The ZEPHYR : High-tech details W -...

Summer 1990 T h e Kawasak i T e c h n i c a l M a g a z i n e Vol. 3 No. 2

WThe ZEPHYRTM : High-tech details

ith all the fanfare and hoopla surrounding the spectacular new ZX-6 and ZX-11, the ZR550-B1

may have rolled into your store almost unnoticed. The truth is that behind the ZEPHYR’s under-

stated deep blue paint and clean, sweeping lines lies a bike armed to the sprockets

with high-tech features. See Page 2 . . .

ROUTE LIST: o SERVICE o PARTS o SALES Inside!P 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 n Service tips galore. . .

S H O P T A L K / T E C H N I C A L

The ZEPHYRTM : High-tech detailsby Jerry HeilTraining Development Coordinator

A quick look over beforetaking the handsome newZR550-B1 ZEPHYR outfor a morning ride revealsa long list of high-techdetails. Eccentric chain ad-justers on the swingarmensure optimal wheelalignment and save timeon chain ad-justment. Theswingarm itselfis aluminum,made of 75mmx 30mm box-section extru-sions, and itboasts a greasefitting installedjust in front ofthe tire to speedmaintenance.Rear whee ltravel is agenerous 4.5 in.

Piggyback-style reservoirshocks g ive

bronze-type rectangularbrake pads though theparts are not interchange-able from front to rear.

These brakes coupledto a 394 lb. dry weightgive the ZEPHYR truly im-pressive stopping perfor-mance!

Stout 39mm front forktubes with 3mm wall thick-ness support the front

justable and the clutchlever is five-way adjus-table to fit any size hand.Push-to-cancel turn sig-nals are a handy addition.Dual trip odometers canbe used to keep track ofthe distance from the lastfuel stop and total tripmileage.

A quiet but healthy ex-haust note comes from

A digital ignition trig-gered by a single-pulsecoil keeps the spark plugsfiring with just the right ad-vance for the best pos-sible performance. Theadvantage of digital igni-tion is that a very complexand effective advancecurve is possible. Maxi-mum spark advance angleis 36 degrees with plugs

the bike a tradi-tional look andmake it easy to adjustspring preload by turningthe cam collars. Thenitrogen gas-chargedshock absorbers have four-way adjustable reboundand compression damp-ing; the rider can selectthe damping that bestsuits the road and loadconditions.

The rear brake has adual piston caliper and the230mm disc has an effec-tive diameter of 217mm.Front brakes are 300mmdiscs of the semi-floatingtype and have an effectivediameter of 272mm. Frontcalipers are dual-pistontype. Both front and rearcalipers use sintered

2 l K-Tech News

suspension. Rake is 27degrees and trail is 4.1 in-ches. Front wheel travel is5.5 inches. The frame isbuilt from high tensilesteel tubes with a 1.6mmwall thickness. TheZEPHYR is 40mm longerthan the GPz models witha wheelbase of 1440mm.

While throwing a legover the ZEPHYR, you willnotice many more details.The custom-looking tex-tured seat is wide, comfort-able and very low at just30.3 inches off the ground.The “superbike”-styletubular handlebars pro-vide a sporty but comfort-able riding position. Thebrake lever is four-way ad-

the four-into-one pipe.Dual overhead cams bor-rowed from the KZ550-Hmodel open the single in-take and exhaust valve ineach cylinder. The reliablenew ZEPHYR uses valves,tappets, and shims com-mon to all the KZ550 en-gines.

Air and oil together coolthe four-cylinder engine. Alarge-capacity oil coolerkeeps oil viscosity uniformfor strong performance,longer engine life andlower hydrocarbon emis-sions. The carburetors areKeihin CVK30s (the GPzmodel had 26mm carbs)and a large capacity airbox is used.

firing 13degrees BTDCat idle.

The con-struction of theZEPHYR en-gine is similarto the GPz550 models.The cylinder isanadvanceddesign with in-creased cool-ing fin densitywhile the cylin-der head ishardenedusing a newheat treatmentprocess. Bigend rod bear-

ings are made from ultra-tough Kelmet.

The transmission is asix speed with fifth andsixth gears overdriving thecountershaft. The fifthgear ratio is 0.961; sixth isa tall 0.851.

