Air injection on 1979 kz650b3

I just bought a 1979 kz650b3 basket case. The prior owner replaced the air box with four pod filters and removed the air injection lines to the valve cover. The reed valves are in place and the two flanges on the intake are blocked off with tape. The chambers and reed valves are pitch black with carbon. 
‘My question is whether disabling the injection system in this manner will in any way harm the engine.
‘Thanks,
Joe

I doubt if any damage will occur, but I would replace the tape with something better. If by intake flange, you mean the caps on top of the reed cages are missing, then you should fabricate or buy some block off plates. The next time you have the cam cover off, I would also recommend tapping threads into the passageways leading from the reed cages to each exhaust port and blocking them with grub screws (set screws).

You also need to check the jets in the carburetors. If your bike has VM mechanical slide carbs, then you may only need the air corrector jets sold by forum member Zed1015. If it has the later cv carbs, you may be facing a bit of a challenge to get it running well with the individual filters.

Also, you should assume that no maintenance has ever been done, and carefully go through ALL of the required maintenance listed in the factory service manual. Valve adjustment and brake service are especially important. There may be a pdf copy available under the Articles tab on this website. Be sure you get a manual that is for your specific year and model, as Kawasaki made significant changes over the years.

Texas KZ

Thanks for the great input. I do have the valve cover off, so I will tap and plug the air ports as you suggested and do a better job of capping the flanges on the cover. The slides on this bike are mechanical rather than the vacuum lift that I am used to, so I will assume that they areVM’s. I will try to contact Zed1015 regarding the air corrector jets to go along with the carb rebuild kits that I have on order.
Thanks again,
Joe

TexasKZ
Thanks for the great input.

On a basic level you can simply run a hose to link one reed chamber to the other if you have the original caps or just fit blanking plates similar to the ones in attached pic.
Either will cause no issues.
As for the Air jets just PM me or email zed.1015@yahoo.co.uk 

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationthere are valve covers without the air injection ports. you could get one that has provisions for blocking the clean air inlet ports on the cylinder head.  here's an example from  EB item = 263992983563 (link doesn't work) 

This one is for the 750-4 models & 81-83 650s w rubber slipper cam chain guides. posted to show the block-offs.
the EB item above is for a 650 w roller cam chain.