TOPIC:

Yes I believe this is a definite place for an issue. The last shop I worked in the young fellow was having difficulty with a Ford, he found a broken wire, one. I walked over and gave everyone of them in that area a tug, found 6 wires in under 30 seconds and he looked at me like You Old SOB now I have to fix all of those?
Anyway yes I would strip the tape off and where it seems most likely, get a grip on each end and tug with moderate force.

MFolks wrote:

Go to Radio Shack and get a can of "De-Oxit" contact cleaner/preservative. It's what I use on my bike,home entertainment center cables and cordless phone charging cradles.

www.deoxit.com is their website.

I'd spray the variable resistor and related conectors.

Thanks Motor Head for the Youtube video, and thanks MFolks for the suggestion there.

Well MH, I watched the youtube video. I have to say that they described *exactly* the same symptoms I have, rough running at lower RPMs, and also the reason WHY those symptoms develop. I had a theory today after finding the jumpiness of ohms on the air flow meter's variable resistor -- I thought "the majority of the time the bike is not running with a widely open throttle, we are not racing here after all.

The majority of riding is usually at relatively lower rpms -- we're not driving around in too-low-of-a-gear and keeping the engine revs too high -- we shift up to save gas, reduce the vibration, keep our personal stress level down. No need to cruise around all day at higher RPM, we keep shifting upward until we're in cruise mode.

So I figured that's why the bike is okay over 3000 rpm -- the air flow meter's variable resistor is clean on the more fully cranked and less-often-used wide throttle opening range, and it's dirty on the low-throttle-opening part, where we spend the majority of our driving time, shifting the bike upward until we're in the topmost gear without lugging the engine.

And that's *exactly* what the youtube video said as well. The variable resistor in the video was worn away in the most-often-used part of the throttle, the lower-rpm range. And the vehicle the air flow sensor came from was not running well in the lower RPM range.

So I'm gonna open up the box and have a look using the very easy procedure in the youtube video.

It is a good Idea, and no doubt needs cleaning.
Also the broken or damaged wire/ bad connection seems Very likely. Anyway keep at it, that bike has got to love you for it!! Its been wanting for some lovin for awhile!!!

Also if you use the "Test Light in loop method for testing wires, you put current through them. Where as an OHM meter will give continuity with only 1 strand of wire, but that won't light a decent bulb. I use an old H4 head lamp, which pulls 4 amps. Then I know the circuit is good.

I've posted this before, but for those who may not have seen this:

Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics

Get some of the De-Oxit electrical contact cleaner and figure on spending a good day going from the front of the bike to the back. It’s a plastic safe cleaner/preservative. www.deoxit.com is their website.

On the older Kawasaki's, a majority of electrical connectors are inside the headlight housing requiring removal of the headlight, then the fun begins.

Do one set of electrical connectors at a time to avoid mixing up what connects to where. Usually disconnecting, spraying with De-Oxit and reconnecting is about all you'll need.

However, when encountering the green crud of corrosion, a brass wire brush may be needed on the pins you can reach.
Some 400-600 grit wet and dry sandpaper strips rolled into a tube should reach the male and female pins in the more difficult to clean connectors.

Smoker’s pipe cleaners, cotton swabs and wooden toothpicks work as cleaning aids.

Really small electrical connectors may require the use of a welders tip cleaning tool assortment.

Most pins in the connectors are coated with a thin plating of tin, and others may be nothing more than copper or brass.

If moisture is added, the resulting corrosion lowers the voltage/current being carried causing dim lights, slow engine cranking, slow turn signal responce and lower input voltage to the ignition coils resulting in weak spark.

The left and right handlebar switch pods will need attention too as they have circuit functions like turn, horn, run/stop, and start.

Usually a spritz or two with actuation of the switch is about all needed for these switches unless corrosion is detected and then careful disassembly is required.

The ignition switch may or may be not sealed to allow spraying the internal contacts. I urge caution if attempting to open this up as springs, and ball bearings may fly out never to be seen again!

If your bike has the older style glass tubed fuses, I suggest replacing them as vibration can cause internal failure. AGX is the type used, and most auto parts stores can get them for you.

Clean the fuse holder clips, looking for signs of overheating(discolored insulation, signs of melting),
I use metal polish on a cotton swab, followed by spraying another clean swab with the De-Oxit and then rubbing the inside of the fuse clip.

Each "Bullet Connector" will have to be sprayed to ensure good connectivity, especially the ones going to the energizing coil of the starter solenoid.

The alternator output “Bullet Connectors” are usually behind the engine sprocket cover and will need inspecting and cleaning too.

The turn signal light sockets will benefit from a spritz from the contact cleaner along with the tail light/brake light socket.

Some brake light switches can be sprayed on the actuating rod, with the spray running down inside to the electrical contacts, others may be sealed requiring replacement if the switch is intermittent in operation.

I think I've covered about all of the electrical systems on the bike.........

Electrical Connectors, Wire, And supplies
www.easternbeaver.com
www.vintageconnections.com
www.z1enterprises.com/catalog.aspx?pid=KPEL1
www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu
www.electricalconnection.com
www.electricalconnection.com/electrical-components/hitachi.htm
www.pbase.com/mainecruising/wire_termination&page=1
www.crowbarelectricalparts.com/butt_connectors.htm
www.ratwell.com/technical/Terminals.html
www.economycycle.com/servlet/the-Bullet-...lectrical/Categories
www.surplussales.com/SolderlessTerminals/WireTerminals-3.html
www.findtape.com/shop/product.aspx?id=32...&width=1436&height=0



Why WD-40 Should Not Be Used On Motorcycle Electrical Items.