The result of these en-gine and transmission im-provements is that theZEPHYR’s engine runssmoother at lower rpm’sand pulls strongly throughthe mid-range. At highwayspeeds, the engine is ex-tremely smooth and nobalancer shafts are usedor needed. The suspen-sion, engine, and chassiswork well together on alltypes of roads. o

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S

Updated: The JET SKI® Watercraft Training Manualby Ray St.JohnSupervisor, Technical Writing

timing, port durations, oilcapacities, carburetor ad-

The JET SKI® WatercraftTraining Manual, updatedrecently to include theJS650SX, JB650 JETMATETM and other p’89 models, is now avail-able to all Kawasakidealers. This newbook, used in Kawa-saki’s Technical

justments, engine clear-ances and pump thrust

are but a few ofthe many speci-

fications listed inthis book. Besides

being a handy ser-vice department

tool, it is al:so a useful

Training classes,explains how allthe systems ofKawasaki’s water-craft work including the

quick-reference guidefor providing informa-tion to your customers.Order Part Number99926-1015-01.

jet pump, the carburetor,the fuel vent check valve,the stop switch relay cir-cuit and many others.

The manual is 48 pageslong and includes manydetailed drawings anddiagrams. This manual isnot a substitute for your at-tendance at the trainingclasses, of course, but isnonetheless a valuableresource. Order Part Num-ber 99929-1033-02.

(Dealer cost, as of thisprinting, is still only $4.17

the Parts Retail PriceGuide for the latest pricinginformation.)

n Copies of the ServiceSpecifications Handbook,covering all JET SKI®

watercraft from 1974through 1988, are stillavailable. Meanwhile,we’ve added a new onecovering ’88 and ’89models. Information on

Micro-by “Micro” Mike JeffersParts Publications Specialist

Well, it’s summertime again! Your parts and servicecounters are crowded with customers wanting thingsyesterday. The last thing you need to deal with is an iratecustomer who has just received a JET SKI® watercrafthull only to find out that it does not include the hardware,pads etc. Several of the watercraft microfiche have beenrevised, particularly the “Hull” sections. Please checkclosely and make sure that all the parts required are in-cluded when ordering the hull part number. Assembliesare indicated with an enclosing box or circle. If the partsare not circled, they are not part of the assembly andmust be ordered separately.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

(Dealer cost of thisnew Handbook is$4.17 as of this writ-ing. Just as with the

new Training Manual, checkthe latest Parts Retail PriceGuide before ordering.)o

ZX-11 posterAnew ZX-11 poster is on it’s way! This “ghost” view ofthe ZX1100-C1 is beautifully detailed and will be a realinterest-grabber in your shop or show room.

Kawasaki ZX1100-C1

The new poster should be available by the time youread this from Kawasaki’s Technical Training Depart-ment. Call 714/770-0400 Ext. 2472 to order, or write:

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.Technical Training DepartmentP.O. Box 25252Santa Ana, CA 92799-5252

Dealer cost is $2.99 plus $1.95 shipping and hand-ling per order (plus applicable sales taxes for Californiadealers). You may send a check with your order or wecan charge your parts account.o

The Technical Magazine l 3

G U E S T S P O T

Summer 1990Vol. 3 No. 2©1990 Kawasaki MotorsCorp., U.S.A. (KMC).All rights reserved.

K-Tech News Staff

PublisherKawasaki Tech Services

Publications ManagerDon Church

Executive EditorGary Herzog

Editor-in-ChiefGregg Thompson

Regional Editors

North and EastFred DeHart

Central and SouthWalter Rainwater

West and CorporatePatrick Kelly

Contributors

Jerry Heil, Mike Jeffers,Tevis Moffett, KennyOsberg, Keith Pestotnik,Sharon Reynolds,Ray St. John, Bill Zito

Graphics/Production

Graphic ArtGregg Thompson

Copy EditorPat Shibata

ProductionNickless Communications

Published by Kawasaki. Allsuggestions become theproperty of KMC. Sending aservice suggestion givesKawasaki permission topublish and/or use it withoutfurther consideration.Specifications subject tochange without notice.

4 l K-Tech News

Not just another pretty placeby Tevis MoffettProduct Support Specialist

I recently had the oppor-unity to attend the annualOpen House atAnderson’s Cycle World inBloomfield Hills, Mich.This event, always held onhe last Saturday inFebruary, has been a tradi-ion for over 40 years inhe southeastern Michiganown. Motorcycle en-thusiasts in the area havecome to not only expect itbut look forward to it.

