FALL 1998 THE KAWASAKITECHNICAL MAGAZINE …...mounted on the swing-arm so it rides close to the...

FA L L 1 9 9 8 T H E K AWA S A K I T E C H N I C A L M A G A Z I N E V O L . 1 1 , N O . 3

INSIDEFeature New for ’99 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Regional Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4News VICA Skill Olympics . . . . . . . . . 5

Hotline Technician. . . . . . . . . . 6KAPS Training Video . . . . . . . . 6Generator Model Codes . . . . . . 7KHI Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Latin Tech Seminar . . . . . . . . . 9Service Contest. . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Tech Tips Tool Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10900STX Carburetor . . . . . . . . 10ZX-900CI Manual . . . . . . . . . 10Saddlebag Shims . . . . . . . . . 11KE1000 Forks . . . . . . . . . . . 11Prairie High Beams. . . . . . . . 12JH750-B2, B3 Trim . . . . . . . . 12KDX200 Manual . . . . . . . . . . 13KX Jetting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Fuel Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Engine Compression . . . . . . . 14Generator Warranty . . . . . . . 14Original Parts Kits. . . . . . . . . 15KX, KDX, KLX Axles . . . . . . . 15

1999 ULTRA 1501999 ULTRA 150

ROUTE LIST ❑ SERVICE ❑ PARTS ❑ SALESP L E A S E R E T U R N T O S E R V I C E L I B R A R Y

by Ray St. JohnSupervisor, TechnicalWriting

1999 JET SKI®Ultra 150

The most interestingpart of this new boat isprobably its engine. Thethree separate cylindersdisplace a total of 1,176cc,thanks to a bore andstroke of 80 x 76mm.Three 40mm, downdraft,constant velocity carbure-tors feed the crankcasethrough 8-petal reedblocks, helping this bigtriple put out an honest145 horsepower at 7000rpm. The CV carbs allowthe engine to idlesmoothly and respond tothrottle quickly whileputting out fewer exhaustemissions.

Power output is aidedby a completely dryexhaust system that keepscooling water in theexhaust system’s water

jacket, not joining theexhaust gas flow until itreaches the water boxmuffler. This keeps steamfrom blocking the exhaustflow to help producemore power.

Rubber engine mounts,two at the rear and one inthe front, work with newdual counter-rotating bal-ancers to cancel vibration.The balancers are geardriven off each end of thecrankshaft, and are com-pletely contained in thecrankcases. Output fromthe engine’s new variableoutput oil pump keepstheir bearings lubed.

To stuff this big engineinto the hull, Kawasaki’sengineers leaned the cylin-ders over at a 45˚ angletoward the starboard side,plugged the carbs into thecrankcase at 90˚ to thecylinders, then located thehuge expansion chamberover the resulting “V.”The installation is remark-ably compact.

Neodymium magnetson the flywheel dramati-cally cut weight (from 5.6to 1.9 pounds) for a quickrevving engine. A smallerstarter also cuts weight.The DC-powered CD igni-tion system on this boatallows the magneto to besmaller because it usesbattery power instead ofdrawing from the mag-

neto.The new Ultra 150

mixed-flow jet pumpturns 145 horsepower into904 pounds of thrust. It isthe first mixed-flow pumpfor Kawasaki since theJET SKI 550 SX and itworks the same way. Aswater passes through thepump, it not only flowsaxially along the pump,but spreads radially out-ward. By taking advan-tage of the natural ten-dency of the water tospread outward undercentrifugal force as it’sbeing spun around by theimpeller, the mixed flowpump is more efficient forits size than an axial flowpump. An oval leadingedge impeller resists cavi-tation.

To keep the GoodTimes going as long aspossible, the giant fueltank holds 16.4 gallons ofgas. The oil tank holds 1.2gallons. The operator can

keep up to date on howthings are going (and howfast they’re going) bychecking out the new dig-ital meter systemmounted on the dash. Itincludes a speedometer,tachometer, fuel levelgauge and warning light,an engine oil level gaugeand warning light, anengine temperaturewarning light, an hourmeter, a clock, a low bat-tery voltage warninglight, and a slick nozzletrim indicator.

The new, deep-V hullis hand-laid fiberglass,reinforced with bulk-heads. This design islighter than a double hull,and allows the engine tobe mounted lower in thehull to keep the center ofgravity as low as possible.A Kawasaki SplashDeflector on the bowassures a drier ride andthe recessed bow eye is athoughtful detail. The

FALL 1998 K-TECH NEWS

Cover Story

2

Cont’d on page 3

Tough Nikasil coatingtransfers heat quickly andeliminates the heavy steelliners.

New for ’99New for ’99 Themixed-flowpump iscompactand effi-cient, andshimmedfor tipclearance.

1999 Vulcan™ 1500Drifter

As you can see, stylingis the Drifter’s long suit,but high-tech has not beenneglected. Digital fuelinjection feeds the engineon a Kawasaki motorcyclein the U.S. market for thefirst time since the 1986Voyager.

The new DFI systemhas two 36mm throttleplates, one controlling theinput to each cylinder. Ineach intake tract, a singleinjector with four indi-vidual orifices squirts thefuel at the intake valves,two holes per valve.When the engine is underlight loads (cruising atmoderate speeds oridling), the injectionsystem uses intake tractpressure and enginespeed to calculate theamount of fuel needed.Under heavier loads, thesystem looks at thethrottle opening andengine speed to figurefuel needs.

