2000 KZ1000 ENGINE FAILURE

Sounds to me more like poor fuel flow, Could be petcock, fuel filter or collapsed/pinched fuel line. The float bowls trickle fill and the bike starts fine. However, they are being emptied faster than the flow can refill them. The bike will start running poor as the first bowl falls low and eventually quit as the other 3 run dry.. Let it sit for a few minutes and the bowls slowly refill to repeat the cycle.
Have a catch can ready and pull the fuel line from the "T" between carbs 2&3. Verify you have a good steady flow. You could also check if the bike runs longer at idle vs.higher RPM's before it dies. Lower RPM's will use fuel at a slower rate and therefore should take longer for the symptoms to appear.

Cool find you have there. Really if its been sitting all these years then the carbs need to come off and be cleaned.
you may get by with doing what bountyhunter said but why mess around? pull those carbs apart and clean them well replace any o-rings that need it and make sure your float needles are clean ,seat well and float height is correct .
Then when you get your valves adjusted youll have a good running machine.
Clean your fuel tank out also and inspect for rust. get a new filter. verify the petcock is flowing .
good luck

strum wrote: Cool find you have there. Really if its been sitting all these years then the carbs need to come off and be cleaned.
you may get by with doing what bountyhunter said but why mess around? pull those carbs apart and clean them well replace any o-rings that need it and make sure your float needles are clean ,seat well and float height is correct .
Then when you get your valves adjusted youll have a good running machine.
Clean your fuel tank out also and inspect for rust. get a new filter. verify the petcock is flowing .
good luck

I agree with Strum on cleaning the carbs and fuel system properly, while 550 miles shouldn't have worn anything out, the fact that it had fuel in it at some stage and then sat is enough to have things well gummed up in that respect.

It runs fine when cold, but after 5 to 10 minutes the engine loses power to the point that it won’t idle. If you leave it alone just for a few minutes, it will start again just fine, until it warms up,

Iread the whole post -replies etc

then went back and re-read the problem as you describe

thoughts I have---
NOT i the engine-NOT valves
same as you and others have said its a fuel or coil ---or??? ignition that expands and shorts

by the way welcome and EXCELLENT bike and score for you!!!
once you sort this out your going to have great time--good deal---how much did you pay for it u.s??

swest wrote: Welcome. Sounds like tight misadjusted valves.
Steve

^^^+1
What Steve says!!
Ed

redhawk4 wrote:

strum wrote: Cool find you have there. Really if its been sitting all these years then the carbs need to come off and be cleaned.
you may get by with doing what bountyhunter said but why mess around? pull those carbs apart and clean them well replace any o-rings that need it and make sure your float needles are clean ,seat well and float height is correct .
Then when you get your valves adjusted youll have a good running machine.
Clean your fuel tank out also and inspect for rust. get a new filter. verify the petcock is flowing .
good luck

I agree with Strum on cleaning the carbs and fuel system properly, while 550 miles shouldn't have worn anything out, the fact that it had fuel in it at some stage and then sat is enough to have things well gummed up in that respect.

Forgive me but something just occurred to me...you are in Brazil??, in Brazil isnt it common to run E-85?? or even E100?I wonder.....Alcohol in the fuel??
Brazil used to be really big on running mostly Alcohol...Right?
Ed

Did you check the oil level or change it? If it's old it turns waxy.
Any smell of gas in the oil?

Hello Everyone,

I am impressed with the amount of replies my post has received. I feel very lucky that this forum exists and that I have found it. Many thanks for all your good advice, I really appreciate it.

Most of you are saying my bike needs carb cleaning or valve adjustment. Some of you say it could also be a bad coil. Since the early replies focused more on valve adjustment, that's where I started. I found 2 valves that needed adjustment and I'm waiting for the tool to arrive by the mail to swap shims. Once that is solved I'll run the engine to see what happens, and if nothing changes, I'll work on the carbs. Since the carb kit is not expensive, I think I'll order one in advance, just in case. If all that doesn't work, I'll move to the coils.

You asked me a few specific questions, here are the replies:

- I have never cleaned the carbs and I don't know if it was ever done. I'm not an experienced motorcycle mechanic, and I don't have easy access to spare parts, so I don't want to fool around with the carbs unless I have to.
- It's not the fuel tank, filter or petcock. I have ran the engine without them and the problem remained. The hoses were inspected too.
- When failing, the engine runs better at high RPMs than at idle. The first symptom is having no idle, the lack of power takes a few minutes more.
- The bike is worth about US$5K to US$8K in Brazil. I know it sounds too much, but that's the way things are here, government is a thief and duties are very expensive.
- Yes, pure ethanol is widely used in Brazil as a fuel and our gas can have up to 25% ethanol mixed in it. But that is not the issue, I have several other bikes, from a 1975 Yamaha GT80 to a 2007 HD Road King and they run just fine with our gas.
- The engine oil is clean and at level. I haven't smelled it but I guess it's too late now. My plan is to change the oil as soon as the problem is solved.

Thank you all and have a great weekend!

Rafael.

By the way, when I look online all I find is carb kits for early KZ1000s, from the 1970s and 80s, but not for later ones, such as my 2000. Will earlier kits fit my bike?

Chances are you don't need a kit, just a cleaning. Something to look at.
Steve
kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/598262-kz-...-will-it-live#672882

Wow awesome bike! Where is this crated bike your speak of? Id love to come get it! I have some friends that live in brazil so it would so fun to ride through your beautiful country.