'83 KZ 550 LTD C won't start

Hi Guys,

Some of you may be familiar with the trials and tribulations I've encountered with this bike. It's my first bike so I'm learning as I go. Recently I did some work to it, consisting of:

1) Spark plug change

2) electro sport Reg/Rec installed

3) Ignition wires are after market, and the PO who molested this bike into it's unruly state seems to have installed wire 2 incorrectly, resulting in a mis fire. That has been fixed, that spark plug has been changed out

4)I'm on the 4th battery since I bought it (3 months ago) thankfully my local auto store keeps taking them back and replacing them

5) new ground wire and negative battery terminal wire were installed by a bike mechanic I know.

6) I've gone through a couple times and tightened/ cleaned any obvious electrical connections that are loose

8/12 bike is ready from mechanic. Mechanic says ride it home and don't ride it until new battery is installed. I guess the bike had taxed my battery so much it kept resulting in dead cells. I rode it home and left it until I bought and fully charged a new battery

8/15 new, fully charged battery installed. Bike fires up strong and I ride it roughly 20 miles

8/17 bike fires up again nice and strong. I ride it around 40 miles

8/18 bike has sat for 24 hours. Will not turn over. Full choke, Battery cranks, lights are on, over 12 volts coming from battery under load.

There was no indication the night before of any weaknesses or issues other than the "head lamp" dummy light on my instrument cluster that illuminates when I turn the key. This light goes away after the bike turns over. This issue has occurred since I bought the bike

Also, periodically, the right turn signal will not flash, or make the clicking sound. This seems to happen after the bike has been running. At first turn of the key, the right indicator will work okay. after a few minutes I get nothing.

I have changed a flasher unit and I've noticed there's two on the bike. Could the problem be the second one just needs a change? If it's that simple I'll leave work now lol.

The rear indicator lights do not illuminate.

I have also noticed the bike does not start easily on anything less than a full tank. I reset the trip OD at every fill. After 40-50 miles the bike needs more coaxing to start. Now, with the Trip OD at 65ish ( 5 from mechanic, 20 on Monday and 40 on Tuesday) the bike will not start.

Any thoughts?

Here's a picture of my bike just because I love this thing and wanted to share. I made it far enough away from the garage that I had to take a picture for proof. Haha.



Thanks guys

Maybe the bike's charging system isn't up-to-snuff.

Measured voltage between the battery posts is supposed to be 14+ volts at 4000 rpm.

Good Fortune!

I will certainly check the RPMs when I can get the bike started. Thanks for the reply

Starting and running requires three essential things:
• sufficient COMPRESSION (with valve clearances to spec);
• adequate IGNITION (properly timed fat blue sparks on correct plugs);
• correct CARBURETION (functional choke and pilot circuits, ample clean fresh fuel supply, fuel levels to spec).

If using starter fluid spray into the air box enables momentary starting and running -- indicates a carb or fuel supply issue.

If removed plugs have fat blue sparks while engine is spinning over (assure that the on-off-kill switch is in the run position) -- indicates that the ignition is sufficient to allow the engine to start and run.

Normal starting a cold engine is with choke applied and NOT TOUCHING the throttle -- this means leaving the throttle completely closed while attempting to start a cold engine.

Would be okay to jump the bike's low battery from an automobile battery to aid starting the bike's engine, but BE CERTAIN that the automobile engine is NOT RUNNING, because the automobile's charging system can damage or destroy the bike's electrics. Don't keep grinding and grinding and grinding. A few separate 5 second bursts should be plenty sufficient. Regardless of success, disconnect the negative jumper cable immediately upon completion of the starting attempt.

Good Fortune!

He says "battery cranks", but doesn't start. Also, does not like to start on half tank. Maybe he is low on gas, and the reserve is not working?

He also says "will not turn over". This contradicts "battery cranks". I think this confusion is when non-automotive people misinterpret what automotive people are saying. I grew up where "turns over" means the crankshaft is literally turning, as when the starter is cranking. But some people take "turn over" to mean firing on it's own without the help of the starter. When something is turning over, that simply means rotating.

So if the crank is turning, but the motor won't start, then it's probably fuel (since it ran fine the day before), or maybe the ignition quit, or there is a wiring issue. What about the kill switch? That gets people sometimes. If the wires were messed with, you can end up where the starter will crank, but there will be no spark if the kill switch is turned off.

Check and clean the petcock strainer and vent in the gas cap.
Steve

Apologies for the contradictory terminology. You're correct, the engine wouldn't start. A guy, mentioned the spark plugs may have been fouled (wet or dry) again from too much choke so I checked them and sure enough they were. I had extra plugs laying around so I threw them in and it started up nicely. Spark plug from cylinder too was very heavily carbon fouled. Perhaps I can adjust that one carb to even it out?

Thank you

Battery volt test yields 12.6 volts at 5,000 RPMS. No bueno. Fortunately I did not have to resort to jumping it with my car. As per Patton's normal start comment - I cannot start without at least a little throttle.