<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Just a quick update on this:<div><br></div><div>I got the starter clutch two weekends ago and got it on. Success! Now the engine turns with the starter.</div><div><br></div><div>However I was still getting just weak pops from the exhaust. However, it was not firing against itself and making all sorts of noise like most engines when you have the timing off. Just some weak pops. But in my heart of hearts it really sounded like a timing issue. However, being a solid-state bike the only way you can screw up timing is to reverse coil wires or have a bad computer. So I checked and I had the wiring exactly as the manual described.</div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr">I had a few few marginal resistance readings on the computer/igniter, so I got a used one off of eBay just to doublecheck. Still no difference. Checked the primary/secondary resistance of both coils and even put my spark tester on. It all looks good.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">I finally decided I had to follow my instincts and I reversed the wiring on the coils. Runs like an champ.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Lesson: if you ever have a 1989 Kawasaki 454LTD, the manual is dead wrong on coil wiring. Ancillary lesson: Make a note of the wiring when you disassemble it and don’t just cavalierly say “oh I’m sure the manual has it - I don’t need to mark them”.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Been taking it on ever-longer test runs. It’s runs pretty nice - I’m really pleased.</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Spencer</div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Apr 6, 2020, at 8:51 AM, Phil Auten <pga2@basicisp.net> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">
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<p>Wow! I'd say you were lucky it didn't come apart the last time
you rode it. Hope you find the part cheap.</p>
<p>Phil in TX<br>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/5/2020 4:55 PM, Spencer Yost
wrote:<br>
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<pre wrap="">Fly wheel puller came in Friday so I got the flywheel/rotor off. Pulled the starter clutch assembly from behind the rotor and sure enough : two big cracks.
I guess I’ll hit up eBay and see what I can find.
Spencer
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Sent from my iPhone
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<pre wrap="">On Mar 31, 2020, at 8:53 PM, Spencer Yost <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:spencer@rdfarms.com"><spencer@rdfarms.com></a> wrote:
So I mentioned a little while back that I was doing a valve lash adjustment on my 1989 Kawasaki 454LTD. It is been awfully hard to start, and valve adjustment is a common culprit. I’m glad I did it because the adjustments were definitely out though I could tell they were not so far out to affect starting to a degree its been happening. So I started looking for other explanations. I seem to have spark and had the smell the fuel on spark plugs. So I didn’t think it was fuel or spark. I then did a compression test: For a 30-year-old bike it’s got startlingly nice compression. 135 both sides cold with no oil. But I also noticed that it took 15-20 seconds of starter time to actually get the four or five compression strokes you need to get a max reading. Hmmm. That’s suspicious.
So while the alternator crankshaft “peep-hole” cover was off so I could rotate the crankshaft for the valve adjustment, I took a look see at how fast the starter was spinning the engine. The engine wasn’t spinning at all except about every 5-10 seconds it would catch and turn over once. Clearly the starter clutch was slipping. This would explain why I had better luck roll starting it than using the starter. But the engine is big enough and I’m small enough that I need a pretty big hill to roll start it and that just isn’t viable where I live or wherever I might stop so I have to fix it to be in “riding” condition.
So I took this opportunity to order a few things on eBay like flywheel puller and a fuel petcock that this bike desperately needs. They should be coming in a few days. My guess when I get it disassembled is to find weak springs in the clutch.
The goal is to have this bike starting and running smooth before the covid-19 zombie comes to get me so I can out-run it. :-)
Spencer
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