Grommet Help...

So its gotten warmer and I've dusted the ol KZ off and started doing some routine maintenance. I decided to start with a rectangular grommet that goes on the left side cover. At the base of the cover, there is a set of wires that pass thru and I'm guessing this is where the grommet goes. How do the wires pass thru it? There are no holes in the grommet. Do I drill holes and then cut and mend the wires again? Makes sense but just checking. thanks. bike is an 82 KZ1000 J.

If you follow the wires, they can usually be unplugged then run through the gromet, then plugged back in.

If not, then cut, solder and shrink...

Good luck.

Maybe a picture of the grommet? I thought there were at least indentations on both sides that you feed the wires through. I also believe that you do have to cut/solder the stator wires to do this.

www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=373

Here is a link to z1 enterprises, thats where I got the grommet. It does have the hole indentions, but I wasn't sure if I needed to drill them out or if I got one that just was'nt "finished" or something. should I use some rtv on the wires after I fish them through?

Glad you're asking this as I will be doing it soon, just hadn't ordered the grommet yet.

You will have to puncture the grommet if there aren't already holes in it. I would think some sealant wouldn't be a terrible idea, but I have asked this question and didn't get much of an answer yet.

The leak there is kind of annoying, I clean the bike up and then after a short ride I got oil all over the pegs and my boot. Whats in its place now is a chunk of rtv, didn't know what was missing until a few guys on here told me theres supposed to be a grommet there. Might be a stupid question but why is there oil coming out of there anyway? Not a huge amount but enough over time to catch dirt and crawl onto my boot.

Fozzie wrote:

...why is there oil coming out of there anyway?....

Lubrication system on large Kawawasaki fours is designed to allow a small amount of oil to enter the area underneath the alternator cover.

Note the few drops shown in the FSM lubrication diagram.

Good Fortune!