Just when i thought i had it all figured out....

So to make a (3 year) long story short. I have built this kz1000 externally from scratch and everything is pretty much great but the cursed charging system :evil: . I had it wired before and it ran but wouldn't hold a charge so i got a new battery, still didn't do it.so i figured I'd re- rewire it.... This time i wasn't messing around got a Brand new battery, all new wires fuse holders, stator, key switch, $100 R/R and went to town. The bike fired right up and ran great. Road it around for about 3 days and the weather got nasty so i put the bike up for about 2 weeks. Came out to ride it one day and it took about 15 kicks and it started.... Kinda weird but what ever. Now i have just moved all my stuff is in storage about 200+ miles away and i'm living with the in law's for a bit! :pinch: I brought the bike with me on a trailer and have been riding it almost every day. Today I went out to bleed the brakes and get it ready for a little ride with some buddies and it took a few kicks and it started for about 5 seconds and died. After about 5 million kicks later I felt like putting a stick of dynamite in the tank and watching the stupid thing blow up. It wont even try to start now. No power spark or anything. The headlight is barely barley lit. I'm about to rip my hair out with this thing. I don't understand what the problem could be? Everything is new and was working fine about 24 hours ago... WTF!?!?!?!


P.S. I know the first thing everyone is going to tell me is "Check the voltage with a meter" Witch i would if all my stuff wasn't in storage 200 miles away. Any suggestions?


This is my wiring diagram I made for my bike.

I share your pain :pinch:

As far as putting dynamite in the gas tank? A lit match should be sufficient, but don't do it!!! Good luck...

Of course that's what we'd reply, totally logical for trouble shooting don't you think....
Go buy another DVM ($25) for verifying voltages, resistance and continuity.

Dim head light equates to low battery voltage...
D-connect the 15 amp fuse so it's just the coil voltage you're t-shooting.

Check all your connections, possibly a disconnect for coil voltage.

Blown 30 amp fuse....?
If fuses good, and still no volt meter, bypass ignition switch to coils with 30amp SPST switch....
She fire up...

Otherwise, if battery low, poor/disconnected ground to frame & engine, charging circuit R/R combo unit or stator issue...

Wiring diagram looks okay.

Would assure integrity of the ground connection where the battery negative cable attaches to rear of engine.

Would remove battery, add water if needed, charge overnight (1~2 amps), and get the battery load-tested.
Usually for free at AutoZone, Walmart, etc., and generally anywhere batteries are sold.

When re-installing the battery, assure the wire lug terminals and posts are clean, and securely fastened.

To check the charging system, measure voltage across battery terminals at idle rpm, which should be 13+ volts.
Measure again at 4000 rpm, which should be 14~15 volts.

Good Fortune!

So I just borrowed my buddies volt meter and the bike pumps out pretty close to the volts Patton mentioned. I got the bike running after sitting on the charger for a while and took it up the street and it was riding right and everything but when I started to pull back into the shop the headlight started to dim as the rpms dropped and then the bike just died. The battery I bought is just a normal wet cell battery that i picked up from my local hardware store. I don't think it would have gone bad already... I also checked the voltage coming from the R/R and its good. I'm thinking about just buying a "New" Stator off ebay but The two I found are priced super differently. Anyone know how the $75.00 dollar one stands up to the $180.00 one?

Have you gone to www.electrosport.com and used their troubleshooting page? They also sell overwound stators, for low rpm charging. I believe they sell the regulator/rectifier combination too.

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MFolks wrote: Have you gone to www.electrosport.com and used their troubleshooting page? They also sell overwound stators, for low rpm charging. I believe they sell the regulator/rectifier combination too.

Looked and i don't see a stator for my 78 kz1000c.

These are the ones I found.

The problem I see with buying on E-bay, is you may be purchasing damaged equipment, with no warranty. Look at these websites too:

Stators, Regulators & Rectifiers
www.rmstator.com
store.prestoliteperformance.com/accel-mc...z1000-1100-1300.html
Kawasaki 77/78 1000A. www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/P...tId=&mmyId=10274
Kawasaki 79 1000ST.
www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_catalog/P...atId=&mmyId=1656
www.customrewind.com (they can rebuild your stator)
www.regulatorrectifier.com
www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com (not sure they have stators)
www.accel-motorcycle.com/
www.tpe-usa.com/ (Tim Parrott Enterprises)

Ogcoda wrote: ... got the bike running after sitting on the charger for a while and took it up the street and it was riding right and everything but when I started to pull back into the shop the headlight started to dim as the rpms dropped and then the bike just died. The battery I bought is just a normal wet cell battery that i picked up from my local hardware store. I don't think it would have gone bad already... I also checked the voltage coming from the R/R and its good. I'm thinking about just buying a "New" Stator off ebay but The two I found are priced super differently. Anyone know how the $75.00 dollar one stands up to the $180.00 one?

