Project KZ1300

[oldryder]

Here's a tip. I had a KZ1300 for a few years and learned about the hard starting when warm problem. The typical fix is $300 worth of Accel coils and wires but there is a much cheaper fix.

The basic problem (assuming the coils are not cracked) is the several switches between the battery and the primary side of the stock coils. clutch interlock, kill switch, ignition switch, sidestand switch, and sidecover switch. As these switches age the resistance on the contacts increases to the point where as much as 2 volts can be lost between the battery and the coil primary. This translates to several thousand less volts at the plug electrode. (in industrial controls low voltage DC relays have gold plated contacts to prevent this problem.)

the cheap and easy fix is to add a relay (I used a $3.00 Horn Relay from NAPA. This relay is energized by the wire originally used to supply the coil primary which maintains the functionality of all the interlocks. The new relay contact is used to switch voltage directly from the battery (fused at the battery if you are smart)to the coil primary. completely solved the hard starting problem and only took about 20 minutes to install.

this fix works on any old bike. makes you look like a genius

 

[oldryder]

one more thing: excessive oil consumption. I've seen this several times on bikes that sat a while. It's usually due to a stuck ring and will often go away after 50 or 100 miles of riding. The seafoam should help.

 

[dcarver]

The old girl sounds pretty darn good for as long as she was napping!You mentioned the way excessive oil consumption in your posts earlier, so I was very surprised at the total lack of smoke while running in your video... I was thinking the mosquito abatement authority would want to sign you up as an aux. fogger burning a Qt every 300 so so miles.With the success you've had so far with the SeaFoam, I think I'd be tempted to run it some more as you are doing there, possible blipping the throttle rather than steady state as it is now. I think that would vary the vacuum in the throats and carbs, encouraging some of the SF to work it's way down into the area of the idle circuit where the blockage is.This project will be fun to follow! Thanks for sharing...Don

I've never seen blue oil smoke out of the pipes, even when she was a daily ride. Blipping the throttle is a great idea, and after that initial video, I was blippping away - I own a Harley, so I know how to blip. I screwed up when I cleaned the carbs - I forgot to pull the air mixture screws, they were 'hidden' under some aluminum colored sealant some bright guy used after the last adjustment..

Here's a tip. I had a KZ1300 for a few years and learned about the hard starting when warm problem. The typical fix is $300 worth of Accel coils and wires but there is a much cheaper fix.The basic problem (assuming the coils are not cracked) is the several switches between the battery and the primary side of the stock coils. clutch interlock, kill switch, ignition switch, sidestand switch, and sidecover switch. As these switches age the resistance on the contacts increases to the point where as much as 2 volts can be lost between the battery and the coil primary. This translates to several thousand less volts at the plug electrode. (in industrial controls low voltage DC relays have gold plated contacts to prevent this problem.)the cheap and easy fix is to add a relay (I used a $3.00 Horn Relay from NAPA. This relay is energized by the wire originally used to supply the coil primary which maintains the functionality of all the interlocks. The new relay contact is used to switch voltage directly from the battery (fused at the battery if you are smart)to the coil primary. completely solved the hard starting problem and only took about 20 minutes to install.this fix works on any old bike. makes you look like a genius

You know what? That's a fantastic tip. This bike does have Accel coils, wires, and appropriate primary resistor, but stock wiring to the primaries. I'll be making this mod. Hopefully this weekend I'll have time to pull the carbs, adjust float bowl levels, clean air mixture passages, do your mod and have her running cleaner down low.. I was side tracked with my fjr's head gasket problem..

 

[Khunajawdge]

Don -

Sweet to hear that 6 pumpin' out exhaust.

I once camped with this group of Voyager owners, when I had my '94 C1 Concours at Santa Margarita Lake in 2002? Almost everyone in the Voyager club tows an overnight trailer set-up. Some of the 1-up units were 4's. Maybe there are guys here Nor Cal Vovagers who have intel for you(?), if you need it.

 

[dcarver]

Performed leak down tests and compression tests yesterday -

Leakdown Test (psig) (pressures low due to no air compressor at shop, had to use tank)

1 - 90/90

2 - 70/68

3 - 80-79

4 - 90-88

5 - 80/80

6 - 90/90

Compression (psig)

1 - 145

2 - 135+

3 - 135

4 - 145+

5 - 135+

6 - 145

Cleaned two of the six air circuits and adjusted for maximum idle.. Big difference, much smoother. But I've picked up a nasty sound at 1,500 rpm off the rhs alternator...

 

[FJRay]

Less than a 10% spread. I would consider that pretty good. I'm sure all the experts will agree

 

[kaitsdad]

Considering how long it slept in the barn, those readings are amazing. I would expect all sorts of nasty things growing in the ring grooves.

