Spring 1989 The Kawasaki Technical Magazine Vol. 2 No. 1

Service TipContest

TECHNICIANS, ENTER NOW!K-TECH NEWS is a magazine

dedicated to providing KawasakiDealer technicians with technicalservice tips. Tips that will save you timeand make you money. These tipscome from the Hot Line Specialists,Technical Training classes, and fromYOU!

To make it easy for you to submityour tips and suggestions, we’veprovided a pre-addressed, postage-paid Service Tips form. Just fill in theblanks, fold and tape the page and mailit to us. If we print your suggestion,you will be awarded $50.00 CASH!!!Duplicate suggestions may happen, somail in your tip early. To submitsuggestions from more than oneperson in your shop, photocopy aService Tips Form and mail it inseparately. Credit will be awardedbased on KMC’s technical staff’sevaluation and your promptness insending in your tip. The only otherqualification is that you MUST beemployed by an authorized Kawasakidealership.

The feature article on page fivecontinues our series on turning yourservice department into a successfulservice operation. An overview of theK-BOSS service system will lead youthrough proven methods of controllingand operating your service depart-ment. The service merchandisingarticle on page six gives you tips ondeveloping a service menu, sellingservices and taking care of newcustomers. All of which result in highercustomer satisfaction and higherservice profits.

Remember to file each issue ofK-TECH NEWS in your Service andWarranty binder under the ‘TrainingBulletins” tab. If you need more copiesor back issues, just call the Hot Line oryour Technical Training Instructor.

FIRST THE ZX-10, AND NOW THE ZX-7Just as the Ninja 1000 was father to the ZX-10, the Ninja 750 sires the incredibleZX-7.The engine is lighter and more powerful, with an all-new cylinder head sportingdowndraft carburetors feeding intake ports that shoot straight into the 11.3:1combustion chambers. The one-piece, forged crankshaft is almost two poundslighter for even quicker revving. Quiet power is the goal of the ultra-light,4-into-2-into-1 exhaust system.The front fork tubes are huge: 43mm in diamerter; and feature cartridge-typeconstruction. The result is razor-sharp handling under the most adverseconditions. Preload and damping are adjustable. The Uni-Trak shock absorber isgas-charged to prevent shock fluid aeration, and controls an extra rigid, bracedswingarm. The rear suspension has adjustable preload and rebound dampingThe new front brakes have Balanced Action Calipers with not two, but four pistonsper caliper, damping onto full-floating, stainless steel discs on aluminum carriers.Radial tires complete this racy-looking . . . and performing . . . package!

SPECIFICATIONSDisplacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 748 ccSore&Stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68.0 x 51.5mmCompression Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.3:1Max. Horse Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 @ 10,500 rpmMax. Torque . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 ft-lb. @ 9,500 rpmCarburetor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Keihin CDK-D 36 x 4Front Tire Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120/70 VR-17Rear Tire Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170/60 VR-17Wheelbase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57.3 in.Fuel Tank Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.7 gal.Seat Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.3 in.

NOTE: Specifications subject to change without notice.

ROUTE LIST:

o o SERVICE MGR o o PARTS o o SALESRETURN TO SERVICE

The Technical Magazine ll 1

SHOP TALK/ TECHNICAL

Kawasaki Integrated Power-Valve System

Enduro KIPS? You bet!Making something better than the

best is what we at Kawasaki are verygood at. That’s exactly what we did to theKDX200-E1. We took the KIPStechnology from the KX125-F1 andapplied it to the mild port timing inherentin the KDX’s enduro engine. This makesfor a very strong low end while addingjust the right amount to top-endhorsepower. Technically speaking, theKlPS valves are basically the same asthose used in the KX125F1. There arethree valves. Two are located adjacent tothe exhaust port and connect to exhaustsub-ports. The resonance chamberconnects to the left side KlPS valve port.The third valve is located at the top of theexhaust port. This is what changes theexhaust duration for more top endhorsepower. The shape and size of theKlPS port allows just the right exhaustgas flow without causing radical peaks inthe horsepower curve.

The guys at Team Green tell me therehave been no problems with the KlPSvalves at all. The only thing that needsattention is that a top end inspection anddecarboning job should be performed ona regular basis. The interval dependsgreatly on the brand of two stroke oil andof course the mix ratio. Kawasakirecommends Kawasaki two stroke raceoil, (P/N K61020-022A) at a mix ratio of32:1. If the customer is following theserecommendations, you can suggest thatdecarbon work be done as frequently asthe top end is disassembled forinspection. This means the customershould be advised of the periodicmaintenance chart in the ownersmanual. The chart indicates inspectionshould be performed every 1000 Km or621 miles of operation. Offer a servicespecial for this job. Contact everycustomer that bought a KX or KDX fromyour store in the last 90 days. Go back tothe service files to get more names tocontact. Here’s a tip: Have all KX andKDX customers put their names on your“preferred customer” list when they haveany work done. That way you have a listof customers who expect you to contactthem in the near future.

