- Posts: 63
- Thank you received: 2
Rough riding after valve clearance adjustment
- daless
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
Shortly after buying my bike (a first experience with this type) I started hearing what I thought were tapping valves, and so I decided to check the clearances. Ended up adjusting all four exhaust sides from .006-.008 down to .003-.004 (the mid/higher end of the range according to Clymer).
Got everything back together, changed oil (10w40), and started her up. Things seemed nice and smooth at first (although I did end up messing with the idle screw a bit), until after warming up I started going through the gears and picking up speed.
First symptom is a rough sound starts coming from in the left side of the engine (which I'm hoping just means I need thicker oil, since I did have that side cover off to replace the gasket).
Second, and of most inconvenience, the bike will eventually just stall while rolling off the throttle to shift or slow down. To get going again the choke has to be on and the idle kept high. Then she revs up and once you get going you can turn the choke off and the idle back down, but soon enough things get rough again and the cycle repeats.
I'm also still hearing the original tapping sound, and so it seems I need some advice. Have a go at it.
'77 KZ1000A1 - Mikuni VM29s, Kerker 4-1, K&N pods, LTD mags, Z2 seat
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- MFolks
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 6650
- Thank you received: 540
Any battery charging problems?
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- daless
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 63
- Thank you received: 2
The original battery (old acid fill style) did have a charge holding problem. The first time I took out the bike and noticed its issues I had to walk home because the battery finally died after stalling and restarting so many times.
But I bought a brand new modern style battery and it's working very well. It just started right up after sitting a few days.
'77 KZ1000A1 - Mikuni VM29s, Kerker 4-1, K&N pods, LTD mags, Z2 seat
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- mtbspeedfreak
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 1413
- Thank you received: 36
2000 ZRX 1100
1976 KZ 900- Daily Driver
1980 LTD 550- Dalton Highway survivor!
If it has tits or tires, it'll give you problems!
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- LarryC
- Offline
- User
MFolks wrote: I'd get the bike on the center stand, and if possible, slightly lean it to the right to minimize and oil loss. Open up the left side cover & look at the magnetic rotor. There have been reports of the adhesive failing, that holds the magnetic segments in place.
Any battery charging problems?
Those rotors don't do that. That's the early style charging system with the small rotor that spins inside the stator. It's the later models, 79+ that happens to.
Larry C.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- bountyhunter
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 7246
- Thank you received: 337
1979 KZ-750 Twin
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- mtbspeedfreak
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 1413
- Thank you received: 36
mtbspeedfreak wrote: Check your plugs and intake boots.
My bike did that when my plugs were fouled very very badly. I had no idea because I just bought the bike. Also, my intake boots were cracked and air was getting in, messing with the air/fuel mixture.
2000 ZRX 1100
1976 KZ 900- Daily Driver
1980 LTD 550- Dalton Highway survivor!
If it has tits or tires, it'll give you problems!
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- OldSchoolZ
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 217
- Thank you received: 33
If you had to remove cams I would say cam timing but if you didnt mess with any of that, your probably ok there.
P.S. Exhaust leaks on a KZ often sound like vale tapping.
Remember, don't work on your bike so much you never ride it.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- daless
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 63
- Thank you received: 2
Didn't mess with the cams at all, but that exhaust leak bit sounds interesting.
'77 KZ1000A1 - Mikuni VM29s, Kerker 4-1, K&N pods, LTD mags, Z2 seat
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Paroxyst
- Offline
- User
- KZ550 -82 B3. KZ550 A1. ZX550A1. CBR600F2
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- 650ed
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 15344
- Thank you received: 2829
daless wrote: '77 KZ1000A
..Got everything back together, changed oil (10w40)..First symptom is a rough sound starts coming from in the left side of the engine (which I'm hoping just means I need thicker oil, since I did have that side cover off to replace the gasket).
...
Thicker oil will not fix anything.
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Gman
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 147
- Thank you received: 5
1978 KZ1000
1965 Harly Electra Glide
2002 Gold Wing
1974 Z1 900 project
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.