For many years, I was proponent of the use of WD-40 on fuse clips, fuses, switches and connectors. After hearing of other peoples experience with intermittent and sporadic activity, I shrugged it off as maybe they did something wrong in the application of the product.

It wasn’t until the time I rode my 1982 GPz1100 B2 model to downtown San Diego that I encountered the problems others had gone through.

After concluding my business downtown, I walked to where my bike was parked, turned the key to unlock the forks, and prepared to start the engine. The key was in the "On" position, yet I had no lights in the dash panel, the fuel pump was not running(I have FI), and the horn and tail light were not working.

Stumped as to why nothing electrical was happening, I remember my earlier conversations about how WD-40 will over time become a non-conductor(more like an insulator). I had some pieces of 400 and 600 grit sandpaper in my tool kit and with them was able to scratch away the coating from the WD-40 on the fuses and clips.

After removing the insulating film, the bike started and ran like it should. Since that time, I’ve told people about the problem with WD-40. If you must use a contact cleaner, I recommend getting some "De-oxit" from Radio Shack Stores or any good electronic supply store.

Motor Head wrote:

It is a good Idea, and no doubt needs cleaning.
Also the broken or damaged wire/ bad connection seems Very likely. Anyway keep at it, that bike has got to love you for it!! Its been wanting for some lovin for awhile!!!

I pretty much suspect both the fuel injection wiring harness, and a worn-out/dirty Air flow variable resistor, and I will check both. Then on to the fuel pressure test and injectors clean out.

I'm all in at this point, having fixed the bad throttle position switch, the clogged fuel pump inlet, the kinked fuel line, yada yada, no reason to stop now until it's all been gone through. This bike runs so damn good when it runs, nice 'light at the end of the tunnel'.

On a different subject I picked up a '79 kz650 yesterday with only 17k miles, I have to finish the Z1 so I can move on to the 650 (I already doused all 4 barrels with 50/50 auto transmission fluid and Acetone. The paint on the bike is cherry. And back to good 'ole carbs.)

Does the 650 still have points? That was a real easy system, not much to go wrong there.
That Classic will start treating you right soon enough, it just needs some lovin after the neglect. Just look at the education the bike is giving you!!
The wiring under the seat is why I keep suggesting testing at the computer connector as well as the component.

Motor Head wrote:

Does the 650 still have points? That was a real easy system, not much to go wrong there.
That Classic will start treating you right soon enough, it just needs some lovin after the neglect. Just look at the education the bike is giving you!!
The wiring under the seat is why I keep suggesting testing at the computer connector as well as the component.

Haven't yet pulled the points cover off. First I have to free-up the stuck-from-sitting motor.

The connector for the computer will be included in the FI harness testing to come.

What is an 'H4' light, is that a headlight for a car or a bike or....? Kudos on the 'one strand of wire' and ohmmeter providing false confidence, I like the 4 amps, would an outdoor floodlamp do? What is an 'H4' ?

H4 headlight bulbs have three prong locating pins to position the bulb so the high and low beam are correctly set up(it's no fun to have what you think is low beam is actually high beam blinding on coming drivers).

MFolks wrote:

I've posted this before, but for those who may not have seen this:

Cleaning Motorcycle Electrics

Get some of the De-Oxit electrical contact cleaner.........

Thanks MFolks, I have run across some or all of that from your other posts when I searched the forum records, it is good stuff there. I have done that approach on the connectors and the bullet-type individual wire pins in the fuel injection parts of the bike and coil connections too. I re-read the whole thing again just now to refresh my memory once again. After I get the bike's engine running correctly below 3000rpm, I will finish the parts of the bike's contacts I haven't already cleaned while chasing this problem.

Remember this is with the wire or wires to be tested unplugged from their connections, so it is equal to being a new piece of wire from a roll or something. Do not feed current any where but through the length of wire to be tested, or 2 wires in a loop. Here is a picture of the common H4 bulb. Also don't use this much draw, H4 with a small gauge wire, less than 16 gauge. Use say a Interior Dome light bulb, or a turn signal/ running light bulb.

Motor Head wrote:

Remember this is with the wire or wires to be tested unplugged from their connections, so it is equal to being a new piece of wire from a roll or something. Do not feed current any where but through the length of wire to be tested, or 2 wires in a loop. Here is a picture of the common H4 bulb.

Okay that looks like a Halogen bulb. I don't think pulling 4 amps on the computer harness is a good idea because the computer inputs are signal level, probably in the milliamps, so the wires in the computer harness are probably 18 gauge, 20 or even 22 guage. I think with 4 amps I would need 12 or 14 gauge wires, and computers are low-power, 'signal level' and low-current connections. In other words I might burn some insulation if I start running high current through the very thin computer wires........perhaps.

I like the idea, I will try a lower-current bulb.

By the way, I did my test drive after I re-checked the flapper on the air flow sensor. I was going back-and-forth, back-and-forth with that air flow sensor flap quite a bit, maybe that cleaned up the contact patch a bit, so when I stuck the airflow sensor back in the bike, I got a decent ride.