2 l K-Tech News

by Ken Ploeser

KDX200-E1 KIPS

1. Exhaust Valves2. Idle Gear3. Punch Mark4. Guide5. Main Exhaust Valve

COMMUNICATIONS

MICRO- by “Micro” Mike Jeffers, Parts Publications

We have just finished producing roughly 75 new microfiche for 1989. included arethe new KX’s, the liquid cooled KDX200-E1, and the JB650-A1:JET MATE. Becauseof the constant updating of parts and service information it’s essential to have aMicro-K update subscription. Each microfiche covering the ’88 and ’89 model yearshas been updated to include all service, parts and racing bulletins that have beenreleased. The bulletins are found on row “N”, and are extremely helpful in checkingany FDM’s, FAR’s or RECALLS concerning a particular model. The new MotorcycleIdentifier microfiche now includes the ’88 models. Refer to the new parts bulletin, Gen.89-01, for full details about the new subscription policies. We continue to offer a “Fulltine” microfiche deck which includes Motorcycles, ATV’s, JET SKI® Watercraft, andGenerators. And now we offer individual decks for each product line, so you can pickonly the fiche you need!

If you have any questions concerning parts information, call Mike Jeffers at(714) 770-0400, ex. 2573.

FLAT RATECHANGE

CARDP/N M99994-153

Use this card to tell us of a flat ratetime you feel needs our review. Thecards come with the microfichemailing. Order more cards by partnumber.

Package Qty of 1Dealer Cost: FREE

AVOID FRUSTRATIONLook For A Repair Verification LabelQ: Why should I look for a Repair Verification Label?A: It can save you money. Before you tear into an FDM repair,

look for a repair label. If you find one, you know the repair hasalready been done. You can’t claim a repeat repair on thistype of work! Also, your customer has visible proof that thejob is done. He knows that you and Kawasaki are taking careof him.

Q: What is a Repair Verification Label?A: It’s a sticky vinyl rectangle one inch wide and two inches long.

It lists the model, describes the repair, and tells you whatbulletin to look for if you have any questions.

Q: When? do I find these labels on a repaired unit?A: The label goes in a standard place on each kind of product.

Motorcycles have labels inside the right side cover.

by Ray St John, Senior Technical Writer

ATV labels get stuck on the rear fender or inside the trunk.On JET SKI@ watercraft you’ll find them inside the hood. Theidea is to put the label some place that’s easy to get towithout exposing it to the hazards of weather and curiousfingers.

Q: Where do I get these labels?A: A supply of labels comes to you with a copy of the service

bulletin in a special envelope marked “SERVICE SERVICESERVICE” and “IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION.”Expect to receive this special envelope about one week afterthe bulletin first shows up in the weekly package of stuff youget from Kawasaki. To get more labels, call the Hot Line. Tellthem the bulletin number and how many labels you want.They’ll see that you get them right away.

SERVICE BULLETINS ON KIPSThe service bulletins listed below give you some trick

information and mods you can do to the KIPS on some KXmodels.

RS87-04–covers race tuning the 1987 model KX125-E2including exhaust sub-port modification.

RS87-06–covers race tuning the 1987 model KX500-C1including exhaust sub-port modification.

RS88-01–covers race tuning the 1988 model KX500-D1including exhaust sub-port and valve modification.

RS88-03–covers race tuning the 1988 model KX250-F1including exhaust sub-port modification.

REMEMBER, you take full responsibility for anything you do tomodify a bike for any reason. No one but you is responsible for theresults, so BE CAREFUL!

Call the Team Green assistance hot line for more tips. The DEALERONLY telephone number is 714/458-5612.

NEW MANUALS AVAILABLE:JET SKI® Watercraft Training Manual

The JET SKI® Watercraft Training Manual is now availableto all Kawasaki dealers. It explains how all the systems of theJET SKI@ watercraft work including the pump, the carburetor,the fuel vent check valve, the stop switch relay circuit and manyothers. The book is 46 pages long and includes many detaileddrawings and diagrams. Order yours today, P/N99929-1033-01.

JET SKI® WatercraftService Specifications Handbook

A Service Specifications Handbook is now availablecovering all JET SKI@ watercraft from 1974 through 1988.Information on timing, port durations, oil capacities, carburetoradjustments, engine clearances, and pump thrust are but a fewof the many specifications listed. Order P/N 99926-1013-01.

The Technical Magazine l 3

GUEST SPOT

EXTRA! Rice Burns Up 1/4 Mile!STEVE RICE WESTERN DIVISION FUNNY BIKE CHAMP by Ray St John

Late last year, Steve Rice wrapped upDRAGBIKE! USA’s Western DivisionFunny B ike Championsh ip . H isturbocharged, alcohol-burning, 1200cc,Z1-based drag bike turned a best run of8.02 seconds at 171.42 mph in his questfor the championship last year, his firstfull year of professional drag racing.Steve, a native Californian, is a ProductSupport Technician for Kawasaki MotorsCorp., U.S.A. Sometimes he works in theshop preparing products for magazinetesting; other days he works the Hot Lineanswering dealer technical questions.Steve attended Utah Technical Collegein the mid-70’s, and has worked in the

motorcycle mechanics field for 11 years.He started racing motorcycles in 1973 atage 18. Steve’s bike started out life as a1975 Z1B dresser. Its first documenteddrag strip run was 13.06 seconds . . .dead stock. To speed things up a little,Steve first chopped everything that didn’tlook like a drag bike. Then he added aturbo the size of a small watermellon,Hilborn fuel injection that pumps aboutfive quarts of alcohol through the motorevery run, 78 mm forged pistons, and a10-inch wide rear tire. It just doesn’t seemlike the same bike any more, but it’s heartis pure Kawasaki. It’s still running a stockcrankshaft, a stock KZ1100-81 cylinder

head, the original Z1B forks (though inmodified form), and most of the frame isthe same as it was when it was built inLincoln, Nebraska over 13 years ago.Steve does all his own work on the bikewithin a very limited budget, including allthe design and fabrication of the customparts.

