1980 kawasaki kz 1000 shaft

[Anonymous]

I have a 1980 kz 1000 shaft drive(80,000 kms). I'm removing the carbs to clean them and I'm wondering if anybody knows the proper height for the floats and air screw settings? I put about 10,000 kms on the bike this summer and this problem seemed to arise slowly after adjusting valvle clearance.

Cyl 1-150 lbs, 2-80 lbs, 3-90 lbs, 4-150 lbs before valve adjustment.

The bike was runnig very lean and overheating with the lower part of a vetter windjammer fairing installed. I had to turn the airscrews in to almost closed 7/8 to 1/2 open to get it rich enough so it wouldn't overheat, also removed lower part of fairing.

I adjusted valve clearance and have about 150 lbs on each cylinder, the electrical system seems good, good spark and bike starts easily. Bike is runnig ok like this but idles rough and plugs are slightly brown at the back of electrodes but mostlty black

I replaced exhaust with a 4 into 1 pipe, bike was running ok at this point as well. Bike was getting very hot and pinging when from a dead stop while accelerating by putting a load on the engine.

The problem seemed to come on after the valve adjustment

I'm assuming the carbs need work and I'm looking for some advice.

Thanks in advance

Jim Long
1979 gs 750 suzuki
1980 kz1000 shaft

[Anonymous]

I had a look at the advice given lately on how to raise the needle on the slides to make fuel mixture richer. I will try this adjustment tonight, I will go with one notch. I was amazed to see the carbs on the kawasaki are the same as the carbs on 1979 gs750e suzuki.

Would the float height adjustment be the same? Is it mandatory after installing a four into one pipe to increase main jet size to have a good running engine?

TIA

Jim Long

[Anonymous]

Jim, I can get you the data from the Clymer manual at home but unfortunately, I won't be able to post until Monday (no computer at home yet). I used to have a 1983 KZ1100 and found it a very nice bike.

Is yours a US model like mine with the pollution control stuff? This consisted of a sort of reed valve on top of the exhaust cam, one each side. A hose should connect it back to the airbox. The idea was that the valve allowed clean air to be sucked from the airbox to help burn any unburnt fuel making its way into the exhaust. Dunno if it saved the planet but it can certainly screw up the low speed running if it's wrong. It's possible for instance to fit the little reed valve block upside down so the exhaust blows under the tank (or back into the airbox if the hoses are in place!). Anyway, worth checking all this stuff 'cos if it's on your bike, it was disturbed during valve adjustment.

[Anonymous]

I have the owner's manual and it has the reed valves maintenance in the booklet, but it does not show how/where the valves are located. How do you get to the reed valves?

What's the big cylinder that is behind the carbs? It's connected to the air box.

I removed the carbs last nite and raised the large needle(one notch) that's connected to the slides in hopes of enrichening the fuel mixture, this didn't seem to work, i know more later. The carbs had some fine dirt in them which i cleaned. These carbs do not have pilots screws like the carbs on my GS750. The main jets have a 110 stamped on them, is this the size?

Could installing the reed valves backwards caouse the bike to overheat?
I had valves adjusted at local bike shop, this overheating/lean burning seemed to start since then. The shop charged almost $400.00 to set valves, I'll never go back there.

TIA

Jim Long

[Anonymous]

Just realised my manual covers the big KZ'z from 81 to 83 so treat this with caution but it may be of some help in looking at your 1980 model. Float height is 18.6mm or if you check with the carbs on the bike and using a clear tube on the drain screw, the level should be 3mm below the bottom edge of the carb body.

Main jet size for the 81-82 model is 127.5R for 1000 J and 122.5R for 1000 K & M models.

The reed valves are on top of the exhaust cams, one each side under a small metal cover. The chamber above the carbs is vacuum switch valve and a silencer (!) that allows air to be drawn from the air box. The vacuum switch should be connected by a small tube to one of the carbs - it shuts off air under engine braking to stop backfiring, it says here. In reality, the engine will run just as happily with all this junk removed and the openings blanked off.

I'm afraid I don't know if your bike is exactly the same but before you try to sort it yourself, have you tried bringing the bike back to the shop and asking them politely but firmly to check it over because it hasn't run right since they worked on it? I'd try it after spending that kind of money. Good luck.