Fall 1989 The Kawasaki Tech Magazine Vol. 2 NO. 3

by Tim Bean, Program Developer

THE BIGGEST NEWS IN MOTOCROSS this year will beKawasaki’s perimeter frame, a first in productionmotocross bike history. This innovative frame design hasseveral advantages: stronger steering head, stronger

swingarm pivots, better mass-centralization and greater overallrigidity. Combined with a new swingarm modified to increaserigidity, the perimeter frame-equipped KX250-H1 exhibits superbstability on rough tracks.

The mainframe is constructed of lightweight high-tensile steelwith a bolt-on aluminum rear section, and an aluminum steeringstem to reduce weight.

The KX250 is fitted with a 41mm Kayaba cartridge fork (seeJerry Heil’s article on page 2 of this issue). The cartridge designgives more constant damping force regardless of stroke speed,with the smoothest possible initial compliance. The fork features16-way compression and 16-way rebound damping.

sive curve. As in ’89, the Uni-Trak features anunstepped preload adjuster, 16-way compres-sion damping, and 16-way rebound damping.

An extremely rigid aluminum swingarm ofthin wall dual-box-section construction offersincreased rigidity with no weight penalty. Newrecessed, one-piece chain adjusters locatethe rear axle securely.

Disc brakes are standard front and rear. Adual-piston front caliper provides excellentstopping power. To minimize unsprungweight, front and rear brake pistons are madeof resin while the rear brake rotor is nowmade of stainless steel.

The KX250 bodywork gives the rider plentyof freedom to move comfortably. The fuel tankis slimmer, and the new side cover/numberplate mounts flush, making the bike even nar-rower in the mid-section. o

nn INSIDE: Happy Customers,Inverted Forks and More!

ROUTE LIST o SERVICE o PARTS o SALES RETURN TO SERVICE

SHOP TALK/TECHNICAL

Inverted Forks On 1990 KX125/250/500by J. Heil, Instructional Designer

T HE INVERTED FORKfeatured on Kawasaki’slatest KX125, 250 and 500models is another signifi-

cant advance in reducing unsprungweight. The steel inner tube of theinverted fork is shorter and smallerin diameter, and, therefore, thewhole assembly is lighter than con-ventional forks.

Reduced weight permits thesuspension to move more freely,responding more quickly tochanges in terrain.

The large diameter aluminumouter tube held in the tripleclamps is a thick-walled casting.This rigid construction gives theinverted fork-equipped motor-cycles extremely precise steer-ing control.

Component PartsWhile the appearance of the

fork is at first unusual, the partsthat make up the assembly arenearly the same as conventionalforks. The accompanying illus-tration shows the componentsthat are available as spare parts.

The new KX cartridge forkstarted with a design objectivesimilar to other Kawasaki car-tridge front forks to reduce theamount of air in the fork oil. Airmixed with the oil makes damp-ing erratic. To prevent this, oilenters at the bottom of thecartridge only after any air insidehas risen to the top of the fork. Thedamping action remains predict-able, even on the toughest tracks.

Compression DampingRebound and compression

damping on the inverted forks areboth 16-way adjustable. Turningthe adjustment screws varies theamount of oil bypassing the damp-ing valves. The suspension canthus be adjusted to suit both riderstyle and track conditions.

2 l K-Tech News

The mechanics of compressiondamping is as follows: as the fronttire strikes a bump, the fork innertube and attached cartridge arepushed up. The size of the cham-ber below the cartridge pistondecreases and the chamber abovethe cartridge piston increases. Oilpasses out of the lower chamber,through the check valve on the pis-ton and into the upper chamber of

piston decreases and the chamberbelow increases. Oil flow is redir-ected by the check valve out of theupper chamber through the re-bound washer stack. The reboundadjuster valve permits some oil tobypass the washers and flow upand out the top of the piston rod.

MaintenanceAll forks require the proper oiland springing to tune thesuspension to the track andrider; the new inverted fork is noexception. A suspension set-upchart will soon be available fromTeam Green to help with this.

KX Inverted Fork Components

the cartridge. Damping at thecheck valve is fixed. The oil flowrate is progressively damped bythe compression washer stack asoil moves out the bottom of thecartridge into the inner tube. Theamount of oil bypassing the washerstack depends on the setting of theadjustable valve.

Rebound DampingAs for rebound damping, when

the tire and wheel move down, theinner tube and cartridge moveaway from the piston. The size ofthe chamber above the cartridge

NOTE: If you need to hold thefork in a vise, be sure to grip thefork outer tube gently so you donot distort the aluminum. Thiscan happen, so be careful!

Clean, fresh oil is essential toproper fork operation. TeamGreen suggests changing thefork oil after every two to threehours of hard riding.

Fill the fork with oil to a levelabove the desired height. Pumpthe piston rod and outer tube 10times each to remove all the air.The piston rod should pull upthe entire length of its strokewith uniform resistance. Jerks or“gurgling” noises indicate thatair remains in the fork. Pump afew more times. When all the airis removed, set the fork oil levelaccording to the service manual.