Horsepower is up from

the Vulcan 1500 Classicand Nomad enginesthanks to the fuel injectionsystem, more compres-sion, and “hotter” camtiming borrowed from theoriginal Vulcan 1500. Fueleconomy is better as well.Unlike earlier systems, theDrifter fuel injection hasan automatic fast idle andcold start capability. Mostriders may never need it,but the Drifter does havea starting knob forextreme conditions. Theelectrical system has anew 20 amp/hour batteryand the Nomad’s highoutput, dual alternator.

The new framehas extra-largediameter 42.7mmtubes, and a largediameter steeringhead pipe, withbigger steeringbearings and gus-sets. The front forkoffset splits the dif-

ference between the

Classic at 60mm and theNomad at 5mm with a25mm figure. It shares tiresizes with the Classic: a130/90-16 on the front,and a 150/80-16 on theback. The rear fender ismounted on the swing-arm so it rides close to therear tire and gives theDrifter a distinctive, low-slung look.

Lay-down air shockswith 4-way rebounddamping give the Driftermore rear wheel travelthan either the Classic orthe Nomad. The rider’sfootboards are in the sameplace as on the Nomad,65mm farther back thanthe Classic’s, for a moreupright riding position.Self-canceling turn signalsadd to rider convenienceand a multi-planereflector headlight with aclear lens has a brightbeam and gives the frontend a unique look.

3FALL 1998 K-TECH NEWS

Cover Story

K-TECH News

Vol. 11, No. 3Fall 1998

K-TECH News Staff

PublisherKawasaki Tech Services

Publications ManagerDon Church

Executive EditorGary Herzog

Editor-in-ChiefGregg Thompson

Communications EditorJohn Griffin

Regional Editors

Piscataway/Grand RapidsFred DeHart

Atlanta/DallasWalter Rainwater

Irvine/TacomaRobert Taylor

ContributorsDavid Behlings, Dave Corey,

Carlos Johnston, Craig Martin,Keith Pestotnik, John Pomo,

Ray St. John

Graphics/Production

Graphic ArtGregg Thompson

PhotographyDave Corey

ProductionHolland Marketing Services

©1998 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.All rights reserved.

Published by KawasakiAll suggestions become the property of KMC.Sending a service suggestion gives Kawasaki

permission to publish and/or use itwithout further consideration.

Specifications subject to change without notice. Cont’d on page 16

Each cylinder has its own intaketract.

Put Them On Hold -- Lose the GOLD$$

Doing business intoday’s market requiresus to spend our timewisely. To that end, I findmore and more dealer-ships using automaticphone answering equip-ment with entertainingand informative mes-sages.

In the course of doingmy job, I call a lot of deal-erships. As expected, I getput on hold quite often.This is not a problem untilI have experienced thedealership’s completemessage answering themeand their plans for thenext millennium!

How long have I beenput on hold? Anywherefrom ten minutes, to ahalf-hour, and there havebeen times when no oneever picked up. If I were aretail customer, I wouldbe long gone and the deal-ership would lose thechance to sell me goods orservices.

If your dealership likesto make money andaggressively seeks floor

traffic, you can’t afford toleave your customers onhold for any great lengthof time. Put them on holdand you will lose the$$gold$$.

How long can youkeep a customer on holdand not lose them? Notvery long! Most recom-mendations I have seenare for 30 seconds to oneminute. After that, storepersonnel should pick upand talk with the cus-tomer or offer to call themback. Make sure you callthem back if you agree todo so.

With a busy fall sellingseason here, now is agood time to make sureyour customer sales andservice opportunities arenot put on hold!

Fred DeHart201 Circle Drive N. #107

Piscataway, NJ 08854(908) 469-1221

We Are Moving!

Kawasaki is proud toannounce the relocation ofour central region trainingcenter. We are moving toTulsa Technology Center,

near Tulsa, Oklahomafrom Cedar ValleyCommunity College.Tulsa Technology Centerwill be our officialKawasaki Training Centerfor the central region.Starting in December1998, all central regionclasses will be held ontheir southeast campus at4600 South Olive inBroken Arrow, Okla.Since Tulsa is more cen-trally located in thisregion, it gives moredealers easier access toKawasaki TechnicalTraining.

Check out the 1998/99training schedule alreadysent to your dealership forall classes including thoseat Tulsa TechnologyCenter. To register forclasses held at TulsaTechnology Center, con-tact Kawasaki’s FortWorth sales office at (817)-589-1180. We have a mapand local hotel list avail-able if you request them.See you there!

Walter Rainwater6110 Boat Rock Blvd. S.W.

Atlanta, GA 30378(404) 349-2000

Keep Up-to-Date

What helps a servicemanager or technicianperform their day-to-dayjobs better? Kawasaki’sService Update seminars,of course! November isonly days away, themonth that we hit theroad to start the seminars.Because of the large turn-out last year, we now visit35 cities!

A Temporary ServiceBulletin dated September18, 1998, was sent to yourdealership. It lists thecities and dates of theseminars. To simplifyenrollment, there is nowonly one location to callfor information and toregister: the NationalTraining Center in Irvine,Calif., at (949) 770-0400,ext. 2452.

Although the primaryinformation given at theService Update ’99 sem-inar is service-related, weare often asked questionsregarding a parts depart-ment problem or a sales-related issue. Kawasaki’sinstructors wear manyhats; as an example ofthis, we taught the KIC

PISCATAWAY/GRAND RAPIDS


Regional

ATLANTA/DALLAS

IRVINE/TACOMA

training last year and alsoteach service and partsdepartment managementclasses. We teach ATV,motorcycle, Mule utilityvehicle, and Jet Ski water-craft classes as well asattend many sales eventssuch as Daytona BikeWeek or Americade inservice support.

