'77 650c odd carb/fuel supply problem

I've got a strange problem and cant find anything about anyone else having to deal with it. I have a 1977 kz650c1. The problem is that my carb supply line is leaking from between the two innermost carbs. The line comes down from petcock and through filter into carb supply tube which runs horizontally from a "T" both left and right to all four carbs. The leak is coming from the point where the tube enters the carb directly after the "T". What can I do to stop the leak. I looked around for any type of replacement, but found nothing. Thinking of some sort sealant maybe? Any info would help tremendously.

Tee fitting is called a "fuel pipe."

Removal likely entails loosening two inside carbs from backing plate.

Some models (such as carbs on Z1 and KZ900) have built-in raised rubber areas which fit snugly into each carb. The raised areas get worn and leak. replacements are available from Z1 Enterprizes. With this style, best repair imo is a new fuel pipe.

An optional repair method is wrapping with teflon tape to tighten the fit. Standard white teflon tape will work pretty good, but yellow teflon tape is also readily available and touted as more fuel resistant that the white version.

Other models use o-rings instead of the built-in raised rubber area.

Good Luck!

Patton wrote:

Tee fitting is called a "fuel pipe joint."

Removal likely entails loosening two inside carbs from backing plate.

Some models (such as carbs on Z1 and KZ900) have built-in raised rubber areas which fit snugly into each carb. The raised areas get worn and leak. replacements are available from Z1 Enterprizes. With this style, best repair imo is a new fuel pipe.

An optional repair method is wrapping with teflon tape to tighten the fit. Standard white teflon tape will work pretty good, but yellow teflon tape is also readily available and touted as more fuel resistant that the white version.

Other models use o-rings instead of the built-in raised rubber area.

Good Luck!

Here's a link to Z1E's picture listing for the fuel pipe joint on the large fours. Click here >> Fuel Pipe Joint

Am thinking the KZ650 fuel pipe joint is a smaller size and might be more difficult to find.

Good Luck!

If a new fuel pipe joint for KZ550 isn't available at Z1E, might try BikeBandit.

Good Luck!

According to the schematic on bikebandit.com it is the carb connection shaft, replacement is 65 bucks. But that is for a kz1000, cant find anything for a 650. I'll have to take a closer look but it doesnt look to be threaded so I'm not sure the teflon tape would work. Looks like either way I need to take the entire assembly back off the bike. Oh well, at least I'll get better at putting it all back together. I'm guessing O-rings are the culprit. Thanks for the info.

I could be totally wrong here.......I would think they might be the same size between the 650 and 900/1000 My therory is that the petcocks use the same sizes for fuel delivery, so the "T-Pipe" should be also, the floats would dictate how much to deliver the smaller carbs. The length of the T could be different though. This is only a guess as I have not compared them. Would be interesting to know the answer though.

drfantastik wrote:

According to the schematic on bikebandit.com it is the carb connection shaft, replacement is 65 bucks. But that is for a kz1000, cant find anything for a 650. I'll have to take a closer look but it doesnt look to be threaded so I'm not sure the teflon tape would work. Looks like either way I need to take the entire assembly back off the bike. Oh well, at least I'll get better at putting it all back together. I'm guessing O-rings are the culprit. Thanks for the info.

Would forget any concern with threads. Neither the tee fuel pipe between carbs #2/3 nor the straight fuel pipes between carbs #1/2 and #3/4 have any threads. Don't see any o-rings either.

The teflon tape should work just fine. Wrapped around the raised areas, the tape snugs up the press-in fit on the ends of the fuel pipes where they simply press into the carbs on either side.

Might take a look at the 1977 KZ650-C1 carb assembly on kawasaki.com OR the 1978 KZ650-C2 carb assembly on BikeBandit, and note part #34 (tee joint) and the two parts #36 (straight joint). No o-rings shown.

Here's the image from kawasaki.com.

Good Luck!

[Click on image to enhance view]

The above posted image from kawasaki.com shows only one of the two part #36 straight fuel pipes required.

The parts description section on BikeBandit's diagram for 1978 KZ650-C2 carb assembly says one tee and two straights are required.

Here's another pic for teflon tape wrapping location.

Good Luck!

AWESOME!!! thanks for all the insight. for some reason when I looked at the diagram earlier I was looking at #16. sometimes you just need another set of eyes. thanks again, I'll try the tape this week.

How did the tape work?

Teflon tape on the fuel tee is sort of a common fix, so if yours is leaking that would be one thing to try.