I left thinking we couldall learn something fromhis very special promo-tional event and howAnderson’s Cycle World isoperated.

To attract potential newcustomers, Anderson’s of-fers refreshments anddoor prizes throughout theJay of the Open House. Atthe end of the day, twoGrand Prizes are givenaway. Winners need notbe present but to beeligible for these and otherdoor prizes, customers fill

out a form with informationabout themselves. Theseforms are used to developa mailing list for futuresales events and promo-tions. The door prizes andrefreshments, meanwhile,add to the festive atmos-phere while encouragingon-the-spot sales.

A real crowd pleasingpart of the event is indoorshort track racing! Anyonewith a valid motorcycledriver’s license can race,

but he must supply hisown helmet and boots.(Long pants and shirts arealso required, but there’sno problem finding themduring winter in Michigan.)

The open house is heldin February to give poten-tial customers an early“first look” at the newyear’s products.Anderson’s advertises onlocal TV and radio stationsas well as in newspapers.Word is further spread by

Andy Anderson, Sr. (center) started the business in1942. Andy, Jr. (right) is the current owner.

Micro-CONTlNUED FROM PAGE 3

n A new microfiche that should be benefi-cial to all of you is the Watercraft ServiceBulletin microfiche (P/N 99961-0312).This includes all service bulletins from1975 through 1989 and it will be updatedyearly. The service bulletin microfiche hasbeen categorized into model segments,such as JS300-A/B, JS400/440-A, JS550-A/B, JF650-A/B, JS650-A and so forth.The bulletins are listed in chronologicalorder within each section. This microficheis a handy tool for cross-checking pastand present warranty work. The individualservice bulletins will still appear on RowN of the affected model microfiche

n When ordering painted parts on motor-cycle microfiche, please remember thatthe colors indicated in the part descriptiondo not necessarily describe the colors ofthe part itself, but rather the overall paintscheme of the vehicle. As you know,many models have two or more colorschemes, so when ordering a fender, forexample, keep in mind the primary colorsof the vehicle. If you’re unsure of thecolor description, check the Specificationgrids on Row A or the Title page.

n As always, I would appreciate any sug-gestions or inquiries from you. You canreach this department by phone, (714)770-0400 ext. 2573, or you can fill out theMicro-K report card (P/N M99995-152). o

G U E S T S P O T

getting touring groups andlocal charities involved.

Kawasaki Team Greenoff-road rider LarryRoeseler and dirt trackroad racing star BubbaShobert were on hand thisyear to talk motorcyclesand sign autographs. Inspite of a surprise snowstorm, turn out was im-pressive and 160 vehicleswere sold. Not bad for oneday in February in the mid-dle of a snow storm!

Anderson’s also hastwo smaller open houses

Anderson’s provides themotorcycles; for the othercourses, the rider bringshis own. All students mustbring their own helmetsand dress properly. OwnerAndy Anderson under-stands that promotingrider safety is not onlygood for the individualrider, but also the motor-cycle industry in general.

I came back from myvisit with the impressionthat the employees atAnderson’s are like onebig family. And big is the

Indoor short track races help entertain the crowd.

at appropriate timesduring the year. Onefocuses on watercraft andthe other on ATVs. Specialevents and programs arealways scheduled topromote customer aware-ness and interest inwhatever product line theopen house is intended tospotlight.

This year, Anderson’sCycle World has begun of-fering rider trainingprograms. There are threedifferent courses: Ridingand Street Skills, Ex-perienced Rider Course,and Performance Based.For the basic course(Riding and Street Skills),

correct word: At peaktimes of the year,Anderson’s has about 100employees! Chuck Heil,service manager there for11 years, told me theiremployee turnover is verylow. He attributes this tothe way Andy treats hisemployees. According toChuck, Andy works hardto make all his employeesfeel as though they belongand does what he can tohelp them solve problemsas they arise.

I was reminded that nomatter how large or smalla business is, it will al-ways benefit from anowner who treats his

employees with fairness wonderful chance to ex-and genuine concern. perience the result firstAnd, along with several hand at Anderson’s veryhundred past, present and successful winter Openfuture customers, I had a House.o

Be nice to travelers!many or us toil 50 weeks a year anticipating thosetwo weeks we are free to relax and get away on vaca-tion. So do our customers. For many of them, vaca-tion time has finally arrived.

