nd advice b4 1st start-up '80 kz1000 fuel injected

MFolks wrote:

I'd check the mechanical ignition advancer, it's behind a CD sized cover on the right side of the engine.

With the engine off, see if it will twist and return to it's original position by hand.

If it's sticking, remove the bolt holding it to the crankshaft and then clean and lubricate it with light oil.
I use either 3-in-one or sewing machine oil on my advancer.

To clean the fuel injection system, use either Berryman's B-12 or Seafoam gasoline additives. Chevron fuel system cleaner is another good one.

Okay guys thanks I was not aware of the automatic ignition advancer, I'll pull and clean it, I found the procedure it in the shop manual. 'Sticking' makes sense to me as the clutch plates on this monster Z1 were sticking something fierce. No matter how long I held in the clutch lever, when I tried to drive it today after it sat 5 years in the p.o's garage, the bike would die immediately when I put it in 1st or 2nd gear despite the clutch pulled all the way in. I coasted down the driveway, popped it in 2nd then after about 5 minutes riding, the clutch started working.

So it would not surprise me to find this ignition advancer also sticking due to non-use.

So just a couple questions. Sorry if I sound ignorant but I have never had a fuel injection on any motorcycle I've owned.

1) about the "Berryman's B-12 or Seafoam gasoline additives. Chevron fuel system cleaner"
do I just pour those into the gas tank? It sure would be nice to not have to disassemble and clean the fuel injection like I otherwise would have to do with sitting-for-5-years carbs.

2) on a fuel injected Kz1000, should the prior owner have 'rejetted the fuel injection for the Kerker pipe' or is that even possible? (again, the airbox is all stock)

I will try to get a photo or two tomorrow and post it.

Excellent news...sometimes we do get lucky!!! As for your questions...

(1) Add the additive when fill up your tank...if you can get gas w/out ethanol, do so. I suspect the additive can't hurt, but a removal and cleaning at a professional FI establishment (e.g. Witchhunter) is the best solution.

(2) If all is stock except the exhaust system...then your ECU will make the proper adjustments...no need to make any changes. Do not mess with the air intake system on your bike...ever. Unless you are going to carbs, in which case all bets are off.

Mcdroid wrote:

Excellent news...sometimes we do get lucky!!! As for your questions...

(1) Add the additive when fill up your tank...if you can get gas w/out ethanol, do so. I suspect the additive can't hurt, but a removal and cleaning at a professional FI establishment (e.g. Witchhunter) is the best solution.

(2) If all is stock except the exhaust system...then your ECU will make the proper adjustments...no need to make any changes. Do not mess with the air intake system on your bike...ever. Unless you are going to carbs, in which case all bets are off.

Well one thing I discovered just now is all 4 of my spark plugs are gapped at 0.65mm.

The manual calls for 0.7mm to 0.8mm.

So I'm suspecting the plugs may have been contributing to the popping and will fix that.

To your point of 'leave the stock air intake unmodified' -- I did in fact find a cracked rubber elbow piece at the air filter canister -- the rubber elbow connects the air filter can to a long rubber hose (and the long rubber hose runs to the top of the engine). The rubber elbow is cracked wide open right at the air filter can.

Could this cracked elbow on the air filter canister cause an issue? Just wondering about this after I read your advice about keeping the air intake system stock. This rubber elbow plugs into a hole on the metal air filter can, and the hole is the diameter of your pinky finger, so even with the cracked rubber elbow not much additional air is getting in to the air filter can.

Seemingly minor air leaks in a system can have major effects on how a bike runs, particularly in an essentially 'closed' FI system...if you can replace it, do so, if not, at least tape it up. At this stage of resurrection, take no chances (or eliminate those events that might impact running properly). However, I think that may be part of the emission reduction system and be less critical to running.

An item over looked, is the 4 rubber plugs that cover the sync ports on the carb holders. Z1 enterprises sells new ones.

They get cracked or lost and the engine suffers as it's now running lean.I'd also check the condition of the carb holders as they are a rubber/metal constructon and can crack/leak(this is the parts between the engine and injector housings).

