TOPIC:

[justify]Goodmorning everyone. Brand new to to the site. 
I recently picked up a 1981 kz1000. I have no idea where to start. They said it has not run in two years. I just want to fire it up and see if it runs at this point. I am a decent mechanic. I know the battery is shot. Going to order a new one. There is some gas in the tank. Doesn't seem rusty or varnished. Any tips or tricks on how to get this bike running would be gladly appreciated. Thank you for your time.[/justify]

Welcome to the site. Pics are mandatory, but please give it what it's due first.



Follow basic mechanical 101 to try to start it. Fuel, compression & spark all in correct ranges

1). Clean & inspect (rebuild) carbs
2). Compression test
3). Verify spark

That's all you gotta do!      

Welcome aboard.
I'm new this week too, and have a dormant 1981 KZ1000 too !
I'd say check that the engine is not seized before you crank it (centre stand, 3rd gear, try rotate the rear wheel by hand) and a spritz of fogging oil or Marvel Mistery Oil into the spark plug holes to ease the awakening motions...
Good luck, and post pics please !
 

Okay. Pulled the plugs. They look good and do not smell like gas. Poured a smidge of mavel oil in each cylinder and poured some Berryman's b12 in the gas tank. Going to let that soak until I get new battery. Thank you all for the help.

What Slayer61 said. Go thru the carbs. Don't buy a "rebuild kit", just get the gaskets/o-rings and make sure the jets and passages are clear. Also, verify the jetting. If the gas is more than a month old, I would dump it and clean the tank and or run the engine on an auxiliary tank for now. 

I was messing around with the bike last night. I turned the gas shutoff to PRI, under the gas tank. Gas started poring out of the left #2 carb. I am assuming the float is stuck or the needle and seat are bad. I ordered a rebuild kit with new floats. And so it begins. Thanks again for all the help.

I’m sure you will find the float just stuck. Or the float needle bad or gummed up. Very rare for floats to fail. The only way is for they to retain fuel and sink. Not likely. Putting off brand jets in one carb and leaving the others alone will give you tuning headaches.

The carb rebuild kit comes with everything to rebuild all four carbs. I am planning on doing all of them.

wrote:

I’m sure you will find the float just stuck. Or the float needle bad or gummed up. Very rare for floats to fail. The only way is for they to retain fuel and sink. Not likely. Putting off brand jets in one carb and leaving the others alone will give you tuning headaches.

This^ That is why it is a waste of money and time to go with rebuild kits. You might need bowl gaskets and maybe the o-rings between the carbs. Just about everything else can be cleaned, verified, and reused. I will only use genuine Mikuni jets and needles. 

The kit I bought comes with the following jets and seats. Are these the proper ones?


Main Jet #127.5
Slow Jet #37.5
Seat #2.5

More than likely you won’t need jets. Brass doesn’t deteriorate. The orifice size doesn’t change from wear. Exception being the needle jet. Air velocity presses against the jet needle and can rub and distort the needle jet but it’s not super common. Problems that I have heard with aftermarket jets is they are not machined to the same quality standards that Mikuni are so you could have tuning problems from one carb to the next just because the jet orifice or machining process is not consistent. 

Per Partzilla the main and pilot jet sizes you list are consistent with “Stock”
Seat? Float Seat? 

I am new to these mikuni carbs. I am not sure what seats are in the kit. This is a pic of the kit I bought.