The instructors wearother hats including man-aging special tools, devel-oping training videos,Hotline support, con-tributing to informationalbooklets such as theProduct Sales Guides andHow We Stack Up, andservice bulletins. I thinkwe can help with yourproblem! If not, we willconnect you with a spe-cialist who can.

Service Update ’99 willinclude new productssuch as the all-new JetSki® Ultra 150, Vulcan™1500 Drifter, motorcyclefuel injection, CVT sys-tems, as well as all servicedepartment issues: bul-letins, recalls, warranty,in-field product problems,and of course, addressingyour specific problems.Plan to be there and signup early as many of thelocations have capacitylimits!�

Rob Taylor9950 Jeronimo Road

Irvine, CA 92618(949) 770-0400


News

by Ray St. JohnSupervisor, TechnicalWriting

Kansas City, Missouri.Late June 1998. Theweather is hot andmuggy. More than 2,000high school and post-sec-ondary students fromindustrial and voca-tional/technical programsaround the country havecome together to test theirskills against their peers.They are all members ofthe Vocational IndustrialClubs of America, VICA,and each has won thestate contest in his or herhome state. Who amongthem will be the best car-penter, bricklayer, bakerychef, hairdresser, dieselmechanic, draftsman?And Kawasaki MotorsCorp., U.S.A., is here tohelp run the MotorcycleService Technology

Contest, along withHonda, Yamaha,Motorcycle MechanicsInstitute, Snap-On Tools,and the MotorcycleIndustry Council.

Twenty-seven studentsare here, too, from allover the U.S., and each isready to prove that he orshe is the best studentmotorcycle mechanic for1998. They must finish athree-hour written examand go through six half-hour, hands-on, work sta-tions during the course ofone, grueling day. At nineo'clock sharp the daybegins. Some of the stu-dents remain in theirseats and start on thewritten exam, twenty-four others begin thework stations: hydraulicfork service, parts identi-fication, electrical trou-bleshooting, crankshaftbearing service, ignitiontroubleshooting, and

clutch inspection. Everyhalf-hour during the day,the students move toanother station or returnto the written exam.

At the end of the day,everyone is tired. All thecontestants have donetheir best. And eventhough only six will takehome the honors, eachand every one of thesestudents has demon-strated the kind of skilland determination that ittakes to compete at thenational level.

Congratulations to allthe contestants fromKawasaki Motors Corp.,U.S.A.�

VICA Skill Olympicsin Kansas City

Motorcycle Service Technology Contest

High School LevelWinners:

First Place: Joshua Kurtz, Pa.Second Place: Andrew Mehren, Calif.Third Place: Brandon Johnson, N.D.

Post Secondary Winners:First Place: Ned Wilson, Minn.

Second Place: Tracin Seng, Neb.Third Place: Darwyn Shaw, Texas

VICA judges from KMC and Intertech Publishing.

Contestant ponders theinner workings of aVulcan™ 500 LTD fork.He got it right.

News


It’s time we got aroundto introducing Alex Dell,the newest member of ourKawasaki TechnicalHotline staff. By nowmany of you have alreadyspoken to him on thephone. He startedworking here in April of

this year and has beenanswering the phonesthrough the busy season.Or you may have met himat the Dealer Meeting inNashville.

If you have spoken tohim, you no doubtnoticed his English accent.

Alex was born and raisedin England and started hiscareer in the motorcycleindustry by working indealerships near London.He started in the partsdepartment and thenmoved to the servicedepartment as a techni-cian. Alex was able toattend many KawasakiTraining classes becausehe conveniently lived andworked very near theKMUK (Kawasaki MotorsUnited Kingdom) facility.

Before long, Alex hadhis foot in the door atKMUK, working as theirtechnician preparing the

press test machines. Afterdoing that for severalyears, he progressed toHotline Technician, andthen Road RaceTechnician. On the raceteam he wrenched on theSuperbikes that competedin England’s NationalChampionship series aswell as in selected WorldSuperbike events. Afterhis road racing stint Alexbecame a Senior R&DEngineer. By the time heleft England to start a newlife in the U.S., Alex hadworked at KMUK for fif-teen years.

In America Alex settledin the Monterey,California area. Heworked as a technician ata couple of local dealer-ships from 1992 untilApril of this year, whenhe came to SouthernCalifornia to work on theHotline at KMC.

Alex has some interestsoutside the motorcycleindustry, which includeflying RC airplanes andhelicopters. Recently hehas taken up paragliding,a sort of cross betweenhang-gliding and para-chuting.

We have no doubt thathis years of experience atKMUK as well as in deal-erships will make AlexDell a valuable addition toour Hotline staff.—Ed.�

New Hotline

Technician

by Dave Corey

Writer/Producer

A new video in the K-TECH training series is now available. Kawasaki Automatic Power-Drive Systems covers

the topics you need to get up to speed on this increasingly popular drive system, the continuously variable trans-

mission or CVT. The video includes CVT construction, theory of operation, maintenance, service and trou-

bleshooting as well as high altitude tuning information.

The tape is aimed at technicians of all skill levels. The video takes you step-by-step through the process of

disassembly and reassembly of the CVTs used in Mules and ATVs. After viewing the video and accompanying ref-

erence manual, you will be able to perform basic maintenance, make adjustments, recognize common symp-

toms, and recommend repair procedures for every type of CVT used in Kawasaki ATV and utility vehicles.