Seems as if the battery is failing to accept and hold a charge.

Would remove battery, charge it overnight, and take it to an automotive supplier such as AutoZone (or maybe Walmart) for load test (usually performed as as a free service.)

The voltage measurements would indicate that the bike's charging system seems to be working okay without needing any new parts.

Good Fortune!

Ogcoda wrote: So to make a (3 year) long story short. I have built this kz1000 externally from scratch and everything is pretty much great but the cursed charging system :evil: . I had it wired before and it ran but wouldn't hold a charge so i got a new battery, still didn't do it.so i figured I'd re- rewire it.... This time i wasn't messing around got a Brand new battery, all new wires fuse holders, stator, key switch, $100 R/R and went to town. The bike fired right up and ran great. Road it around for about 3 days and the weather got nasty so i put the bike up for about 2 weeks. Came out to ride it one day and it took about 15 kicks and it started.... Kinda weird but what ever. Now i have just moved all my stuff is in storage about 200+ miles away and i'm living with the in law's for a bit! :pinch: I brought the bike with me on a trailer and have been riding it almost every day. Today I went out to bleed the brakes and get it ready for a little ride with some buddies and it took a few kicks and it started for about 5 seconds and died. After about 5 million kicks later I felt like putting a stick of dynamite in the tank and watching the stupid thing blow up. It wont even try to start now. No power spark or anything. The headlight is barely barley lit. I'm about to rip my hair out with this thing. I don't understand what the problem could be? Everything is new and was working fine about 24 hours ago... WTF!?!?!?!


P.S. I know the first thing everyone is going to tell me is "Check the voltage with a meter" Witch i would if all my stuff wasn't in storage 200 miles away. Any suggestions?


This is my wiring diagram I made for my bike.

In your basic diagram, you have all three stator wires going into one R/R wire. I'm sure you have them going to three R/R wires, but please clarify. Post wire color connections, from Stator to R/R and R/R to battery along with the diameter of the wires used. You may have to small of wire going from R/R to battery and ground.

Motor Head wrote:

Ogcoda wrote: So to make a (3 year) long story short. I have built this kz1000 externally from scratch and everything is pretty much great but the cursed charging system :evil: . I had it wired before and it ran but wouldn't hold a charge so i got a new battery, still didn't do it.so i figured I'd re- rewire it.... This time i wasn't messing around got a Brand new battery, all new wires fuse holders, stator, key switch, $100 R/R and went to town. The bike fired right up and ran great. Road it around for about 3 days and the weather got nasty so i put the bike up for about 2 weeks. Came out to ride it one day and it took about 15 kicks and it started.... Kinda weird but what ever. Now i have just moved all my stuff is in storage about 200+ miles away and i'm living with the in law's for a bit! :pinch: I brought the bike with me on a trailer and have been riding it almost every day. Today I went out to bleed the brakes and get it ready for a little ride with some buddies and it took a few kicks and it started for about 5 seconds and died. After about 5 million kicks later I felt like putting a stick of dynamite in the tank and watching the stupid thing blow up. It wont even try to start now. No power spark or anything. The headlight is barely barley lit. I'm about to rip my hair out with this thing. I don't understand what the problem could be? Everything is new and was working fine about 24 hours ago... WTF!?!?!?!


P.S. I know the first thing everyone is going to tell me is "Check the voltage with a meter" Witch i would if all my stuff wasn't in storage 200 miles away. Any suggestions?


This is my wiring diagram I made for my bike.

In your basic diagram, you have all three stator wires going into one R/R wire. I'm sure you have them going to three R/R wires, but please clarify. Post wire color connections, from Stator to R/R and R/R to battery along with the diameter of the wires used. You may have to small of wire going from R/R to battery and ground.

The Wire I used from the R/R to the battery is the one that comes out of it stock... Theres not much I can do about the wires that are coming out of the R/R.

This sound like a equal problem, I had on one of my car's, for years ago.
The solution there was to make a new earthing cable between motor and chase (16mm2 copper).
I had the car for years after, and had no more problems.
It's worth trying that on your kz

Good luck