r-i-g-h-t. ”

And what does Steve have to sayabout all this? Well, he’s not lettinganyone in on any secrets, but he did sayhe’s got some fine tuning to do.“Ya know, just a little tweak here and anadjustment there, then it will be j-u-s-t

Steve Rice

Publisher . . . Kawasaki Technical Services

Publications Manager . . . . . . Don Church

Executive Editor . . . . . . . . . .Gary Herzog

Editor-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Ploeser

REGIONAL EDITORS

North and East . . . . . . . . . . . Fred DeHart

Central and South . . . . . Walter Rainwater

West and Corporate . . . . . . . Ken Ploeser

4 l K-Tech News

Joe Nowocinski Bob Ellison

Handy Davis Tevis Moffett

John Pomo Ken Osberg

Gregg Thompson Steve Rice

GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTION:

Graphic Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tim Sean

Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pat Shibata

Computer Design . . . KMC Graphic Svcs.

KAWASAKI K-TECH NEWS

TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALISTS:

©1989 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.All rights reserved. Published by:Kawasaki. All suggestions become theproperty of Kawasaki Motors Corp.,U.S.A. Sending a suggestion givesKawasaki permission to publish and oruse it without further consideration

FEATUREby Ken PloeserK-BOSS

Kawasaki Business Operation System for Service“Building a successfuI business

is rather like building a fine-tunedrace motorcycle, you get the right parts and. . .

Last edition we introduced three keyparts in building your service business forfuture growth and profit. These being thecost of labor hours you are selling, thebillable hours available each day, andyour first service to new unit sales ratio.These, of course, are only the beginningsteps.

Now, let’s take a look at the next steptowards fine tuning your service businessstructure. Every business must have aplan. A plan that outlines the businessapproach to operating your servicedepartment. Your plan must include theidentification of the service product youare selling. It must identify the ways youexpect to market and merchandise theservice product. We call it the K-BOSSService Plan.

So where do you start? You shouldhave a record of the last 90 days ofservice business. We talked about thatprocess in the last feature article. Fromthat information, you can figure howmany hours the service department wasopen in 90 days. Ninety days of businessrepresents one quarter of your businessyear (the fiscal business year). It helps toget advice from your bookkeeper relatingto the best month of the year to start yourreview.

The K-BOSS Manual —Next, you need to get control of the

daily activities that result in profits andlosses in service. That’s where theK-BOSS Service Plan is very effective. Ifyou were unable to attend the ServiceProfit Seminar at last year’s dealer show,make sure you order your copy of theK-BOSS Service Management Manual(P/N 99995761) NOW!

The manual outlines the controlmethods and support materials you’llneed. It is essential that you study theK-BOSS manual as well as attend thenext Service Department Operationscourse offered on the Technical Trainingschedule. If you can’t attend, then callyour Regional Training Instructor forpersonal assistance.

The Daily ServiceSchedule —

The major factor critical to asuccessful service operation is the waythat work is checked in to the servicedepartment. Divided it into sales work,parts and accessory work, work for theservice department itself, work to besublet out, and, of course, warranty andretail work. Next is the process ofdispatching the jobs and the flow of thepaperwork as each job progresses. TheService Schedule (P/N 99995-762) isused to determine sellable work hours,make appointments, and effectivelyassign work to your technicians. It alsoprovides a quick reference regarding thestatus of all vehicles to be serviced. It isthe most important tool in an efficient andproductive service operation.

Labor Hours For Sale —The daily service schedule should

take into account the hours that thedealership is open versus the shop timeavailable to service customers. Usuallythere is some time required to completevarious dealership operational taskswhich do not result in billable hours. It iscritical to plan the schedule so that thesenecessary but unbillable hours are part ofthe schedule. The next step is makingappointments that fit within the timeavailable in the daily and weeklyschedule. With the available shop timedearly shown, you can effectively utilizethe remaining hours available toschedule in new work from the “softappointment sheet.

A daily schedule can be split into foursections. An 8-hour day would becomefour P-hour segments (per qualifiedtechnician). The types of jobs to be donethat day would fall into one of fourdifferent priority categories: sales jobs,warranty jobs, customer pay jobs, andemergency jobs. With daily availablework hours established and the priorityclassifications set, a method forestablishing appointments to fill thosetime slots is needed.

Making and KeepingAppointments —

Group appointments into twoclassifications: soft and hard. If theappointment is made over the phone orthe unit is not immediately available to bechecked into the service area, make a“soft” appointment. When the unit arrives,ready to be checked in, enter that job onthe “hard” (daily) service schedule in theappropriate priority category.

The service writer or manager controlsthe service schedule, but the techniciansmust do their part in updating the statusof jobs in process by informing the ser-vice writer or manager of any changes. Itis imperative that the daily shop schedulebe updated with information provided bythe technician working on each job. Theservice manager should formally reviewthe status of jobs several times during theday and update the job status on the ser-vice schedule. Each job status must becurrent for the dispatching process to beaccurate. Remember: the most urgentconcern of the customer is that the workwill be completed before the timepromised. Keep the customer advised ofjob status whenever it may affect thecompletion time you promised! Build intothe time promised some extra time forpossible problems or additional repairs.Completing repairs prior to promised timeis great for customer relations. Afterlearning the capabilities of your tech-nicians, and matching your dailyschedule with hours available for appoint-ments, you will be able to maximizeprofits by selling every available hour youpossibly can. The K-BOSS manual goeson to outline the steps for schedulingsales department work on new and usedunits.