We all know how wonderful it is when our vacationswork out just as planned and travels are both worry-and trouble-free. But sometimes vacations do not goso smoothly. Consider the plight of a customer whoexperiences a mechanical failure while on vacation.He may wind up stuck in a strange city, possibly farfrom home, in need of a Kawasaki dealer’s service.The success of this particular vacation is suddenlyput in the dealer’s hands.

Unfortunately, Consumer Services receives morethan a few desperate calls from stranded travelers.The dealer “is completely booked for three weeks,” orhas suggested “it doesn’t look serious. Try ridinganother 300 miles.”

While we understand that summer is a very busyseason for you, we ask that you put yourself in thecustomer’s shoes: How would you feel if you werestranded and couldn’t find anyone to help?

Any time someone at a Kawasaki dealership exertsextra effort aiding a stranded traveler, everyoneprofits. The customer goes on with his vacation, confi-dent again in both Kawasaki equipment and ourdealer network, and you can bet he won’t hesitate totell his friends about the experience. As you know,happy customers can be our best advertisers and it ismuch less costly to maintain a current customer thanto develop a new one.

We do hope everyone has a great summer and thatall your vacation plans go smoothly.- Sharon Reynolds

Consumer Services


T I P S F R O M T H E S P E C I A L I S T S

650 JET SKI® engine lower end repairby Keith PestotnikRocky Mountain Kawasaki

In the torn down 650ccJET SKI® engine on yourworkbench in front of you,you may find that some“fretting” has taken placein the main bearing boresof the crankcases. Theamount of fretting varies,but usually is not bad

JF650-B1/2engine coverhookIn the past, the JF650-B1and B2 engine cover hookwas available only as anassembly. Unfortunately,the hook assembly is ex-pensive and the wholething had to be ordered

just to replace a lost circlipor hinge pin.

Because of this,Kawasaki has recentlymade the hinge pin,washer and circlip (E-type) available separately.- Gregg Thompson

Note: The part numbersare as follows:

Hinge Pin 92043-3728E Clip . . . 92033-3719Washer .410S0800

enough to affect perfor-mance-until the engine isdisassembled. Then, onreassembly, it is virtuallyimpossible to match upthe fretting pattern be-tween the main bearingsand center seal and thecrankcase halves.

To save the crankshaftand cases, you mustremove the high spotsfrom the main bearings,center seal and crankcasebores. Try the followingprocedure:

1. Clean the crankcaseparting line, then reas-semble using the twodowels and all bolts.Leave out the crankshaftand seals. Properly torquethe-crankcase halves.2. Using a good qualityrigid cylinder hone, oil thebearing bores and thestones, insert the honeinto the bearing bores androtate the hone only byhand. Apply as muchstone pressure as pos-sible, but do not drive thehone with a drill. You donot want to “clean” the en-tire bore, only remove thehigh spots. Go slowly andcheck your work often.

3. Use a worn out 1/2-inchwide mill file to clean thelabyrinth seal of thecrankshaft. Onceagain, remove onlythe high spots here.Do not attemptto clean its en-tire surface.

Water spotsIs your otherwise shinynew JET SKI® watercraftsuffering from water spotdiscoloration? The prob-lem is probably mineraldeposits in the water leftto dry on the boat. Youcan clean the decals witha hard water spot remover(bathroom cleaner). LimeAway and Shower Powerare two brands that workwell. - Kenny Osberg

4. Remove anyaluminum transferred to themain bearings using asimilar technique-again, grindcarefully5. Tho-roughlyclean andprepare allthe parts forfinal assembly6. Clean and drythe crankcase bear-ing bores, the outerdiameter of the main bear-ings and the crankshaftlabyrinth seal usingKawasaki Contact Cleaner(P/N K61080-001C).7. Apply a “thin pinksmear” of LOCTlTE® Studand Bearing Mount (red)(P/N K61079-002) to thebearing bore of bothcrankcase halves. Use itsparingly. Less is betterthan more.

8. Continue with reas-sembly following proce-dures outlined in theService Manual. Do notvary on torque values orpatterns.o

HINT: Mounting the crank-shaft in red LOCTITE® ona new engine will preventfretting in the future.

6 l K-Tech News

S H O P T A L K

AlI 650 JET SKI® cylinders are not alikeby Gregg ThompsonSr. Product Support Specialist

There have been somechanges made in JS andJF650 cylinders over theyears, resulting in a list ofseveral part numbers forwhat seem to be nearlyidentical parts. Somechanges were simplyrefinements for product im-

11005-3707 - This part ismodified for mounting thefuel pump assembly to thecylinder on the TS modelwhich was introduced in1989. Bosses are addedto the outside of thecylinder as well as insidethe water jacket so thefuel pump can be bolteddirectly to it. This cylindercan be used on all 650s.

JS65OB Cylinder

provement; some wereneeded for a specificmodel application. The fol-lowing is a list of the partnumbers and a briefdescription of the changesand model application:

11005-3702 - This is theoriginal 650 cylinder and itfits X-2s and SXs.11005-3705 - This part su-persedes the above andhas an improved cylinderliner design. The O.D. atthe top of the liner was in-creased from 82.5mm to86.5mm to reduce thechances of head gasketleakage. This part fits all X-2s and SXs.

11005-3708 - There areseveral versions of thispart number. Dependingon when it was manufac-tured, one of thesecylinders may have theFuel pump mounting bos-ses and the addedmaterial inside the waterjacket, or the mountingbosses outside but noadded material inside thewater jacket, or no mount-ing bosses and no addedmaterial inside the waterjacket. The 3708 cylinderwill bolt up to all 650models (including the JETMATE™) except the TS.However, if you happen toget your hands on the ver-

sion with both the mount-ing bosses and the addedmaterial in the water jack-

et, you can drill and tapthe bosses and use it onthe Tandem Sport.o

Lean mean water machine

If it is installedoff-center, itcan leak ai rdirectly into thepump and cantr igger thesame problem.When perform-ing this test,you can visual-ly inspect thisinlet fitting tomake sure it isi n s t a l l e dproperly.- Keith

Pestotnik

On Kawasaki JET SKI® watercraft, any leak betweenthe fuel tank and the fuel pump can result in a lean-run-ning condition that can be tough to diagnose. Becausethe fuel is being drawn, rather than pumped throughthose lines, a leak doesn’t necessarily result in anyvisible fuel leakage. Instead, air leaks into the lines andis pumped to the carburetor causing the lean condition.

With a test tank and one easy-to-make special tool,you can quickly and easily determine whether a problemis caused by a fuel system air leak. The special tool issimply a remote fuel system made from an oil bottle, afuel filter, some fuel line and an inline restrictor.

Disconnect the fuel supply line from the fuel pump(which is on the carburetor on 440 and 550A models)and the fuel return line from the carburetor. Then con-nect the lines to the remote tank and run the vehicle inyour test tank. If the lean-running condition has disap-peared, inspect the boat’s fuel system very carefully forair leaks. That is almost certainly the cause of the prob-lem.

On JS440 and 550 models that have the fuel pumpmounted on the carburetor, the fuel inlet fitting is mountedwith a singlescrew on theoutside plate ofthe fuel pump.



Which JET SKI® oil should I use?You may have noticedthat Kawasaki’sFall/Winter AccessoriesCatalog shows two MarineProduct Oils. The MarineProduct Engine Oil is thesame as the original JETSKI® TC-W Oil; theMarine Product High Per-formance Oil is the newNMMA-certified TC-WII oil(see the separate Tipsitem). This new classifica-tion tests oils to be surethey flow smoothly underconditions typical of oil in-jection systems where oilsare likely to sit for a longperiod and be subjected toheat and moisture.

JET SKI® Oil (or MarineProduct Engine Oil as it isnow called) has proven tobe a superior quality oiland also functions well inoil injection systems. It isstill highly recommendedby Kawasaki for all JETSKI® watercraft. But, if thecustomer must use a dif-ferent brand of oil,Kawasaki owner’smanuals recommend thata TC-WII oil be used toguard against the use ofan inferior TC-W oil sincethere is a wide range ofquality of TC-W oils(another reason why theTC-WII classification wasdeveloped).

Within the next fewyears, TC-W oils will bereplaced completely byTC-WII oils.

The High PerformanceOil is recommended forcustomers who havemodified their boats orride aggressively. Itprovides extra protectionin severe use conditions.- Don Church

8 l K-Tech News

K-TECH extra! Metric conversion chart!When measuring parts and figuring clearance it is always a good idea to use “metricprecision” measuring tools if possible. This eliminates the need for mathematical con-version. It’s faster and there’s little possibility of error.

There are times, however, when a technician will need to convert from metric to U.S.specifications or vice versa. In this and following issues of K-Tech News we will includean insert with one or more handy conversion charts printed on it. We suggest youmake copies of these for each of your service personnel and post or file the originalssomewhere in your shop for easy reference. - Fred DeHart

TC-W vs. TC-WII: What’s the difference?Recently, the Boating In-dustry Association (BIA)joined with several othermarine industry organiza-tions to form the NationalMarine Manufacturers As-sociation (NMMA). At thesame time, it was decidedto develop a new test pro-cedure for certifyingmarine two-stroke oils. Inso doing, the NMMAchose new engines to beused for certification test-ing which in turn requiredsome changes be made to

the test procedures. Addi-tional changes were madein order to improve thequality of the oils thatwere certified.

The new certification iscalled “TC-WII.” AlthoughNMMA (formerly BIA) TC-Woils are still on the market,they will gradually be re-placed by TC-WII oils. By1994, licenses will no longerbe granted for the manufac-ture and sale of TC-W oil.

Two of the new tests forthe TC-WII certification

are in the areas of en-durance testing and oil in-jection system testing. Inthe former, the candidateoil is mixed with fuel at a100:1 ratio. (In the originalTC-W certification, a 50:1gas/oil mix was used.) Inthe oil injection phase ofthe procedure, oils aretested to be sure theydon’t react to moisture orother types of oil by gell-ing and thus blockingfuel injection lines.- Gregg Thompson


Is it oil pressure or is it fuel level?On both the ZX-11 andZX-6, the oil pressure andfuel level warning systemsare tied together. When oilpressure is low, the oilpressure sensor groundsboth the oil warning lightand the fuel level warningcircuit relay. Consequent-ly, any time the oil lightcomes on, the fuel lightalso comes on.

The reason for this is toprovide a test mode forthe fuel warning system.When the ignition switch is

EN450, EX500oil pressureIf you ever run into a stub-born oil pressure light-one that won’t go out-onan EN450 or EX500during the pre-delivery ser-vice or after rebuilding theengine, there probably isno oil flow in the engine atall! Apparently, either thepump loses its prime or anairlock occurs betweenthe pump and the filterand no oil flows. This con-dition can usually be cor-rected by taking the oilfilter off and the sparkplugs out, and crankingthe engine over until oilstarts to flow from the filtermounting plate.

This problem couldresult in a delayed failureof the balancer bearingsafter several hundredmiles. The first symptomof balancer bearing failureis usually oil leaking fromthe water pump drain hole.The oil seal leaks becausethe worn bearings allowexcessive radial move-ment in the balancer shaft.- Tevis Moffett

turned on before the en-gine is started, there is nooil pressure so the oil lightand fuel warning circuitrelay are both turned onby the oil pressure send-ing unit. If the fuel levelwarning system is function-ing properly, the fuel lightswill come on.

A diode between the oilpressure and fuel levelwarning circuits preventsthe fuel level warning sys-tem from turning on the oillight. It wouldn’t hurt to let

yourcustomersknow that iftheir fuel and oilwarning lights come ontogether while the engineis running, the real prob-lem is oil pressure.

- Gregg Thompson

Police Motocycles: To cool or not too coolby Bill Zito, National Police Motorcycle CoordinatorIn my travels around the country, some of the most-often asked questions areabout installing aftermarket oil coolers on police motorcycles.

Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., does not recommend the installation of oilcoolers on our police motorcycles. Police motorcycles encounter high enginetemperatures only while being operated at very low speeds, such as in a parade. Inorder for an oil cooler to be effective, it must have sufficient air flow through it and atlow vehicle speeds there is simply not enough air flow to significantly lower the oiltemperature.

Some oil coolers can even create problems underthese conditions because of the police motorcycleengine’s low-pressure lubrication system. Under nor-mal conditions, with the engine warm, the systemproduces about 3psi at 3,000rpm. The addition ofthe oil cooler radiator, lines and fittings can result inmuch lower pressures. In some oases, the addedrestriction can result in no oil delivered to the topend below 3,000rpm.

Kawasaki recommends an oil and filter changeafter the vehicle has been operated in a mannerwhich would create very high engine temperatures.If the vehicle is being operated in high ambienttemperatures (above 90° F), you may want to shorten the interval between oil chan-ges. And always use a high-quality 20W-50 oil that specifies it is for motorcycle four-stroke engines.