 

[dcarver]

Less than a 10% spread. I would consider that pretty good. I'm sure all the experts will agree

Considering how long it slept in the barn, those readings are amazing. I would expect all sorts of nasty things growing in the ring grooves.

I was really surprised at the numbers too. Once I have valve clearances certified correct will work on air mixture jets then carb synch...

The cylinders have been fogged prior to each sitting.. Now if it just didn't burn oil....

 

[kaitsdad]

Less than a 10% spread. I would consider that pretty good. I'm sure all the experts will agree

Considering how long it slept in the barn, those readings are amazing. I would expect all sorts of nasty things growing in the ring grooves.

I was really surprised at the numbers too. Once I have valve clearances certified correct will work on air mixture jets then carb synch...

The cylinders have been fogged prior to each sitting.. Now if it just didn't burn oil....

Aren't 2-strokes supposed to burn oil? (and it's not Friday..... )

 

[FJRay]

Less than a 10% spread. I would consider that pretty good. I'm sure all the experts will agree

Considering how long it slept in the barn, those readings are amazing. I would expect all sorts of nasty things growing in the ring grooves.

I was really surprised at the numbers too. Once I have valve clearances certified correct will work on air mixture jets then carb synch...

The cylinders have been fogged prior to each sitting.. Now if it just didn't burn oil....

Aren't 2-strokes supposed to burn oil? (and it's not Friday..... )

Somewhere in the archives I have a textbook from Pierce College in LA that says that if an engine burned one drop of oil on every power stroke it would consume a quart every two miles.

Try different oils, I have had marine engines that would go thru oil like Bustanut thru beer and change it to a different oil and the consumption would change a lot.

 

[dcarver]

I too have heard that just a little leakage can lead to lots of consumption.

I found a new source of parts!

This guy is apparently machining parts out of billet for those parts no longer avail from Kawi..

He's in Germany, so price is kinda high, but really, just being able to source of these items is priceless -

Water pump impeller

Water pump nylon gear drive (known to fail)

Pretty freakin cool what this guy is doing! :yahoo:

 

[RossKean]

You have probably found this links page already but I thought I would post it anyway...

https://www.kz1300.com/linkspage.html

Don't know much about these bikes but am finding this thread interesting. A couple of internet searches have shown that there are still a lot of KZ1300 enthusiasts around.

 

[dcarver]

Reset fuel height levels in each bowl then went exploring for my mysterious 1,500 rpm 'harmonic growl'.

After taking a complete whole body hot oil bath, I decided to regroup and wait for another day...

Complete thread here...

 

[dcarver]

Sure is hard to keep any interest in this thread here..

:****: you 1 bike *******s..

Jes Kidding''

Lookie what the man brought to my house today!

YES!

Superseded part number rings -

kind of like the superseded CCT Yammie did for the FJR's..

and pretty fair on the price too!

Now I just hope I can run std size and not have to overbore

It's all a gamble -

so is life, huh?

 

[Bustanut joker]

Ring worms an a box of playdough? Dude ya got fuked!

Klown

 

[escapefjrtist]

Definitely worth a shot Don...hope it fixes the 'ol oil burner! Haven't looked at what kind of bore finish the KZ has on it, but make sure you break the glaze so the new rings seat properly.

Have fun and keep us updated.

--G

 

[RadioHowie]

Lookie what the man brought to my house today!

What? A bunch of out-of-focus pictures????

Gnatpecker!!!

 

[dcarver]

Ring worms an a box of playdough? Dude ya got fuked!

Klown

Not just any ringworms... but special ones..

Definitely worth a shot Don...hope it fixes the 'ol oil burner! Haven't looked at what kind of bore finish the KZ has on it, but make sure you break the glaze so the new rings seat properly.

Have fun and keep us updated.

--G

Yeah, have to check dimensions cyl to piston first... So buying these std rings is a gamble.. and yes, a good hone job is on order.

Lookie what the man brought to my house today!

What? A bunch of out-of-focus pictures????

Gnatpecker!!!

Swear to gawd they looked great when I took them! :drinks:

 

[RadioHowie]

Next time you take some pics for the forum, why don't you set the resolution on your camera to 640x480...then they wouldn't be so frikkin' humongus. This ain't rocket surgery!

 

[dcarver]

Next time you take some pics for the forum, why don't you set the resolution on your camera to 640x480...then they wouldn't be so frikkin' humongus. This ain't rocket surgery!

You sure are a crotchety old grump.

I made them pix so your old and feeble eyes can actually see them! :****: