1995 KZ1000P Won't Start

Greetings everyone. Everyone here has been a huge help and this is a great resource. I figured out my electrical woes for my lights and turn signals and now its on to getting her running.

For the record, I was able to get it to start (after hitting the starter button for prolonged periods of time and using starting fluid) but the bike raced up to a high RPM and when I gave it throttle, it just died. Also, I was leaking gas everywhere. Once I got the fuel lines hooked up, when I tried starting it over, gas would spurt out everywhere. I ordered a kit and was able to rebuild the petcock no problem. I know that it "has" to be a carb issue as it did run, (and ran smooth when it was running). I figured maybe I just had to dial in the fast idle screw located on the bottom of the carb bank.

No the issue is it won't start period. Even with starter fluid. I get spark to all four plugs, the plugs are new, gaped and cleaned. I also tested to make sure the petcock work. I turned it on prime and gas would just flow out, and when in the "on" position, it spurts out and I figure would be more when more vacuum is created when the bike turns over. Any thoughts? It has to be something stupid I am missing because it did run, although terrible. I killed the battery so I put it on the tender waiting for it to charge before I try again.

Thanks!

When a bike, or any other engine has been sitting for years, the fuel system needs cleaning/ rebuilding. I would clean the tank, carbs and try again. You can get carb rebuild kits, which will have the basics. But if you need slide diaphragms or a float, maybe another piece, you'll have to chase that down.
Open the carb bowl drains, turn the petcock to Prime, and see what flows out.

Probably some serious gum in those float bowls.

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the replies. To be honest, the bike really didn't sit that long. About a year and the tank and carbs were drained. It was used for a while as a training bike to teach others advanced riding techniques. The tank is a little dinged up on the outside but the interior seriously looks brand new. Not one spec of rust anywhere. When I got the bike, the carbs were already off and I did pull the bottom bowls off to look inside. It was not gummed up at all. Not even any visible varnish. I pulled the drain screws on all 4 carbs and gas flows freely from them. All I did was clean the exterior and cleaned what I could without really removing anything as the interior looked really clean to begin with. Like I was saying earlier, I was able to get it running but after I rebuilt the petcock, I can't get it to crank.

maybe you have the vacuum and fuel lines switched :pinch:

nlwatkin wrote: ... ordered a kit and was able to rebuild the petcock no problem... also tested to make sure the petcock work. I turned it on prime and gas would just flow out, and when in the "on" position, it spurts out and I figure would be more when more vacuum is created when the bike turns over....

Without vacuum applied to the petcock, gasoline should flow ONLY in prime position.

Where gasoline "spurts out" in the "on" position, the petcock is malfunctioning.

When in prime position, the petcock is basically serving as a fuel strainer.

Carb function, diagnosis, and tuning may be performed with the petcock in prime position, or without a petcock.

The objective of eliminating fuel flow through the petcock when the engine isn't running is to disallow excess fuel from entering into carbs through imperfectly functioning float valves.

Good Fortune!

nlwatkin wrote: ... the bike really didn't sit that long... tank... interior seriously looks brand new. Not one spec of rust anywhere. When I got the bike, the carbs were already off and I did pull the bottom bowls off to look inside. It was not gummed up at all. Not even any visible varnish. I pulled the drain screws on all 4 carbs and gas flows freely from them. All I did was clean the exterior and cleaned what I could without really removing anything as the interior looked really clean to begin with... I was able to get it running but after I rebuilt the petcock, I can't get it to crank.

Would be of interest why the carbs had been removed, and what if any "work" was done on them.
Perhaps were incorrectly reassembled, such as missing pilot jet plugs, upside down float mechanisms, botched tang adjustments, etc.

Good Fortune!

nlwatkin wrote: Hello everyone,

Thanks for the replies. To be honest, the bike really didn't sit that long. About a year and the tank and carbs were drained. It was used for a while as a training bike to teach others advanced riding techniques. The tank is a little dinged up on the outside but the interior seriously looks brand new. Not one spec of rust anywhere. When I got the bike, the carbs were already off and I did pull the bottom bowls off to look inside. It was not gummed up at all. Not even any visible varnish. I pulled the drain screws on all 4 carbs and gas flows freely from them. All I did was clean the exterior and cleaned what I could without really removing anything as the interior looked really clean to begin with. Like I was saying earlier, I was able to get it running but after I rebuilt the petcock, I can't get it to crank.

So it won't Crank? Turn Over with the Starter? Or to you just mean it won't run?

It will turn over with the starter, just won't catch. I was able to start it once and ran, just shot up to a high RPM. Before I rebuilt the petcock. I think it is a coincidence that it won't start after I rebuilt it. Gas flows fine in the "Prime" position and when I am turning the bike over, gas will shoot out the petcock when the starter is engaged trying to start it. The reason it was removed (though I can't verify if the carb itself was touched) was to replace the rubber intake boots that go from the motor to the carb. The previous owner was nice enough to include a brand new set as the originals were all cracked up. I am going to toy around with it again this morning to see if I come up with anything else. Thanks again everyone.

Checked the coils to make sure they aren't bad. I am reading around 12 volts, its hard to tell exact as I have a cheap meter that has a needle and not a digital read out.

Alright guys, I am thoroughly stuck. I am not sure what else to look at.

* I pulled the tops of the carbs off to look down into the diaphram just to see if it looked nasty (I didn't want to pull the bank) and looks really clean. Short of something not being installed properly I am not sure what else to look here.

* I pulled the drain plugs on all four carb bowls. Gas flows freely in the prime position. Gas line hooked up to the main T in the middle of the carb bank. Vacuum line (2nd port from the left side) was hooked into the vacuum port on the petcock. Honestly, I don't really see what difference it would make since all 4 ports provide vacuum.

* I pulled all four plugs to check for spark. When grounded on the motor, I see a blue spark. I double checked to make sure they are plugged in correctly. Coil on the left is for 1 and 4 and coil on the right is for 2 and 3.

* The motor does turn over. It doesn't sound bogged down

* I pulled the cover to check the electronic timing, all looked free and clear with no damage. Advancer is free and moves freely

* I even went so far as to spray starting fluid into where the plugs go just to see if I can get it to fire and nothing.

All out of ideas short of pulling the carb off and tearing it apart. But even IF the carb bank was not 100% you would think it would at least start right?

Are all the unused vacuum nipples plugged/capped as they are supposed to be?

An uncapped vacuum nipple creates a huge air leak.

Good Fortune!