The distinction is important: Motorcycle four-stroke engine oils are formulated forhigh temperatures but they’re also designed to lubricate the transmission withoutbreaking down. The high loads and wiping action of the transmission gears result inshear damage to the polymers in the oil. The polymers are what allow the oil tomaintain high viscosities at high temperatures. Motorcycle oils are formulated toresist this “molecular shear” and thus retain their lubrication qualities in a motor-cycle engine longer than other oils.

Tell your police motorcycle customers that KMC recommends they save them-selves the inconvenience and expense of installing oil coolers, and just to change theoil more often under extreme conditions. Then sell them a quality motorcycle oil.o



Golf tees andbattery plugs

id you ever pull off a two-stroke oil line or a fueltank gas line and thenwonder what to do withthe oil or gas that was sud-denly flowing all over yourwork area? You probablygrabbed the first bolt orscrew that would plug theline and forced it in! Buthere are two better ideas:

D

times.

First, golf tees worksurprisingly well for plug-ging oil lines and mostsmall fuel lines. Keep afew in your tool box at all

Second, those redpackaging plugs thatcome out of the batteryvents can be used tocover the pipe protrudingfrom most oil tanks andsome fuel petcocks.Recycle a few of thoseinto your tool box andsave time later looking forthat bolt you stuck into theoil line because youweren’t thinking ahead...- Fred DeHart

Have a time- or money-saving service tip to

share? Send it to:Editor

K-TECH NEWSKawasaki Motors

Corp., U.S.A.9950 Jeronimo

Irvine, CA 92718

10 l K-Tech News

4 x 4 sticky shift pedalOccasionally a KLF300-C4x4 customer will report asticking shift pedal-theshift shaft does not returnto the “centered” positionafter up- or down-shifting,he notes. If it doesn’treturn to the centered posi-tion, of course, the clutchwill stay disengaged andnot transmit any power tothe drive train.

This problem may becaused by sharp edges onone side of the shift-shaftpawl and the secondaryclutch cam-release plate.These parts are stampedfrom steel plate whichleaves a sharp edge onone side of the part. Some-times this edge can cause

excessive friction whenthe part is sliding againstanother causing it to stick.

The simple solution is toput a small radius on thatsharp edge whereneeded. Using a small

grinder or file, remove justenough material to radiusthe edge and no more.The smoother thoseedges are, the better theywork. Do not change theshape of the piece. Theillustration shows the

edges that may need at-tention.- Keith Pestotnik

KAF450-B Mule kitIf you have a KAF450-BMULE 1000 transmissionapart to install the kit P/N99995-1193 (see “Mule1000 Transmission Im-provements” in the Winter’89 issue of K-TechNews), check that all theneedle bearing races inthe two case halves areseated all the way in theirbores. If not, the dogs onthe new gears might clashwhen the transmissionis in neutral. Tappinglightly on each ofthese races willassure theyare all theway in.- Tevis

Moffett


How to determine compression ratiosWhether you are buildinga drag bike or blueprintinga classic, you need toknow how to determinethe actual compressionratio of each cylinder.Here’s how to go about it:

1. With the piston at TopDead Center (TDC),smear a little greasearound the edge of thecrown to seal the pistonand cylinder.

2. Install the cylinderhead gasket and cylinderhead with valves in place.Torque the head to specs.

3. Fill a graduatedburette with solvent orlight machine oil.

4. With the spark plughole in a vertical position,measure how much liquidit takes to fill the combus-tion chamber to the bot-tom of the spark plug hole.

Now you’ll need to dosome math:

5. Add the amount ofsolvent you poured intothe cylinder, in milliliters(for example, 35ml) to thedisplacement of thecylinder in cubic cen-

WEST

CONTlNUED FROM PAGE 12

to help you get your skills up to speed. Of course, weknow you are too busy to attend training classes now,but our training season begins again in October.

In the meantime, keep track of those areas in whichyou would like to improve your skills and then keep aneye out for the October training schedule which will ar-rive in plenty of time for you to reserve your place inclass. We look forward to seeing you then! o

timeters (300cc wouldbe the displacementof one cylinder in a1200cc four-cylinderengine).

6. Divide the sum ofthe two numbers (335in our example) by theamount of sol-vent youpouredinto thecylinder(35ml).

The result is the compres-sion ratio of that cylinderinour example, as outlinedbelow, the ratio is 9.57 to 1.

