Spectre 750 Clutch and Starter problems

Hi all, this is my first post. Sorry if this is going over info covered in other posts. I've seen related posts on here, but have had no success with solving these problems on my bike.

Background:
I picked up a 1982 KZ750F Spectre this May. It was pretty cold blooded, but after it warmed up seemed to run really well. I was able to ride it for about a month. The bike got progressively harder to start and I assumed that there were fuel/carb issues. I also noticed that the clean air system was pretty shot. One morning, I jumped on to go for a ride, and the bike would not start.
I removed the carbs, cleaned them out and installed new gaskets, set floats, etc. I also removed clean air system and used a hose to jump the reed valve covers where the CAS was removed. As I was getting ready to install the carbs, I looked in the head and saw a ton of carbon build up on the valves. Seeing this, I decided I may as well address it. Long story short, I got in over my head. What should have been a fairly simple motor in task, turned into an engine out, complete teardown. Anyways... I cleaned the valves, reseated them, cleaned the pistons and compression chamber, installed new gaskets. The engine was not at top dead center when I tore it down, and when the timing chain was reinstalled, the link was shifted forward past the timing mark, so rather than starting right above the tooth, it was forward and the "one" was below the first tooth.. It appears to be ok and the tension seemed good, so I moved forward, put the engine back in, got everything set, carbs, air box, fluids all topped off, bolts torqued to specs, and then I went to reinstall the clutch cable.

Problem #1: Clutch
I had removed the clutch release (worm gear type) during the tear down. I greased it and reinstalled it according to the manual. The clutch cable was froze up at the lower portion. I attempted to clean it to no avail, and ended up installing a new Motion Pro cable. When I adjusted the tension, there was no resistance/tension on the clutch handle bar. It appears to be moving in the proper range, but there is no tension other than the spring at bottom of the cable/clutch release. At the clutch release itself, there is a retaining/lock screw, and above that a black rubber plug that when removed allows the pin that is turned by the worm gear to be monitored traveling in and out of the clutch. The travel of the pin looks good. I don't know what to do here, guys. I have tried removing and reinstalling it several times, readjusting cable length. No success. The clutch handle will either move to freely or not at all.

Problem #2
I set it up as best as I could (moving too freely), finished assembly, and attempted to start. The bike sounds like the starter is spinning freely and not engaging the crank. I tested voltage, battery was at 11 volts. Not good, but it seemed to be turning the starter ok. But why would it not engage the crank?
The oil I used was a 10/40 synthetic and it probably had additives/lubricants in it. I drained it, removed starter motor and checked the gear that the starter should be engaging. The gear traveled freely counter-clockwise, but not clock-wise. This is correct, yes? The gear appeared to be in good working order, all the teeth were intact and were not rounded or deformed.

I removed the right side cover to inspect the clutch itself, it appears to be in good condition. The plates seem to be all evenly spaced and of sufficient thickness. I can measure them to spec and get a better idea later today. I am contemplating just replacing the composite plates and springs now while I am in there. I also ordered a starter clutch repair kit. Not sure if this is my problem though.

Thoughts???

Also, the clutch has to be depressed to fire the E start. That works, the clutch is engaged enough that the starter will fire (but is sounds like it just spinning). When it wouldn't start with the E start, I tried to bump start it. With the clutch lever depressed, I attempted to shift up from neutral thru first and into second, planning on releasing the clutch lever and starting it in 3rd. No luck. As soon as I shifted from neutral into first, it caught, coughed and sputtered. Clutch release is definitely not right. Could the worm gear be starting on the wrong tooth of the pin that goes into clutch? The pin is round, smooth on 70% of it's circumference, but then has a row of teeth on one side that the worm gear fits into. When the clutch lever is depressed, the worm gear turns, catching the teeth and moving the pin into the clutch housing. If it is starting on the wrong tooth, maybe it is not sending the pin in deep enough??

So problem no. 1 solved. The clutch release arm needs to be inserted about 8 o clock, with 12 o clock being towards front of bike. When inserted properly, it feels like its locked up, because the pin that the clutch release drives into the clutch is pressing up against it. Then, reattach clutch cable to release arm, and tighten accordingly, with about an 1/8th of an inch of play at the lever. This was a major headache and took quite awhile to sort out. If anybody else is having this problem, I hope this helps.

