1978 KZ 650 Headlight isn't working

My mechanic tested the contacts and they weren't getting any power...my turn signals and everything else seem to be working fine so he thinks it's a problem with the switch. I'm a total newb and still haven't had a chance to get a repair manual so I'm wondering if there's anybody that can help me out. I'm leaving for a trip to St Louis from Indianapolis on Monday and my mechanic won't have a chance to look at it so I need all the help I can get. Thanks!

Teh Nap wrote:

My mechanic tested the contacts and they weren't getting any power...my turn signals and everything else seem to be working fine so he thinks it's a problem with the switch. I'm a total newb and still haven't had a chance to get a repair manual so I'm wondering if there's anybody that can help me out. I'm leaving for a trip to St Louis from Indianapolis on Monday and my mechanic won't have a chance to look at it so I need all the help I can get. Thanks!

Would assure the headlight bulb isn't burned out.

Could try spraying WD40 inside the switch while manipulating the switch to see whether the headlight starts burning.

Might be power wire to switch instead of the switch itself, or a problem in the ignition switch.

Don't know if there's a separate fuse to the headlight that might be blown or loose.

Good Luck!

If a wiring diagram is desired, here's one link to downloadable color wiring diagram, found by clicking on "Filebase" under "KZ Information" (in the green ribbon toward top of screen), then navigating to year and then model.
Downloadable Wiring Diagram

Good Luck!

Patton wrote:

Teh Nap wrote:

My mechanic tested the contacts and they weren't getting any power...my turn signals and everything else seem to be working fine so he thinks it's a problem with the switch. I'm a total newb and still haven't had a chance to get a repair manual so I'm wondering if there's anybody that can help me out. I'm leaving for a trip to St Louis from Indianapolis on Monday and my mechanic won't have a chance to look at it so I need all the help I can get. Thanks!

Would assure the headlight bulb isn't burned out.

Could try spraying WD40 inside the switch while manipulating the switch to see whether the headlight starts burning.

Might be power wire to switch instead of the switch itself, or a problem in the ignition switch.

Don't know if there's a separate fuse to the headlight that might be blown or loose.

Good Luck!

He already tryed spraying something in the switch to get it going and that didn't work and I've already got the wire diagram...I'm going to take a look into this tomorrow and see what I can do. I'm sure I can't do too much damage...thanks for the help man!

I'm not sure when Kawasaki started to install them in the bikes, but look at the wiring diagram for a "reserve lighting system" or device. If it is in your bike it may be acting up preventing the headlight from coming on.

If it's not there, I'd check the fuses and see if the one for the headlight is faulty. The older glass tubed fuses can fail and look o.k. Only by using a self power test light or a multimeter set on OHMS can a person determine if a fuse is good or not.

The end caps on the fuses should resist any pulling or twisting and the element inside should be intact with no melting. Check the fuse clips where the fuse sits in the fuse box for corrosion and tightness.Any green corrosion is resistance and lower current flow.

I had lots of problems with headlight when I got my 78 KZ650. Come to think of it, I had lots of problems with all the lights. I found that those original bullet type connectors (im not sure if thats what they are called) were always loose. I had to squeeze them down a bit with a pair of pliers and that has worked for a while so far.

I clean the ones on my 82 GPZ1100 B2 with a very good electrical contact cleaner/preservative called De-oxit made by Caig Labs. www.deoxit.com is their website. I believe it's available through Radio Shack in the U.S.
I use it on cordless phone charging cradles, the audio patch cords on the entertainment center and the many and various electrical connectors in my Toyota Camry.

I use pipe cleaners available from a tobacco shop to clean the female sockets and a small brass bristle brush on the male connectors. I also use this cleaner on the fuse clips and lightbulb sockets.

I learned that using WD-40 on electrical contacts can later have the effect of having an insulator on the pieces. I along time ago sprayed WD-40 on my fuse clips and everything was good until the day I turned the key and nothing happened! No lights,horn,fuel pump activity, nor tail light/brake lights.

I just happened to have some pieces of fine grit sandpaper in the tool kit and abraded away from the fuses and fuse clips the now insulating film of WD-40 and the bike worked!