If your dealership is a member of the Tech Training Video Club you already received this video at the club

price of $25.00 plus shipping, handling, and sales tax. Regular price is $36.95 (plus the usual S & H & tax),

but you can join the club and get the tape at the club price by calling Kawasaki Technical Services at (714) 770-

0400, ext. 2472.�

New KAPS Training Video

Welcome!


by David BehlingsParts Data Coordinator

You are very familiar withKawasaki model codes; youuse them when looking forparts or service informationfor a specific model. Forexample, how could you findparts for a NINJA™ ZX-9R(model name) without usingthe model code to narrowyour search from six modelyears to one? (The ZX-9Rhas been produced from1994 through 1999.)

Until recently, Kawasakiprovided generator partsinformation by model name.But it has become necessaryto use product codes. Even though generators don’thave model years, they do change periodically, similarto Mules™. So, to make sure you order the right parts,look for the sticker on the fuel tank above the exhaustoutlet showing the complete model code.�

So far, we only have code information for these GA and GE series generators.

Model Name Product Code

GA1000-A ........................................GAT00A-AS00

GA1400-A ........................................GAT40A-AS00

GE2200-A ........................................GEW20A-AS01

GE2900-A ........................................GEW90A-AS01

GE4300-A ........................................GER30A-AS01

GE5000-A ........................................GEF00A-AS00

Generators Have Model Codes, Too!

Here is how you can make sense out of the codes:

• The first two letters are the same for name and code.

• The third letter represents a number (indicating the size of the gen-

erator) as shown: T = 1 (1000) W = 2 (2000)H = 3 (3000)R = 4 (4000)F = 5 (5000)

• The eighth character changes according to the generator specifica-

tion: A, B, C, D, E, etc. This character is the key to finding the right

parts catalog for a specific generator.

• The last three characters (S00 and S01 above) indicate that these

generators are for the U.S. market. V25 and V26, for example, are

for Canada.

News


News

by Gregg ThompsonProduct Support Supervisor

All Kawasaki productsare designed under thefinal authority ofKawasaki HeavyIndustries, LTD (KHI) inJapan. KHI is one of thelargest corporations in theworld. Besides motorcy-cles and other consumerproducts, KHI designsand manufactures a widevariety of products,including heavy construc-tion equipment, industrialrobots, hydraulic motors,subway cars, bullet trains,jet engines, passenger air-craft, helicopters, largehigh-speed hydrofoil-type

watercraft, submarines,supertankers, bridges andmuch more.

Speaking of bridges,Kawasaki just finishedworking on the largestsingle span suspensionbridge in the world. Therecently completedAkashi Kaikyo Bridge inKobe, Japan, spans a busy

international shippingroute, which accommo-dates up to 1400 ocean-going ships a day. KHIwas one of the main con-tractors on one of the twovertical towers and bothof the caissons on whichthe towers stand.

The towers, whichreach nearly 1000 feet

above the water, werebuilt to vary from truevertical by less than1/5000th of one degree.For you technicians andspecification buffs, thatmeans the towers are offto one side or the other ofa perfect vertical line fromthe base by no more than.040 inch (or 1mm) at thevery top! Each towerweighs over 24,000 tons,making them some of thelargest structures everbuilt in water. Each toweralso supports an addi-tional weight of 120,000tons.

Here are some otherinteresting statistics. Thecaissons that support thetowers are over 250 feet indiameter and nearly 200feet tall (mostly underwater) making each onealmost the size of a foot-ball stadium. To supportthe caissons 700,000 tonsof concrete was poured atthe base of each one. Andall this was built in waterthat’s about 150 ft deepand always moving onedirection or the otherbecause of the tide!

The center span of this2-1/2 mile bridge is over6,500 feet long (or almost1 1/4 miles). By compar-ison, the central span ofthe famous Golden GateBridge in San Francisco is4,200 ft long.�

Did You Know?

KHI just finished working on the largest single span suspension

bridge in the world.

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Kobe Japan.

by Carlos JohnstonService Support Coordinator,Latin America

In June, KawasakiMotors Corp., U.S.A.,offered its second annualTechnical Seminar forLatin AmericanDistributors in Orlando,Fla. This two-week-longseminar was taught inSpanish and was open todistributors or dealers inLatin America. We had 13students with variousexperience levels fromColombia, Paraguay,Bolivia, Puerto Rico andGuatemala.

The MotorcycleMechanics Institute (MMI)provided a large class-room and fully equippedlab. The course covered anoverview of the tech-nology used in allKawasaki product lines.There was a lot of infor-mation and the studentswere able to set the pace,spending more time onissues of particularinterest. Plenty of hands-on time allowed studentsto work on engine assem-blies, complete motorcy-cles and watercraft.

Thanks go to Mr. JavierBotero from Auteco inColombia who volun-teered as a co-teacher. Hisexperience as a technical

instructor in Colombiaand knowledge of the“local market ” was veryhelpful. I would also liketo thank the staff of MMIfor their support and com-mitment to this project.

Next year we plan todo even bigger and betterthings. Some studentsrequested more special-ized training so we mayoffer professional-andmaster-level courses forentry-and master-leveltechnicians.�


News

Enclosed is the first of three quizzes making upthis training season’s Service Contest. Do youremember the Service Contest which ran in the Fall’94, Winter ’94, and Spring ’95 K-Tech News issues?Well, this contest is very similar. Here are thedetails:

This issue of K-Tech News brings you the quiz for ATVs and Mule™ utility vehicles.The Winter ’98 issue will contain the motorcycle quiz, and the Spring ’99 issue willwind up the contest with the Jet Ski® watercraft quiz.

• Each quiz has 50 questions.

• The contestant with the highest score total for the three quizzes will win the grand award. In case of a tie, there will be arun-off.

• In order to compete for the grand award, all three tests must be completed and returned.

• Make copies of the quiz for each person desiring to enter the contest. Anyone in the dealership may compete, however,each contestant must work individually. Faxing the answer sheet is accepted.

