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76 kz400 engine on a 81 kz440 ltd - will it work?
- AngryMic
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- Nebr_Rex
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All the information is on this site to provide the answer to your questions concerning this motorcycle.
All you have to do is use the search button. Since you have not done that I'll give you the answer.
The 400 will bolt straight in to the 440 frame {and visa versa} except for the top mount.
Have a good day.
2002 ZRX1200R
81 GPz1100
79 KZ1000st daily ride
79 KZ1000mk2 prodject
78 KZ650sr
78 KZ650b
81 KZ750e
80 KZ750ltd
77 KZ400/440 cafe project
76 KZ400/440 Fuel Injected
www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=39120.0
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- diggerdanh
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You can use the earlier KZ400 engine but you will have to use everything including carbs, carb holders, etc. The airbox from the earlier bike will not fit the LTD so you'll have to come up with something to go from the carbs to the existing airbox. I have seen some folks use shock boots and similar things.
I believe that 1981 was when they started using electronic ignition. It would be a good idea to use the electronic ignition components from the 81 (if you have them) instead of the points/condensor of the 76. It is a pretty simple swap - retrofitting the later electronic ignition to earlier bikes (74-80) is pretty common.
The 76 uses a different style of stator than the 81 so you will have to swap over some of the electronics like rectifier or switch over to a more modern rectifier/regulator combo.
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- AngryMic
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- diggerdanh
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- loudhvx
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you will need the carbs from the 1976 motor, or some other custom option.
You will need a regulator and rectifier (or modern combo version) specifically for the 1976 motor. You can't use the 81 regulator rectifier with the 1976 motor. (And I'm pretty sure you can't swap the alternator between motors.)
You will want the electronic ignition from the 81, if it came with it. That should swap to the 1976 motor.
And yes, all of this will be easier/cheaper than trying to rebuild the 1981 motor.
If you are not using the airbox, the 1976 carbs will need rejetting, or you can swap to simpler carbs if you don't have the 1976 carbs already. There is also a single VM carb option using a 1-into-2 manifold. That will require some googling and tuning to get right. But the old 1976 carbs are going to need a lot of fiddling to get right, as they are pretty complicated, so there is probably no super easy shortcut there.
1981 KZ550 D1 gpz.
Kz550 valve train warning.
Other links.
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- AngryMic
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loudhvx wrote: Like diggerdanh said,
you will need the carbs from the 1976 motor, or some other custom option.
You will need a regulator and rectifier (or modern combo version) specifically for the 1976 motor. You can't use the 81 regulator rectifier with the 1976 motor. (And I'm pretty sure you can't swap the alternator between motors.)
You will want the electronic ignition from the 81, if it came with it. That should swap to the 1976 motor.
And yes, all of this will be easier/cheaper than trying to rebuild the 1981 motor.
If you are not using the airbox, the 1976 carbs will need rejetting, or you can swap to simpler carbs if you don't have the 1976 carbs already. There is also a single VM carb option using a 1-into-2 manifold. That will require some googling and tuning to get right. But the old 1976 carbs are going to need a lot of fiddling to get right, as they are pretty complicated, so there is probably no super easy shortcut there.
so the carbs off my 81 will not work? The bike currently is not running an airbox, it's running Unis and the carbs have already been rejetted for that. I will have to source out a regulator rectifier and an alternator for a 76 then and yes my 81 has the electronic ignition, it's not a kick start.
I just want to make sure I do this right since this will be going to a buddy of mine and I don't want to give him something that's gonna to run like shit. and to the first person that comment on here, this is a not a deal for financial gain. This is a goods for goods deal and I am not looking to give him something not running or driveable. I will search for some stuff on here now that I actually found the search feature since it's not a bar like it is in other forums and I thank everyone that has chimed in their knowledge to give me some insight ad direction.
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- loudhvx
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The 1976 400 (and other 400's) motor, from what I remember uses an alternator cover with a slightly different bolt pattern from the newer motors, so you can't swap covers, and the cover is needed to hold the field coil. The later motors don't use a filed-coil type alternator.
I found an image I created a few years ago.
And here are some quick notes I made for myself back then (hopefully it is correct):
PM means permanent-magnet as opposed to the type that uses an electro-magnet, also known as field coil.
The 400's (except for the B, C, and H) use excited field alternator with cover 14031-1007-80. This spans over many years and overlaps with the PM alternator years.
The 400 B and H use PM alternator with cover 14031-1023.
The 400 C uses same PM alternator with cover 14031-1001-80.
Some 440's some use PM alternators with cover 14031-1023.
Some 440's use the same PM alternator with cover 14031-1083.
The two cover types won't interchange on a motor, and the two types of alternators require different cover types.
The E field cover has 10 holes.
The PM cover has 11 holes, and they are in different places.
The ends of the cranksharft may also be different, which would make the swap very difficult.
These notes are not complete!
Need complete list of stator, flywheel, and cover numbers.
1981 KZ550 D1 gpz.
Kz550 valve train warning.
Other links.
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- AngryMic
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- loudhvx
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1981 KZ550 D1 gpz.
Kz550 valve train warning.
Other links.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- AngryMic
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- loudhvx
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The electronic ignition can be used on any of the motors. The only issue, when retrofitting the electronic ignition to an older motor might be timing. But you can adjust that as necessary by elongating the mounting holes, or re-setting the rotor slug on the advancer rotor hub.
The electronic advance needs the coil that goes with it. So you need to transfer everything...the advancer/rotor, pickup plate, igniter box, and coil.
1981 KZ550 D1 gpz.
Kz550 valve train warning.
Other links.
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