'82 KZ440 LTD Air Box Mystery

I picked up an '82 Kawasaki KZ440 LTD A/D as my first motorcycle a few months ago and have been obsessively learning as much as I can along the way from the forum here while tinkering around on this bike. Because I'm practically brand new to bikes and mechanical work in general, I've relied heavily on the knowledge and various threads of DTT to familiarize myself with basic maintenance and general repairs. All that to say, I don't know much but I've already learned a lot because of you guys and I appreciate it. Also, a forewarning. This thread won't be technically on par, hence all the photos. Here she is as of now. Got some tracker bars on the way and already cut down the seat.





So, first things first, I changed the oil, drained the tank and put in fresh gas, and I've got it running. But not as well as I'd like. I pulled the carbs a couple weeks ago and soaked all the jets. I noticed both of the rubber gaskets in the carb tops are too big to fit in the groove. So that could be causing some issues. But the bike idles ok and then sputters every few seconds and then, after about 5-10 minutes, eventually dies. Also, it has really slow throttle response. I pull the throttle wide open and it takes a few beats for the engine to rev. Not really sure what that means yet, but I'm assuming it's an air leak somewhere? I took a closer look and, sure enough, there seems to be a crack in one of the carb boots. So, I've added that to the parts-to-source list.





While I was poking around I also noticed that the air box looked a little... diy-ed up more than should be. But, again, this is my first bike, so I could be wrong. Any thoughts? Another possible air related source of the problem?





Also, I figured I'd go ahead and post a photo of each side of the bike for you guys to take a look at, just in case there's something obvious I'm not noticing.







Again, thanks for the help everyone. Now that I've pulled the trigger on a bike, I can finally join in the discussions here.

As far as the carb boots go, spray starting fluid on them with the bike started. If air is being passed through the bikes idle will increase (rpms), as if you are opening the throttle. This will help single out that issue.
In the case where the idle does indeed increase it would be good to invest in a new set of boot. Around $40 a piece, well worth it if you plan on an overall update anyways.
If that test checks out and there is no change when sprayed around the carb boots that you circled, there is also an idle screw on the carb. This is located on bottom, center of the carb. Turning it clockwise will increase the idle in which you can steady it.
Also, be sure your fuel is open at the gas tank, supplying fuel to the carbs.

Hey Nightmoves, welcome to DTT.

Nice pics, they'll really help folks to help you out, I'll try to do a bit of that.

First off, GET A FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL!!! There just isn't a substitute. Clymer and Haynes are great, especially if you want to cross reference something, but the FSM is a must have.

You shouldn't have to worry about turning your fuel on at the tank. You've got a vacuum operated petcock, with On Res(erve) and Pri(me) settings. I see from the pics that your vacuum line is aftermarket, you should check to see that ALL of your rubber bits and lines on the bike are sealed tightly where they should be, lines, boots, etc. If you think your boots are cracked, replace 'em. You're going to have enough to worry about with those Keihin CV carbs, (speaking of which, using either your FSM, or some other source, check an exploded diagram against the bits you actually put back into your carbs, there are a couple of microscopic washers that you may have missed). If you've never cleaned a set of carbs before, there's an excellent chance that your carbs aren't really as clean as you hope, welcome to the club. If you find it necessary to tear them down again, and you will, make sure to use compressed air to clear out ALL of the passages, hold all of your jets up against a light too.
Make sure that your fuel, vacuum and rebreather lines are clamped tightly, the OEM little squeeze clamps weren't worth a damn on mine after 30 years. Try to find yourself some worm drive hose clamps in the appropriate sizes.
That thing under your seat, that I will generously call your airbox breather, is not OEM. It looks like it could have been, once upon a time, but since then, someone has decided to drill some extra holes so that they could jam it in backwards, and then wrapped it in chickenwire, to keep the mice out. You are looking for what is sometimes called the Snorkel Breather, it attaches to the airbox, and holds the wet filter element and cage. If you go to Kawasaki.com choose owner info and follow the prompts, you will be able to access exploded diagrams of all parts of your bike. Complete with parts numbers and compatibility with other models. These snorkel breathers are as rare as hens' teeth, so if you see one, don't bitch about the price, just give the nice man his money and get on with finding the other bits you need.

I seem to recall something being a pain about properly installing my throttle cable the last time I had everything apart, that could be causing some of your trouble. I'll try to remember what it was. KZ400.com and KZRider.com are great resources for our bikes, but the guys can get a little snotty with newbies and small bikes. Hope I helped a bit, if there's anything else I might be able to share, I'll do my best, feel free to ask. GREAT job cleaning it, by the way! I know what a colossal PITA cleaning that aluminum is. Post often and post pics, looking forward to seeing what you do with it. Enjoy the ride.