Step 5: 35ml + 300cc = 335Step 6: 335 / 35 = 9.57Result: CR = 9.57:1

Easy, even if you aren’t amathematician!-Steve Rice

SOUTH & CENTRAL

CONTlNUED FROM PAGE 12

of informing customers what conditions need attention.The checklist (shown at right) is a two-part form; youkeep a copy and give the original to the customer.

You might have noticed the drive chain and sprocketswere worn, for instance, but the customer chose not tohave them replaced at the present time. With the addi-tional hard mileage these parts will accumulate duringthe summer, they will surely need to be replaced in thefall. Note this on the checklist and contact the customerlater about replacement.

There are many repairs and services that fall underthe heading of “ultimately necessary but not urgent” orpreventative maintenance: tire replacement, fork oilchange, brake fluid change, or maybe a new stainlesssteel jet pump impeller. A good service manager will con-tact customers about service work during the winter. Bytaking the time to make detailed notes on the checklistnow, you won’t miss a potential winter customer.

Try to be complete: Sometimes when you write downjust a couple of words, you forget what the original ideawas. With detailed notes, you’ll know exactly what youdiscussed with the customer.

Your cus-tomers willreally ap-preciate theoff -seasonreminder.Makingregular useof thischecklistwill helpkeep yourservicedepartmentbusy allyear ‘round.o


R E G I O N A L N E W S

WEST SOUTH & CENTRAL NORTH & EAST

Up to yourelbows. . .nowby Patrick Kelly9950 Jeronimo RoadIrvine, CA 92718(714) 770-0400

As this issue of K-TechNews reaches you, youare probably up to yourelbows in grease. Thephone is ringing off thehook and the work ordersare stacking up. Thesounds of air tools spin-ning and engines runningfill the air. The serviceseason is at its peak!

But are you keeping upwith the pace? Are yourtechnical skills andknowledge up to the chal-lenge or do you find your-self spending more thanyour fair share of timetroubleshooting and repair-ing each job?

If the answer to that lastquestion is “yes,” then youshould consider technicalraining from Kawasaki.We offer a wide variety ofclasses, covering every-thing from JET SKI®

watercraft to generators,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

12 l K-Tech News

Many want only the ab-solutely necessary repairsperformed now. This, then,is the time to make sureyour service records arecomplete and accurateand your follow-up systemn place so you can con-tact the customer aboutadditional service worklater.

Don’t forget about theVisual Inspection Check-list (P/N 99995-769) whichis available from Kawasakispecifically for the purpose

Service busy?You bet!by Walter Rainwater6110 Boat Rock Blvd. S.W.Atlanta, GA 30378(404) 349-2000

By the time you read this,you will be in the busiestpart of the season. Yourservice department will befull to bursting with yourcustomer’s motorcyclesand watercraft, in forrepairs or service. And, ofcourse, all your customerswill be anxious to get theirbikes and boats backquickly so they can ride.

CONTlNUED ON PAGE 11

by Fred DeHart201 Circle Drive N., #107Piscataway, NJ 08854(201) 469-1221.

With service work begin-ning to pile up at the door,your Service DepartmentIS going to need all thehelp it can get this summer!

Here is a list of what Iconsider the basic diag-nostic tools a dealership’sService Departmentshould have. How manydoes your Service Depart-ment have available?

oVacuum pressure testeroLeakdown testeroCompression gaugeoOil pressure gaugeoTiming lightoCoil tester

TrainingScheduleEast Region

North Region

Central Region

South Region

West Region

KMC Instructors are working now on the1991 Program schedule. Classes willbegin again in October. All dealers willreceive a copy of the winter classschedule but don’t forget to watch thisspace in the Fall and Winter issues ofK-Tech News.

Diagnostictools o Multimeter

oCDI testeroCarb sticks or vacuum

gauge setoFuel level gaugesoDial bore gaugeoDial indicator and standoFull set of micrometersoTorque wrenchoAir pressure gaugeoFeeler gaugeso Plastigage

Some of you maybelieve that many of thesetools are useful only formaking adjustments. Butall of the tools listed canalso help you diagnoseproblems as well.

Take a timing light, forexample. This is one ofthe only tools that will indi-cate whether theelectronic advance isworking properly. It canalso show whether or nota spark plug is firing in-side the cylinder undercompression.

Give some thought tothe other tools listed andsee how many ways youcan think of to use themfor diagnostic purposes. Infuture issues, we will dis-cuss some of these toolsand their uses.o

The ZEPHYR : High-tech details W -...

Documents

Transcript of The ZEPHYR : High-tech details W -...