Stubborn starter clutch

As some of you know I have an 81KZ440, I recently forayed into repairing the starter clutch myself and after waiting weeks on the puller to arrive, it finally showed up today. In sheer blissful joy I grabbed it and everything else I'd been pining over for the last few weeks and shot down to the storage shed to get the old starter clutch off. Torqued puller into the proper spot and followed directions in turning it clockwise to remove the starter clutch...just kept spinning. Double checked Clymer manual and other instructions/tips from the net. All followed. Found some tips on tapping puller with hammer, check. Still kept spinning. Tried to wiggle, no wiggle.

Sadness.

I have it on it's side stand...I don't have enough room to use my jack and I'd have to remove the exhaust and really don't have room to have all the lying around.

Any thoughts?

Spinning? You mean the Rotor/ Flywheel is not being held when trying to tighten the puller bolt? So then you can't get enough tension on it?
There are several posts on removal of the Rotor. They can be on there really tight. Be careful Hitting with a hammer, as the Magnets on the inside of the Rotor can come undone.

No, sorry the rotor is being held via a strap wrench when tightening the puller but after it is tight I can't get the rotor to come off. Yes I've read numerous posts and tried what others have said to have worked, just wanted to be double sure and verify having it tilted (due to being on side stand) wasn't a concern.

Spitfire151 wrote: ...just kept spinning... Still kept spinning....

Nothing should spin during attempt to remove the rotor by tapping on end of puller that's been tightened into the rotor.

What's spinning?

Perhaps the puller hasn't been sufficiently tightened into the rotor (before hitting the end of the puller with a hammer).

www.kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/399151-kz-porn

Good Fortune!

If it is spinning in the strap wrench (which is what I use), try putting a strip of sandpaper under the strap. Cinch it down and rest the wrench handle on the foot peg. I don't know why being on the sidestand would matter other than being awkward.

By the way, if you happen to spin that thing even a little bit in the wrong direction, you are almost certain to slip the cam chain out of place.

Crap and then what?

Spitfire151 wrote: Crap and then what?

IF that happens, you reset the cam timing. It's not as complicated as it sounds, but does involve removing the cam cover, releasing the cam chain tensioner, probably removing the timing gear on the cam and then putting it back together. If you don't have the shop manual for your bike, you should probably acquire one. You can download one for free on the KZ400.com site.

Finally got it off! Removed the puller, reinstalled, held with a wrench, whacked with a hammer a good four times, then off it came. Installed the replacement, now to install the gasket, side cover, and replacement bolts, and oil!

Thank you all so much for your help. I will let you know what happens next

And no success starting her up. I charged the battery all the way, threw it on, choke set to on and the starter clutch sounds like it engages but the bike won't start. Always was cold blooded as I've heard all KZs are but I drained the battery trying. I had hoped this was the cure to the cold blooded starting problem but alas it appears this wasn't the case. The upside is that it no longer seems to make the 'box of rocks' sound it was making but it still seems to make the metal whining noise (best I can describe it) ontop of the normal ignition sound.


Going to tear apart the carbs for good measure (never did it before but I know they need it).

When starting, use No throttle on a cold motor. Full choke and no throttle.
It could be the starter jet is partially plugged. Opening your idle Mixture screws another 1/4 turn might do it also. This is for Mixture Screws, which are at the engine side of the carb slide valve or throttle valve, which you should have, not the Air Screw at the Inlet side, VM carbs. Those you would turn In. Summer Idle adjustment may be to lean for the colder winter weather.

MotorHead I will have to check that once the carbs are back on the bike.

After opening the carbs I only found the head of one of the plastic plugs to be damaged (I think the PO did it ages ago). They were exceptionally clean and only one diaphragm had slight damage at its outer edge. Also I could not get the needles out, the screws were on so tight that I broke a screwdriver head. This gave me some time to clean the tank and prep it for repainting (it was the right color but done poorly and has gas stains). The petcock also had spray black on it and I cleaned it with a brillo pad and some fine grit sand paper, it gave the knob a really rustic look by leaving just aged black on it here and there lol and now I can read the fuel settings while on the bike without leaning way down and getting the light just right.

The in-petcock fuel filter I'm assuming is fixed in place? It is clean, just wondered. Checking my gas lines for cracks, there's really only a few at the tips but I will replace anyway, should I go with steel braided lines and in-line filters for each carb?

Lastly, this circles back to my starter clutch and I'm now fearing I didn't wrench it on tight enough or I did too tight. I used a torque wrench set properly so I'm quite confused. I will get the carbs and repainted tank back on and start over.

Okay got a chance to test it out today, here's the noises: Youtube.