Fork Air PressureThe center screw on the fork cap

is the rebound damping adjust-ment. The other screw is the airbleed. Proper air pressure is zero.Set the pressure by first riding thebike for 10 minutes. Then, with noweight on the bike, first open theair bleed screw on both forks thenclose them.

Watch for additional info onthese inverted forks, which arestandard on ’90 KX125s, 250s and500s, in the months to come. o

COMMUNICATIONS

Service Manual Correctionsby Ray St. John, Senior Technical Writer

ENTER THESE CORRECTIONS in your shop’s servicemanuals, and be miles ahead of the game...

n VULCAN 88/SE (P/N 99924-1078-01): On page 1-8,the torque table for the engine lubrication systemshould look like this:

Engine Lubrication System:Crankcase Oil NozzleOil Pressure Relief ValveOil Pressure SwitchEngine Drain PlugOil FilterOil Screen PlugOil Pipe Banjo Bolts

2.92015

12

0.302.01.5

1.2

26 in-lb14.511.0

104 in-lb

n n ZX-10 (P/N 99924-1098-01)KLR250 (P/N 99924-1051-01 and -02):

Add the following information to the “Fuel Tank” section:

Gasoline and Alcohol BlendsBlends of gasoline and alcohoI called “gasohol” can be used on an occasional basis,

however continued use is not recommended. Switch back immediately to gasoline whichdoer not contain alcohol if you experience any operating irregularities. Any deteriorationof fuel system components or degradation of performance resulting from the use ofgasohol will not be covered by Kawasaki’s Limited Warranty, Emissions Warranties, orGood Timer Protection Plan. If you decide to use gasohol. be sure to follow these simplecautions:

¡¡Never use gasohol with an octane rating lower than the minimum octane rating specifiedby Kawasaki for this product.¡¡Never use gasohol containing more than 10% ethanol (grain alcohol).¡¡Never use gasohol containing more than 5% methanol (wood alcohol). Gasoline con-

taining methanol must also be blended with cosolvents and corrosion inhibitors.¡¡Never use gasohol for extended periods and never store this product with gasohol in the

fuel system.

¡¡Gasoline containing alcohol can cause paint damage. Be extra careful not to spillgasohol during refueling.

On page 5-11, the Clutch Spring Height Measurementtable should look like this:

Clutch Spring Height

Standard:Service Limit:

On page 8-2, correctthe torque marks asshown at right:

n KDX200-C1Owner’s/ServiceManual (P/N 99920-1323-01): On page 9-4, the table of statorcoil resistances iscorrect only if thestator has five leads.If the stator has only four leads, use the stator resis-tance table found on page 9-4 of the KDX200-C2Owner's/Service Manual (P/N 99920-1371-01).

n ZG1000 Concours (P/N 99924-1065-01): Engine oilcapacities should be as follows:

- Totally dry engine, oil cooler, and lines: 3.7 liters- Normal oil change with new filter: 3.0 liters- Normal oil change without new filter: 2.7 liters

n EX250E/F NINJA and EL250A ELIMINATOR (P/N99924-1066-01): In these manuals, the top and secondpiston rings are described as being different, but theyare actually the same. Another correction is needed onpage 4-22: Just note that the second ring is the sameas the first. The specifications on page 4-5 are correct. o

MICRO- and pull the bottom of the screen towards you. Thescreen will then lift clear of the viewer.

by “Micro” Mike Jeffers, Parts Publications Specialist

MOST 1990 MODEL MICROFICHE have beendelivered and should now be nestled in the ap-

propriate spots in your immaculately kept microfichedecks. The white section (“Other Products”) now in-cludes JET SKI® watercraft, JET MATE™, Mule andTrailer microfiche. Your microfiche deck will containmicrofiche matching the products you carry.

To fully capitalize upon the many benefits themicrofiche parts system offers, periodic maintenanceto the equipment is required. The interior of the viewermust be dusted and the mirror wiped clear of any ac-cumulated dirt at regular intervals. Do this by removingthe blue screen: Hold the tab at the bottom, then lift up

The lens must also be dusted periodically. It can beremoved by swiveling the lens hood then lifting it out ofits holder. After wiping it clean, reinstall by aligning thetab on the side of the lens with the matching slot on theholder.

The microfiche holder itself is cleaned by positioningit to the far right and lifting the upper glass clear. Toreinstall, reverse the procedure.

Kawasaki offers a maintenance kit (P/N M99994-151) and supplies bulbs for all viewers including theolder Bell & Howell/MDI viewers.

A complete list of microfiche viewers and acces-sories offered is found on parts bulletin GEN 89-02.Equipment is ordered directly through your distributioncenter by using the part numbers provided. o

The Technical Magazine l 3

GUEST SPOT

Kawasaki Endorses Motorcycle Mechanics Instituteby Don Church, Manager,Service Training& Communications

LET US ALL WELCOME theMotorcycle Mechanics In-stitute into the Kawasakifamily. Kawasaki Motors

Corp., U.S.A. has endorsed thetraining program at MMI because itis one of the finest motorcycle

does a first-rate job of maintainingthis supply. Its courses preparestudents to work in and contributeto the profitability of a dealershipwhile gaining the on-the-job ex-perience it takes to becomeseasoned journeymen.

