leaky boots all around

actually one of my grips has a big rip in it...

They're cheap.
Steve

2 new boots ordered... can I use the shoe goo now?

On your shoes.
Steve

82KZ305Belt wrote: 2 new boots ordered... can I use the shoe goo now?

You can use it anyplace EXCEPT on the carb holders. They need to be mounted dry - no sealant of any type. Ed

can I smear some around the edges (not inside) of the old carb boots while I wait for the new ones?

I guess you can try. I don't know if it will hold up with gas. Let us know if it does.
Steve

If you ordered the new carb holders I would expect you to receive them in a few days. If it was my bike, I would make the very best use of those days by using the time to allow Kroil to soften the bond between the carb holder screws and the cylinder head. Those screws can be VERY difficult to remove. When I replaced my carb holders I soaked those screws with Kroil for 3 days before even attempting to remove them. When I removed them I used a JIS screwdriver bit DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THEM USING A PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER BIT, ALL YOU WILL DO IT DAMAGE THEM! If you need more info on JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) bits, just ask. You can make your own by modifying a Phillips bit. Anyway, after soaking the screws with Kroil and using the correct bit those screws came out without a problem. This was a good thing because many folks on this site have stripped the screwheads; broken the screws off in the cylinder head; or even broken the cylinder head trying to remove them without soaking them first. They can be very stubborn! If you need info on Kroil just ask. Ed

Kroil? JIS modified Philips?? Do tell. Can I get them at Oreilliy's or Bumper to Bumper?

I started smearing some goop and quickly realized I didn't want to continue with that messy job anyway.

Here's some info on Kroil and JIS screws that should help. I believe you will find that a properly modified #3 Phillips will work best on the stock carb holder screws. Keep working on the bit until it fits like the one shown in Picture 1 below.

KROIL
When you try to remove a screw, bolt, or other threaded fastener and find that it won’t turn with a reasonable amount of force – STOP! Applying excessive force can and will break something and cause you endless grief. Instead of forging ahead like King Kong buy a can of Kroil penetrating oil and use it to soak stubborn fasteners for a couple days before trying to loosen them. Kroil will break the bond between the fasteners; this bond is often the result of dissimilar metals being in contact under heat and pressure for many years. Kroil can be bought online ( www.kanolabs.com ), at guns shows, eBay, and at some other venues. I can assure you from personal experience that it really does work. Here's what I use and it works like magic - no kidding!



JIS FASTENERS
WARNING! Do not even try to use Phillips screwdrivers on the Kawasaki cross head screws. Despite their appearance they are not Phillips screws. They are Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) screws. The tips of Phillips screwdrivers are too long & pointed to allow the 4 blades of the screwdriver to properly engage the screws, so when you apply force the screw head slots will deform and look like crap. The fact is that Phillips screws were deliberately designed to have the screwdriver bit "cam out." This was done to prevent production line assembly from over-tightening, stripping, or breaking the screws. JIS screws do not have this problem. A proper fitting JIS bit can tighten a JIS screw to and beyond the torque spec without camming out. Here's the good news - you can easily modify standard Phillips screwdriver tips to fit the JIS screws.

I have ground down the tips of DeWalt #2 and DeWalt #3 Phillips to make them fit JIS screws. The large crosshead screws on the cases take modified #3 bits (or genuine #3 JIS bits). To modify the DeWalt bits you need to grind the very tip a little, then test fit, then grind a little more and test fit, etc. until the bit no longer "rocks" back and forth in the screwhead. Picture 1 below shows how a DeWalt #3 bit fits the case screws of my KZ650 after being ground properly. The #2 DeWalt bits can be modified the same way to fit smaller JIS screws. Pictures 2 and 3 below shows DeWalt #2 and #3 modified bits.

I did find a place that sells authentic JIS bits. They don't list the #3 bit, but if you contact them they can provide the #3 JIS bits even though they are not listed on the website. These folks were very easy to work with, and the authentic bits do work great. Here's their site:

www.rjrcooltools.com/shop_item_detail.cfm?subcat_ID=89

Pictures 4 & 5 below show a comparison between my home made modified bits with the authentic JIS bits. The last image is a diagram that shows the different angles of JIS vs Phillips screws.

PICTURE 1

PICTURE 2

PICTURE 3

PICTURE 4

PICTURE 5

PICTURE 6

I went to the hardware store and bought these Master Mechanic bits to modify. Took em home and saw that they are a "snub nose" bit (it doesn't say that on the package and I didn't notice it) They seem to fit the screw heads very snugly without modification.

www.wards5and10.com/master-mechanic-442459.html

If you are not a purist, replace all those awful JIS screws with Allen head screws and use stainless steel ones at that.