TOPIC:

Does anyone have a manual for the 550 shaft drives?
Does the secondary drive unit have its own oil supply?
Can anyone take a pic of the timing marks on the pick up coil rotor and bracket?

I would very much appreciate the support.

Thanks all.

What year is it? The 84 550-F2 had a pulsing coil rotor, instead of a mechanical timing advancer found on most KZs.
The drive shaft lubrication is separate from the engine oil.
AFAIK, there isn't a pdf manual for any of the KZ shaft drive models.
A number of manuals are listed on EB at reasonable cost. EB search = KZ550 shaft manual.
Kawasaki FSMs have a model application chart on the back cover, so make sure your motorcycle is on the list.

1981 KZ650-CSR. the 550-M1 Shaft is similar, as are most KZs.
note: use a 17mm wrench to turn the crankshaft. do not turn it using the smaller advancer bolt.

Thank you for the response.

The bike is an 84 shaft 550ltd. I see the T timing mark on the rotor but don't see a mark on the case. When we opened up the timing cover there is significant corrosion inside the area.

I couldn't find a good EB pic, but from the photos I saw your engine timing mark should be pretty much the same as the 650. I would scrub it with a stiff nylon brush or something. The Partzilla diagrams & EB pics are handy for stuff like this.

Based on your recommendations and the pic; I removed the timing plate to find a timing mark just like yours. I don't believe I've ever removed a timing plate to see a timing
mark.

Once it was in time I struggled a little while getting it to run as it seemed to be out of time. I took a guess the coils were wired backwards. The bike fired up and ran really well.

Next I tackle float height to get the a/f ratio closer to each other as it ran cooler left to right.

Thank you very much.

By prichmon: Based on your recommendations and the pic; I removed the timing plate to find a timing mark just like yours. I don't believe I've ever removed a timing plate to see a timing mark. ....

You probably shouldn't have to remove the pulsing coil to see the timing mark, so that you can use a strobe light.
For the chain drive models: in the ZX550 supplement manual the timing mark is visible with the pulsing coil in place, including models with the pulsing coil rotor.