In less than 12 years, the Motor-cycle Mechanics Institute hasgrown from a small, regional train-ing center into the nation’s largest

technician training schools in the motorcycle technician training in-country. To enhance MMl’s training stitute. With state-of-the-art facil-offerings, we are now providing ities in both Phoenix, Arizona andtechnical information on Kawasaki Orlando, Florida, the Institute eachproducts which will be incorporated year enrolls more than 1,700 meninto its classes. and women who are interested in

We all know that the vitality of pursuing careers in the fast-paced‘motorcycle industry.the motorcycle industry depends

on a supply of well-trained, careeroriented students who can fill thedemand for entry level technicians.The Motorcycle Mechanics Institute

To develop a general under-standing of today’s motorcyclesand to qualify for entry levelemployment as motorcycle tech-

nicians, students at MMI begintheir training with a six-monthMotorcycle Technician Career Pro-gram. Like all courses at MMI, thecareer program is “hands on”, per-mitting students to immediately puttheir new-found skills to work inareas such as carburetion and fuelsystems, electrical systems, trans-missions, suspensions and trouble-shooting.

The Advanced Career Program,meanwhile, is a highly intensivethree-month course which providesstudents with advanced skills inseveral areas: two-stroke perfor-mance, four-stroke performance,advanced machine shop, ad-vanced electrical systems, special-ized equipment (JET SKI® water-craft and snowmobiles), and shopmanagement.

Look for representatives fromMMI at the Dealer Meeting inMiami Beach, Florida, and find outmore about it. The Institute has avery organized and active studentplacement office for matching itsstudents with dealers all over thecountry.

For those not at the DealerMeeting, MMI can be contacted bywriting or calling:

n Motorcycle Mechanics Institute,2844 West Deer Valley Road,Phoenix, AZ 85027, (602) 869-9644 or (800) 528-7995n Motorcycle Mechanics Institute,4065 L.B. McLeod Road, Suite A,Orlando, FL 32811, (305) 423-1514, (800) 342-9253 o

©1989 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.(KMC). All rights reserved.

Published by Kawasaki. All suggestionsbecome the property of KMC. Sending aservice suggestion gives Kawasaki per-mission to publish and/or use it withoutfurther consideration. Specifications sub-ject to change without notice.

K-TECH NEWS STAFFPublisher ....... Kawasaki Tech ServicesPublications Manager ........ Don ChurchExecutive Editor.. ............. Gary HerzogEditor-in-Chief.. ................. Ken Ploeser

REGIONAL EDITORSNorth and East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fred DeHartCentral and South . . . . . Walter RainwaterWest and Corporate . . . . . . . . . . Ken Ploeser

TECH SUPPORT SPECIALISTSJoe Nowocinski Bob EllisonRandy Davis Tevis MoffettJohn Porno Ken OsbergGregg Thompson Steve Rice

GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTIONGraphic Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Tim BeanCopy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pat ShibataProduction....Nickless Communications

4 l K-Tech News

FEATURE

Keeping Satisfied Customersby Ken Ploeser, Tech. Services

T HINK OF HOW MANYcustomers have walkedthrough your dealership inthe last 10 months. From

the hundreds or even thousands ofthose people, surely many left assatisfied, paying customers.

But how many of them soon for-got just how helpful you were thelast time they stopped in? Howmany liked the service you gavebut don’t have any special reasonto return to the dealership?

Also, pull up repair orders thatreflect work performed for cus-tomers on the Good Times Protec-tion Plan. By categorizing therepair orders you will have groupsof customers to contact.

If your service department isautomated, the task of “pulling up”customer records is relatively easy.For those of you whose shops donot yet have service customersand repair orders on computer, wehave a simple solution: Since youdo have a K-SHARE computer,you have the capabilities to record

There are two approaches. Oneis to deal with only those cus-tomers who are service customers.A few ideas: Offer winterizing andstorage specials. Offer discountson the additional work suggestedon the repair orders that was neverdone. Hold an open house for ser-vice after renovating or remodelingthe service shop.

During the summer you canhave customers fill out “customercards” for future mailings. Fromthese cards you can solicit servicework.

The point: It’s your job to givethem a special reason to return, orthey may never return at all!

Follow-UpHow do you keep customers ex-

cited about their Kawasakis andcoming back regularly to yourdealership? One way is to keepthem informed. Remember the oldsaying, “out of sight, out of mind”?Well, that’s exactly what happenswhen you don’t focus your effortson communicating with customers.It’s called “follow-up” and the firstbuilding blocks in creating an effec-tive customer follow-up programare your service records.

Now is the time to gather to-gether all records of service trans-actions with consumers. Retailwork and warranty claims reflect amajority of your service customersto date. From these repair ordersyou can pull up a list of all the peri-odic maintenance jobs performed.Especially important are the firstservices and subsequent periodicservices performed over a periodof time for the same customer.

your repair orders on computer.Once this is done, you can print outreports that will show you some in-teresting things.

One advantage is the customerletters and mailing lists you cangenerate. The software programthat allows you to do all this iscalled PFS: First Choice. It is avail-able from most computer softwarestores. (For more information onPFS: First Choice software, pleasecontact Marge Lakin, KMC’s K-SHARE manager, at (714) 770-0400 ext. 2345. She will give youall the help you’ll need to getstarted on your computer.)

Now What?Customers that bought at your

dealership, returned for periodicmaintenance and are on the GoodTimes Protection Plan, form a solidbase for a customer follow-upmailer. So, now what do you do?What can you put in a servicemailer to stimulate customerawareness of your existenceduring the cold, wet months ofwinter?

The second approach is to com-bine the service customer lists withparts and sales customer lists. Inthis way a tie-in can be made toservice. For example, any partsspecials or close outs can be of-fered with installation. KX race kitscan be offered through “TeamGreen” specials. Schedule a spe-cial week for KX bike services.

And what about all those JETSKI® watercraft out there?! Of allthe new JET SKI® watercraft soldover the spring and summer, howmany are due for service? Offer aspecial to IJSBA members on ac-cessories and hop-up services.

Every person who bought a newor used vehicle from your dealer-ship should be contacted in someway-perhaps with a survey of allcustomers which will remind themof the good times they have ex-perienced with their Kawasaki andlet them know you are inviting themto visit the dealership soon.

Keeping in touch with your cus-tomers during the slow times willbe the key to a good winter and agreat spring selling season. o

The Technical Magazine l 5

SERVICE/MERCHANDlSING

JET SKI®

by Fred DeHart, Training InstructorNorth and East Regions

NOW IS THE TIME for ser-vice departments in theNorth and East to thinkabout JET SKI ® water-

craft winterization as a way ofgenerating additional service in-come and assuring their customerssatisfaction in the spring.

Get out your customer servicefile and send each JET SKI ®

watercraft owner a letter explaininghow and why his boat should bewinterized. Offer a special com-bined storage andwinterization package(or, if you really don’thave the space, offerwinterization only). Be

sure these jobs ‘arescheduled for a timewhen your fall work-load is slowing down.

CustomerApproval

Now that you havecontacted all yourpast customers, whatshould be done towinterize their JETSKI@ watercraft? First,

Watercraft Winter Servicemanuals and service bulletins if youare not familiar with this procedure.n Drain the gas from the tank andleave the cap loose to prevent con-densation.n Drain the fuel sediment bowl andclean or replace the filter.n Start the engine and run it at 15second intervals, allowing fiveminutes to cool between intervals.Do this until all available fuel in thecarburetor is used up.n Another method is to add Sta-Bilfuel stabilizer to the gas beforedraining and then run it through theengine.

box has never been flushed out,this may be a good opportunity todo it now. Replace the resonator.n Remove the battery and cleanthe outside surfaces with a bakingsoda and water solution. Check thebattery electrolyte level and refillwith distilled water if necessary.Fully charge the battery and store itin as cool a location as possible tokeep it from losing its charge. Afully charged battery will not freezeuntil -76” Fahrenheit.n If the watercraft has grease fit-tings for the forward bearing hous-ing and pump housing, fill them

inspect the boat forany major problems, cosmetic,technical or especially safety re-lated. Note the items you feel needattention on the repair order andmake sure the customer is aware ofall the items you find.

Next, review these with the cus-tomer, and get proper. approvalbefore proceeding with the job.Consider taking a photo of thewatercraft before work is done toverify its before condition.

A Winterization PrimerHere are the basics of a

w in te r i za t ion p rogram:

n Flush out the cooling and bilgesystems. Consul t the proper

n Take out the flame arrestor andclean it. Spray Bel-Ray 6-in-1 orWD-40 down the carburetor bore.Inspect the flame arrestor carefully;you may want to install a new one.n Remove the spark plugs andpour about an ounce of motor oilinto each cylinder. Don’t use toomuch or you will damage the en-gine when it is next started. Leav-ing the, plugs out, turn the engineover with the starter to coat the pis-ton, piston rings, and cylinder withoil. Replace the spark plugs.n Remove the exhaust resonatorand pour three ounces of anti-freeze into the muffler box toprevent any residual water left inthe box from freezing. If the water

with a waterproofmarine grease.n Lube all cablesfront and rear.n Spray WD-40 orBel-Ray 6-in-1 intothe magneto housingto prevent rust fromcondensation.n Check the pumphousing and impellerfor wear or damage,and clean out anysand, weeds, etc.This is a good time todo a complete pumpbearing inspectionand service.n Wash the water-

craft inside and out, then drain allwater from the engine compartmentby turning the watercraft on its leftside and dry it off.n Spray the engine and metal partswith WD-40 or Bel-Ray 6-in-1.n Wax the outside of the JET SKI®

watercraft.n Cover and store the boat in aclean, dry place with the hoodblocked up to provide ventilationand prevent distorting the strap.