Just out of curiousity, you mentioned that it started acting up after 5-7 mins. Are you remembering to lift your choke lever back up and to switch your petcock from Pri to On? As well, your bike is "air cooled", that means that as you ride it, air flows over the engine and through the fins to carry away heat. They don't like to be run long stationary, it might be overheating. If it's something simple like these, it could save you a whole lot of time and money tearing shit apart and replacing it.
You also have to roll on the throttle 1/4 before you bolt the handlebar assembly together, or your throttle is going to give you the response problems you mentioned, worth a look.

You should consider taking a motorcycle safety cours, they'll run you through all the basics, might even give you some basic maintenance training. Best thing I ever did as far as bikes go, I learned how to ride from my father and my buddies, you'll be amazed to learn what your well-meaning friends with "years of riding experience" don't know...

I agree with all that is posted above except....
1) a Clymer or Haynes manual has everything you I'll ever need. My local cycle
shop has a LARGE collection of factory service manuals they use for reference.
In all my years I have yet to come across any information that might be missing
in the aftermarket manuals that I needed to get down the road. You can download
the factory service manual from various sources online. If you want a real paper
copy and can find a f.s.m. for the cost of a Clymer or Haynes fine.
2) those boots are shot, replace them.
3) slide those carbs all the way into the boot. See the little valley on the carb outlet
side, it corresponds with a rib inside the boot.
4) slide the clamp all the way to the carb side. It does little good setting in the middle.
5) a young man here locally had a modified air box on his LTD just like yours. He had
trouble with the jetting on his bike. Ended up the foam was more restrictive than
needed. He sliced it in half and now it runs fine with the factory jetting. Your foam looks
even more dense than his.
I suggest slide the carbs all the way on a move the clamps to the correct position.
Then replace that 'filter' with something you can about see thru.


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Good eye on the carb installation Rex.

As far as the manuals go, I think that you're probably approaching them with a fair amount more experience than I am. You're probably able to fill in rudimentary info intuitively from memory, not even realizing you're able to do it. My FSM was in great condition when I got it, as was my Clymer. My FSM is now literally read to pieces, ready for a new duct tape spine, while my Clymer still looks like a survivor. The walkthroughs in the FSM are a lot more helpful for a beginner than the Clymer, although the wording in the Clymer is more user friendly. There are points in dis-assembly/reassembly where having the Clymer is a lifesaver. The FSM also has better wiring diagrams for the different years, and better descriptions of any "special tools" for certain jobs. Between the two, I can pretty much tackle anything that I need to.

There are definite weak spots in both books. I can think of unclear diagrams and descriptions in both carb and rear wheel disassembly/reassembly that took some trial and error to work through.

I've managed to compile quite a little library of bike and era specific books and manuals for this bike, and have wound up digging into every one of them at some point. FSM, Clymer, Spec manual for the year in question, Assembly manual for the dealership, Special Tools manual, and a couple of dozen other assorted hunks of dead tree. Each and every one has been a lifesaver at some point while I was trying to figure out which wrench to hit with the hammer next. Or not ;D

Looks like the OP's in the right place. Some good info flying his way, I'll be taking notes too.

Wow. You guys are awesome!

Ok, so based on the posts from everyone to fast track me towards a better running bike, I've made a to-do list for this weekend:

1) Buy a Clymer / FSM manual

2) Find / order new carb boots

3) Find / order two carb kits (a couple of jets won't even unscrew from being stripped)

4) Reseat carbs properly

5) Tear down and reassemble air box breather construction

6) Look around for a motorcycle safety course in my area


I'll be working on the bike this weekend and will be sure to take some more photos as I go for you guys. Thanks again for the quick replies! Being a member of DTT is going to help out a TON (haha sorry, couldn't help myself :-\ ) especially because I don't know anyone who has a motorcycle. I look forward to learning as much as I can from everyone here.

And remember a ride on your bike will help you forget all the worries in life.

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Nebr_Rex said:

And remember a ride on your bike will help you forget all the worries in life.

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Click to expand...

Haha so true. I can't wait to get her up and running well.

So, about the air box thing specifically. If I get in there and find that the existing "air box" is too messed up to bring back, at what point should I consider pods? Would they be an alternative, only to be considered after trying to track down another complete oem air box system for my make and model? I've read that quite often putting air pods on a bike can cause a lot of tuning and rejetting issues, especially for someone with limited experience. But I figured it would be worth asking about and might end up saving me some time by just putting a couple of high quality pods on (I did read the PSA thread about the downfalls of cheapo pods).

Thanks again for the help, everyone!

Your air box looks fine as long as the air box boots are soft enough to seal.
Just thin down that 'filter' material enough to run stock jetting. If then you wish
to install K/N or Uni pods look up Sigma6 on ebay. Their kit will get you in the
ball park if not spot on.

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Awesome. I'm definitely going to try to make the air box work before anything else. Thanks for the reassurance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You couldn't be in a better place to have a KZ Twin. The big powersports shop on 49 can likely hook you up with a lot of what you need. Tell them to break out the K&L catalog, you need cab kits and that is THE easy source for them. Call Suzuki City down in Biloxi and see if Mike and/or Joe still work there. The guys who ran it in 1998 when I bought my LS650 brand new. Absolute wizards with 40 year old Japanese motorcycle technology (KZ440 is a CB350 on acid). Also call the Honda/Kawasaki dealership in Gulfport, they used to do a LOT of vintage bike work.

Lastly, look up Bent Bike motorcycle salvage in WA state. They have repaired, sold or broken up literally thousands of KZ twins over the last 4 decades or so. Hard shop to deal with, but if it is KZ440 related, they'll have it in stock.

I'm a few hours north of you these days, up above Memphis. Pass through Hattiesburg fairly frequently as we still have a place on the canals in Bay Saint Louis. Push come to shove, haul it up here and we'll get it fixed up.

Scruffy said:

You couldn't be in a better place to have a KZ Twin. The big powersports shop on 49 can likely hook you up with a lot of what you need. Tell them to break out the K&L catalog, you need cab kits and that is THE easy source for them. Call Suzuki City down in Biloxi and see if Mike and/or Joe still work there. The guys who ran it in 1998 when I bought my LS650 brand new. Absolute wizards with 40 year old Japanese motorcycle technology (KZ440 is a CB350 on acid). Also call the Honda/Kawasaki dealership in Gulfport, they used to do a LOT of vintage bike work.

Lastly, look up Bent Bike motorcycle salvage in WA state. They have repaired, sold or broken up literally thousands of KZ twins over the last 4 decades or so. Hard shop to deal with, but if it is KZ440 related, they'll have it in stock.

I'm a few hours north of you these days, up above Memphis. Pass through Hattiesburg fairly frequently as we still have a place on the canals in Bay Saint Louis. Push come to shove, haul it up here and we'll get it fixed up.

Click to expand...

Ya'll really know how to make a new guy feel welcome. Thanks for the suggestion, Scruffy! I just looked them up and realized I've passed Hattiesburg Cycles at least a hundred times and never stopped in. Definitely going to do so before the weekend. I really appreciate the help!

Nebr_Rex said:

Your air box looks fine as long as the air box boots are soft enough to seal.
Just thin down that 'filter' material enough to run stock jetting. If then you wish
to install K/N or Uni pods look up Sigma6 on ebay. Their kit will get you in the
ball park if not spot on.

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Click to expand...

Dont bother with PODS or Sigma6 kits, tried both with no luck. keep the airbox!!! find the the missing parts on EBAY or people here!

danker16 said:

Dont bother with PODS or Sigma6 kits, tried both with no luck. keep the airbox!!! find the the missing parts on EBAY or people here!

Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about your difficulties, working on carbs, tank electrolysis, inability to
follow simple directions and jumping around like a cocaine overdosed monkey etc....

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Nebr_Rex said:

Sorry to hear about your difficulties, working on carbs, tank electrolysis, inability to
follow simple directions and jumping around like a cocaine overdosed monkey etc....

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Click to expand...

no need to feel sorry there keyboard warrior.
move on

Hope you were looking in the mirror when you pressed that enter button.

Oh dear... Well, in an attempt to keep everyone cordial and friendly, I've got a few updates on the KZ440 to distract you:

I pulled the carbs and battery out so I could try to remove the air box and, unfortunately, I could only get so far without tearing the bike down more than I felt was really necessary at the time. It's damn near impossible to remove... I did look at some Kawasaki manuals and parts diagrams and found that I'm missing a top piece (part # 11012) that fits onto the existing part I have, shown by the example below:




Also, I managed to finally pry off the mess of chicken wire, foam, and caulking to find that the foam has been permanently sandwiched between the wire mesh. I've been looking around for a fully intact replacement part # 11012, but if I don't come across one soonish I may entertain the idea of simplifying / cleaning up the PO's jerry rigged solution.


Sorry for the poor image quality, the camera on my phone doesn't focus.

I did find this guy, though: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kawasaki-Air-Filter-Cover-11012-1086-for-1983-Z440LTD-HARD-TO-FIND-/181256273160?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a33b73d08&vxp=mtr



As previously suggested, I made certain when I remounted the carbs this time that they were fit snuggly and evenly in all boots on both sides. I also moved the clamps on the engine side to the edge of the boots instead of in the middle, which actually brings us to the next problem I encountered. After purchasing brand spankin' new carb boots and pulling parts to access the cracked ones, it turns out the PO was one step ahead of me and, at some point, tried changing the boots himself. I know this now because all four screws are 90% stripped. I can get a screwdriver to sit in the head but any attempt to move the screw and it continues to strip it out. Suuuuuper bummed about it... So, do I take it somewhere to have them drilled out(?) and replaced, or do I leave well enough alone and try putting some form of rubber appropriate adhesive on the crack in the boot?

So, I cut my losses, poked several small screwdriver-sized holes in the thick "air box" foam, and put everything back together. I hit the starter button and, to my surprise, she started up like a champ first try! Didn't even have the choke out or anything. Something that has never happened before. It was idling pretty high (about 3500 rpm), but after a quick idle screw adjustment, she was purring right around 1000 like a dream. Not even sputtering like before. Feeling pretty pumped about the unexpectedly easy start up, I jumped on the bike and rode down to the end of our country road and back (about a mile) and quickly realized I've still got a lot of tuning to do. Since I'm still very new to all this, I'll just explain what was happening and you guys will probably recognize the problem(s): Shifting out of first gear there was very little get-up-and-go acceleration. It got progressively worse as I gained speed, shifting up into fourth and basically topping out at 40mph, throttle wide open but cruising at about 4000 rpms. I pulled the choke out about 1/4 of the way and the bike responded by occasionally sputtering and hauling tail for about two seconds and then slowing back down to a top speed of 40mph. My best guess is I need to do a serious carb overhaul, as was suggested earlier in this thread, but if you guys have any other thoughts, please let me know!

Sorry for the lengthy posts. I imagine, as time goes on and I gain more basic bike knowledge, I'll become increasingly more succinct with the descriptions of my troubles. Haha


Oh! I ditched those stock bars and got some black superbike bars. The difference is WAY more awesome than I even anticipated. The only problem now is finding a home for those pesky front signal lights. But I should stick to the main topic of this thread for now and revisit that problem later on.




Thanks again for the help, everyone. It's greatly appreciated. Looking forward to when I'll be able to contribute to the overall betterment of the DTT members.

Shiny ;D

Very first thing I did was swap out the mini-apes for a set of black Euro bars. Makes a world of difference, but it might also mean you want to replace your cables with shorter ones, or keep an eye on your routing. Does mean you have to think about your blinkers though, huh? I bought new 3 wire blinkers and mounted them to the headlight bucket first. Then drilled holes into the headlight ears and mounted them there. Then I picked up a NOS Shoei 1/4 fairing and didn't want to cut it, so I bought some 33 mm clamps and moved the blinkers to the fork legs.
I feel bad, I should've warned you that the bolts, "screws" on these bikes are NOT Philips head. They are Japanese Industrial Standard, "JIS". Get yourself a set of JIS screwdrivers, or you're going to spend the rest of your natural life stripping heads and trying to remove the bastards. Pretty much right off the bat I stripped out the screws on my left blinker and right hand tank badge mounts. Then some nice man clued me in. It's become something of a hobby to replace my fasteners with nice shiny Allen Head Stainess Steel ones as opportunity arises, just make sure to use anti-seize anytime you're mating alloy, (i.e. aluminum) and steel to prevent galling, (seizing like a motherf%&cker).
I also should have told you that to get the carbs out easier, you want to unbolt the airbox and move it back a bit. To move the airbox back a bit, you want to unbolt the battery box and move that back a bit. And if memory serves, to move the battery box back a bit, you'll find it easier to unbolt/unhook the electrics from it, and also remove the rear fender, and unbolt the inner fender and move THAT back a bit. Fun with tools! 8)
That part that you're missing, (3 parts if you count the cage and the foam filter, which is a wet filter) is the snorkel breather I was talking about earlier. Tough to find. Lots of guys switched to pods and chucked the breathers before they realized that CV's are a bitch with pods.

At least you got to take it for a quick boot, that must've felt awesome! Good Job!

Like the saying goes, ''it's all dumb metal, how smart are you''.