TOPIC:

Ok when I get my head set on some thing look out. Toddh, RickG and KZQ I think we need to put our heads together on this one. I been reading both set of manuals on the KZ and the Zn and from what I see this putting fuel injection on the KZ A1 and A2's really is not that hard. Kawasaki already did it for us. The fuel injection system is basic, it use's the signals from the coils to get the crank signal.It use's an air temp sensor for the rich and lean for cold and warm weather and of course TPS sensor to adjust the pulse rate on the injector. I also noticed in the wiring they are only useing two wire to run all the injectors so that means the driver is heavy dute cause it pulsing all six injector at the same time. The idle is still done by manual adjustment just like the carbs so there is no mass air flow sensor or idle speed control motor to worry about it just plain basic injection. If I am seeing this right all we need to do is move the injection system from the Zn to the KZ and add a few things. Or if we didn't want to use the KN throttle bores build a manifold to hold the injectors with one throttle body opening with TPS and just use the fuel injection ECM or ICM which every you want to call it. It looks like to me Kawasaki made it so easy and it been in front of our face's all the time how to inject the carbed bikes. Look it over and tell what I am missing.

I am not an FI expert by any means & never claim to be............

But, my understanding is that the design of the Cylinder Head, Valves & Pistons were all different fro the ZG Fuel Inj model from the Carb model ???
I believe they all have different part numbers.

Not sure by any means if this would create any sort of issues ???

Just thinking out loud.

Pete F
UK

Hello Wrgoo:


I am not an expert either, but for years, I have wanted to attempt this modification. In short, I have done a fair amount of research and reading on what this would take.

I have performed troubleshooting on non working FI systems on GPZ's and in the past, narrowed the failures down to weak fuel pressure regulators and fuses. So overall, fairly basic failures.

Here is my understanding.

1: Kawasaki originally partnered with Nissan on the fist EFI system in the late 70's to be introduced in the 1980 and 81 model years, on the KZ1000 Classic (USA) and in the KZ1000 H in (Europe) With the H model mainly offered in Germany if my research is correct. The First systems were a direct copy of the 280 and 300 ZX "Z car" hardware.

The early KZ EFI was fairly dependable, offered 2 to 4 more HP and was generally a successful roll-out. Problems arose when dealerships didn't understand it, or when the bikes were out of warranty, people usually scrapped the FI and installed a set of smoothbores or VM carbs.


In 1982, Kawasaki introduced DFI, a revamped version and much improved. Most FI systems for the rest of the 80's retained this DFI configuration until FI was phased out by 1989.

Regarding the failure of processors, most were due to people starting their bikes with weak batteries. 30 years ago, battery tenders were not used as much as today, and the weak electrical state would damage components inside the processor. Not to mention some of the weak electrical generation, or lack thereof on the KZ's charging system.


About 15 years ago I believe David E. did a mock up system on a mule engine he had and written an extensive article on. Some of my knowledge comes from his article and it seemed to work ok. One of the main modifications was altering the fuel rail to fit from the ZN to the KZ's frame. (Remember the frame on the ZN is completely different than the KZ.

I always felt it a shame of all of the ZG13's that have been scrapped over the years in the EU. I bet there are a few of those FI systems either in the junkyard or trashcan, long gone.

Ok, so flash forward to today and what is available:

1: The ZN and ZG OEM FI system is a batch system. I.E. working in unison with Kawasaki's wasted spark ignition system, the injectors fire in unison on common circuits.

2: What can be done to update or modernize this system? By adding sequential injection it would add a lot of efficiency. This means adding the following
Crank angle sensor
Cam sensor
Scrap the OEM processor and use the Mega Squirt controller. The Mega Squirt is supposed to work under Batch fuel injection as well, without the CAM reference. Per Matt Cramer at DIYAutoTune.com

It seems the easiest way to add FI to the Z or KZ is using a combination of Factory parts, with a modified fuel rail. You are then faced with the decision of using the OEM processor or using the Mega Squirt controller.

I think recycling the ZG or ZN throttle bodies and most of the OEM components is the best way to add FI to this bike.

Go back and review David Ewing's three part article on FI and it will provide a good background on how to tackle this modification.

If I ever tackle this project, my path would be to use all of the existing parts and refurbish or replace the fuel injectors, being a higher wear item. Also the fuel pressure regulator on this system is one of the highest wear items and they do wear out from time to time. (Needs to keep the fuel rail pressurized to around 36psi)

If I felt I was not gaining the efficiencies I was looking for, then I would start by adding the Mega Squirt controller with the thought of adding the crank and cam sensors to go from Batch to sequential fuel injection.

The Mega Squirt (Not the Micro Squirt) provides the most bang for the buck as you may want to grow into the Sequential elements down the road.

I hope this rambling of mine adds some positive light on the subject. Or confusion.. lol.

Todd.

I'm aware of David Ewing retrofitting the DFI system from the Voyager to some KZ1300s & I'm also aware of someone in the distant past retrofitting carbs to a ZG, so the parts must be interchangeable either way
Pete, the cams on the (K)Z, ZG & ZN are all different, if we take the (K)Z as a baseline, in comparison the ZN ones were tuned for midrange & less top-end, the ZG ones had longer duration which (allegedly) gave another 10 bhp at the expense of some midrange & also pushed the power higher up the rev range.
BTW fuel injection alone does not increase power

Very good information and definitely an interesting subject!

That article sounds like a good read. Does anyone have a link?

OK I had to order a air stop or richer diaphragm for one of my carbs a tear on the edge. Ok back to this injection. Thanks Toddh good back ground info. Here is where i come from I have been school in GM, Mopar and Ford injection and I worked on some imports. Now what I am seeing from running the wiring in the manuals the only source for crank and cam their using the pick up for the coils to get their crank signal. Now I am assuming that means they programed in to the ECM to pulse the injectors before top dead center. Which means the motor has to crank 360degs.to get the reference to pulse the injector the first time on start up. But ( your right a cam sensor would greatly help this. So we are working with 36lbs of fuel pressure there are adjustable regulator on the market for car that fit that range. There is also in line fuel pumps too that fit that range. And with the after market alternator stator for the bike power is not a problem now. I will have to read up on the one ECm your talking about to see what all inputs its use's. If you can put after market fuel injection on a 350 chev with no cam sensor then we should be able to do it too.Maybe I looking at this wrong but I think we been making this way to hard to do. Sorry guy but I am a guy you don't tell me I can't do something I will find away just ask my son.