To all the KZ experts out there.. help..

I just got my license a while ago, and have been having a blast ripping around town.

details:

1983 KZ440
kilometers: 35 XXX
running shape: great up until now.
Problem(s): I left for a family trip to New York, and the day we left I had the bike out for a couple hours and brought it home and parked it. It ran consistant, and ran well. I just got home last night from my trip, and went to start it this morning to take it to work. I pulled it outside, turned on the choke and tried to start it. First thing that happened: even with full choke it coughed to life but the RPM was reading 900... not a common thing while running with full choke. It sounded like it was struggling. Then I heard a funny noise, a loud exhaust leak. On the right side of the bike, where the header connects to the engine the two bolts holding it on were strangly loosened. I tightened them up, which I still cannot fathom how they loosened up to the extent they did. Third problem and now the most troublesome. I smell gas, I look down at the driveway and see a pool of gas forming, the carbs were almost pouring gas out. Probably a cup (250 ml) every 15 seconds (If I had left it running). I shut it off ASAP out of the shock of seeing flammable gas running on the slowly heated up exhaust. I checked the petcock and it was set to on, not to prime which may have explained the flow of gas? hmm. I cleaned up the fuel that spilt, and it had stopped flowing freely. I tried to start it again. It barely was coughing to life with full choke, and now sounds like it is only firing in the left cylinder. The right cylinder is now doing nothing...

It seems like many problems suddenly coming to life? We had someone house sitting. So my fear is one of their friends was messing around with it or he left the garage open and someone came in off the street.. I just doint understand what else it could be.


Hope someone can help. Or that it is something small and simple. I don't have a whole flow of funds right now, hence the small older bike. I guess I can scavenge a few hundred bucks and get ripped off by a local mechanic.. just not sure if its worth my time?

Hope someone can help.

Sound like you have fouled a plug, and the reason is the carb overflowing. You probably need a couple of new plugs, and to get the carb working properly. Try to "Flush" the needle and seat at the float valve by removing the drain screw on the float bowl, and turning the petcock to "Prime". Holding a clear glass bottle under the drain to see what comes out will tell you whats in there. Could be rust, or just sediment. Do you have a good in-line filter at the fuel line between the carbs and tank?
If flushing doesn't work, you'll have to pull the bowl, disassemble the float valve needle and seat and inspect. Probably new ones are best. Check the Float itself for damage as it should be leak free. Also the Height of the float/ Fuel level is critical. If to high, even with new parts, it will overflow.

thanks, Ill give that a go tonight. I have always shyed away from carb work as it seems complicated, but ill give it a go. Ill go pick up two new plugs (might as well pick them up regardless) and give it a go. after a do all you memntioned, by that I mean if I do not need to pull the carbs just drain them, do I jsut start it as I normally would?

Anytime you see gas flooding it is a malfunction in the carb's float/valve system. Carbs need cleaning and adjusting, might need new needles and seats which come in any rebuild kit. You should also flush the tank and install filters to keep crud out of the carbs.