1977 kz400 stator problems?

jona barish wrote: Thank you for all your help MFolks!

I decided not to inspect the stator without knowing for sure if that's the problem. I'm currently looking for a mechanic who can do some diagnostic work and find out what the problem is. I'm having trouble finding someone who are willing to work on an older bike out here.

Are there other things that could be causing these problems? Like I said, I have no electrical and the bike won't start. The battery is brand new and is outputting normal power levels... Fuses are all good, connections look clean and secure.

I suggest you buy the Kawasaki Service Manual for your year/model bike. They normally are available on eBay - be sure to get the correct one for your bike. The manual gives clear step by step instructions on trouble shooting the charging system. It's possible you have a problem as simple as a bad rectifier or regulator. Ed

Another website for specific 4 stroke twin engined Kawasaki motorcycles is:
www.armbell.com/forum/index.php?c=6&sid=...0d70d20&mforum=kz400

Thanks guys.
I'm reading about a lot of people with the same issue. Some of them say it was just a bad ignition connection; I'll have to take a look at it tonight.

These older bikes are showing crumbled solder joints on the handlebar switches and corrosion on most of the electrical connectors. Here's how to clean the electrical connectors:

Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics

1. 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. It can be purchased at most Radio Shack Stores or any electronic supply places. Or use any plastic safe electrical contact cleaner(NOT WD-40 !).

2. On the older Kawasaki's, a majority of electrical connectors are inside the headlight housing requiring removal of the headlight, then the fun begins.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. Smoker’s pipe cleaners, cotton swabs and wooden toothpicks work as cleaning aids.

6. Really small electrical connectors may require the use of a welders tip cleaning tool assortment.

7. Most pins in the connectors are coated with a thin plating of tin, and others may be nothing more than copper or brass.

8. 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.

9. The left and right handlebar switch pods will need attention too as they have circuit functions like turn, horn, run/stop, and start. The older Kawasaki’s have reports of the soldered connections crumbling, if your bike has this problem, just ask, as I’ve got a repair procedure for this.

10. 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.

11. 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!

12. 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, along with boating supply stores.

13. 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.

14. All battery cables must be clean and tight for maximum current transfer. Check the cables going from the Negative(-) battery terminal/post to the engine mounting bolt

15. Also the one going from the Positive(+) terminal to the starter solenoid and from there to the starter motor.

16. If any battery cable feels ”Crunchy” when flexed, replace it as possible corrosion is inside the insulation. Inspect all heavy duty battery cables and the smaller wire terminations(Bullet Connectors), for failed crimps, and those used in the electrical connectors, as they can fail over time.

17. Each "Bullet Connector" will have to be sprayed to ensure good connectivity, especially the ones going to the energizing coil of the starter solenoid.

18. The alternator output “Bullet Connectors” are usually behind the engine sprocket cover and will need inspecting and cleaning too.

20. The turn signal light sockets will benefit from a spritz from the contact cleaner along with the tail light/brake light socket.

21. 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.

22. 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.

I think I've covered about all of the electrical systems on the bike.........

“I spent a weekend going through every electrical connection and switch on the bike with a little scotchbrite pad and DeOxit - what a difference! Everything was brighter, gauge backlights, indicator lights, turn signals, I was getting a nicer spark, it fired up quicker, etc. Well worth my time. WELL worth it! “

From a forum member at www.kzrider.com

Awesome, I have a plan of attack now. I've got a multimeter now and I'm ready to get started. I hope this fixes the problem!...or at least identifies it

The Black with Yellow stripe wires are the ground connection circuits, and any place you can find a bare section of the frame with no paint on it. Get a set of alligator clips that will fit the multimeter probes, this will make troubleshooting much easier. If you're not familiar with operation of a multimeter, watch this video:

The Best Mutimeter Tutorial

Cleaned and inspected every connection I could reach. Everything seems to be in order.
I made the mistake of only eyeballing the fuses earlier; when I pulled them out I found this guy.
The previous owner put a 10A fuse into the 20A clips for the main power line and the fuse is demolished. I'm hoping this will put my issue to rest...Do you think this is the only culprit?

These are ASB fuses, which none of my local auto/hardware stores had.
Can I replace them with AGX fuses? There are two 10A sockets and a main 20A socket.


There's also this (inline fuse?). I don't know anything about these... Will this affect the original fuse assembly?

The fuse in the lower picture is the "Blade Style" used in cars and later model motorcycles. My bike has the older glass tubed fuses like your bike has. If I get a working space cleared in my garage, I'll change my fuses to the blade style. They are more reliable, and resist vibration that can cause the glass tubed styles to break.

Fuse And Fuse Holder Designations

1. The older Kawasaki’s use a glass tubed fuse with the designation of AGX 1” long. Most good auto parts stores can get them for you. They are ¼” in diameter.

2. The more common AGC is 1 ¼” long and may not fit the smaller fuse clips. Again, ¼” in diameter.

3. To clean and polish the fuse clips, I use a cotton swab(Q- Tip) and some Brasso metal cleaner or Turtle Wax Chrome Polish. I suppose any good metal polish would work.

4. These fuses can fail internally but look good, only by using a multimeter to check for voltage going through the fuse, or when the fuse is removed for physical inspection for tight end caps & continuity checks,can it be determined if it’s serviceable.

5. Most modern motorcycles are now using the automobile “Blade” style fuse with the designation of ATC or ATO.

6. The reduced sized “Mini” Blade style fuse holder uses the ATM size of fuses.

7. If the fuse and fuse holder overheat, it could soften or anneal the grip of the clip, it might require squeezing the clip to restore the tightness.

8. A list of where to purchase “Blade” style fuses and holders:

www.waytekwire.com order.waytekwire.com/productdetail2/M50/...20%20%20%208%20FUSE/

www.rallylights.com www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=765

www.delcity.net/store/6!way-fuse-blocks/p_10822.a_1

www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Product...ers/fuseholders.html

www.autowiringsolutions.com/item.php?item_id=251&category_id=89 (ATO/ATC Fuse Holder)


9. A source for the glass tubed AGX fuses:
www.boatownerswarehouse.com/browse.cfm/2,4986.html

www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Result.aspx?N...&D=AGX&Dk=1&Dp=3&N=0

If you do change to the blade style, and use a multiple fuse holder, check to make sure the older fuse holder is not jumpered internally, as most Japanese bikes do this to save in wiring.

Well I replaced my fuses and now the bike starts, and the battery is reading almost 15v+ when the engine is running at 3000rpm. But the bike will not idle; it dies as soon as I let off the throttle, even with the choke on. Full tank of gas and new oil.

Any ideas?

Using any of the E-Gas? (Ethanol, E-10,15,20, & 85) The Ethanol can cause internal fuel line collapse, and soften/collapse fuel filters: Effects OF Ethanol On Fuel Filter
www.kzrider.com/forum/3-carburetor/54385...ine-visu-filter-junk


It might be time to throughly clean the carbs. If needed, I have a two part carb cleaning procedure, just ask...

Open the gas tank cap and try starting & let the engine idle, you might have a clogged tank vent. Most are built into the tanks cap, with a winding path for air ventilation.

Thanks for the leads. I wasn't the one who filled the tank and I don't know what kind of fuel the bikes been using. I will try inspecting the fuel filter/lines tomorrow. Can you post a link to the carb cleaning procedure so I have it handy just in case? Thanks!