By following these guidelines, you willbe able to control the flow of work throughyour service department. Smooth workflow allows both the sales departmentand the new customer to take fulladvantage of the services you have tooffer. The bottom line is that if work flowssmoothly, your profits go up.

The Technical Magazine l 5

SERVICE MERCHANDISINGHow To Develop A Service Menu

by Ken Ploeser

W hen you go to a restaurant, youorder what you want from their menu.The menu may offer lunch specials, the“Catch of the Day,” or items that arespecially prepared by the chef. Menusalso tell you (the customer) the extrasthat go with the meal, the price, andmaybe even a picture of what you canexpect to get. The menu is therestaurant’s way of showing off theirproduct in the best way possible. It’s thebest way for the customer to select andpurchase the product.

How do your new customers knowwhat your service product is? By offeringyour services on a menu, your customerswill be able to select the services theywant. And, with your help, they canchoose of the services they need.

CATERGORIZETHE JOBS —

A menu reflects the services yourservice department can offer at the bestretail value to the customer. This isbecause what you list on your menu arethe services that you do best and do mosteffectively. “Most effectively” meanswhat your shop can do at acceptableprofit margins. Now, I’m not saying sellonly what you make the most money on,I’m saying that you need to know whatservices your shop can provide atcompetitive prices and that you can dowith high quality. Those are the servicesthat you probably have been doingalready.

SPECIALIZATION —SELLING YOURSERVICES

If you specialize in certain ser-vices, tell your customers about them.Advertise! Don’t wait for customers toask. KX race support, specialized enginebuilding, paint and body work are a fewexamples of specialized services.Having a JET SKI@ watercraft test tankis like having a “dyno-tuner” that candraw in customers from many milesaway.

DEVELOP A MENU —

So, how do you develop a menu foryour customers? Start by reviewing a90-day history of repair order hardcopies. List those jobs that reflect the“regular” or typical work you’ve beenselling. Set up categories of jobs such asfirst service, tire change, chains andsprockets, brake work, tune and service,clutch job, etc. This list will tell you whattypes of jobs you usually do. It also willclue you into the typical use of tools,materials, supplies and parts you have toobtain to support these jobs. This is alsoa list of the market demands yourcustomers expect of your shop.

Next, categorize these jobs. Reviewthese categories with your technicians.Determine ways you can developsystems to streamline the operation.Share goals and objectives of thedepartment with all your technicians.Develop incentive programs that aredirectly related to individual efficiencyand high-quality workmanship. Developan awareness of effective time utilizationwithin the department. Use suggestionsby the technicians that can beimplemented to improve procedures.They are on the front lines!

FIGURINGFLAT RATE —

Next, determine the profit or loss ofeach job. Figure the technician’s timeinvested in each job. Determine howmany actual hours are spent on the jobcompared to the flat rate times youallowed. Obviously, some jobs aren’tsuper profit makers. This kind of workmay have to be done regardless of profitpotential. Either find better ways ofhandling these jobs to reduce the laborcosts involved.

You will eventually have a clear ideaof the jobs your shop can do. You cansee what types of jobs your customershave been paying for at your shop. Takethese jobs and begin a service menu thatreflects your shop’s services. I think youwill find that the time invested will be wellworth the immediate return in servicesales.

STREAMLININGTHE OPERATION —

The other aspect of menu selling isthe way the jobs are written up on therepair orders. Once you get a handle onyour past service offerings, you canpackage and sell work much moreeffectively. The job descriptions on therepair order should match the menu.This way the technicians know exactlythe time allotted for the jobs as written.The parts needed for menu jobs can bestocked. Work that does not match themenu can be priced and scheduled moreaccurately.

It may work out that you do not list themenu on a large board for yourcustomers to see. You may want to keepthe menu as an internal listing of job flatrate times and retail charges. Whicheveryou choose, a service menu system willresult in better work flow through yourdepartment. Your service team will worktogether much more effectively. And,best of all, your customers will see thevalue in doing business with aprofessional Kawasaki ServiceDepartment.

6 l K-Tech News

INSIDE TECH SERVICES

NEW Repair Campaign SystemKeeps Customers Happy!

by Don Church

Kawasaki’s Repair Campaign Systemis an important strategy for customersatisfaction. The purpose of repaircampaigns, otherwise known as Recallsand Factory Directed Modifications, is tofix a potential product problem before itactually happens. This is important tomaintain customer confidence andsatisfaction in Kawasaki products, yourdealership, and KMC.

Obviously your efforts are essential inmeeting these common goals. And whatare these goals?

FIRST, repair all eligible units whichhave already been sold to customers.

SECOND, repair all remaining eligibleunits before they are sold to customers.

In order to help you accomplish this,we have recently added three new dealerreports to the Repair Campaign System.When a Recall or Factory DirectedModification Campaign is initiated,Kawasaki’s computer system links updata on the eligible units and producestwo dealer reports. The first report tellsyou what eligible units were sold by yourdealership. These customers will bereceiving letters from Kawasaki and willbe calling you for a service appointment.With this report you can order thenecessary quantity of parts and even callthe customers yourself to schedule anappointment. The second report tells youhow many eligible units are in yourinventory or on your sales floor. Be sureto repair these units before deliveringthem to customers.

