Problem Child

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Here's another project I picked up recently, a 1979 Kawasaki KZ400-H:
DSCN2113 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

It seemed like a good deal at the time ($100), but I'm finding out that the 1979 KZ400-H is a pretty rare bird; in addition to finding scant parts/resources for the bike, it also sat outside for, oh, about 25 years, and that led to This...!
DSCN2116 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

That side cover ain't coming off until that nasty little screw there on the right side comes Out! I don't have the means to weld a nut to it, so I guess....what?... Drill it out?? It *looks like you can get a visegrips on the end, but No, you can't...I'm open to ideas....

[5speed]

I think I would pay someone to weld a nut to it..then I would hit it with penetrating fluid and let it ferment for a few days. I attempted to drill a broken bolt out of an aluminum engine case..it didn't go well..the aluminum being the softer of the metals the drill bit wandered off the bolt, despite me center punching it and drilling a pilot hole.
ETA..check with Andy if you are looking for parts. Good guy to deal with.
https://www.vintagekawasaki.com/webshop/

[Whiskerfish]

Left hand drill bit?

[Lucien Harpress]

Is it possible to slide the panel off over the broken stud? There doesn't seem to be head to stop it (unless the internals are arraigned in a way that makes it impossible).

[Dr. Frankenstein]

No, the screw is threaded all the way through the cover and into the mount/frame(?)...

I thought of using a left-hand drill bit, but much like 5-speed mentioned it might go off center somehow...since I don't have a welder, I was thinking maybe solder a big nut onto it...? It's been soaking in PB Blaster for a while...actually I think it may be time to go to Harbor Freight and get one of those $150 stick welders...that would allow me to weld a bit of steel rod and a nut onto the end and maybe get some decent torque on it...I still have to get the broken-off spark plug threads out of the head, too...I managed to get the head off -I also broke two fins and snapped an easy-out in the plug holes too while trying to get the rusted-in remnants of the spark plug threads out.
DSCN2129 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr
DSCN2132 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr
DSCN2160 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

This bike is going to be a challenge. Not to mention the stuck pistons....FYI, the spark plugs were obviously still in the bike when I tried to get them out; they didn't want to budge so I put a ratcheting breaker bar on them (Harbor Freight item there - an awesome tool to have!) and they just crumbled.

Here's the pistons...
DSCN2156 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

[pidjones]

From looking at the manualhttps://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... phGJpL8_O7 , those two screws just hold the clutch adjuster cover on. The sprocket cover comes off with four bolts around the outside.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Well, they DO - but they also go all the way through the cover and into their female counterpart - if you look closely you can see the threaded portion in the one I managed to get out.

[robin1731]

Well, they DO - but they also go all the way through the cover and into their female counterpart - if you look closely you can see the threaded portion in the one I managed to get out.

That would be a first. Any Kawasaki I've worked on those two bolts just held the cover over the clutch adjusting rod. There are four bolts that hold that sprocket cover and then it should slide off. May have to loosen or remove the starter cover. Of course remove the shifter and maybe the foot peg too. But that cover should come off without worrying about that broken bolt.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Well- 'Trust but Verify,' as Ron said back in the day...I will of course report back. The shifter seal, maybe...? Rusted/stuck in the shifter hole...? I'll go back over it and find out. It's gotta be Something....

While we're here, any ideas on how to get the head off those pistons? It looks like they're at the bottom of their travel.

[Chainman]

I just lifted the cylinder from a Honda 400 yesterday. I used a stout flat bladed screwdriver and a large nut as a fulcrum. Look for curved over hangs to place the lever and the fulcrum in close.

The screwdriver points at the location where I pried.

That stuck piston is going to give you trouble, I would free it first.

Good luck, she's a real problem child

[flyin900]

Deep Creep is my go to stuck release agent. A heat gun on the pistons and barrels after a good soaking first in Deep Creep.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Well, an update - Robin1731 you are correct, Sir! The problem is not any stuck-in screws, but a shift-shaft that is rusted in through the shifter seal. And that shift-shaft won't budge/shift either...I've managed to spray it down with PB Blaster and tried applying some heat to it; I also got a crowbar in there underneath and tried to push it off the shaft from the other side, but No Joy. I figure I'll let the PB work a little while before I try again - any tips??

Chainman, Very Cool! Your sleeves look Great compared to mine! Can you post another pic of exactly how you used the screwdriver and nut?

[Chainman]

Chainman, Very Cool! Your sleeves look Great compared to mine! Can you post another pic of exactly how you used the screwdriver and nut?

No pics sorry
think of it as a lever and fulcrum, not screwdriver and nut ; )

[pidjones]

I think that cover also has dowels, so make sure it is coming off evenly.

[robin1731]

I think that cover also has dowels, so make sure it is coming off evenly.

It will. And they can be stuck together pretty tight. I doubt the shifter is rusted to the seal. That would just be the rubber part of the seal touching the shaft.