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Hoping for some help on this no spark problem.
- trapperworm
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So I'm new to the forum and new to owning a KZ....
Just picked up a 1981 kz750-E. It needs a little love to make it what I want but I have faith.
Here's the problem though. Test rode the bike the day a bought it and all around after I bought it of course. Fired up fine, rode fine, couldn't complain about the $500 purchase.
Bike sat for a week and when I tried to fire it up again, nothing.
It cranked but nothing... Went and gave it a quick once over and found there's no spark...
The run stop switch was broken from the time of purchase (it wouldn't move out of "run") but it would start before.
I'm not completely clueless mechanically but when it comes to electrical I have no idea where to start.
I guess any words of advice and maybe a push in the right direction would help.
Thanks
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- MFolks
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Manuals
www.repairmanual.com (They have used manuals for sale now and then)
www.manualsnmore.com
www.midwestmanuals.com/
www.books4cars.com/
www.repairmanualclub.com/motomanuals/
moto-manuals.com/
I prefer the Kawasaki Factory Shop Manuals over the ones from Clymer,Chilton, & Haynes.
For electrical troubleshooting,a cheap digtal multimeter is about the most important tool to have. Radio Shack, Lowes,Home Depot,Sears & most electronic supply stores sell digital multimeters.
I use a Ideal multimeter purchased at a Home Depot many years ago, I forget what I paid, maybe $25 or so, but it reads voltages(AC & DC),resistances,current up to 10 amps,and is a very useful tool when finding out why something dosen't work electrically.
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
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- trapperworm
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I did find one on ebay that I'm waiting on. It should be here somewhere between now and who knows when.
I have, or rather my room mate has a good multi-meter so I'm set there.
I'm just really not sure what to check and where.
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- trapperworm
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- MFolks
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I'd get screwdriver, and carefully open up the right switch pod,taking notes of how things came apart & photo's of the switches in case you need to open them up for repair.
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
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- trapperworm
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Hoping this will fix it.
Thanks for the advice... I'll post how it goes.
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- MFolks
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Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics
Get some of the De-Oxit electrical contact cleaner and figure on spending a good day going from the front of the bike to the back. It’s a plastic safe cleaner/preservative. www.deoxit.com is their website.
On the older Kawasaki's, a majority of electrical connectors are inside the headlight housing requiring removal of the headlight, then the fun begins.
Do one set of electrical connectors at a time to avoid mixing up what connects to where. Usually disconnecting, spraying with De-Oxit and reconnecting is about all you'll need.
However, when encountering the green crud of corrosion, a brass wire brush may be needed on the pins you can reach.
Some 400-600 grit wet and dry sandpaper strips rolled into a tube should reach the male and female pins in the more difficult to clean connectors.
Smoker’s pipe cleaners, cotton swabs and wooden toothpicks work as cleaning aids.
Really small electrical connectors may require the use of a welders tip cleaning tool assortment.
Most pins in the connectors are coated with a thin plating of tin, and others may be nothing more than copper or brass.
If moisture is added, the resulting corrosion lowers the voltage/current being carried causing dim lights, slow engine cranking, slow turn signal responce and lower input voltage to the ignition coils resulting in weak spark.
The left and right handlebar switch pods will need attention too as they have circuit functions like turn, horn, run/stop, and start.
Usually a spritz or two with actuation of the switch is about all needed for these switches unless corrosion is detected and then careful disassembly is required.
The ignition switch may or may be not sealed to allow spraying the internal contacts. I urge caution if attempting to open this up as springs, and ball bearings may fly out never to be seen again!
If your bike has the older style glass tubed fuses, I suggest replacing them as vibration can cause internal failure. AGX is the type used, and most auto parts stores can get them for you.
Clean the fuse holder clips, looking for signs of overheating(discolored insulation, signs of melting).I use metal polish on a cotton swab, followed by spraying another clean swab with the De-Oxit and then rubbing the inside of the fuse clip.
Each "Bullet Connector" will have to be sprayed to ensure good connectivity, especially the ones going to the energizing coil of the starter solenoid.
The alternator output “Bullet Connectors” are usually behind the engine sprocket cover and will need inspecting and cleaning too.
The turn signal light sockets will benefit from a spritz from the contact cleaner along with the tail light/brake light socket.
Some brake light switches can be sprayed on the actuating rod, with the spray running down inside to the electrical contacts, others may be sealed requiring replacement if the switch is intermittent in operation.
Some people put the Di-Electric Grease on cleaned terminations/connectors, I don’t, as I’ve read/heard it can cause problems when it gets hot, actually insulating the connections, so the choice is yours to use or not.
All battery connections must be clean and tight for maximum current flow, check the cable from the Negative(-) battery post going to an engine mounting bolt. Check the battery cables for signs of corrosion inside the insulation. If they feel "Crunchy" when flexed, replace them.
Inspect the Positive(+) cable from the battery terminal going to the starter solenoid and from it to the starter motor, agai for being clean and tight.
I think I've covered about all of the electrical systems on the bike.........
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
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- trapperworm
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Thanks again and I will post how it all turns out. Along with the pics of the progress that's more up my ally... This ol' scoots gettin' bobbed and customized to my liking. If I can get what's ion my head to show on this bike, it'll be one nice ride.
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- MFolks
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Replacement ones are available, but might require some wire splicing to match up with your bikes color codes on the wires.
www.redlinecycle.com/Handle%20Switch.html
www.kandstech.com/index.php?page=switchescontrols
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
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- Mjolnir613
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Edit: It may also be of note that my main fuse is overheating so much its melting the connectors and the plastic of the fuse box. It starts to heat up as soon as I put it in, even if I'm not trying to start it or anything.
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- 650ed
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Mjolnir613 wrote: I'm having a very similar problem with my 81 kz650 CSR. Bike ran fine when I got it, did a few things and didn't start it for a bit, now it gets no spark. Someone told me to check the points plate? I have no idea where that is and what to look for though. I have the Clymer manual but I didn't find anything in there, assuming I was looking for the wrong term or something.
Edit: It may also be of note that my main fuse is overheating so much its melting the connectors and the plastic of the fuse box. It starts to heat up as soon as I put it in, even if I'm not trying to start it or anything.
Did what things?
1977 KZ650-C1 Original Owner - Stock (with additional invisible FIAMM horn)
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- martin_csr
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