UPDATE ON 04/23/06: I found the problem! See my later posting.
I HATE INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS!!!
My KZ750H (4 cylinders) has just started a very odd problem of an intermittent loss of spark on the #1 & 4 cylinders. When I first experienced the problem, I traced the wires, and cleaned all the four pin connectors. I THOUGHT that fixed the problem, but it did not. Instead, I have observed the following pattern: (1) I start the bike (cold about 50 degress F outside), and it runs nicely on all 4 as I let it warm up for a few minutes, then hit the road; (2) after about five city blocks, the bike loses power, and I can verify that #1 & 4 are not firing; (3) I get on the bike to limp home on 2 cylinders, and after 2 blocks the bike starts running great on all four again, and stays like this without interruption for the remainder of my 12 mile trip. IT HAS FOLLOWED THIS SAME PATTERN FOR THE LAST THREE TIMES IN A ROW THAT I STARTED OFF TO OR FROM WORK.
My bike has the stock electronic ignition found on all early 1980 KZs, except I have DYNA coils.
I have not yet done the WG ignition circuit relay upgrade (I never needed to, at least until now), but I will probably do so soon. However, since the other coil is obviously working fine, that should mean I have decent voltage into the coils, right? (Or wrong?) Could it be the beginning of coil failure for the #1 & 4 coil? Could it be the beginning of igniter box failure? How do I tell which? I know it could be a bad wire (either an intermittant open curcuit, or a short to ground), but my inspections thus far have not found that.
The problem here is that I cannot tell if I am really getting the problem solved, because by the time I start to fuss around with it, the problem fixes itself.
I realy do not want to lose power on the Bay Bridge on ramp again.
Anyone care to share your thoughts, before I just replace everything and re-wire the whole bike?
Post edited by: apeman, at: 2006/03/22 14:03
Post edited by: apeman, at: 2006/04/23 18:46
Petaluma and Truckee, CA -- member since Jan. 23, 2003;
PREVIOUS KZs: 1980 KZ750H with 108,000 miles; 1980 KZ750E with 28,000 miles; and KZ750H street/cafe project, all sold a few years back.
This is what I do for fun, not for work. It is art, with a little engineering thrown in.