Uh Oh! Starter Clutch!!

Hey MikePotter86 thanks for the reply on such an old thread, thought i would give it shot. Maybe another user might have some insight.

Do a search..... a fair amount of info on the 550s, 650s and 750s in the last few years but not much (if I recall) on the KZ400.

That's crazy your still around Mike Potter no comments in nearly 7 years. :laugh:

Wow! interesting time for me to receive an email on this topic as mine has just started acting up again. My '81 KZ 750 LTD has been a great bike with this one exception. Since there is no way to justify the cost of having someone else fix it I will once again do it myself. As I recall, other then a "clutch holding tool" there are no special tools required. What is required are a Clymer manual which should be studied thoroughly before you begin, plenty of time and plenty of patience. Nuts and bolts may be rusty and require a tool that you hit with a hammer to rotate them out (the name of which escapes me but it is very common) I use multiple boxes colored tape baggies and return labels to identify all parts when I I use multiple boxes, colored tape, baggies and lots of written labels to identify all parts when I reassemble. You will basically remove the exhaust pipes,oil pump and the clutch basket to get to it. Yes it is a big job and you may become frustrated with rusted items but when you are done, you hit that starter button and it starts right up you will be extremely proud of yourself and 1000% more knowledgeable about the mechanics of your bike. If you can, wait until the off-season so you are not in a hurry to get it up and running again quickly. Feel free to contact me here or by e mail: davehayward1@yahoo.com

Hand impact driver.
Steve

I haven’t started my 82 gpz750 in over a year. I had to order a new petcock because it started leaking the last time it started. I also have to replace battery. When I went to start it the starter sounded like it kept disengaging as it was cracking. It was have some grinding noises. I took the starter out to check the starter clutch. It spins freely one direction and it doesn’t the other direction like it’s supposed to do. I can shake the starter and I can hear some movement with the shaft. Could it be the starter causing my problem or the starter clutch? Thanks

First thing to for any problem involving electricity is to make sure and for certain you have a GOOD battery. Once you know you have that accomplished then you can look elsewhere.
Rick H.

It has a brand new interstate battery bought last Thursday in it. I just got it running using starter fluid. I took the plugs out and it cranks over freely without any grinding noise or disengagement. It seems like it makes the noise under compression.

I had recurring starter-clutch issues all last year. Didn't hurt anything and always started the second try, but I grew tired of that occasional ddddtthhhh, nerve racking noise.
Before Winter I installed a very nice used oem generator rotor that came with the starter clutch. Now I'm Spring-ready, and still have a new starter clutch for next time.

IMO the Kawasaki starter clutch is designed to function properly...until it doesn't. I attempted to rebuild one once with a new roller kit, but that was a complete waste of time, effort and money since the body roller surfaces were worn past usefulness. For all the work involved to access that part, it makes more sense to just go ahead and replace the whole mechanism.

I wish I had a kz1000, it would be a piece of cake replacing it. I just ordered a new oem starter clutch from partszilla. im not looking forward to doing the job, but I don't have a choice. I think the carbs will also have to be rebuilt since I haven't started the bike in over a year and I couldn't keep it running unless the choke stayed on. it seems like it was running rich when I started it yesterday.

For your interest here is a starter clutch upgrade with modern ZR-7 parts.

kzrider.com/kunena/2-engine/607684-kz650...ion-zr7s-part#810954
kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/602462-kz750e-resto-mod?start=40