Ready For Fun!If proper winterization is ac-

complished now, the JET SKI ®

watercraft will be ready to providelots of fun and good times for yourcustomer in the spring. o

6 l K-Tech News

TIPS FROM THE SPECIALISTS

Finding ThoseAmps

TO SAFELY AND accuratelymeasure the charging system’s

output in amperage, you will needto install an ammeter in series atthe ground side of the battery. Butwait: If you electric start the engine,you will fry your meter unless itmeasures up to 250 amps. So,make a jumper cable that connectsacross your ammeter probes whilecranking the engine over. Once theengine fires, disconnect this jumperwire, leaving the ammeter con-nected in series with the batteryand the ground strap.

Next, rev the engine until themeter indicates a chargingamperage higher than the loads onthe system. This is called the“break-even rpm.” Obviously,higher loads require higher rpm tobreak even.

Now you can measure the in-dividual loads (amperage draw) onthe system. To do this, simplyreverse the connections (polarity)of your ammeter probes. Then, withthe engine off, turn on the stoplight, horn, turn signals and any ac-cessories. Write down the readingsand then add up the total amp drawon the system.

Police bikes and touring bikesseem to suffer most from excessive.loads on the battery. Be sure tocheck for shorts or excessive ampdraw from every electrical acces-sory, since it may be impossible fora charging system to handle exces-sive current loads. - Tevis Moffett

4 x 4 Tie Rod Adjustmentby Tim Bean, Program Developer

TO PREVENT INTERFERENCE between tie rod ends when the steering isturned to full lock, the repair procedure below should be followed. The

ball joints that connect to the wheel end of the tie rods must be screwed allthe way flush with the end of the tie rod. This allows the ball joints at theinner end of the tie rod to be adjusted out further. Some KLF300’s have shorttie rods which must be replaced. Refer to Recall Bulletin MC89-04. The“repair procedure” described in the bulletin should be followed when adjust-ing the steering tie rods on any KLF300 model even if it is not eligible for therecall. The procedure is as follows:

Repair Proceduren Remove the tie rod assemblieswith the ball joints by removingthe cotter pin and mount-ing nut from each balljoint.

n Place each tie rodand ball joint assem-bly on a large pieceof paper. Mark thecenter of each balljoint and make a cor-responding mark on thepaper to record the original length ofthe right and left tie rod assemblies. Thiswill prevent having to make toe-in adjustments after installing the new tie rods.

n Loosen the locknuts and remove the ball joints from the tie rods.

n Screw the wheel ball joint into the tie rod end closest to the crimp, andtighten the ball joint locknut to 2.8 kg-m (20 ft-lb, 27 N-m) of torque.

n Screw the ball joint of the steering shaft into the other end of the tie rod byturning clockwise 7 rotations.

NOTE: Steeringshaft ball joints have light colored locknuts.n Set the ball joint studs of each tie rod to face opposite directions.

n Position the tie rod assembly beside the marks that were placed on thepaper. Screw only the steering shaft ball joint in or out to align with the markson the paper to obtain the original length.

n The difference between the original length and the new tie rod length mustbe within 1 mm.

n Torque the remaining ball joint locknuts, to 2.8 kg-m (20 ft-lb, 27 N-m).

n Install each tie rod assembly with the fully screwed in ball joint connectedto the wheel steering knuckle.

CAUTION! If the direction is reversed, the two tie rod assemblies will inter-fere with each other when the handlebar is fully turned to the right.

nTighten the mounting nut to the specified torque:BaII Joint Mounting Nut Torque =4.2 kg-m (30 ft-lb, 41 N-m)

n Install new cotter pins. o

The Technical Magazine l 7

TIPS FROM THE SPECIALISTS

VoyagerComputerMemory

FUEL CONSUMED MODE:Here is the procedure you fol-

low to set the total fuel consumednumber on the Voyager computer.Start out with a full tank. Turn theignition key on. The fuel gauge dis-play on the meter console will lightall the bars, showing a full tank.Next, move the cursor to the “TotalFuel Consumed” mode on the com-puter display. It will show 6.6 gal-lons in this mode. Push the fuelbutton once and hold it until thereading shows 0.0 (zero). Then thetotal fuel consumed will show in in-crements of 0.2 until the 6.6 gal-lons is consumed.

ADDING FUEL DURING A TRIP:To add, for example, one gallon offuel, you move the cursor to the“Fuel Add” mode. NOTE: Everytime the fuel button is pushed, 0.2gallons is added to the display.Push the fuel button until 1.0 gal-lon total shows. Move the cursor tothe “Total Fuel Consumed” modeand the added amount is automat-ically entered into the computermemory. The “Fuel Add” mode willonly accept up to 2.0 gallons atone time. To add more than 2.0 gal-lons, the cursor will have to berotated around to the “Fuel Add”mode again and the remainingamount added. - Tevis Moffett

JET SKI® WatercraftCarb Tuning ChartUSE THE FOLLOWING carburetor needle adjustment specifications whentuning 1988, ’89 and ’90 model JET SKI® watercraft:

MODEL

JS300A

JS300B

JS440A

JS550A

JS550B

JB650A

JF650A

JF650B

JS650A

ITEM

Lo Speed ScrewHi Speed ScrewLo Speed ScrewHi Speed ScrewLo Speed ScrewHi Speed ScrewLo Speed ScrewHi Speed ScrewLo Speed ScrewHi Speed ScrewLo Speed ScrewHi Speed ScrewLo Speed ScrewHi Speed ScrewLo Speed ScrewHi Speed ScrewLo Speed ScrewHi Speed Screw

NOTE: The tuning specificationsfor the 650 models are based onthe following standard jet sizes:

’88-’89 JS650-A1990 JS650-A1989 JB650-A1990 JB650-A

slow jet #48slow jet #52slow jet #55slow jet #58

1988 1989

1 11/16 1 15/163/8 15/16

1 3/4 1 3/41 3/8 1 3/8

1 13/4 3/4

1 1/16 1 1/1615/16 15/16—-—-—-—-1 1/85/8

—-—-

1 1/85/8

—-—-

1 1/21/2

1 1/85/8

1 1/83/4

1 1/85/8

1 15/1615/161 3/41 3/87/83/4n/an/a

1 1/1615/161 1/83/8

1 1/83/4

1 1/83/4

1 1/83/4

1990

Troubleshooting Pick-Up Coils

SOME HARD TO FIND symptoms of a bad pick-upcoil are poor gas mileage or sluggish acceleration.

To test the pick-up coil you should first check the resis-tance as indicated in the appropriate service manual.The next step is to check the AC voltage output fromeach pick-up coil. The trick is to probe the pick-up coilconnector terminals while the bike is running. The read-ing you get will be in AC voltage. The amount willdepend on the model and the rpm; the reading at idleshould be about 0.5V AC and about 2.0V AC at

4000rpm. Record these AC output specs and comparethem to the specs you got from testing good pick-upson identical model bikes.

On bikes with two pick-ups, the most critical part ofthe test is the consistency in readings between the twopick up coils. The voltage readings should be within 10percent of each other. If you don’t have spark, thelikelihood of a bad pick-up coil is greater than a secon-dary coil or igniter failure. - Tevis Moffett

8 l K-Tech News

TS Fuel Tap InstallationTHE FUEL HOSES going to the

fuel valve on early TS modelwatercraft (prior to hull #96450) maybe mismarked, making it possible toinstall the hoses on the wrong spigotof the fuel valve. Refer to the followingillustration when installing the hosesand don’t be confused!

- Ken Ploeser

Cruise Control Tips

AHIGH PERCENTAGE of cruise control problems are nothing more thanthe result of one of the “set” switches being open. All the set switches

must be closed in order for the system to set. These switches are: the frontand rear brake lever switches, the clutch lever switch and the throttle switch.

NOTE: These lever switches are separate switches unique to the cruisecircuits; they are not the brake light or clutch (ignition) interlock switches.

Test the continuity of the switches with the control unit unplugged and thetransmission in high gear. Connect one lead of your ohmmeter to chassisground, the other lead to the #16 pin on the control unit harness connector.Your reading should show continuity to ground-a reading of zero ohmsresistance through the set switches. Operate the switches and check thecontinuity. With the lever pulled in (clutch or brake), the resistance shouldshow open, i.e. infinite resistance. Be careful not to distort the female ter-minals in the connector or you may create a new open circuit problem.

- Randy Davis

EX500 Won’t Rev?

YOU’VE FINISHED the tune-up on your customer’s EX500.It starts and idles just fine. Now it’s time for the test ride.

Helmet on, you fire up the bike, put it in gear and go. Suddenly,at 3500rpm a bad hesita-tion is present and get-ting worse. More revsand the hesitation turnsinto “blubbering” and anengine that will not rev atall past about 5000rpm.

What’s wrong? Thelikely cause is the car-buretor float vent tubeaiming into the air inlet onthe rear of the air box.When servicing the air fil-ter, it is very easy to dis-locate this tube. Often the tube ends up right at the air box inlet. The higheryou rev the engine the more vacuum is created at the air inlet. This vacuumis actually pulling the air out of the float bowls and starving the engine of fuel!

- Steve Rice

Pitch, Pins orLinks

ONE METHOD for checkingvarious kinds of chains for

wear and stretch is to load thechain and measure its length. Thelength specification listed inKawasaki. service manuals is thechain length measured from centerof pin to center of pin. The way youcount the pins is the key to obtain-ing the correct measurement.

Drive chain pins are counted outstarting with the first pin as numberone and continuing to the 21st pin.Cam chains, however, are countedout starting with the first pin asnumber zero. The next (second)pin is thus number one and so onto pin number 20.

In either case, the chain pitch(the distance between pin centers)is being measured. So, 21 pinsequals 20 links.

CHAIN LENGTH MEASUREMENT

Confused? A “link” is also calleda side plate. Both terms are com-monly used to describe the lengthof a chain. A chain length alwayshas two fewer pins and one lessside plate than you count for deter-mining its length.

Where is the missing link? It’sthe master link, of course! (Thereal challenge is to find the masterlink on an endless chain...)