These two reports are sent to you onlyat the beginning of a repair campaign. Sowhat happens if you get an eligible unitfrom Kawasaki several months after youreceive the service bulletin and the firsttwo dealer reports? The RepairCampaign System has it handled. Whenyou purchase a unit from Kawasaki thatneeds a presale repair, we send you anImportant Notice as a reminder. It tellsyou the VlN(HIN) of the unit and refers tothe applicable service bulletin. Tape thisnotice to the crate if you don’t set up theunit right away.

#1 ELIGIBLE UNlTS RETAILED TO CUSTOMER

#2 ELIGIBLE UNITS IN DEALER INVENTORY

#3 UNITS SOLD WlTHOUT REPAIR

There are other elements of theRepair Campaign System, but you areprobably already familiar with them:Service Bulletins, Warranty RequestForms, and Repair Verification Labels.

Have you ever “repaired” the sameunit twice? Have you ever spent twentyminutes going through old repair ordersor warranty requests to see if a particularunit was repaired? Do you USE theRepair Verification Labels? They reallywill save you time. Instructions on whereto place them are in the service bulletin.Labels are supplied with the second copyof the service bulletin mailed to yourservice department. If you need more,call the Hot Line. Read the article onpage three for more information on theRepair Verification Labels.

What about the third dealer report?This is the “report card” that tells you howwell you’re doing. It’s a monthly reportthat lists all eligible units you sold withoutcompleting the required repairs. Thesecustomers will be getting a letter fromKawasaki assuming you already sent intheir warranty registration cards. If youcall these customers and have themreturn their units immediately, you will atleast save yourself some embarrass-ment. You can explain that you aremaking a required repair and that theycan disregard the letter they will receivefrom Kawasaki.

If you have questions about anyelements of the Repair CampaignSystem or if you need more RepairVerification Labels, who do you call?THE HOT LINE.

The Technical Magazine l 7

TIPS FROM THE SPECIALISTS

PUMP SERVICING TIPS FORJS650, JF650, TS650, JB650

A common customer complaint is thefeeling that the watercraft is just not as“strong” as it used to be. While powertuning the watercraft you find you’regetting a great deal of “pump slippage.”After inspecting the pump area forforeign material, you find that the pumphousing is good but the impeller isdamaged. You know that the impellerneeds to be replaced, so you remove thepump and R&R the impeller. Afterinstalling the pump, you reseal the pumpinlet area with silicone. You must allowthe silicone to cure about 6 hours. If youretest the watercraft before the siliconehas time to cure, it will suck out betweenthe pump case and hull! If the pump is notsealed properly, it will suck air from theback side causing a drastic reduction inpump thrust.

To avoid this problem and finish thisimpeller R & R in one working day, you

by Kenny Osberg

can remove the impeller with the pumphousing still bolted to the hull! You mustfirst make sure the pump housing isproperly sealed and not damaged. Onthe JB650 JET MATE, the exhaustgasses exit beside the pump. You candiagnose a bad pump housing seal bylooking for exhaust carbon residue on theinlet area of the pump. If all is in order,simply remove the engine pan bolts sothat you can raise the engine up enoughto slide the drive shaft out about 15 cm(6 in.). This will allow access to theimpeller with the special holder tool.Remove the grate, ride plate, stationarynozzle, and bearing cap. R&R theimpeller and reassemble the craft. Thiswill allow you to power tune the craft inthe test tank without having to wait for thesilicone to set-up between the pumphousing and the hull.

TEST TANKUPDATE

by Ken Ploeser

If you are going to build a Jet Skitest tank, you should consider the newKawasaki watercraft products. TheJB650, “JET MATE” and the JF650-B,“TS” models are considerably largerthan the traditional skis. The overalldimensions are about 5’ x 9’ for theJET Mate and 4’ x 9’ for the “TS”. Youcan enlarge the test tank dimensions(given in the last issue of K-TECHNEWS) to accommodate these twonew boats. Another item regarding theconstruction of the test tank is theneed to reinforce the corners andwalls with re-bar. This is critical whenrunning the larger boats. The watercapacity and thrust will be greaterrequiring all the reinforcement youcan build into the tank. You may wantto build a drain system into the floor orbottom of a wall of the tank. This suremakes it easier when it comes time toflush and clean your test tank.

R&R JET SKI® Watercraft and ATV Decals

Removal:There are two approaches to

removing the large decals found onKawasaki JET SKI® watercraft andATVs. If the decals are fairly fresh, theycan be removed (leaving very little of theadhesive stuck to the paint) by using aheat gun. With the heat gun, keep thedecal warm but not hot at the point whereit is being pulled from the surface. If thedecal begins to stretch rapidly and break,it’s too hot. Pull from different areas of thedecal to avoid separating too wide anarea from the surface at any one time.This will help minimize the amount ofadhesive left on the surface. Pulling if offs-l-o-w-l-y also helps. The adhesivethat’s left can be softened with lacquerthinner and then scraped off with aplastic body putty applicator (squeegee).Adhesive can also be removed using 3Mbrand ‘Woodgrain and Stripe adhesive

8 l K-Tech News

remover” No. 08908. Older decals aresometimes more difficult to remove, thesecond approach to decal removal(chemical warfare!) comes in handyhere. The 3M Corporation offers atwo-part decal removal system thatincludes the above-mentioned adhesiveremover. The other half is called 3MWoodgrain and Stripe removerNo. 08907. Just follow the directions onthe can.