• Any contestant who scores 86% or higher will win an award for that quiz.

• Contestants may use any materials and information to answer the questions. In fact, that is the purpose of this contest -to encourage Kawasaki dealership employees to become familiar with Kawasaki products and support materials.

• A quiz will be mailed with each of the next two issues of K-Tech News. Winning contestants will be announced in the nextissue of K-Tech News.

• The deadline for the quiz and where to send it are printed on the quiz.

Best of luck.�

Are You Ready?The Kawasaki Service Contest Is Back! LOOK FOR

THE QUIZ IN

THIS ISSUE!

Orlando ’98 Latin Technical Seminar

Second annual Technical Seminar for Latin AmericanDistributors in Orlando, Florida.


Tech Tips

by Rob TaylorSupervisor, CurriculumDevelopment

New Two-StrokeEngine PressureTester NowAvailable

The long awaited two-stroke pressure/vacuumengine tester (PN T57001-

295) is now in stock. Thiskit comes with everythingneeded to perform a pres-sure test on Kawasakitwo-stroke engines. Thehand pumps, one vacuumand one pressure, are very

durable and resist mostcommonly used chemicals.To ease operation, a checkvalve in-line with thepump holds pressureduring operation. Solidand expansion-type plugsare included. The goodnews is that all parts canbe purchased separately

and a complete parts list isincluded in the kit. Alsoavailable from Kawasaki isa Back To The Basicstraining video titled Two-Stroke Engine PressureTesting. This video comeswith a nice manual toassist in learning how touse this important diag-

nostic tool. If you want toorder this training video,call (949) 770-0400, ext.2463.

New KX ToolsThe KX125-L1 and

KX250-L1 have a few newtools. The throttle SensorAdapter, PN 57001-1414, isrequired to test the throttlesensor and the ForkCylinder Holder, PN57001-1413, is required todisassemble the front fork.The service manual alsorefers to a peak volt meterto check the ignition coil,pickup coil, and excitercoil output. KMC does notcarry this tool but it can bepurchased through KowaSeiki , (800) 824-9655 orK&L Supply Company,(800) 727-6767.�


It recently came to our attention that the JT900-A1,2 (STX) service manual lists thewrong specification for the low speed mixture screw setting. The book says 7/8 turnout, plus or minus 1/4 turn. You may have problems if you adjust one to that spec.The correct specification is 2 turns out plus or minus 1/4 turn. Be sure to make a note

in your shop service manual. The spec is listed on pages 2-4 and 2-11.If you have trouble eliminating an off-idle hesitation by adjusting the low speed

mixture screw, try replacing the stock #80 pilot jet with a #82 (PN 16158-3714). Withthe larger pilot jet installed, you can lean out the low speed screw to about 1 1/4turns.�

900STX Carburetor Adjustment

CornerTool

IncorrectZX900-C1

Service ManualTool Listing

The ZX900-C1 ser-vice manual (PN9 9 9 24 - 12 2 5 - 01 )incorrectly directs youto use an IgniterChecker Assembly(57001-1378) tocheck the igniter. Usea hand tester (PN57001-1394) to per-form the requiredtests.�

During saddlebaginstallation on theVulcan™ 1500 Nomad™,you may need to shimone of the mounting boltsto prevent the saddlebagfrom being distortedwhen you tighten thebolts. If the saddlebag isdistorted, the cover maynot open and closesmoothly, or shut and

latch securely. The idea isto mount the saddlebag sothat both bosses on thetop bracket fit snuglyagainst the back of thesaddlebag, withoutbending the bag to fit.

The shims are standardparts, and should appearin the parts catalog by thetime you read this.

To check if the bags fitto the frame, first closeand latch the lid. Now fitthe protrusions on thebottom of the saddlebagdown into the rubberdampers in the bottombracket, and the hook onthe back of the saddlebaginto the catch on the topbracket. At this point, thebag is free to move on the

mounts. Now, lightlypress the bag against thetop bracket. If both bossestouch the back of the bagwithout bending or dis-torting the bag to fit, goahead and finishmounting the bag. Insertthe bolts and tighten themsecurely.

If only one of themounting bosses touchesthe bag while leaving agap at the other boss, theclearance must be mea-sured. Install a mountingbolt through the bag intothe boss that is touchingand tighten the bolt. Closeand latch the lid, andwithout pushing on thebag, measure the gap atthe other mounting boss.

If the clearance is less than1.0mm, go ahead andinstall and tighten thesecond bolt. If the clear-ance is 1.0mm or more,insert shims to take up theclearance. The shims are1.6mm thick, so the gapmust be 2.6mm or more torequire two shims. Onceyou have the clearancedown to less than 1.0mm,install and tighten thesecond bolt.

After installing the sad-dlebag, open and close thelid several times to checkfor smooth operation. Besure it latches and lockssecurely. If it does notwork properly, removethe mounting bolts andrecheck the clearance.�


Tech Tips

Part Number Description Quantity

92022-1317 Shim As RequiredNote: In the A&P sheet, this shim is called “Flat Washer, Bag.”

NomadSaddlebagShimsby Ray St. JohnSupervisor, TechnicalWriting

If a customer comes inwith a leaking fork sealon his KE100-B, do youknow how to change it?After you get the bike onyour lift and the forktube off and in yourhands in record time, thebig question comes up:What holds this thingtogether? There is nodamping rod bolt at thebottom to take out andno tension rod at the top.

