TOPIC:

Thanks for that Stan, Well I've never heard of this, just goes to show you can never stop learning ! Just didn't know this could happen. I will give this a go.

Good point Andy, thanks for that

Thanks for that Scotch, I'll try anything to get her going again. I've owned lot's of bikes over the last 40 + years and I think it's the best bike by far. This includes new stuff I've had.

Cheers! I can't find where the hell I posted it, so I'm just posting again the picks to illustrate what wrath starter can bring.

This is not KZ1300 - it's a GL 1100 Goldwing. 1983 - same era.

In the KZ1300 post I had you can see similarities. Way more rust, and that you probably wouldn't have in your starter. But the carbon dust from the brushes - definitely!!!

So... This starter worked wonders. Two years later, loosing power. Especially in winter. Changed battery after a fucked up leaving the bike on parking light. Drained the battery beyond rescue. Next battery in warm weather. Similar stupid mistake. New battery, charging, riding - got it under control.

Next... The cranking power became weaker and weaker. Just like you described with compression. Making long story short, after opening the sucker I know that the cranking power depleted with the build up of the 'death black powder'. And at he end - it went cold dead.

The below photos show what was inside.

Fast forward. That DEAD starter got a clean up, and in this case, a new set of brushes. Lubricated, TLC. Put it back on the bike - WOOOWZA!!!!!
That was before cold winter months and it still cranks today in summer like a champ. And it will for year to come.

I think I've said what had to be said already, now a couple of picks.







Disassemble, clean, lubricate, assemble, install - and my feeling is your KZ will crank as if never been cranked before

Hi Stan, was it you that posted about laying the out plugs out of the engine in the dark then cranking the engine ? as I can no longer find this post. I think this was to do with a plug earthing down.

Yes, it was me. I think it is a few posts ago. The idea is to crank the engine with spark plugs working minus the compression. This can be done without the black out first. In dark it would help to see any electricity jump other than the desired healthy spark. No spark - might mean the spark plug is shorted grounded, or extra undesired sparks could indicate other problems.

I'd do the testing installing one spark plug at a time and see how that changes cranking of the engine. If the starter looses power gradually, the chance is the starter is dirty inside and needs cleaning. My suspicion is that's the case here.