- Randy Davis

The Technical Magazine l 9

TIPS FROM THE SPECIALISTS

Briefly. . .n OIL LEAKS ARE EASY to locate and pinpoint by using the following tech-nique: Clean the suspected area thoroughly with a spray washer. Then, care-fully clean the engine surface with lacquer thinner (a residue-free solvent).Let the area dry and spray on a dry powder such as Arid dry spray orDesenex powder. Pinch off the crankcase breather tube and start the engine.Any leak will show up right away, saving lots of time and frustration.

- Tevis Moffett

n ONE ITEM NOT FOUND in theVacuum/Pressure tool kit (P/N T96000-001)is the adjustable rubber freeze plug. Theseare used to plug off intake or exhaust pas-sages quickly, without fabricating block offplates or using inner tube rubber. Rubberfreeze plugs can be found in most auto parts stores in sizes to fit almost anyapplication. Prices are usually under $5. - John Pomo

n OCCASIONALLY WE ASK you to take pictures of damage, cracks orpaint flaws on JET SKI@ watercraft hulls. This works very well if you preparethe surface first so the cracks show clearly on the photo. Use charcoal orpencil-lead powder to rub over the area, then blow off the excess.

The camera and film should both be high quality. If your pictures do notclearly show the problem, it will hamper our ability to make a decision andmaybe the processing of your claim. - Gregg Thompson

n THE CORRECT tire pressure for the ZX750-H1 front tire is 36 psi, and forthe rear it is 41 psi. Please update your Assembly and Preparation manual(P/N 99931-1229-01), page 10, to reflect the correct specs.

- Ken Ploeser

n CONTINUOUS USE of a generator under verylight loading is typical. Sois the fact that many generators are not maintained properly by the user. Agenerator may lose power or not rev up even though there is no mechanicalor electrical failure. Often the cause is a heavy carbon build up in the sparkarrestor and combustion chamber.

First, check the spark arrestor for signs of excessive carbon build up at theexhaust outlet. Then check the compression. If carbon deposits are evidentor the compression reading is high, a simple decarboning job should cure theproblem. - Bob Ellison

n A NEW CYLINDER HEAD is used on the KX125-G1, starting with engine#008802. The new head, P/N 11001-1308, has a combustion chambervolume of 4.19cc, reduced from 4.67cc on the original head. The increase incompression will yield increased performance output. Be sure the fuel (racegas) being used is fresh and that the oil mix ratio is according to factoryspecs. - Ken Ploeser

ConsumerService Tips

SOMETIMES A PART necessaryto fix a unit is on back order.

You have checked with your localdistribution center, but the informa-tion you have been given isn't satis-factory or isn't specific enough foryour customers. Consumer Ser-vices can help in determining back-

n A BEEFED UP OIL TANK CAP for the TS watercraft is now available. Theoriginal cap had a tendency to crack if tightened with excessive force. Thenew part replaces the original one even if you order the old part number. Thenew number is 16115-3709. Refer to service bulletin JS89-04 for warrantyclaim information. - Ken Ploeser

Trickle ChargerTimer

ON TOURING MODELS, theclock, memory circuit, and com-

puter all drain the battery while thebike is parked. Two weeks may beenough time to cause a good butolder battery to go dead and newbatteries may sulfate from a lowcurrent drain on them while thebike is parked for extended periods.

We all know that a trickle

charger is the answer to this prob-lem. Kawasaki offers a Yuasatrickle charger in the accessoriescatalog (P/N K56019-005 for 12volt systems). The tip is to adviseyour customer to plug the chargerinto a lamp timer available at mosthardware or home improvementstores. Just set the timer to go ondaily for three to five hours to avoidprolonged use of the tricklecharger. Overcharging may even-tually weaken the battery.

- Tevis Moffett

10 l K-Tech News

No LOCTITE® OnPlastics!

ALTHOUGH THE LOCTITECompany recommends that

their many types of thread-lockingagents not be used on any plastics,someone occasionally forgets andends up with a badly damaged plas-tic component. LOCTITE® will at-tack and deteriorate any plastics onany Kawasaki product; it is knownto cause immediate and un-repairable cracking, crazing andsoftening of plastic.

Please think of LOCTlTE® andplastic the way you do brake fluidand paint-keep them away fromeach other!

- Keith Pestotnik

KX Carb Tool

TO COMPLETELY disassemblethe carburetors on KX125,250

and 500 models, you will need aspecial socket available from Snap-On tools. It is the #T120 Tamper-proof Torx bit with a hole in the endto accommodate the specialtamper-proof screw head design.

The aluminum center block, in-side the float bowl, contains themain and pilot jet system. Thisblock must be removed and in-spected before you dip the carb incleaner. Do not submerge the rub-ber O-rings in carb cleaner; theseare not available as replacementparts! - Fred DeHart

Using ZX750-H1 SpecialTools

by Ken Ploeser

N EW SPECIAL TOOLS exclusive to theZX750-H1 have been developed and

are available now. These include a forkcylinder holder (P/N 57001-1297) and a forkpiston rod puller (P/N 57001-1298). The forkcylinder holder is used to remove and installthe front fork cylinder using the followingprocedure:

P/N 57001-1297FORK CYLINDER HOLDER

� Remove the cap assembly from each fork tube top, then remove thespring and pour out the fork oil.� Clamp the fork outer tube in a vise but be extremely careful not to

damage or distort thetube in any way.� Put the fork cylinder

holder into the inner tubewith its square end inwardso that ‘it fits into thesquare recess in thecylinder top.

