help please
- badnproud
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help please
01 Sep 2011 03:07
hi new to the forum i just baught a 1978 kz1000 has 3000km on it bike runs perfect but no lights will come on aside from nutreal and the red light on the dash tested my headlights and blinkers the bulbs are good 2 front signal lights are off the bike head light tail light and blinkers wont come on when i plug them in and fire the bike up any ideas what may cause this?
1978 kz1000 with k&n pods couldn't find an airbox for it lol
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
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- wireman
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Re: help please
01 Sep 2011 03:09
check fuses under left side cover

posting from deep under a non-descript barn in an undisclosed location southwest of Omaha.
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- badnproud
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Re: help please
01 Sep 2011 03:11
did that there all fine tested with a ohm meter was wondering if there is a breaker switch or relay that may control power to all he light or shoud i maybe do the dreded and cut the wire harness open to see if theres a bad wire?
1978 kz1000 with k&n pods couldn't find an airbox for it lol
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
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- wireman
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Re: help please
01 Sep 2011 03:19 - 01 Sep 2011 03:20
do you have power at and past the fuses, headlight switch,sockets for bulbs?
the black wire with yellow tracer seems to be the common ground for many things on your bike,maybe try running a temp ground to the engine cases or neg side of battery to see if its the problem
the black wire with yellow tracer seems to be the common ground for many things on your bike,maybe try running a temp ground to the engine cases or neg side of battery to see if its the problem
posting from deep under a non-descript barn in an undisclosed location southwest of Omaha.
Last edit: 01 Sep 2011 03:20 by wireman.
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- TeK9iNe
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Re: help please
01 Sep 2011 04:07
Time to whip out the old voltmeter and start diagnosing the problem.
You should be able to find a good wiring diagram in the filebase here.
Good luck!
You should be able to find a good wiring diagram in the filebase here.
Good luck!

Motorcycle Shop Owner/Operator
79 Kawie Z1000 LTD
81 Kawie Z1000 CSR
83 Honda VT750C A
85 Kawie GPZ900 A2
86 Zukie GS1150 EG
93 Yamie XV1100 E
Lucky to have rolled many old bikes through my doors
79 Kawie Z1000 LTD
81 Kawie Z1000 CSR
83 Honda VT750C A
85 Kawie GPZ900 A2
86 Zukie GS1150 EG
93 Yamie XV1100 E
Lucky to have rolled many old bikes through my doors

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- badnproud
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Re: help please
01 Sep 2011 21:11
have signals working now they just needed plugged in headlight switch for high and low was bad so i replaced ot with one the same now when i switch from high beam to low beam it blows the main fuse and the blue wire fuse ?black and yellow wires in the headligh is power according to my test light so under the tank where the 3 wires for the high low must be the trouble im still tryen to figure out witch is ground in the head light its yellow red stripe is it the same under the tank?
1978 kz1000 with k&n pods couldn't find an airbox for it lol
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
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- wireman
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Re: help please
01 Sep 2011 23:50
well according to pge 229 of the shop manual that black/yellow id the ground for every light on the bike. :laugh:
the black ground on bikes/trucks/cars on cars really used to jack with me being an electrician,i was used to black being used for power on the stuff i worked on for a living!
the black ground on bikes/trucks/cars on cars really used to jack with me being an electrician,i was used to black being used for power on the stuff i worked on for a living!

posting from deep under a non-descript barn in an undisclosed location southwest of Omaha.
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- MFolks
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Re: help please
02 Sep 2011 00:28
This might help:
Color Codes On Most Kawasaki’s (written for 1980’s bikes)
HEADLIGHT
RED with BLACK stripe, High Beam.
RED with YELLOW stripe, Low Beam.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
BRAKE/TAIL LIGHT Can be an # 1157 dual filament bulb
RED, Running or Tail Light.
BLUE,(sometimes with a Red stripe) Brake Light Circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
LEFT FRONT TURN SIGNAL Can be an #1157 dual filament bulb
GREEN, Left front turn signal circuit.
BLUE, Left front running light circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
RIGHT FRONT TURN SIGNAL Can be an # 1157 dual filament bulb
GREY, Right front turn signal circuit.
BLUE, Right front running light circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL Can be an #1156 single filament bulb
GREEN, Left rear turn signal circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL Can be an #1156 single filament bulb
GREY, Right rear turn signal circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
Color Codes On Most Kawasaki’s (written for 1980’s bikes)
HEADLIGHT
RED with BLACK stripe, High Beam.
RED with YELLOW stripe, Low Beam.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
BRAKE/TAIL LIGHT Can be an # 1157 dual filament bulb
RED, Running or Tail Light.
BLUE,(sometimes with a Red stripe) Brake Light Circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
LEFT FRONT TURN SIGNAL Can be an #1157 dual filament bulb
GREEN, Left front turn signal circuit.
BLUE, Left front running light circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
RIGHT FRONT TURN SIGNAL Can be an # 1157 dual filament bulb
GREY, Right front turn signal circuit.
BLUE, Right front running light circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL Can be an #1156 single filament bulb
GREEN, Left rear turn signal circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
RIGHT REAR TURN SIGNAL Can be an #1156 single filament bulb
GREY, Right rear turn signal circuit.
BLACK with YELLOW stripe, the ground circuit.
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
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- Patton
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Re: help please
02 Sep 2011 04:11
If needed, there are wiring diagrams in the FILEBASE.
Here's a direct link:
www.kzrider.com/filebase/doc_download/268-z1000a2
Good Fortune!
Attachment filebasekzr.jpg not found
Here's a direct link:
www.kzrider.com/filebase/doc_download/268-z1000a2
Good Fortune!

1973 Z1
KZ900 LTD
KZ900 LTD
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- badnproud
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Re: help please
02 Sep 2011 21:49
got them all worken now thanks for your help huys she runs like a dream turned out had a bad switch on the high low beam got another one and shes perfect as fasr as that goes now to get the carbs synced and it should be good for another 30 years lol
1978 kz1000 with k&n pods couldn't find an airbox for it lol
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
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- badnproud
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Re: help please
07 Sep 2011 14:26
so now that everythings worken well is there a way to cut the battery out of the bike completely since it has kick start ?
1978 kz1000 with k&n pods couldn't find an airbox for it lol
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
1980 kz650 e model stock
1984kz440 ltd stock
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- MFolks
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Re: help please
07 Sep 2011 15:26
Not really, as the battery supplies the energy for the ignition.These bike do not have a magneto.Why are you trying to isolate the battery?
1982 GPZ1100 B2
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
General Dynamics/Convair 1983-1993
GLCM BGM-109 Tomahawk, AGM-129A Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)
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