No cold starts with starter, but pop starts work

Hey all,

Just picked up a 1981 KZ550 LTD for $500. Bike was registered, inspected and I was told ridden daily. I test drove it, and the guy drove it over to my house to drop it off and take the plates off. Both times the bike started up fine.

Over this weekend I got it registered and took it for quite a few rides. Would have some trouble on cold starts but it would get there after the 3rd or 4th try.

The past 2 times I've gone to ride it (consequently, to work) the electric start just wont do the job. It will putt for a little, but never catch and turn over. I've had to pop start it both these times in order to get the bike running. The starter sounds like it has enough juice, just the engine wont catch.

As soon as the bike is warm, all is well and the starter will work just fine. I can shut her down, leave it for an hour, come back and fire right up, but cold starts wont work.

Should the first step be cleaning the carbs? What else could make a cold start so hard?

Thanks
-Matt

Could be just dirty carbs, also could be missing the Choke Flaps.
Look for member Loudhvx, he has a bunch of links in his signature in each post. Manual, a web site and more info for your 550.
Copy and paste this whole link in your browser search pane.
home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/TK22mainPage/TK22mainPage.html

When you start the cold engine are you putting the choke on and not touching the throttle? Ed

Hey Ed,

Choke is on (and by on, it is parallel with the ground) and I wont touch the throttle the first few times. But when it starts to putt I would give it a little gas. Could that be flooding the engine?

I did drive it to work today and am going to start it every hour or so to keep it warm. I just went out and started it. It had a little trouble but eventually got to life after the 3rd try( This is 2 hours after parking the bike). I also noticed while it was idling that there seeming to be a puff/putt of air coming from the carbs/carb area every so often.

Your carbs may be different than mine, but on mine the choke lever is pulled upward to turn the choke on and pushed down into the horizontal position to turn it off. (see pics). If you are seeing little puffs near the carbs your carb holders may be leaking. This condition permits air to be drawn in (especially at idle speed) between the carbs and the cylinder head and will affect starting and idling. To test for leaks warm up the engine then using the throttle stop knob on the carbs temporarily lower the idle as much as possible without killing the engine. While it is idling spray carb cleaner around the carb holders where they mate with the cylinder head and where they mate with the carbs. If the idle is affected or the engine stops running the carb holders are leaking. If this happens when you spray at the carb holder/cylinder head joint you should replace the carb holders. If it only happens at the carb holder/carb joint you may be able to tighten the carb clamps enough to stop the leak. Ed

CHOKE OFF


CHOKE ON

Thanks for the help Ed. Yeah I flip the choke lever all the way up. I think this weekends project is to take apart the carbs to the head and see what looks like it needs replacing. I just took it for a ride for lunch and it acts very finiky between the idler screw and the choke lever.
I see on your carbs that you have the little hose connection on the carb holders blocked up, is there a reason for that? Mine do have hoses on them.

But wow, this is a pretty number:
www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?item=16065-1014X4

The airbox hoses to carbs are also looking a little worn, and one is popping off. So those should prolly also be replaced.

Just went out and checked the bike, and I could turn 3 of the 4 clamps from the carb holder to the carb haha.
Hopefully a good few turns of a screwdriver will help the situation, but I still want to take the carbs out and clean them.

Crazed98Camaro wrote: Thanks for the help Ed. Yeah I flip the choke lever all the way up. I think this weekends project is to take apart the carbs to the head and see what looks like it needs replacing. I just took it for a ride for lunch and it acts very finiky between the idler screw and the choke lever.
I see on your carbs that you have the little hose connection on the carb holders blocked up, is there a reason for that? Mine do have hoses on them.

But wow, this is a pretty number:
www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?item=16065-1014X4

The airbox hoses to carbs are also looking a little worn, and one is popping off. So those should prolly also be replaced.

GREAT NEWS! I think you just identified your bike's problem - don't take those carbs apart yet! Those brass nipples on the carb holders are ports that are only used when synchronizing the carbs. Tubes from vacuum gauges hook to them at that time. At all other times they must be capped off with vacuum caps or you bike will run poorly because air will bypass the carbs and be drawn through them into the cylinders. The genuine vacuum caps are still available from Kawasaki (part #92068-006). You will need 4 of them; ronayers.com lists them at $1.78 each. You may be able to find good substitutes at an auto parts store; just make sure they fit snug so they don't leak. Ed

Search vacuum plugs at Z1 Enterprises.

Click here > www.z1enterprises.com/ItemDetails.aspx?item=KL11-4972

Good Fortune!

Awesome!! Thanks guys. I am gonna check the bike one more time after work and order the parts tonight. Hopefully have an update come beginning of next week when the weather lightens up a bit here.

A little update, between the storms that rolled through here I was able to get a better look at the bike. Turns out, carbs 2&3 are plugged, but carbs 1&4 have these hoses on them.

These hoses go into a tee:



Then from there go to this at the front of the bike:



This is has 2 hoses going to the valve covers, then a hose that goes all the way back to the airbox.
Here is an expanded view:



Am I dealing with emissions here? Would I be able to plug all this up and get rid of it?
Thanks for any help.

Good Fortune!