Replacement:Installing these large decals is a

genuine piece-o-cake if you know thesecret . . . soapy water. First, wash thesurface with a soapy solution to removegrease and oil. Rinse off the surface withclean water. Any particles or bumps onthe finish can become very obvious oncethe decal is in place and dried. For decalinstallation, use a solution with enough

by Gregg Thompson

soap in it to make your fingers feelslippery. Common dish soap or liquidhand soap works well. Peel theprotective backing off the decal leavingthe protective sheet on the front of it.Either dip the decal in the soapy solutionor if it’s too large, just wet the adhesiveside with a very wet towel. Then, with thetowel, wet the surface of the part with thesame solution. The wetter the better. Donot use a spray bottle to apply thesolution. That creates lots of bubbles thathave to be squeegeed out later. Applythe decal to the surface and position it.Proper positioning of the decal is easiestwith the part installed on the vehicle.Now, use a plastic squeegee to force outany air bubbles. Always work from themiddle toward the outer edges. Dry offthe part with a towel, and then let it air dryfor at least two hours before removingthe remaining protective sheet.

ClarionAudio SystemParts Policy

“Kawasaki warrants for a period oftwelve months from the date of retailpurchase, Clarion audio systemcomponents found to have defects inmaterial or workmanship.”

If this sounds like an old story, you’reright! However, many dealerships arenot aware of the procedures for a claimunder this policy. We still get calls fromservice personnel wanting us to explainthe details of the policy. The fullexplanation is found in the new WarrantyPolicies and Procedures Manual(P/N 99969-0210-01) on page 25. Followthese procedures and you will avoid losttime and save money for your customers,your parts department and yourself. Also,be sure to have the Audio SystemsTroubleshooting Manual handy beforeattempting any repairs on the system.The part numbers for the manualsare 99924-1088-01 for the ZG1200(Voyager XII) and 99963-0059-01 for theZN1300 (Voyager 1300).

“How Important Are Your Customers?”Customers today are using much

more discretion when choosing whereand how they spend their money. Whenquality and price are similar, customersare going to go where the service is best;where there is genuine interest in theirconcerns. You can’t fake genuineinterest. Consider these points fromRobert L. Desatnick’s, “Managing toKeep Customers.”

l It’s five times more expensive toget a new customer than to keep anold one.

l Many companies get so caught upwith attracting new customers thatthey lose touch with their existingones.

Air Leak Checkby John Pomo

BEFORE you remove the top end on a two stroke to inspectfor possible piston seizure, perform a pressure and vacuum teston the engine. If you disturb the gaskets before testing, you willnever be able to verify an air leak. The procedure is simple onceyou are set up to do the test We find by using Kawasaki’scrankcase pressure/vacuum tester, (P/N T96000-001) the jobgoes quickly and accurately.

P/N T96000-001—PRESSURE/VACUUM TESTER

by Flo Freeman

l What drives customers away isrude, discourteous, inept,incompetent service.

We are in an era of consumersovereignty. Dealerships that fail toprovide top-notch customer service willloose the competitive edge. Customerservice cannot be isolated to the salesfloor.

Sales people get commissions to dowhat they are supposed to be doing. Whynot reward customer-service excellencein the service area? Your customerrelations usually mirrors your employeerelations.

KX Mode/Air Box Leakby John Pomo

The retainer nuts (P/N 92015-1259) on the KX air box ductfitting plate (P/N 13183-1046) may loosen, allowing dirt to enterthe engine. The nuts are located at the front of the air box andhold the intake duct securely to the air box with the studs of theair filter cage. We recommend that you use a thread lockingagent to prevent the nuts from backing off.

The Technical Magazine l 9

TIPS FROM THE SPECIALISTSSKIING IN THE SKIES

1986 and later JS550-A’s in use ataltitudes of 4,500 ft. and higher, mayhave some areas of special concern forJET SKI® watercraft technicians.

First to consider is an improperlyadjusted carburetor. Three adjustablemixture screws can be somewhatconfusing. A sideview of the carburetorwill reveal three distinctly staggeredheights of the mixture screws. Theseheights relate directly to the engine RPMband controlled for each, with the lowestbeing idle, the second highest beingmid-range, and the top being wide openthrottle. We have found the followingsettings to work well at higher altitudes:

l Pilot (bottom rear screw):1 turn out

l Low speed (front screw):1-1/4 turns out

l High speed (top rear screw):7/8 turn out

If it bogs on acceleration, try enrichingthe low speed screw 1/16 of a turn at atime. The engine must be thoroughlywarmed up and in good mechanicalcondition to perform correctly. If theperformance is still poor, check for lowcompression.

