TOPIC:

I hope someone will be able to offer some advice. I have just bought 1980 kz650 ltd as a project. It has not run for a long time. I put a new battery on and the engine turns over but only getting a spark on 2&3. I found the secondary on the ignition coil was bad so put 2 new coils on. Still only getting spark on 2&3.
i need to check the regulator rectifier as i dont think its for this bike. It is attached with one bolt and the second hole does not line up to take the second bolt. 
Also, the 3 yellow wires from the stator have been chopped off an inch from the stator, then someone has attach 3 much bigger guage red wires to the yellow wires which then go up to the regulator.  The bigger 3 red wires then have been joined to the 3 yellow wires on the ignition coil wires. 
Not sure what the reason is for doing this. 
Would using bigger guage wire from the stator to ignition regulator cause a problem. 
I have put new plugs, 2 new coils and ignition leads.
I will try get some pics tomorrow.
any advice appreciated.

 

Sorry, the 3 bigger guage red wire go up and are joined to the 3 yellow wires on the ignition regulator rectifier, Not ignition coils as above.

The charging system, stator & R/R, have nothing to do with the ignition system.  Unless the entire wiring harness is hacked, that is.

According to the parts diagram for the USA market, the 1980 650 was still using points.  I'm not sure about the UK, however.  Have you removed the ignition cover and looked underneath?  If the bike has points, it could be as simple as cleaning and regapping them.  If the bike switched to an electronic ignition, most likely the ignitor box has fried.  The signal generators are quite reliable, so it's unlikely those are the problem.

Thanks for the reply. The bike is a 1980 USA import registered in the uk in 1996. The wiring harness does not look too bad and seems still original. The bike does still have the original points ignition system. When i turn the engine i get spark on 2&3 on the points but nothing on 1&4. 
When you turn it slowly by hand you get a click on the F by 1&4 but no spark.

Hi Deon, where in the UK are you? I am by Brands Hatch. There are plenty of UK members on both Z650 proboards and Z1OC all over the country you can link up with for some local help if you end up needing it.
As far as your spark issue it could be the points themselves, the condenser for those points or even a bad contact or broken wire from the points/condenser. Also could just be a bad connection/disconnected wire from the points to the loom or from the loom to the coil. 
The original kawasaki electrical parts are good and long lasting however the chinise replacement points/condensor parts are absolute shite. 
The marority of guys decide to swop out the old points system for fit and forget Dyna s electronic ignition. Once installed your ignition issues will be a thing of the past as they are fit and forget. 
Dyna have moved production to China and the Chinese company has released unbranded identicle 
System at a third the price. From feedback on various forums it seems to be equally reliable and quality. 

I am in Norfolk near Snetterton. It does sound like the best option will be to go for the electronic ignition system. I was trying to avoid doing that to keep the bike as original as possible but that does not help if it is going to keep causing issues. Is it best to buy from Dyna or can you get the system like on ebay? Are they easy enough to swop out and change?

Hi Deon, Dyna is a simple job to fit, you can get the Dyna badged one through Z Power. The suedo one's are on ebay for a third the price.
You can tell if the points plate fitted is the original or Chinese crap. The original has an adjustment plate seperate for each set of points the Chinese ones just have a single ignition plate. 
If it's the repop Chinese ones I wouldn't even bother to diagnose it and time it up just go the Dyna route. 
If it's still got the original khi stuff I might be worth trying to sort it. 
Post a pic of the ignition plate if you can. 
 

Hello Warren, this is an image of whats on the bike at the moment. 

They don't look original, there is no seperate points timing adjustment. 
Probably easiest and future proof is electronic. 
You can see the original ignition had seperate timing plates for each set of points. 

 

That has been very helpful. 

Just a hint