The Free Kawasaki Z650 Project

[pidjones]

Getting good! I do most builds with the frame ratchet-strapped to a furniture dolly (usually with doubled 2x4s to raise it up). When mounting the wheels, do one with the bike tipped over (forward or backward) just a bit then put it balanced on the center stand to mount the other (with a floor jack keeping the unmounted end up). Every bike that I've done this on so far has had the center stand at a balance point so that removing a wheel will tip it in that direction. Just put a floor jack or jack stand under that end. Without the center stand you just have to be a bit more clever.

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

Collected the wheels, now with Avon tyres and inner tubes.. not cheaper at £285, this afternoon fitted them back on the bike. Got new shocks due in the next few days, while the choice of which Delkevic systems is tricky.. haven't made my mind up yet. Strange the the larger system costs less than the seemingly simpler system.

New stainless castle nut, matches the stainless wheel adjusters, nuts and spacers..

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

New YSS shocks and carbs fitted, next task is to fit the rewrapped wiring harness. Not so easy as the bike now has different switchgear, with different wires and slightly different functions. The original switches were broken.

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

The YSS shocks had a14mm bolt hole in the lower shock mount, but the swing arm used a 10mm bolt. Eventually I found a suitable bush on Ebay, works well, just had to narrow it down from 30mm to 18mm to fit the shock.

Fitted a new front mudguard, one from a Z900 LTD, as its shorter and better looking than the orignal.

 

[Luugo86]

That fender does look good on there.

 

[Maritime]

Yep, that fender fits it well.

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

Fitted Renthal grips and Oxford bar ends, that I had left over from another project, then spent ages removing the black finish on the Brembo brake lever, so now it more closely matches the original clutch lever.

The Delkevic stainless exhaust arrived today, soon had it on the bike.

The electrics have been a pita, still got a couple of wires that go nowhere in the headlight, but tomorrow will put power into the harness, and see what works and what doesn't.

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

With a new chain, plugs, caps and condensors fitted, I hooked up a battery to test the electrics and hopefully start the engine for the first time.. but then I hit a problem.. I couldn't find the key! It must be in my garage somewhere, but having searched for over two hours, no sign of it. I'll have to empty the garage, which will be a few hours work in the hope of finding the damned key. If not, then I will have to access the barrel to find its code, from which a new key can be made.

 

[Luugo86]

For someone so meticulous and careful in your builds, the key thing made me smile.. that sort of thing happens to me more often than I like lol.. hope you find it

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

A quick update on the key situation, I found a 3 digit code on the seat lock, so used that to order a new key. It duly arrived, and fitted the seat lock perfectly.. but it didn't fit the ignition barrel. Half expecting this, I'd also ordered a new barrel and keys, so I fitted it with no problems.

At last testing could begin, everything works ok, except the starter button, until I found that switching the lights on activated the starter!

The RHS switches are non standard, as the original was damaged, with the new wiring being very different. I thought I'd worked out what goes where, but clearly not lol...

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

On a different subject, I weighed the bike today, with oil and battery, but no fuel in the tank... 192kg or 424 lbs.

Specs say the dry weight is 211kg / 465lbs and wet weight of 220kg / 485lbs.

I think the dry weight is with no fluids at all, no oil etc.

So I estimate my bike when weighed if standard, would have been somewhere between the two figures, say 215 / 474 lbs.

Therefore the bike is now approx 23kg / 50 lbs lighter than standard. More than I expected, but can't complain.

The lighter 4 into 1 exhaust and not refitting the centre stand must make up most the difference, while the alloy rims, lighter mudguards also help.

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

The only thing I hadn't yet change in the ignition system was the points themselves, so I fitted a new pair, and finally got a spark at the plugs. But it seemed to be a very weak spark, and the bike still wouldn't fire up. I changed all the terminals used in the ignition circuit but that made no difference. However I did notice that one of the coils was getting hot with only a little use, the other coil was stone cold. Odd.

Having spent many hours checking and double checking everything I could think off, with no progress, I gave up on the points ignition and have now ordered a complete Dyna S ignition, coils and leads. They should be delivered this week.

On a happier note all the other electrics work ok, so the bike is pretty much finished... except it doesn't run yet.

Cheap filters fitted, will do for now

The old points, found to be earthed to the back plate, culprit could be the small insulating washers..

While the green F2 now has the bottom half of its engine built and its in the frame. The bores and pistons are in good condition but the rings are at their wear limit so will be replaced. The engine has been ceramically coated, from black to silver.

 

[Maritime]

No pics. Boo

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

Missing pics, don't know why, nothing has changed in the way I always post pics on here

 

[Luugo86]

Could the ignition problem have just been that cold coil being faulty?

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

Maybe, both coils are new, they did provide a spark, but very weak. Fitting the dyna S ignition soon, so will soon find out.

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

Took an afternoon to fit the Dyna S ignition, and found it very easy to do the static timing. Once that was done time to see if the engine would finally start. Which it did, but not for long, after 30 seconds it died. While the starter was making some horrible noises, or more likely that was the starter clutch. I could start the engine on the kickstart so for now not a big problem.

Could be fuel starvation, perhaps some jets are blocked. They looked ok when I removed their float bowls, but perhaps all is not well in the carbs..

 

[pidjones]

Took an afternoon to fit the Dyna S ignition, and found it very easy to do the static timing. Once that was done time to see if the engine would finally start. Which it did, but not for long, after 30 seconds it died. While the starter was making some horrible noises, or more likely that was the starter clutch. I could start the engine on the kickstart so for now not a big problem.

Could be fuel starvation, perhaps some jets are blocked. They looked ok when I removed their float bowls, but perhaps all is not well in the carbs..

Weird. Red Xs until I hit reply - and the photos come through clear as can be in the edit box!

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

Seems the pics are back, good.

I took the carbs off the bike and dismantled them. I couldn't see any obvious blocked jets etc, although three of the four main jet o rings fell apart as I unscrewed them.

Later in the week the 10L Ultrasonic cleaner arrived along with a bottle of carb cleaner. It was just big enough to take everything in one go, except the backing plate. Seemed to work ok, after 25 minutes in the solution.

Then had the tedious task of rebuilding the carbs, I used E10 resistant O rings, along with new stainless screws and brass drain plugs.

With the carbs back on the bike, time to see if it would now run on all four cylinders...

But once again the bike didn't want to fire up, eventually I used a syringe to squirt fuel down the carbs, at which point the engine fired up for a few seconds, sounded good with all cylinders firing. Removing the float bowl drain plugs showed all four carbs bone dry. Odd, as their is fuel going down from the tank into the T piece..

Tomorrow, I will remove the carbs from the engine to investigate further...

 

[Bevelheadmhr]

Quick update, I took the float bowls off the carbs, and connected a fuel supply, with the floats hinged down as far as they go, I expected fuel to pour out of the float valves.. but nothing. Then having messed with the floats suddenly fuel started to flood out of the carbs. Good. Perhaps a small blockage? I refitted the carbs but still the engine died after a few seconds. Three of the carb bowls had fuel, but number 4 was dry. Luckily being number 4, I could remove the float bowl, only to find the fuel came through only when I removed the float needle.

I think the problem is due to a worn float needle sticking closed, as it had a groove which I could feel with my fingernail....