Second on the list is piston ring orcylinder wear. As the rings and cylinder

“Q”-Tip Drip Tipby Tevis Moffett

Prevent that nasty little fuel drip fromthe carburetor float bowl overflow.Whenever you replace the float needleand seat, try using a little rubbingcompound on a “Q”-tip to polish thesealing contact area of the seat. Thisallows the float needle to “bed in” rightaway.

wear, overall volumetric efficiency of theengine is decreased, resulting in typicalsymptoms of hard starting and whatseems like inconsistent carburetion, i.e.,one time it idles down lean and the nextrich. Typically, the ring wear is notdetectable with a compressionmeasurement. Remove the cylinderhead and look for any unusual wearpatterns. Next, the ring end gap must bemeasured in the cylinder, with .6 mm(.024 in.) being a practical service limit.Follow all the procedures in the servicemanual regarding top end servicing. Besure to use #220 grit hone stones todeglaze the cylinders. The use of a “ball”type flex-hone is recommended. It iscritical to ring and cylinder lubrication thatthe #220 grit hone be used. The cylinderfinish crosshatch angle should be 60degrees (as measured between the honepattern lines, or 30 degrees fromhorizontal) to assure proper oil retentionduring break-in.

When all mechanical problems havebeen repaired, you may also wish toconsider raising the compression ratio onlate model JS550-A’s for high altitudeusage. This will result in a moreconsistent performance level and betterplane off ability, particularly for heavierriders. The practice of head milling

JET SKI TWIN CYLlNDER TIP

A baffling challenge of a service jobis a twin cylinder that has lost power,runs rich on the rear cylinder or fouls therear spark plug. On the JS650’s, thesetroubles may be accompanied by amelted drain valve on the crankcase.These symptoms point to an unusualproblem: a slipped crankshaft. The rearcrankshaft has slipped on the centerjournal, throwing it out of synch with theignition timing, controlled by the front ofthe crankshaft.

To determine if a crankshaft hasslipped is simple.

1. Remove both spark plugs.2. Take out the magneto access

plug.

by Keith Pestotnik, Rocky Mountain Kawasaki

normally aspirated engines is a standardin the marine industry to compensate forthe lack of air density at higher altitudes.Try milling 1 mm (.039 in) off the head,then using a standard head gasketduring reassembly. The resultingincrease in compression should notexceed the maximum service limit asshown in the service manual for that yearJS550. Early JS550’s had highercompression than late models. The earlyJS550 compression specs. can beconsidered to be absolute maximum forany model JS550. Be sure to mark thehead as one that is for high altitude useonly! Make this very clear to thecustomer. NOTE: The use of a milledhead will void a warranty claim on arelated failure.

Milling the head to obtain themaximum stock specs will not changethe fuel octane requirement. By usingpremium unleaded fuel, your customerswill generally obtain a more-consistenthigher-quality fuel. In all cases, avoid theuse of “light” fuels, these are known tocontain volatile elements such asalcohols or cosolvents. They tend toincrease vapor problems even more soat higher altitudes, possibly leading youto believe you have an air leak in the fuelsystem or carburetor needing repair.

by Chuck Crawford3. Position the magneto flywheel at

“T” index mark for Top DeadCenter.l The front piston should be at

Top Dead Center.l The rear piston should be a

Bottom Dead Center, 180degrees opposite the frontpiston.

4. Push down on the rear pistonwith a wooden dowel.l If the piston doesn’t move, the

crankshaft is fine.l If the piston moves downward

any amount, the rear crankshafthas slipped and needs to bereplaced.

l Use dial indicator to detectslight movement of the frontpiston while pushing down onthe rear piston.

10 l K-Tech News

4 X 4 DifferentialR & R by Ken Ploeser

The KLF300-C1 limited slip differen-tial can be removed very easily byfollowing this time saving procedure:1. Raise the front of the ATV with a jack

stand (P/N 57001-1238) and secure it.2. Remove both front wheels.3. Remove the three cap bolts that fasten

each front axle to the differentialhousing.

4. Remove the three differential casesupport bolts.

5. Remove both the top and bottom rightside suspension arm pivot bolts.Support the suspension arms with tiedowns or bungee cords.

6. Pull the right front axle from thedifferential.

7. You can now remove the differentialcase from the frame and the left frontaxle simultaneously.

This procedure avoids the disas-sembly of the steering knuckles, savingconsiderable time and hassle. Byreinstalling the suspension arm pivotbolts and both wheels, the ATV can berolled off your lift for easy storage.

Torx Tips by Randy Davis

The KLF 300C1, 4x4 limited slipdifferential has special “Torx” boltsholding the differential unit together. Thetool required to remove these bolts ismailable from Snap-On tools. Snap-On’spart number for this special socket is FLE100. When removing the torx bolts toaccess the “LSD” clutches, YOU WILLSTRIP THE BOLT HEADS unless youheat the bolts with a propane torch tobreak loose the locking agent on thethreads. Do not hammer on the torx boltsto “shock” the locking agent loose. That isnot a good method of removing locked-infasteners!

Quick Check Charge System ToolsTwo old standby’s for battery and

charging system troubleshooting are theYuasa hydrometer (P/N 57001-1800)and the Yuasa digital voltmeter(P/N K56019-012). Both these tools helpyou quickly diagnose charging systemproblems. Hydrometer use is oldbusiness, but some technicians don’trealize some old tricks using the digitalbattery tester. Besides testing batterysurface voltage, the charging voltage canalso be tested. Simply compare thebattery’s surface voltage reading to thevoltage reading at idle, 3000 rpm, and atapproximately 6000 rpm. There shouldbe an increase in readings as the enginerpm increases. If there is no rise in

HYDROMETERP/N 52001-1800

by Ken Ploeservoltage (above the readings with theengine not running) the stator andregulator/rectifier needs to be tested. Ifthe voltage rises to the allowablemaximum (usually around 15 VDC) thebattery is the culprit. The approximatedrop in voltage due to starting the vehiclecan be determined by observing thevoltage readings while cranking theengine over. If the voltage dropsdrastically, there may be a short in thestarter motor. If the battery surfacevoltage drops and stays below 11 volts,the battery is probably weak enough toneed replacement. And remember, anyterminal that is a D.C. voltage connectioncan be tested with the digital meter.

