Trying to get my 77 KZ650 on the Road

Sweet! No more starter fluid !!! Congrats

I'd imagine that the conversion kits for the electronic ignition are pricey. The one that I saw at the wrecking yard, it was in a dirty box but looked unused, was around a hundred bucks. Seems like that can wait till after the tires though now huh?

I haven't done the relay mod. Should I? Or would it not be worth the bother?

srobie1 wrote:

:woohoo: That did it. I think. I pulled the carbs and cleaned the pilots. Put them back on the bike. And she started on the first touch of the starter. Right now, with NO STARTING FLUID OR CHOKE.:woohoo: Hey SnakeByte If your ever in FLA I owe you a beer. Real test will be tomarrow when I go to start again. I am on my way I think. Patton thanks for the diagrams very helpful. May need to double check my coils to ensure everthing is up to par now. Any other suggestions are appreciated.

I think most of us have done the victory dance you are now doing. :laugh: :laugh:

Qdude,
I would do the Relay Mod for sure. Pretty Simple. Cost about $25 for all you need. If I remember right you said you rewired your bike, so you may not need to. The whole idea behind the addition of the relay is to bypass old wiring that restricting power to the coils. At least thats my understanding of it. It definitely improved my starting. Yeah, I am going to focus on getting some tires now. I just heard of a motorcycle junk yard thats not far from me. I am planning on going to search for a good set of coils, I hopefully will find an electronic ignition set up. But thats top on my list after the tires. Any one got a good place to buy good tires on the cheap? I have read some the past post on here about tires. Should I really consider going with a ribbed front tire?
Wildh2oskier,
Thanks for the tips on cold starting I knew to let the carbs fill before tring to start, But I was guessing as were to really have it set to start though, On or Prime. I also have to deal with what someone before me has done, they put a second fuel shot off valve after the factory one. It is simply on and off though.

Thank you patton for the diagram.

I might head down there sometime to take you on that offer:) . Glad to read that you got it started with no starting fluid:cheer: .

Its been 11 years with this bike and I'm still messing with my carbs:lol:
These bikes are very finicy and when you find a sweet spot by trial and error its one hell of a ride.

Well fellas, I went to start her up the day after no luck. She still wanted starting fluid. MY BIKE HAS AN ADDICTION TO ETHER. I am going to start a search for yet another set of coils, I think that is my real problem. Like I said I checked the voltage and I was getting around 16v on out put and around 6v on other end. I know it should be around 23v and 4v. So I am going to have to say I have a problem with the coils/ignition. I feel comfortable that the carbs are clean enough to be starting with out the help of starting fluid. But I have been wrong before. I am going to focus on the coils for now and solve that issue. So if anyone has a GOOD set of coils that will work with my bike let me know. I have already bought 2 sets of used coils, 1st set was the wrong ones, and the second set work, but, well as I said they are not up to the job. I really can't afford to buy a whole new ignition for $300 plus. Any suggestions as always are appreciated.

Well fellas, I went to start her up the day after no luck. She still wanted starting fluid. MY BIKE HAS AN ADDICTION TO ETHER. I am going to start a search for yet another set of coils, I think that is my real problem. Like I said I checked the voltage and I was getting around 16v on out put and around 6v on other end. I know it should be around 23v and 4v. So I am going to have to say I have a problem with the coils/ignition. I feel comfortable that the carbs are clean enough to be starting with out the help of starting fluid. But I have been wrong before. I am going to focus on the coils for now and solve that issue. So if anyone has a GOOD set of coils that will work with my bike let me know. I have already bought 2 sets of used coils, 1st set was the wrong ones, and the second set work, but, well as I said they are not up to the job. I really can't afford to buy a whole new ignition for $300 plus. Any suggestions as always are appreciated.

Shoot so close but so far away. . Are you trying to start it with the starter motor or with the kick start?
You might be drawing to much juice away from the coils with the electric start. Sounds like your on the right path though. .
I'll have to read the tread again.
Things come to my mind:
Are the carbs bench synced? If one slide is more open then the other it will have less vacume to suck the fuel out the bowl.
Are the floats level set? Again the lower the float the harder it will be to pull the fuel from the bowls. My carbs like the level right at the gasket line.
Are the nipples craked on the intake boots? loss of vacume. Intake boots themselves too.

On a side note turn your air screws in till they seat and then open them .5 turns this will richen the mix up a little I think:dry: . try to start it then.

Check the ohms on your coils. then check ohms after heating the coils up with a hair drier.
I guess thats it for ideas till I read the thread again.

I'm wondering if when you cleaned out your carbs you made sure that the 4 little brass tubes that supply fuel to the choke system were clear? The openings are very small and they could be blocked with varnish or dirt. It takes a really small wire to clear them out and I've even had to resort to heating them up with a propane torch in order to get them clear.

16V? 6V? 23V? What did you check on the coils and how did you check it? Not sure if I am following any of your test procedures...

I checked the coils with a multimeter. The Primary side am getting 6 ohms (my book says I should have 4 ohms)and on the secondary side I am getting 16 ohms (my book says it should be at 23 ohms) Sorry I was saying I had volts.:huh: I meant ohms.

Hey Gringo,
I think everthing was pretty clean. I let the bowls soak in carb cleaner and also sat in a ultrasonic cleaner for awhile. I did not physcally clear it out though like you said it is a tiny little. Perhaps I need to pull the carbs off again.

I know Snakebyte, I guess I spoke to soon. I am starting with the starter, and I have tryed kicking her over as well. No I did not bench sync them. I did not set the floats nether. And yes the intake boots are cracked. I think I know were this is going to take me. I admit it I have gotten in a hurry.:pinch: I have wondered about the intake boots being a little dry. I am posting some pics of the boots, you tell me what you think. When I took the carbs off they didn't look to be cracked al the way thru, but they may be.