What isholding ittogether is abushing,seal, andsnap ring.That’s all.Remove thetop cap andspring, anddrain the oil.Slide thedust boot offthe stan-chion tubeand remove the snapring and washer that are

on top of the seal. Now,clamp the slider in yourvise (with soft jaws) atthe axle boss and slide-hammer it apart. Pull thestanchion tube up hardagainst the bushing sev-eral times until it knocksthe bushing and seal outthe top of the slider.

Before installing thebushing and new seal,check the snap ringgroove for burrs. Ifneeded, de-burr it with athree corner file.—JohnPomo�

Reprint: KE100Front Forks

We still get calls every now and

then from dealers who can’t figure

out how to get the front forks apart

on a B model KE100. The service

manual still describes the procedure

for disassembling the old style

forks. So we decided to reprint an

article which was first published in

the Fall 1992 issue of K-Tech News.

It might be a good idea to make a

copy of it and slip it into the sus-

pension disassembly pages of your

service manual.�—Ed.

KE100-B Fork Seals

by Keith PestotnikSenior Product QualityEngineer

We have seen somecases of inoperative highbeams on 1999 Prairie®ATVs, includingKVF300A/B andKVF400C/D models.

The cause has beeninside the left hand han-dlebar switch. Both the300 and 400 share thesame switch assembly,P/N 46091-1726.

It may be easier (andquicker) to repair ratherthan replace the faultyswitch. Try this:

Tech Tips



The Electric TrimCable for the 1994 and1995 Super Sport Xi(JH750-B1,B2) watercrafthas been substituted to anew part number 59046-3751. This cable was orig-inally designed for the1996 JH750-F1, whichcame with an accordionstyle boot at the rear endof the cable to keep water

out. The boot is not sup-plied with the cable.

The earlier JH750-B1and B2 models didn’thave this style boot onthe cable. When youinstall one of these newerstyle cables on a “B”model watercraft, youmust also install the boot(P/N 49016-3702) withtwo tie wraps (P/N92037-1173) to keepwater from entering thetrim system.�

P/N 49016-3702

New Trim Cable for JH750-B2, B3

No High Beams onYour New Prairie®?

1) Remove the 2 switch case screws.

2) Open the case and inspect the sta-

tionary headlight switch contact

plate. It’s the black one with 5 red

wires soldered to it. The contact

plate may be rotated out of its

proper position, preventing the

sliding switch plate from reaching

the high beam contact. If the stationary contact plate has rotated, its (gold-colored) retainer will be bent out of posi-

tion too.

3) Bend the retainer back to its correct shape: straight with 90˚ angles at each end. You may have to remove this

retainer to straighten it. The reshaped retainer will cause the switch contact plate to rotate back where it belongs.

4) Untwist the wire bundle that goes to the upper switch case before reinstalling the retainer. This will provide more

slack in the wires to prevent bending the retainer again.

5) Install the switch assembly back onto the handlebars. Be careful not to pinch the untwisted wires! Test the head-

lights.�

Retainer

Stationary Switch Plate

90o Angles

by Ray St. JohnSupervisor, Technical Writing

On page 4-12of theKDX200HService Manual(P/N 99924-1181-01 and -02), the bottomillustration andthe CAUTION

beside it aremislabeled.

The illustra-tion shows theright-hand sub-valve and right-hand exhaust rod for the KIPS. But the sub-valve is called “Left,” instead of “Right.”The CAUTION says, “The left sub-valve has a groove [A],“ but it is really the right sub-valve that has the groove. The left sub-valve is plain.

This error has existed since the manual came out years ago, and has caused someconfusion. We hope this clears it up.�


Tech Tips

KDX200 Service Manual Glitch

by Craig Martin,Technical SupportTechnician

Under certain trackconditions and rider tech-niques, some customershave been experiencingsignificant midrangethrottle hesitations onboth the 1999 KX125-L1and KX250-L1. The

problem is a rich condi-tion which occurs only ata certain throttle opening(less than full throttle) anda certain rpm in the midrange. Some complicatedcarburetor characteristicsare contributing to thisproblem making it verydifficult to correct.

We have come up withsome recommended jet-ting changes whichshould help if you runinto this problem.

For the KX125-L1 usethe N7NW Jet Needle(P/N 16187-1084) in the3rd clip position.

For the KX250-L1 usethe N3WK Jet Needle(P/N 16187-1079) in the3rd clip position and a #58 Power Jet (P/N 16159-1056).

Some additional PowerJets (for the 1998 and 1999KX125s and KX250s )have just been madeavailable.

The power jets nowavailable are:

#48........16159-1058#50........16159-1053#52........16159-1055#55........16159-1054#58........16159-1056#60........16159-1057�

Dirty Carburetor?Check That Fuel TapFilter

by Keith PestotnikLead Engineer QualityAssurance

Whenever abnormal debrissuch as bits of plastic, rubber,metal or dirt are found inside acarburetor, repair should includeboth cleaning the carburetor andinspecting the fuel tap filters.

These plastic screen filters,attached to the fuel tap inside thetank, are usually trouble-free. Butrecently we haveheard some reportsof fuel tap filter sepa-ration—the filterfalls out of the fueltap body and isfound bouncingaround inside thefuel tank. Ofcourse, with this filter separatedfrom the fuel tap, any debrisresting at the bottom of the fueltank can funnel freely into the car-buretor because the fuel tap is atthe lowest part of the fuel tank.

