KZ550 project ..help

Hey Guys, my buddy and I bought a kz550 to get running and we are not having luck. It was a ok looking deal $250 w/ a title. SO it was missing plugs and caps and a battery, got all that and changed the oil. the starter button does nothing but all the other elec. looks ok.. the blinkers don't "blink" we tried the solenoid and it sparks and makes a noise but not much else. any pointers? things I'm missing?

The starter button may just need taken apart and clean up the contacts on the inside.

The bike still won't turn over though.. What is the trick to make it turn over or to at least make it try.. if it's seized what would it do? I tried the silanoid trick.. touching the two post w/ a screw driver. Lots of sparks but that was all.. thought?

I think we took a little bit.

All help welcome. I will tell you what we did in as much detail as I can.

I had a similar problem on my 80kz550 which had been off the road for 18 years until yesterday. I had removed the right side cover that the points are under to see if I could turn the motor over and it was stuck. I could move the bolt counter clockwise a ways but it kept getting stuck at a certain point. After all those years there was some buildup in the cylinders that I had to work past.

Like Beav said, you need to make sure the motor will in fact turn over at all. The alternator side is much stronger. If you can get the alternator cover off (left side as you sit on bike) with the spark plugs out, it should be easy to turn over by hand. Usually you should be able to turn it over by grabbing the flywheel. If not, then try a wrench on the flywheel bolt. The motor must turn the same way as the wheels.

Check my signature for a lot of 550 info including the factory service manuals.

I had my buddy pour in some marvel oil in the spark plug holes and that's all he has had time for..I want him to look at the switch better, but i think we need a new starter before we know anymore.

It's driving me crazy.. the bike is at his place and he has been busy. I hope to get to it this weekend.

Tested the starter.. Works. It still could be a wire.. or a locked up motor.. next step it to hand crank the motor..

I am having a similar problem. When I hit the starter switch nothing happens, not even clicking. It felt like I blew a fuse but I replaced it and still nothing happens. I will let you know if I figure something out.

At the risk of sounding like a wise ass, have you pulled the clutch in? On my 82 550 LTD you have to (well, not mine anymore ) pull the clutch in to start it. It's a safety device.

apbling wrote: At the risk of sounding like a wise ass, have you pulled the clutch in? On my 82 550 LTD you have to (well, not mine anymore ) pull the clutch in to start it. It's a safety device.

+1

My 550 didn't have a clutch safety switch(or it was missing/bypassed). My 1100 does. I catch myself selecting neutral and forgetting to pull the clutch in all the time..

If it is locked up, the marvel will only free the rings. You'll still have to address the corrosion build up in the cylnders. If you don't, you can easily break a ring if the ridge is large.

Really? I sure hope that is it. Thank you.