What I learned years ago, your first purchase is an impact driver, second purchase from a good tool supplier is JIS screw driver bits. Then you purchase new JIS bolts and replace them as you put it back together (even more so if they have been camed over). A "little" heat is your friend, you can also just rattle the bolt tops with your air hammer once you use penetrating oil on the bolts, then go at them with the impact driver (clocked in the right direction of course) and they should all come loose without breaking or caming the bolt head. It seems to be a "thing" with the 440's they tend to "self tighten" there own screws and bolts. When you reassemble don't forget to use Silver anti-seize on all the threads, this does two things, it lets you get to the torque requirements and also makes removal a way bunch easier by preventing any possible corrosion in the threads. I went through the issues with my 440 doing the damn forks, then I discovered the secrets I just shared and working on it's a dream now.. Cheers!
My 1982 440 quits just like turning the key off after riding for about 10 miles. Starts back up immediately. Ride another 5 to 10 mile then it does it again and again. Cleaned the tank, replace the fuel and vacuum line . New petcock, plugs and coil and still it quits. Thinking maybe it's another igniter or pickup coil that 's needed. Bike has served me well for 40 years until now.
@@hook86 I've bypassed the ignition and kill switches by running a 12v line straight from the pos. terminal thru a 20 amp fuse and toggle switch to the coil and igniter. I can start and run the bike with this. No key needed. The bike still quits after riding 50 feet or 10 miles. Everything has been replaced....spark plugs, caps wires coil, igniter and pickup coil but still not change. Went thru the wiring and connectors and found nothing suspicious. It might float when I run it into the river to make a raft out of it.
I try a flat head screw driver and a hammer and smack the edge of bolts to loosen them if they wont come out or if stripped. I hope you get it going dude.
@@madusathe2nd333 thanks for the advice! The starter motor did need a rebuild, and it's working great now! PB Blaster and a couple good wacks with a hammer and punch got those stubborn mount screws out! Only thing left is a carb rebuild and we may have a running bike. Carbs seem to have stuck floats.
As a fellow KZ440 owner (I'm on the forum, too) did you ever get the starter issue resolved? I'm having the head redone on my KZ440 (82 belt drive; sadly, no kickstarter), and the starter on my 93 KZ1000P is doing the same thing your starter's doing. Thankfully, somebody's gone through my bike before, and replaced the JIS screws with bolts. (I think Kawasaki had "smartened up" by that time, and used bolts instead.)
Hey hook wondering if you ever got it running and if you wouldn’t mind sharing how much was spent to get it to running I was thinking of trying to switch out the starter myself but I’m debating on on doing it or not.
Hey brother, I did get it running and really enjoyed the bike before I sold it for a nice profit. The starter is tricky to get out, take your time with the bolt so you don't strip or break anything, and you may need an impact wrench to get at some of the old stuck bolts. I got mine on the road after I rebuilt starter for probably only about 20 or $30 and that was after rebuilding the starter on my own, which I really enjoyed. Learned a lot and it wasn't difficult. I'd highly recommend doing it, I love keeping these old bikes on the road.
You can get them out without removing the airbox if you angle them right and drop them down. If the boots are really sticky heat them with a heat gun and use a flat head screwdriver to get them loose- just remember you may need new boots if they are that stiff as the screw driver will F them up! As for all the stuck screws- recommend an impact driver or impact bit, as that will help to get them loose- PB break free soaks will help too. Keep after it brother!
![The Bike is Running! Kz440 with Mikuni Carbs [ KZ440 Project Bike ]](/img/n.gif)
What I learned years ago, your first purchase is an impact driver, second purchase from a good tool supplier is JIS screw driver bits. Then you purchase new JIS bolts and replace them as you put it back together (even more so if they have been camed over). A "little" heat is your friend, you can also just rattle the bolt tops with your air hammer once you use penetrating oil on the bolts, then go at them with the impact driver (clocked in the right direction of course) and they should all come loose without breaking or caming the bolt head. It seems to be a "thing" with the 440's they tend to "self tighten" there own screws and bolts. When you reassemble don't forget to use Silver anti-seize on all the threads, this does two things, it lets you get to the torque requirements and also makes removal a way bunch easier by preventing any possible corrosion in the threads. I went through the issues with my 440 doing the damn forks, then I discovered the secrets I just shared and working on it's a dream now.. Cheers!
My 1982 440 quits just like turning the key off after riding for about 10 miles. Starts back up immediately. Ride another 5 to 10 mile then it does it again and again. Cleaned the tank, replace the fuel and vacuum line . New petcock, plugs and coil and still it quits. Thinking maybe it's another igniter or pickup coil that 's needed. Bike has served me well for 40 years until now.
Really kinda sounds like an ignition system short!
@@hook86 I've bypassed the ignition and kill switches by running a 12v line straight from the pos. terminal thru a 20 amp fuse and toggle switch to the coil and igniter. I can start and run the bike with this. No key needed. The bike still quits after riding 50 feet or 10 miles. Everything has been replaced....spark plugs, caps wires coil, igniter and pickup coil but still not change. Went thru the wiring and connectors and found nothing suspicious. It might float when I run it into the river to make a raft out of it.
@@trainmaster0217hey there speaking from personal experience, my KZ 440 was completely submerged they don't float you might tho 😂😂
I'm having the same problem with the screws. I've stripped almost all of them.
My gsx750 1981 had the same problem. The starter motor was dragging and sticking. and I think it means you need to rebuild it. Hope it helps
I try a flat head screw driver and a hammer and smack the edge of bolts to loosen them if they wont come out or if stripped. I hope you get it going dude.
@@madusathe2nd333 thanks for the advice! The starter motor did need a rebuild, and it's working great now! PB Blaster and a couple good wacks with a hammer and punch got those stubborn mount screws out!
Only thing left is a carb rebuild and we may have a running bike. Carbs seem to have stuck floats.
As a fellow KZ440 owner (I'm on the forum, too) did you ever get the starter issue resolved?
I'm having the head redone on my KZ440 (82 belt drive; sadly, no kickstarter), and the starter on my 93 KZ1000P is doing the same thing your starter's doing. Thankfully, somebody's gone through my bike before, and replaced the JIS screws with bolts. (I think Kawasaki had "smartened up" by that time, and used bolts instead.)
I did! Rebuilt it using an Amazon kit, rebuilt the carbs, and she ran like NEW.
Hey hook wondering if you ever got it running and if you wouldn’t mind sharing how much was spent to get it to running I was thinking of trying to switch out the starter myself but I’m debating on on doing it or not.
Hey brother, I did get it running and really enjoyed the bike before I sold it for a nice profit. The starter is tricky to get out, take your time with the bolt so you don't strip or break anything, and you may need an impact wrench to get at some of the old stuck bolts. I got mine on the road after I rebuilt starter for probably only about 20 or $30 and that was after rebuilding the starter on my own, which I really enjoyed. Learned a lot and it wasn't difficult. I'd highly recommend doing it, I love keeping these old bikes on the road.
how did you get the carbs off? I'm still having problems removing them
You can get them out without removing the airbox if you angle them right and drop them down. If the boots are really sticky heat them with a heat gun and use a flat head screwdriver to get them loose- just remember you may need new boots if they are that stiff as the screw driver will F them up! As for all the stuck screws- recommend an impact driver or impact bit, as that will help to get them loose- PB break free soaks will help too. Keep after it brother!
I had to remove the airbox and filter first and it was still a bitch to remove.
I have this in India and it’s messed up. No parts available
Seriously?I got one with me for 9 years now.Call me 9962590753 maybe i can help
nice started mine 2 months ago @w-rY