TOPIC:

I recently purchased a 1980 kz1000 that does not run. I pretty sure its a firing issue. I am only getting 11 volts at the coils. I have 12 volts going to the switch and only 11 coming out. The volts get better if I unplug the light. Is this normal?

Every electical divice connectet or switch on when e-start the bike will do a battery voltage drop.
A not fully loaded or weak battery will do an extra voltage drop on e-start.
If the wiring harness conectors/switches are corroded they will do add more voltage drop to the ignition System.
Check,clean up you wiring harness and switches for Shorts or bad connectors (corroded Connections) . Check engine and frame battery negative points. Load your battery full, (check acid Level) or renew the battery.

Battery is new and a I'd was just put in. The key will pull out of the switch when it's on. I figure the switch may be damaged. If I unplug headlight, I get a voltage increase. Thanks for your response.

When you say it doesn't run do you mean it doesn't turn over? If it turns over, do you have spark at your plugs?

Yes, it's normal to see voltage rise when headlight is turned off.

I have very weak spark at the plugs. It turns over fine and all the light work except the ones that are not plugged in. I've taken the carbs off and cleaned. The bike will hit every now and then and one time cranked and idled but never cranked after.

Eleven volts is a bit low but the bike should still run. You should clean every contact in your ignition circuit first. If that doesn't get you 12 volts at the coils then try this.

www.wgcarbs.com/index.php/using-joomla/e...-categories/89-coils

I got the bike running! I changed the coils, new plugs and still wouldn't crank. Kept backfiring through carbs and exhaust. I swapped the green coil wire to black and black to green. Behold! The bike cranked and ran. Right opposite of what the wiring schematics I downloaded showed. Thanks for everyone's help!

That could mean the advancer mechanism is flipped 180 degrees. It will run fine that way, but will make troubleshooting a little harder in the future.

On all Kz inline fours, the black wire fires the 1&4 coil, and the green wire fires the 2&3 coil.

That makes sense.

On electronic ignitions, the pointer of the rotor should point toward the side of the advancer that has the "TEC" logo stamped in.


On points ignitions, the cam lobe has a tiny notch stamped into the top of the tube. THat notch should point toward the side with the "TEC" logo.

www.kzrider.com/media/kunena/attachments...entationadvancer.jpg