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IM BACK

7K views 57 replies 7 participants last post by  MACE 
#1 ·
whatsup bros
Im back. My name is Mace. I have an addiction to the Kawasaki zx7/zx7r.
I have something headed to the house as i type this
pics to come.....can I get at least a "look what the cat dragged in comment?"
 
#29 · (Edited)
Checklist;
Ignition modified to provide 6v to grey wire. 1hr
Wiring harness repaired/grounds cleaned/solder and attach new leads 3hr
Solenoid replaced .5hr
Fuel pump tested and replaced 2hr
Cooling system overhaul/ all lines were packed with calcium. 2.5hr
Oil changed 1hr
New spark plugs 1hr

To do;
Headlight diagnosis 1hr
Charging system diagnosis and verification 1hr
Bodywork/ Headlight delete/Sand and Paint 8hr
Brake system overhaul 3hr
Fork seal inspection/Replacement 3hr
Engine degrease and valve cover gasket replacement 2hr
Source Radiator res. cap plug
Clean and polish 2hr
Source exhaust can
Carb clean 2hr

At roughly 37 hours plus parts and being that most shops would just force you replace the harness and ignition, and in accordance with shop labor fees currently at 90 USD an hour,
You can clearly see why bringing an old bike to a shop is not as cost efficient as one may think. With a total of at least 3,000 USD.
( I got used to doing work orders)


Boring pic of some old and new parts (fuel pump was knackered)
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#31 · (Edited)
Spent the day to do a proper clean of the carbs.
Might as well have it running in tip top shape. The idle circuit was all jammed up, cleaned the frame up and degreased the engine, I think im ready to move on to paint and body.
Sounds much cleaner now, didnt want to piss of the neighbors, so i just let it idle to verify the circuit was free.

Needs;
front brakes
paint
headlight diagnosis
oil cooler lines
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#32 · (Edited)
Low beams work now.
High beam indicator on the pod is not illuminated.
High beams not working yet.
Brakes-DONE/ flush and bleed/lube pistons WORKED.
working on it.
Radiator flushed with prestone flush 3 times. Still not clean.
Dont put tap water in your bike

On deck;

Paint and body
New rear sprocket-ordered

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#33 · (Edited)
Ok, so the tank was in decent shape, however it had a moderate amount of rust and sediment, and grunge,
After some powerwashing, and some clean up of the petcock, I am getting some good "flow"
(pissing pretty good)
Time to shop vac it for an hour and then add 2 stroke oil to coat.

all vids marked to "private" after build.

its alot of work bro
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#36 · (Edited)
So as most builders know, life gets in the way.
Havent had much chance to build either bike.
'Searched high and low for a race tail, could not find one.
Had to call Airtech and bite the bullet.
Should make a decent build if the tail ever gets here, Ill let you know how it goes.
Note; cheap chines solenoids from ebay will not work, and will cause bike to continue cranking after you release button.
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#43 ·
I agree it may be one of the most epic motos ever made.
However, Kawasaki engineered the electrical system in a way where cranking voltage gets dispersed through too many channels before actually arriving at the starter relay. This is why it needs almost 13 volts to even fire.
For example, unlike Suzuki, the Kawasaki must pass voltage through the Ignition, start switch, IGN coils, Fuel pump relay, fuel pump, diode, etc. This all takes voltage from the starter relay.
6 to 7 volts instead of a solid 12.
There was a very clever post by a dude on zxforums where he stops this problem forever by delivering 12 volts to the starter relay by modifying the JB.
After this modification, when you push the starter button, it will send 12 v to the starter relay via the ACC fuse.
IM putting this here for future reference and to keep the zx7r on the road.
as the wiring harness and components age, this problem will only get worse for owners and this is a viable solution.
I cleaned the carbs again and the bike runs well, however sometimes it wont send full voltage to the starter relay unless I unplug the fuel relay.
I will likley do this mod tomorrow and post results.
Cant take credit for this, and I didnt get the dudes name but this is valuable information.
pic
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#44 · (Edited)
So here is what I have so far. Recleaned the carbs. Ethanol evaps quickly and leaves a film inside the pilot jets.
runs great but every so often it wont engage starter, so I have to chase down the ghost or do the above mentioned mod.
I was going to do a race replica, but after seeing how much its gonna cost me to have a fully functional paint booth with compressor and gun,
Im just gonna rattle can it in the backyard.
Maybe one day Ill have a suitable garage to do proper work, until then Its all backyard.
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#45 ·
Went through the whole bike with contact cleaner and disassembled the junk aftermarket start switch. The switch was corroded and worn. It now starts every time, however the switch is so worn sometimes you have to push the button at an angle but it always fires.
The headlights will not come on anymore, I think the diode inside the JB is toast. I will wire the lights to toggle and begin paint and body.
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#48 ·
50 buck backyard special. Scored some ram air and windscreen and stuff from a good ol boy down the road.
IN retrospect I should have left the front wheel black. I may rethink the front wheel color once I mount the fairings and place the bellypan decals.
pics
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#51 ·
You should see my 47 Pontiac Rat Rod. Beat to fit, paint to match.

I've been playing with GSXR's lately (ha, five of them), other than the ZX12R I just picked up. The 12 is in a million pieces getting upgrades. No current ZX7 projects.

I'm going to get back on the Russell bike soon and finish it. I'm planning to take it to Daytona next spring. I'm hoping to track down Scott Russell if he goes to look it over and sign it.
 
#52 ·
I think its just what Im used to from my stunt days. I never took much time to make a bike too pretty.
It was only a waste of time because I was gonna wreck it anyways. Old habits are hard to break.
I put some new parts on the bike but i still have an intermittent problem with the starter refusing to disengage. It only happens sometimes, but it is annoying as hell.
hopefully ill have it sorted soon.
Thanks for posting bro, leave me a DM you have any links to those gsxr builds i am a huge GSXR fan
I am also huge Kawasaki fan, a Honda fan and a Ducati admirer.
Bikes.
if it has an R in the name , Im all in.
 
#53 ·
The Junction box is the cause of my starter not disengaging, so I just put a kill switch on the red and yellow wire until the new JB shows up.
Now that is sorted. The bike was sold to me without front engine mount bolts...I had to wait for them to come in and be placed before I can take it for its first ride.
Sourcing a upper fairing stay is expensive, so I just am going to use this old 1995 stay from a previous build until i find a 96+ stay.
I dont have a go pro and Im not a moto blogger, but Ill try to get some video of the first shakedown.
I coated the tank with 2 stroke oil when i cleaned it, so Id like to put a tank of petrol through the bike.
Ordered some LED wedge bulbs for the gauges as the current bulbs are blown, and also a led strip for the taillight. Just doing some minor stuff now........

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