Well, I removed starter again and tested it out. Seems to be fine. I called the techs at Z1 and got some feedback. They said it sounds like my starter clutch is gone or at least slipping. Awesome. I got the kit. I have my clutch out, oil pan, and oil pump. Who in they're right mind thought it was a good idea to use two philips screws inside the case to secure the oil pump??? So not funny. Got them out with vice grips. Gonna find some bolts to throw in there. Missed the nut on the left side of the secondary shaft. That was a whoops. After I had removed pretty much everything from the other side of the shaft, it was pretty much free spinning. Gonna need to be careful not to damage the shaft when I remove that nut. It was pretty relieving to hear the shaft turning and moving my pistons. Kind of sounded like an engine. A little more time, hopefully, this takes care of it. Need to improve my problem shooting skills before I start wrenching. Save a lot a of grief down the road. Will post more details as they emerge.

PS: anybody have info on diagnosing starter clutch problems? I read that if the gear that the starter engages on the secondary shaft spins counterclockwise/forward, but not clockwise or towards the rear of the bike, you are good. Apparently, this is not always the case. My gear spins in this manner, only going forward/counterclockwise. There is a little bit of play in the other direction. The tech at Z1 said that if I can't generate enough torque to turn it by hand, it doesn't mean it's not messed up.
Anybody got anything to add on diagnosing starter clutch issues?

First - there are NO Phillips screws on the KZ. So if you you try to remove the cross-head screws using a Phillips screwdriver you definitely will run into trouble. Those cross-head screws are Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS). They work MUCH better than Phillips screws because unlike Phillips screws they are NOT designed to "cam out." BUT, if you use a Phillips screwdriver tip on them you will wreck the screwhead. Here's a link to info on how to easily make your own JIS bits or where to buy them if you like.

kzrider.com/forum/21-tools/532335-budget...ewdriver-tips#532335

Second - You stated your model as a "1982 KZ750F Spectre." I think you may be confused about the model. Kawasaki made a 1982 KZ750-F1, but it is an LTD Shaft driven bike. They also made a 1982 KZ750-N1 Spectre. So if yours is a Spectre it is a KZ750-N1.

Regarding the starter clutch - in addition to replacing the springs, pins, and rollers you need to carefully examine the starter clutch gear. Over time the part of the gear that the rollers engage develops ridges. These then contribute to the slippage. The image below compares a new starter clutch gear to a used one. If yours look like the used one you should replace it while you have everything pulled apart. That part has been discontinued, but is can usually be found in new old stock condition on eBay or at obsolete parts dealers. Ed

Right on, Ed. You are are right about the model, it's an N1. Not sure why I listed it as an F. Anyways, thanks for the info. I got it off last night, the springs and rollers looked alright. They weren't really deformed in anyway. I will check the clutch gear this morning.

Philips or JIS, the placement of those two screws on the oil pump is sadistic. There is literally about an inch and a half of clearance between the screw head and the engine casing. The tool that they used to install them had to be angled 90 degrees. A simple bolt would have made much more sense.

I'll let you know how it looks. Thanks for the info.

Ed, just checked the gear. Definitely some wear. The side of the gear shown in your photo doesn't look terrible, but there is a slight bevel developed around the rim. More alarming, the other side of the gear has a pretty significant gouge in it. I checked the bearings where it sits on the left side of the secondary shaft. They appear to be in good condition. Looks like partzilla has the gear available. Thanks for your info. Would have really stunk to put the bike back together and have missed this.

You may want to call Partzilla before placing an order. They sometimes show obsolete parts as being available when they are not. Ed

Thanks, appreciate it. I've heard partzilla and bikebandits can be kinda sketchy. Ended up putting it back together. I looked at the parts, they still had the machining marks. There were some signs of wear, but it didn't seem significant. Seeing all the parts together and how they worked, nothing seemed wrong. There was some old gasket material present, and upon closer inspection of the oil, there was metal and paint chips present, as well as some silicon gasket material. Looking at how the roller bearings worked, synching the gear, if any of the debris had found it's way into the starter clutch, it would have prevented it from working properly.
Got the bike all back together. It wouldn't start, but it was turning over, ever so slightly.

Couple things:
!. I need fresh gas, as this gas has been in there all summer,
2. Battery was reading low, 11 volts. Needs to be at least 12v. Going to pick up a fresh one tomorrow.z
3. Need to recheck spark plug gaps.

It would be sooooo embarrassing if all this ended up being a bad battery. I spent $90 on it this may. Didn't even consider that it could be an issue.

I am getting ready to tear into a 1982 750 spectre. I am trying to figure out if anything with the shaft drive middle gear will need to be removed to fix this problem.

Please, any suggestions/advice would be appreciated

Tony
kllrvet92@aol.com