MFolks wrote:

An item over looked, is the 4 rubber plugs that cover the sync ports on the carb holders. Z1 enterprises sells new ones.

They get cracked or lost and the engine suffers as it's now running lean.I'd also check the condition of the carb holders as they are a rubber/metal constructon and can crack/leak(this is the parts between the engine and injector housings).

Thanks for the recommendation MD about the rubber elbow -- I added that to my list of parts I need including spark plugs and maybe valve shims.

On the subect of the rubber plugs covering the sync ports, and the rubber/metal 'manifold' parts you mention -- I have used engine starter spray (ether) before on a bike to try to find an air leak -- would it make sense to try ether on this fuel injected machine to check for leaks?

Also I do not have a factory shop manual for this bike, 1980 fuel injected kz1000 'Z1 Classic', I'm using a manual for a carb-equipped 1980 kz1000, anyone know where to find a Z1 Classic manual with coverage of the fuel injection in it?

Starter fluid,Propane(unlit torch),brake cleaner, and WD-40 all will work when searching for vacuum leaks in intake systems.

Places to try for a shop manual might be:

www.repairmanual.com
www.manualsnmore.com
E-Bay


I believe www.redlinecycle.com might have some "G" model parts.

I fixed the 'popping' sound problem.
The injector for the #2 carb was unplugged. The injectors for each cylinder are in the area where the carbs would normally be found.

Each injector (one per cylinder) has an electric connector that leads (I guess) to the computer that is stored in the rear of the seat pan.

So I checked the following on the way to resolving the very noticeable popping/power loss/backfiring issue:

1) as you guys suggested, I checked the mechanical ignition advancer unit on the right crankshaft side of the engine behind the pickups of the electronic ignition. The advancer was not sticking at all -- this bike has been stored inside its whole life and the area behind the 'points' cover is clean clean clean.

2) Then I installed 4 new spark plugs.


3) Next I found an unplugged electrical connector on the #2 carburetor, I mean injector, so I re-connected the plastic molex connector onto the carb/injector whatever. Shit I don't like computers fucking with my carbs/injectors. Give me MECHANICAL.

4) I poured the correct amount of injector cleaner into a full gas tank and sloshed it around in a noteworthy fashion.

No more popping. I am pretty sure the main improvement was re-connecting the #2 injector. New plugs, and some injector cleaner that was just added would not have made the instant improvement of no more backfiring.

Only one glitch during my maiden 25-minute ride.


Imagine you're driving along and you turn the On/Off switch that's on the right handlebar controls to 'Off' -- we've all done that accidentally. The engine just goes WAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...........dead .

It happened to me at the end of the ride. It died yet I had not touched the on/off switch at all. So I looked at the fuel filter: full of gas. Did a visual on the four electrical connectors on the carbs -- they were fine.

Turned the key on, fired right up, drove her home, no problem. Spooky.

The only remaining issue (besides the spooky loss of ignition) is -- the 'pilot' circuit is dirty because a slow roll-on of the throttle is not smooth, need to rev it a bit to get her going from a stop.

I'm thinking my bottle of fuel injector cleaner, which will take 3 full gas tanks to use up, should clear up the dirty 'pilot' circuit in the injectors.

EDIT: the reason the mistakenly un-plugged electrical connector on the #2 injector was not obvious to me at first was, (1) I didn't know there were friggin electrical connectors on each injector, and (2) the connection on the inside #2 carb does not leap out at you -- ya have to first know its there. Then you have to look for it because it's obscured by the stuff on the left side of the bike, such as the #1 injector, the fuel line from the gas tank petcock, etc. I guess I woulda found the unplugged connector if it was on the #1 or #4 carb.

The other thing is that a main reason the prior owner sold this bike was he spent a lot of time trying to fix this backfiring and popping problem, he troubleshot the coils, a lot of stuff. So he missed the unplugged #2 injector also, I guess I shouldn't be too embarrassed about not noticing it right away.