1980 KZ1300 - Bad Day at the Office

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Lucien Harpress
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Inching Toward D-Day

#541

Post by Lucien Harpress »

robin1731 wrote:Put bike on center stand. Put transmission in 4th or 5th gear. Or pretty much any gear will work. Rotate rear tire back and forth fairly aggressively. This should break clutch loose.
Dumb question, but you do this with the clutch lever pulled in, yes?
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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robin1731
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Inching Toward D-Day

#542

Post by robin1731 »

Lucien Harpress wrote:
robin1731 wrote:Put bike on center stand. Put transmission in 4th or 5th gear. Or pretty much any gear will work. Rotate rear tire back and forth fairly aggressively. This should break clutch loose.
Dumb question, but you do this with the clutch lever pulled in, yes?

Yes, should have mentioned that. :roll:
1976 Goldwing Super Sport
1985 Honda Elite
1976 KZ900 Dragbike
1992 ZX7 Dragbike (KZ900 style motor w/NOS)
and a rotation of various purchases
Randakk approved Carb Rebuilder
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Inching Toward D-Day

#543

Post by Lucien Harpress »

delling3 wrote:Quit teasing already. I expect Video of a running bike for your next update.
Done.

Image

Anyway, the bad:

-Tach doesn't work. Cable isn't spinning, and the drive gear runs off the camshaft, so the would be all chewed up if it were that, so.. we'll see. Gotta dig a bit.
-Clutch still stuck.
-Fuel cutoff valve had to be bypassed. Started leaking a WHOLE lot of fuel when I turned the tank petcock. Think I'll need to replace/rethink fuel line routing pretty soon.

But to heck with that. The good:

-No leaks.
-No drips.
-No smokey tailpipes
-Fires on all six cylinders
-Idle is with no choke, maybe 2 minutes after starting.

And I'm exhausted. Off to bed.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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delling3
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#544

Post by delling3 »

Congratulations. Way cool . . .
delling3

1979 Yamaha XS750SF

Previous:
1978 GL1000 - JUNE 2017 BOTM: Sold
2006 Kawasaki Concours: Sold
1995 Kawasaki Concours: Crashed/totalled.
1976 GL1000: LAST RESTORATION, sold
1981 Honda CB900F Supersport: 3rd restoration, sold.
1979 Yamaha XS-750F: 2nd restoration, sold.
1982 Honda FT-500 Ascot: First (only) new bike. Family forces sale.
1973 CB500 Four: First restoration, long gone.
1972 Suzuki TS-100: First bike, sold.

Only dead fish go with the flow . . .
Gowing
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#545

Post by Gowing »

Now that's got to be a great feeling to hear and see your baby run. I got my gt750
running after at least a ten year layoff. Bunch of systems to renew. Nothing like what you have done. And I still remember that great excitement of the first fire up. That's just great news.
Dave

1975 GL 1000
1980 XS650
1981 ct110
1972 F7 KAW 175
2000 moby blaze 40cc
Chihuahua (Ellie)
Chihuahua #2(Blaze)
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desertrefugee
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#546

Post by desertrefugee »

Hallelujah! Way to stick with it.

Now, will you register and ride that danged thing before the snow flies?

(Besides, I want to hear some road stories).
- Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to ride in the rain.
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#547

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Thanks guys. There's more exhaustion than eleation at this point, but I'm just excited for all the things I did RIGHT. :)

The goal today is to tear apart the clutch and at least pop everything apart. I've got another clutch to swap out if I need to, but that one has 50,000 miles on it, rather than the 11,000 miles of the one that's on it now.

Regardless, that thing is getting way too heavy to push...
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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desertrefugee
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#548

Post by desertrefugee »

My old Limey clutches used to get stuck almost every New England winter. If you're not squeamish and rough them up a bit, it can save having to crack it open. Toe it into gear at idle. The shock is often enough to break the plates free - and not harsh enough to do damage.

But, if they're really frozen...
- Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to ride in the rain.
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robin1731
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#549

Post by robin1731 »

desertrefugee wrote:My old Limey clutches used to get stuck almost every New England winter. If you're not squeamish and rough them up a bit, it can save having to crack it open. Toe it into gear at idle. The shock is often enough to break the plates free - and not harsh enough to do damage.

But, if they're really frozen...