The micron capacity of the fueltap filters is designed to stop allbut the very smallest particleswithout inhibiting normal fuel flow.These very small particles can bedrained periodically by openingthe float bowl drain screw. Larger,easier-to-see particles (the onesthat can cause problems in the car-buretor) are supposed to remaininside the fuel tank. If you seethem in the carburetor float bowl,remember to remove the fuel tapand inspect the filters.�

1999 KX125,KX250 Jetting Help

by Gregg Thompson,Product Support Supervisorand Charles Yim, ProductQuality Engineer

One of the most basicdiagnostic tools for a ser-vice technician is the com-pression test. Any timeyou are diagnosing anengine for hard starting,poor idling, poor throttleresponse or low power aswell as excessive oil con-sumption and smoking,one of the first things youshould do is a compres-sion test.

When doing a com-pression test, always referto the specification in theservice manual and expectthat a good runningengine will be within 15%of the HIGH end of thespec. The low end of thecompression spec given inKawasaki service manualsis usually very low—solow that an engine willalmost certainly havesevere starting and/orrunning problems ifcranking pressures arenear that end of the spec.

Be aware that thecranking pressures of anengine will go down sig-nificantly at higher alti-tudes. At 5000-6000 feet

cranking pressures will beabout 20% below whatthey are at sea level. Thiscan have negative affectson starting, idling andthrottle response. This isespecially true with lowcompression engines suchas many of our 2-stroke

watercraft engines. Thistable shows the changesin cranking pressures athigher altitudes for our1100cc watercraft engines.

Many of our 4-strokeengines have automaticcompression releases(KACR) which bleed offcompression pressure atcranking speeds. Withthese models it is difficultto diagnose compression-related problems with asimple compression test.The amount of pressurebled off by the KACRvaries quite a bit betweenengines, so it’s hard to tellif you might have amodest compression lossdue to a problem in theengine. In engines withautomatic compression

releases, a leak-down testis a much better way todetermine engine condi-tion. A leak-down test ismore time consuming andrequires different equip-ment, but in 4-strokeengines it does provideinformation that the basic

compression test does not.Your shop should be

equipped to do compres-sion and leak-down tests,and you should performthese tests frequently tohelp diagnose enginestarting or running prob-lems.�


Tech Tips

Kawasaki Portable Generator Warranty

In the past, all Kawasaki Portable Generators were sold with a 12-month

warranty. As of January 1, 1998, the policy was changed to allow different

lengths of warranty depending on the usage of the generator. The new war-

ranty terms are as follows:

Kawasaki Generators sold for RETAIL (Personal) use ....................24 months

Kawasaki Generators sold for COMMERCIAL use ..........................12 months

Kawasaki Generators sold for RENTAL use ....................................6 months

The warranty periods for Power PartnerGenerators remain unchanged. They are as follows:

Power Partner Generators sold for RETAIL (Personal) use................24 months

Power Partner Generators sold for COMMERCIAL use ........................90 days

Power Partner Generators sold for RENTAL use..................................90 days

The Kawasaki Warranty Department will soon be issuing a new Warranty

Certificate for Kawasaki Portable Generators, but don’t forget the new war-

ranty terms have been in effect since the first of the year.—Ed.�

EngineCompression


Tech Tips

Kawasaki offers a variety of parts kitsincluding Gasket Kits, Top End RepairKits and Chain Kits. These kits (especiallythe gasket kits) can save you lots of timelooking up part numbers for big enginejobs. They will also save your customersmoney because these kits are discountpriced.

The gasket kits include all applicablegaskets, seals and o-rings including valveguide seals in the Top End and CompleteEngine kits. The Top End Gasket kitsinclude everything from the base gasketup. The Bottom End Gasket kits include

everything below the base gasket. The Top End Repair kits (for KX bikes

only) include parts needed for multiplemaintenance intervals. Each kit includes apiston, wrist pin, bearing, and circlips,two sets of rings, 3 head gaskets and 2each of the other top end gaskets.

The Chain kits include the front andrear sprockets and the chain. They do notinclude replacement lock washers or tabsso be sure to order separately any lockwashers you will need for the job.

Here is a list of the kits currently avail-able.�—Ed.

Part Number Model Application Part Number Model Application*Complete Engine Gasket Kits9995-1393 ....................................VN1500-D1/D2 99995-1394 ........................................VN800-A1 thru B49995-1396 ..............................ZX1100-D1 thru F2 99995-1397 ..........................................ZX600-F1/F2/F39995-1399 ....................KX250-K1/K2/K3/K4/K5

*Top End Gasket Kits99996-1245..............................ZX1000-A1/A2/A3 99996-1247........................................ZX1000-B1/B2/B399996-1248 ............................ZX900-A1 thru A10 99996-1249........................................ZX600-A1 thru C1099996-1251..........................EN, EX500-A1 thru F3 99996-1253....................................ZX900-B1/B2/B3/B499996-1255 ................................ZX750-L1/L2/L3 99996-1257 ....................................ZX750-P1/P2/P3/P499996-1262 ......................KZ, ZN1300-A1 thru A6 99996-1274................................................ZX600-G1/G299996-1276 ......................................ZX900-C1/C2

*Bottom End Gasket Kits99996-1246 ................ZN900, ZX1000-A1 thru B3 99996-1250........................................ZX600-A1 thru C1099996-1252....................EN, ER, EX500-A1 thru F3 99996-1254....................................ZX900-B1/B2/B3/B499996-1254 ........................ZX900-B1/B2, B3, B4 99996-1258 ....................................ZX750-P1/P2/P3/P499996-1263 ................KZ, ZG, ZN1300-A1 thru A6 99996-1275................................................ZX600-G1/G299996-1277 ......................................ZX900-C1/C2

