What do you have to do to test start

Hi I recently bought a 78 kz650 to build a bobber with the bike hasent ran for quite a few years because 95% of the wireing has been chewed up. I was needing to know what i need to do to bypass the ignition and the battery to just start it to make sure it still runs befor i get to deep into buying parts.

Do you have the key?

You may want to do a full compression test first by just jumping the starter.

If your compression is low, then theres no sense in hooking up everything else to run it.

Your going to be rebuilding it anyways, right?
No sense in putting a worn down engine into a new bobber...

If the compression is good, well then...
The carbs need to be thoroughly gone through and cleaned completely.
Big battery
The carbs, airbox w/air filter need to be installed air tight fittings.
Exhaust header at least, installed air tight fitting.
Fuel supply to carbs.
Good clean/new oil in her.
Power to coils, wires to plugs.
IC ignighter/or dyna to coils, pickups/points proper timed/installed and powered/to ignighter.
Get the whole thing screwed/strapped well onta an engine stand/bench.
Jump your starter till she goes...!

I tink dats it...

Good luck.

Yes i have a key im not sure how that is a help though cause the wireing is toast. im just tryin to see if this motor runs. I do agree about the compression test and yes im going to rebuild the motor eventualy but i wanna get the bike going as is and ride it for a while befor a rebuild. So i have the header on i cleaned the carbs i have the air cleaners and fresh oil in the motor, ive got fuel to the carbs. Now i need power to the coils. would i get that buy conecting a 12v supply to the red and yellow wire that splits to both coils?

Does your bike have ignition points or is it one with the Kawasaki electronic ignition?

To find out, open up the CD sized cover on the right side of the crankshaft. If it's electronic, there will be two pick up coils, the points if it has them, would be in the same place.

If electronic, a small aluminum module that has the words "IC Igniter" should be below the seat on the left side(could be wrong about this location).

78kz650bobber wrote:

...need power to the coils. would i get that buy conecting a 12v supply to the red and yellow wire that splits to both coils?

Yes.

Good Luck!

It has points for sure. thanks for all the help keep the advice comin.

Bike has two ignition coils.

One coil fires outside spark plugs #1/4.
Receives unground signal from left-hand (rear) points, perhaps a black wire.
The red/yellow batt+ wire connects to one primary terminal.
The black signal wire connects to the other primary terminal.

Other coil fires inside plugs #2/3.
Receives unground signal from right-hand (front) points, perhaps a green wire.
The red/yellow batt+ wire connects to one primary terminal.
The green signal wire connects to the other primary terminal.

Good Luck!

Here's a pic that might help.

This particular example had a white wire from the front points, which I changed to green.

Color doesn't really matter, so long as wire from right-hand front points goes to whichever coil is firing inside plugs #2/3, and wire from left-hand rear points goes to whichever coil is firing outside plugs #1/4. :lol:

[Click on image to enhance view.]



Good Luck!

sweet! so now the rectifier i have has 4 wires two yellow ones a white/red one and a black one. so the two yellow ones go to the stator the white/red one is the 12v and the black is the ground right?

Yellow wires usually mean alternator output wires in Kawasaki's, The WHITE wire with the RED stripe is output to the battery with the BLACK wire with YELLOW stripe is the ground circuit(found all over the bike).

The tail light/brake light circuit uses these colors:

RED,tail light or running light circuit.
BLUE,brake light circuit
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.

There's a good color wiring diagram available right here on KZr.

Go to the green ribbon toward top of screen.

Point to KZ Information. (Don't click, just point.)

Click on Filebase (under KZ Information).

Scroll to and click on 1978.

Scroll to and click on applicable KZ650 model.

Find and download the wiring diagram.

Good Luck!