While that sometimes works it can be hard on parts. (always possible the clutch won't break free too :shock: ) Too easy to take the clutch apart on these not to do it a better way. Also gives you a chance to look the fibers and steels over. A chance to check the thickness for wear. And the chance to oil them before you put them back in.
1976 Goldwing Super Sport
1985 Honda Elite
1976 KZ900 Dragbike
1992 ZX7 Dragbike (KZ900 style motor w/NOS)
and a rotation of various purchases
Randakk approved Carb Rebuilder
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#550

Post by Lucien Harpress »

I played with it a bit last night. Holding the rear brake and popping it unto gear. Nothing. From what I've read taking apart a clutch is not that bad. Good skill to learn I suppose.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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rnelson
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#551

Post by rnelson »

WooHoo!! She's a runner. She sounded pretty good in the video. Look forward to your first ride report. Way to stay with it.
Rick Nelson
Charlotte, NC

Current Rides:
99 Vulcan Classic 1500
08 Concours 1400
79 Goldwing GL1000 (No longer a project. She's a runner!)
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#552

Post by Lucien Harpress »

I was actually really, really surprised with how well it ran. I've done no carb tuning or syncing whatsoever, and it settled down into that easy idle relatively quickly. I'll need to ride it to be sure, but even the minor popping I was getting back through the air box went away once I bolted closed the air filter and box.

Never got a chance to check out my clutch. Rain came through and ruined my window to use my outdoor driveway-workshop to fix it. ;). Tomorrow, I hope.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#553

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Got my clutch taken care of, I hope. FIRST thing I learned is that clutches are SOOOOOOO much simpler than I thought they were. At least as deep as I went, they only have like, three parts. Sure, two of those parts are repeated endlessly, but apart from that, taking it apart and putting it back together was a snap.

Quite a few of the plates were stuck together, so that was definitely my problem. Got everything apart and soaked in oil a bit before everything got put back together. A trial run with the motor dead and my hand pushing the back wheel confirmed that the clutch would release... eventually. I figure once I get some weight and torque on it, it will operate much more smoothly.

Think I have my tach cable sorted as well- I don't think it was pushed down into the drive at all, so there was no engagement. Got it fixed, and turned the motor over a bit before I connected it to the housing. Cable spins now, so we're good there.

Also found out why my fuel solenoid was leaking so badly- there's a half inch gash on the one end of that fuel line, opposite from the side I was looking at, so I missed it. New fuel lines are going to be a must, but to swap that one out I have to pull the carbs. Thankfully doing so is pretty easy.

Got the bike on a charger right now, and in a little bit I may attempt a test ride. We shall see how it goes.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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calif wingnut
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#554

Post by calif wingnut »

Here's your next 1300 project ~:)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/mcy/5141416142.html
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Lucien Harpress
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Re: 1980 KZ1300 "Kiwi" Build- Tired, but Happy

#555

Post by Lucien Harpress »

calif wingnut wrote:Here's your next 1300 project ~:)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/mcy/5141416142.html
Ooooooo buddy. If only I had the time...... or money. :lol:

Anyway, on to the regularly scheduled update! Mostly involving.... TEST RIDE!

Yup, got this puppy out on the road for the first time in a year and a half. I took it real easy (never got the engine revs over 4,000), but..... holy crap is this thing a rocket! The throttle is responsive enough to almost be called twitchy. True, the bike is too heavy to really feel like it's going to jet away in 1st or 2d, but roll-on response is identical in every single gear. You can TELL it wants to go fast. Also, determining engine speed by the sound is going to take some getting use to. A KZ1300 cursing along at 4K on the tach (halfway to the 8K redline, on a gauge that goes up to 11K) sounds like a GL1000 hauling the mail at about 5K or 6K. Even the few times I dared goose the throttle I still ended up shifting way to early, just because I thought the motor was revving to high, when in reality I still had half the motor left.

And about that noise...... oh my God, it's intoxicating. Much more of a wail than a Goldwing, but I don't know if it's a chain or what, but I swear that thing sounds like it's got a supercharger belt squeal too. It's.... kinda awesome. I can't wait to REALLY open it up.

Image

But, with all good things must come the bad. First off, the clutch is engaging WAY too fast. I'm fairly certain it's just a matter of incorrect cable adjustment, so we'll have to play with it. Second, I'm only getting 12.5 volts at the battery at idle, 12.6 when I rev the motor. It's either the stator or the regulator/rectifier. I'll have to brush up on the manual to find out how to test. Fuel gauge doesn't appear to be working, but I'm unsure if this is due to a bad sending unit (due to sitting), or because I don't have enough gas in it to register. On the plus side, both my tach AND 160mph speedometer work fine, as does my temp gauge- temperature shot up pretty quick, but it sat on the lower end of the "normal" scale for the entire ride, so the radiator works.

Finally, I've stopped getting coolant out of the weep hole on the water pump, but now I'm getting oil. Again, this has GOT to be why the PO slathered this area in sealant. It's good the base gasket isn't leaking, but I'm not 100% sure how to remove the oil seal and replace it. It probably functions like the shifter seal, and can be pulled straight out. But, to get to it, the water pump needs to be disassembled. Again.

Ah well. At least I know I can accomplish this in an afternoon (AND I have a spare cylinder block to practice on!).
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
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