DIGITAL VOLTMETERP/N K56019-012

Generating The Rev’sIf a Kawasaki generator has the prob-

lem of not revving up to the properRPM’s, or it just will not pull an electricalload, follow this simple troubleshootingtrick: gain access to the brush holder andremove the brush assembly from con-tacting the slip rings. Start the engine. Ifthe engine will rev up now, the stator isshorted! What’s happening is the short

by Bob Ellison

causes the field coils to be energizedwith an excessive amount of current andtries to over-magnetize the fields. Theengine is not designed to handle thatamount of magnetism and simply is notable to rev up. Obviously there are otherproblems that occur with a short in thestator so it must be replaced.

The Technical Magazine l 11

REGIONAL NEWSThe Slow Season? No Way!

By the time you receive this issue ofK-Tech News, we will be in what somepeople say is the “slow season”. Theweather may not be cooperative, but theservice department should not be slow!Now is the time to get out your customerservice files. Make a list of those customerswho put off those “suggested repairs”because they didn’t have the “time ormoney.” Call or send a postcard, andsuggest: Now is the time to get that peskyoil leak fixed, bald tire replaced, fork oilchanged or any service specials you offerduring the winter.

While going through the repair orderfiles, select all the customersthat should beon your complete service customer mailinglist. You will need a complete list forspringtime mailers and promotions.

Make sure you build into the follow-upplan a way to track the results of yourefforts. Include a coupon or voucher thatmust be redeemed at your store. Be sureto have a time limit or expiration date onyour coupons.

You could offer a winterizing service forJET SKI® watercraft and motorcycles.How about reconditioning some of thoseused bikes on the sales floor or stuffed in acorner of your shop? Get ready for thespring season. A thorough overhaul of theservice department might be just what thedoctor ordered!

Service Training classes fill up quicklythis time of year so look for the scheduleand get a head start on the spring season!

Road School TrainingA valuable service we provide for the

dealer network is the Technical TrainingClasses for all the products we sell. Thereare many dealers that need technicaltraining but do not attend the classes. Themost common response given is “I cannotafford to send my employees to school”.Some dealers even think that there is a feeor tuition for the classes. There is NO FEEFOR TRAINING, NO TUITION for theclasses presented at our regional trainingcenters.

Kawasaki’s Road Schools are theanswer fort hose dealers who are not closeto their regional training center. Theseclasses are designed to be held in a trade

school or hotel. This way you can takeadvantage of the training without incurringa large bill for travel and room expenses.We do require a $25.00 payment for eachstudent attending the class. This is a tokenamount to help us cover the high cost ofproviding the training closer to yourdealership. Look for the special bulletindescribing the classes that are scheduledfor your region. Be sure to sign up early,these classes fill quickly! Contact theinstructor in your region to schedule roadschools you would like us to provide. Now,I ask you “How can you afford NOT to sendyour employees to training classes?”

Service Labor: A Valued CommodityHourly Labor Rate used to be deter-

mined by simply taking the total time it tooka mechanic (with average expertise) to getthe job done, and adding up the mechanic’shourly pay. If the mechanic was paid $3.50an hour, the labor rate was probably set at$5.00 an hour. The customer got nothingspecial, just a job well done, the dealerrealized a small profit or basically brokeeven. In the “old days” that’s the way it was.There was no concept of Flat Rate either.In today’s market place service labor is avery valuable commodity. Hi-techeverything makes it nearly impossible forthe customer to perform anything beyondan oil change. That is where specializationand training add considerable value to theservices you provide to your customers.Today’s technician brings a newopportunity to the dealership. The ability tovalue the services rendered at an amounthigher than simply the “straight time”clocked on the job. Basically, the straighttime should match the Flat Rate time

you’ve allowed for the job. Then, bydetermining the true costs of the servicesyour shop provides, their “Retail MarketValue” can be determined. This would bean amount that covers all costs involvedwith the job and which yields an acceptableprofit. Then you can determine what iscalled the “Maximum Perceived RetailValue” of the job.

Just how valuable IS this service to thecustomer? Are you the only shop that hasthis particular tool, equipment, raceexperience, or skilled technician? If youhave something really special, it will beworth more to the customer than the“straight time” work some shops provide.

Labor rate is the dollar value you puton one hour of a technician’s labor, it isnot just the amount that covers costs.The special skills that trained techniciansposses is a commodity that has a “ValueAdded” affect on labor rate. Promotethese skills by offering service specials.These jobs can be supported by a

Fred DeHartOffice: 201 Circle Drive North, #107

Piscataway, NJ 08854 l (201) 469-1221

Walter RainwaterOffice: 6110 Boat Rock Blvd. SW.

Atlanta, GA 30378 l (404) 349-2000

Ken PloeserOffice: 9950 Jeronimo Road

Irvine, CA 92718 l 770-0400

complete parts stock, trained personneland flat rate times you determine. Theretail’ price for these jobs will far exceedthe costs, showing a healthy bottom lineon your next service department profitand loss statement.

12 l K-Tech News