Mystery liquid in the ignition timing housing

The Kawasaki Service Manual is the one that's best. When you are turning the engine you are actually just turning the end of the crankshaft. The advancer rotates a number of degrees relative to the end of the crankshaft as the rpm's rise. This then advances your ignition timing allowing the spark plugs to fire a little earlier relative to the pistons reaching top dead center as the engine speed increases. This is necessary to obtain good performance. If the advancer is rusted or otherwise unable to operate smoothly the ignition timing will not be accurate and the engine will run poorly. You will need the book to see how to remove, clean, and lube it. Ed

Check on the last couple pages of that PDF Kawasaki manual and you should find a index that lists all the pages that are specific to what you're dealing with.

If you make a copy of them it helps a lot.

Bunty27 wrote: ...

Attachment contact_breaker_ignition.jpg not found

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It's difficult to determine from the photo whether and to what extent the gasket under the points cover is damaged, which may allow water intrusion.

As suggested, the existing gasket should be examined and replaced with a new gasket if needed.

Before installing the new gasket, all traces of the old gasket should be removed from the mating surfaces (which mating surfaces should also be otherwise clean).

A new gasket is inexpensive, and available from sources such as Z1 Enterprises.
The new gasket should be installed "dry."
And it would be a mistake to use silicone or similar type sealer instead of the gasket.









Good Fortune!

The gasket does look bad and I'm the process of buying one. I couldn't find one at z1enterprises though and I'm still looking. I'm convinced that the water may have gotten in during a power wash or something due to the bad gasket.

never mind

The PDF manual will have an appendix with a supplement that will cover the newer stuff from more recent model years. There are also two separate supplement PDF's for even more recent stuff. The only bikes not really covered are the shaft drive models. There is a different manual for those, and none on PDF that I know of.

Yeah it's water. The ignition cover is not water-tight. At the bottom there is a weep hole (actually, just a groove at the bottom of the mating surface) to let out any moisture that accumulates or leaks in at the top of the gasket. However, if the bike was in a flood or ridden in heavy rain for many miles, it would be normal to have some water in there.

You have to take everything apart and clean/lube it as Patton instructed, and you'll probably be fine.

That looks like an electronic ignition to me. The advanced is the black piece behind the bolt head. With the engine off you should be able to turn the advanced clock wise and is should snap back once released. If it doesn't you will need to take it apart and lube everything and put it back together. I don't think it is a Dyna ignition but its close. You may beable to find some images on their site.

Good luck.

It's the stock factory ignition for that bike.

kaw-ho-lic, I was able to turn the advancer clockwise and it snaps back just fine. It looks good for now. Thanks for your help.