CYLINDER CYLINDER HOLDER

� While stopping the cylinder from turning with the holder, remove theAllen bolt from the tube bottom, then remove the cylinder.

THE PISTON ROD PULLER, meanwhile,is used to bleed the air from the fork oil andto install the cap assembly on the fork tubetop. The procedure is as follows:� Hold the outer tube vertically in a vise.

(Again, be careful!)� Pour the specified amount of fork oil

into the tube.� Screw the piston rod puller onto the pis- P/N 57001-1298

ton rod top end. FORK PISTON ROD PULLER

order status. However, if you needto refer customers to us for parts in-formation, it is essential that yougive them the model designation oftheir product and the correct partnumber for the part(s) in question.

Given the model and parts num-bers, we in Consumer Services canquickly research the situation andprovide the service necessary tohelp keep your customer satisfied.

- Mary Sola

FORK PISTON

ROD PULLER

PISTON ROD

� Slowly move the piston rod upand down with the puller to bleed theair from the fork oil.� After the air is bled, slide the fork

spring into the fork tube with the pistonrod puller still attached.� Pull the piston rod up with the

puller.� Remove the puller from the pis-

ton rod end and install the cap as-sembly.� Tighten the locknut to the

specified torque.� Screw the fork cap into the fork

tube and you’re finished. o

The Technical Magazine l 11

REGIONAL NEWS

Sign Up Now! by Fred DeHart n North & East Regions

YOU should dealership every month. If yoube aware haven’t seen the training

by now that schedule yet, please make sureService Train- the bulletins are reaching youring classes com- shop.menced in Oc- I look forward to talking withtober and will you at a training class soon. Becontinue through sure to sign up early to insure aMay 1990. The place in the class of your choice.

training schedule is listed here toremind you to get signed up as Fred DeHart, 201 Circle Drive N.,soon as possible. The Training #107, Piscataway, NJ 08854,Bulletins are mailed to your (201) 469-7227.

Plan To Attend by Jerry Heil n West Region

W ITH sum- Select from the schedule thosemer com- classes you want to attend. And

ing to a close, call the West Region Trainingit’s time to make Center as soon as possible soplans to attend we can reserve a spot for you insome of this the next available class.year's ServiceTraining clas- Jerry Heil, 9950 Jeronimo Road,ses. Think of Irvine, CA 92718, (714) 770-

the areas you and your service 0400.personnel could improve upon.

Call For More by Walter Rainwater n South & Central

KAWASAKl’sTechnical

Training depart-ment has incor-porated newtechnical infor-mation on the1990 models in-to the service

training classes. The new sched-ule lists a course description andthe dates of the classes offeredin each of the five trainingregions. You make the selectionfrom over 16 classes on theschedule.

We list two months of trainingdates for each region. Thisflexibility allows you to planahead so your service personnel

12 l K-Tech News

can get the specific training theyneed.

If you have any questionsabout the content of a class, callyour local Kawasaki training cen-ter for all the information. Wehave five training centers, andyou are welcome to attend anyone you choose. The monthlyschedule is not the same for alltraining centers, so be sure tocheck out the schedule listedhere. And please call to enroll atleast five days before thescheduled class date.

Hope to see you soon.

Walter Rainwater, 6110 BoatRock Blvd. S. W., Atlanta, GA30378, (404) 349-2000.

East Region Training ScheduleClasses Held In Piscataway, N.J.

OCTOBER

3-5 Motorcycle Electrical Systems10-11 Carburetion12 Fuel Injection17-19 JET SKI® Watercraft24 Ninja Engine Family Familiarization25 V-Twin Engine Familiarization26 750 Turbo

NOVEMBER

21 Service Dept. Operations/K-BOSS22 Fuel Injection29-30 ATV Service

North Region Training ScheduleClasses Held In Grand Rapids, Mich.

NOVEMBER

6-8 JET SKI® Watercraft9-10 ATV Service

West Region Training ScheduleC/asses Held In Irvine, Calif.

OCTOBER

3 Voyager Familiarization4 Shaft Drive

17 ATV Service30 Product Update

NOVEMBER

7-9 Motorcycle Electrical Systems

South Region Training ScheduleClasses Held In Atlanta, Ga.

OCTOBER

2-4 JET SKI® Watercraft5 JET SKI® High Performance9-10 Engines

16 High Performance Engines17 V-Twin Engine Familiarization18 Ninja Engine Family Familiarization23-26 Motorcycle Electrical Systems30 Service Dept. Operations/K-BOSS31 Parts Department Operations

NOVEMBER

1 Generators2 Shaft Drive6-8 JET SKI® Watercraft9 JET SKI® High Performance

13-16 Eng ines27-30 Motorcycle Electrical Systems