needs modding.

Post edited by: Duck, at: 2006/05/24 11:51

Yeah, I know! I had already whined at Stein about this issue. If you were on a super slow dial up like I am and take half an hour to download a picture and then find it was the wrong size, you would have noticed. Also, if you have a digital camera that automatically names your pics, beware! If the camera software puts a .JPG on the end, Stein's software doesn't recognize it as a .jpg jpeg image. My camera also puts spaces in the filename which allows the file to upload and then bomb. It would be nice to see this stuff all get some work. I think we are paying Stein too much hehe It would be nice to have a filename rejected as a bad filename BEFORE the download and just allow you to correct and have automatic image resizing.

You say it works properly with cover off. Check for bent shaft.

Holy thread resurrection, Batman!

Well now that we got that out of the way, I'll say that I'm experiencing the exact same problem as the OP and didn't see a resolution here, so I figured I'd dust this topic off with a quick intro as well...

The name's Kevin, down in Miami, and I'm in the process of getting my old 79 KZ750B back on the South Florida roads, perhaps to my greater bodily peril! Been a lurker for a bit, and figured this baffling problem made it about time to jump in.

The bike hadn't run in some years before I acquired it, and I'm able to get it to run after several kicks and putt around the block, but haven't taken it past second in my resto test phases. The kicker doesn't suddenly snap back at me after start or make any funny noises while running in the up or down position, it's just exhausting to kick and kick without the return (or a starter motor) while I go through carb tuning, timing, etc. to get this beast to one-kick kinda condition.

Just as OP said, it swings back with the cover off, but not with it on. Returning by hand or foot is no issue with the cover on. I replaced the spring and cover hoping either the spring was weak or the cover was warped a bit, no joy. Leads me to think the shaft may be bent a tiny bit, and I really hope I don't have to crack the case to replace it since everything is running more or less aces otherwise at this point. I was thinking of rotating the shaft a quarter turn or so with the clutch pulled and muscling the spring back on to get a little more tension, but I feel that may not be the best course of action. Thoughts? I'm kinda at a loss otherwise.

Have you tried lubricating the oil seal?