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loudhvx wrote: So are you saying you can hear the pistons moving up and down when you roll the bike backward in gear? But if you go forward it will move a bit then lockup?

I went back out and put my clutch back together, threw it in first, and I can roll it backwards with my clutch engaged. The spark plugs are out and I can hear my engine give a little sigh and she gives me some resistance when I do it. I can go as far backward AND forward doing this as I want to.
My kickstart swings with an engaged clutch as well, idk if that matters.

Ok, so there is no oil in it anymore, correct, so you don't want to do a lot of crank rotating quickly, but normally it's safe to turn by hand slowly.

The bolt that holds the rotor/flywheel on is usually the strongest bolt for turning the crank by hand. So you can put the bike in neutral and rotate the engine with a good socket wrench from there. The crank should rotate opposite direction of the wheels.
This will let you feel if there are any rough spots while turning. The camshafts will give some smooth resistance and pushes, but with the plugs out, it shouldn't bind and nothing should feel rough.

If you have some new motorcycle oil laying around, and it would make you comfortable, you can add some so the pump will put oil into the bearings.

I always put a note to myself over the ignition switch to remind me there is no oil if I have to leave it empty. People often forget and might start a bike without oil. I've come close a few times. (I try not to let a bike sit around without oil if I can help it.)

The plug holes should make a swoop sound as the pistons move up and down completely.

Again check under the ignition cover and sprocket cover as those won't leak any oil.

Rotating the crank will rotate the balance shafts and clutch basket.

To check the trans you would need a stand for the back of the bike.

loudhvx wrote: Ok, so there is no oil in it anymore, correct, so you don't want to do a lot of crank rotating quickly, but normally it's safe to turn by hand slowly.

The bolt that holds the rotor/flywheel on is usually the strongest bolt for turning the crank by hand. So you can put the bike in neutral and rotate the engine with a good socket wrench from there. The crank should rotate opposite direction of the wheels.
This will let you feel if there are any rough spots while turning. The camshafts will give some smooth resistance and pushes, but with the plugs out, it shouldn't bind and nothing should feel rough.

If you have some new motorcycle oil laying around, and it would make you comfortable, you can add some so the pump will put oil into the bearings.

I always put a note to myself over the ignition switch to remind me there is no oil if I have to leave it empty. People often forget and might start a bike without oil. I've come close a few times. (I try not to let a bike sit around without oil if I can help it.)

I put the rest of what oil I had in the bike just to be safe. I would absolutely be the one to fix this, then forget it doesn't have oil (dang short term memory lol) and immediately break it again..

The motor rotates smooth in both directions.

I also took the ignition cover off and the bolt is secure. (I had a stripped screw and didn't want to deal with it. Lol)

It does look like hot garbage under there tho, and I can't find my dang vice grips. Lol

Your ignition advancer need some cleaning and some drop of high temp grease on all moving parts to do his Job correctly.
Remove the rust dust, it can be catch up by the picup coil and irritate/cut off the ignition Timing.

Well, I think you have to keep looking for what locked up the wheel and kickstart.

I assume the kickstart rotates the engine now.


Anyway, when you get around to routine maintenance like the advancer...
This image is for a 4-cylinder but it's similar to yours. I'm posting it so you can see the rubber cushion stop on the arm. When you clean your advancer , be very careful not to knock the rubber bits off the arms. They are really tiny and just look like a spec of dirt, but they affect the timing.

Everything is still locked up unless the clutch is engaged.. Is there anything else I can do before I pull the engine? Anything else it could be? I'm gunna be honest, my symptoms leave me at a complete loss.

I thought you said the engine was rotating with pistons moving up and down, evidences by air moving in and out of the spark plug holes.

With the clutch pulled the pistons shouldn't move.

Have you pulled the sprocket cover?

Next would be the clutch cover. That will spill a little oil.

Duckinfumb wrote: Everything is still locked up unless the clutch is engaged.. Is there anything else I can do before I pull the engine? Anything else it could be? I'm gunna be honest, my symptoms leave me at a complete loss.

Why would you pull the engine? How could that possibly help you identify the problem? Ed

I figured I'd need to pull the engine out to get to seized pistons? I guess I'm still trying to figure out why my engine locked up, please excuse my ignorance.

My rotor moves with no hang ups using a socket and NO clutch - I hear the air from my pistons moving, and smell gas from my spark plug holes. I have to engage my clutch to roll the back wheel back and forth in gear (gives moderate but consistant resistance with clutch engaged), and to move my kickstart whatsoever

I guess then next is the clutch cover, what should I be looking for under there?

Duckinfumb wrote: I figured I'd need to pull the engine out to get to seized pistons? I guess I'm still trying to figure out why my engine locked up, please excuse my ignorance.

My rotor moves with no hang ups using a socket and NO clutch - I hear the air from my pistons moving, and smell gas from my spark plug holes. I have to engage my clutch to roll the back wheel back and forth in gear (gives moderate but consistant resistance with clutch engaged), and to move my kickstart whatsoever

Before you pick up a wrench I HIGHLY recommend you purchase a Kawasaki Service Manual for your specific year / model bike. You absolutely will need it to work on or maintain the bike, and it may help you identify the problem without tearing the motor apart. If as you say you can "hear the air from my pistons moving" then the pistons must be moving. That a good thing since it indicates that the engine is not seized or "locked up."

Incidentally, you do NOT need to remove the engine from the frame to remove the cylinders. Doing that may make it more difficult rather than easier to work on the motor. Ed