Top End Repair Kits99996-1234 ......................................KX60-B1-B14 99996-1235..................................................KX80-R6/R799996-1238......................................KX80-W1/W2 99996-1236......................................................KX125-K499996-1239 ..........................................KX125-K5 99996-1237......................................................KX250-K499996-1240 ..........................................KX250-K5 99996-1282 ......................................................KX250-L199996-1281............................................KX125-L1 99996-1283......................................................KX60-B15Chain Kits99996-1202 ..........................................KX125-K4 99996-1226......................................................KX125-K599996-1203 ..........................................KX250-K4 99996-1227......................................................KX250-K599996-1207 ......................................EN500-C1-C4 99996-1209 ..........................EX500-D1-D2/E1-E4/F1-F499996-1212 ......................................ZX600-E2-E7 99996-1213 ................................................ZX600-F1-F399996-1214 ......................................ZX750-L1-L3 99996-1215 ................................................ZX750-P1/P499996-1216 ....................................VN800-B2/B4 99996-1217................................................ZX900-B1/B299996-1218......................................ZX900-B3/B4 99996-1219 ..............................................ZX1100-D3-D799996-1219 ....................................ZX1100-D3-D7 99996-1222 ....................................ZX1100-E1-E3/F1/F2

*Only gasket kits are display packaged.

KX, KDX, KLX FrontAxle Mount Studs

The 6mm studs thatthread into the fork legs tosecure the front axle arenot listed separately onthe microfiche but areavailable. The studs fit theKX 125/250/500 modelsas far back as 1982, theKDX 200/220R models,and the KLX250/300Rmodels. The Kawasakipart number for these 6 x20mm studs is172G0620.�—John Griffin

’99 KX125-L1 andKX250-L1 Front AxleInstallation

To ensure minimal forkstiction and keep thewheel from being loose onthe axle special assemblyis required. Insert the axleand torque the axle nutand then the axle clampbolts in the left hand forkleg. Then pry open thejaw of the right axle clampand stroke the fork,allowing the fork legs tocenter themselves. Nowtorque the axle clampbolts in the right handfork leg.�

Original Equipment Parts Kits Available


Cover Story

ZRX1100The naked, big bore

muscle bike is back. TheZRX1100 engine is basedon the ZX-11 motor, buttuned for torque. Aroundtown, and at anything lessthan all-out racing speeds,what drives the bike istorque, and the more thebetter.

The ZRX motor haseverything it needs tomake a lot of torque atlow engine speeds. Thecam timing is milder, andvalve lift is a little less.The carburetors aredownsized to 36mm, andthe exhaust pipe diameteris reduced. The compres-sion ratio is down slightly,to 10.1:1 for smootherlow-rpm running. Thecrankshaft flywheel effectis up 14% so the enginefeels even torquier off theline.

Internally, the enginehas been simplified. Thesump is changed to elimi-nate the second oil drainplug, so oil changes areeasier. The oil cooler andits oil pressure relief valveare gone to cut weight. Asimple notch in the bal-ancer chamber wall nowallows the oil to drainback into the main part ofthe sump. The engine hasbeen dressed up, too, withpolished fins on the endsof the cylinder head, and

on the crankcase endcovers.

The digital ignitionsystem incorporates K-TRIC, Kawasaki ThrottleResponsive IgnitionControl. The ignition com-puter looks at engineload, deduced fromthrottle position, as wellas engine rpm to deter-mine the optimum sparktiming.

The frame is a tubular,high tensile steel, doublecradle, backbone design.It is simple and effective,and has a removable alu-minum right-hand down-tube to ease engine ser-vicing. The swingarm istubular aluminum witheccentric chain adjusters(that practically guaranteeproper wheel alignment)

and has a sturdy bridgeunder the main beams, forextra rigidity.

The short 57.1-inchwheelbase, 4.1 inches oftrail and a fairly steep 25˚steering head angle givethe bike the feel of a 750-class machine. The 31.1-inch seat height andrubber mounted tube-type handlebars with endweights add to rider com-fort.

The cartridge forks are43mm conventional-type,with 12-way compressionand rebound damping,and screw-type preloadadjusters. The inner forktubes are 2.5mm thick.The rear shocks are trickunits with alumite-treated, external piggy-back reservoirs, 4-way

compression and rebounddamping, and 5-wayspring preload adjusters.

This machine has excel-lent brakes, with 310mmdiameter, 5mm thick dualdiscs up front, clampedby opposed 6-pistonTokico calipers. The250mm rear disc has anopposed 2-piston caliper.

The wheels are three-spoke, cast aluminum, 17-inchers, with a 3.50-inchrim up front and a 5.0-inch rim in the back. Thefront tire is a 120/70 ZR-17; the rear is a 170/60ZR17.�

New Models - Cont’d from page 3

The modern muscle bike is alive and well.So What Else is New?

On the waterfront, the three-personJET SKI® 900 STX gets the hull fromthe 1100 STX, a set of constant velocitycarbs, and a digital DC-CDI system. Theresult is a beautiful handling boat that’ssmooth and fast, and more affordablein a competitive market.

The 900 STX does not have its bigbrother’s retractable boarding step, butit has the hardware in the transom so itcan easily be bolted on. The digitalmeter system from the flagship is alsocarried over to the 900. Of course, thebigger hull means the fuel and oil tanksare bigger as well.

On the road, the Vulcan™ 1500Classic gets the Nomad’s high outputalternator and self-canceling turn sig-nals, and California models have cat-alytic converters in the exhaust system.It also has more comfortable suspensionsettings, the Nomad’s wider hand levers,and larger radiator with 30% morecooling capacity. All the Vulcan 1500s(except the “A” model) have a newright side crankcase and engine coverthat move the oil filler and oil levelwindow to more convenient locations.�

FALL 1998 THE KAWASAKITECHNICAL MAGAZINE …...mounted on the swing-arm so it rides close to the...

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