spring 1997 the kawasaki technical magazine vol. …

SPRING 1997 T H E KAWASAKI T E C H N I C A L M A G A Z I N E VOL. 10, NO. 1

This issue, we look at Doug Chandler’s 1996

AMA Superbike Championship-winning

Ninja® ZX-7RR. (In the Winter edition we

featured Jeff Emig’s factory KX250). Doug Chandler

and the Muzzy Kawasaki team came to grips with a

totally revised ZX-7RR in 1996.

With each race the tors that led to victory.team gained ground on The 1996 ZX-7RRthe competition and by the offered Team Muzzy alast race in Las Vegas, the new foundation for vic-bike and rider became the tory. The new short strokeclass of the field. Rob motor and revised chassisMuzzy helped us under- they hoped would pick upstand the bike develop- where the ‘95 race bike leftment and important fac- off. The new, more rigid

with better turn-in tractionchassis improved handling

and feel going into cor-ners. Improved weightdistribution helped holdthe chosen line in corners.Somewhere between thedrawing board and theproduction line, though,some horsepower waslost.

The new motor neededsome work to compete atthis intense level. After aseason of tireless develop-ment, the ‘95 long-stroke

especially on top-end. Theteam started fresh with the

motor had more power,

new motor, burning themidnight oil trying to getmore horsepower. Theengine was dissected andrebuilt using the MuzzyWorks engine kit, which isavailable for sale (see pic-ture). According to Muzzy,this kit is always changingas parts are revised andimproved. The team thenworked with port shapes,piston shape, exhaust sys-

SPRING 1997 2 K-TECH NEWS

K-TECH News

Vol. 10, No. 1Spring 1997

K-TECH News Staff

PublisherKawasaki Tech Services

Publications ManagerDon Church

Executive EditorGary Herzog

Editor-in-ChiefGregg Thompson

Regional Editors

North and EastFred DeHart

Central and SouthWalter Rainwater

WestRobert Taylor

ContributorsDove Behlings, Dove Corey,John Griffin, Jeff Hoeppner,Marge Lakin, Tevis Moffett

Graphics/Production

Graphic ArtGregg Thompson

PhotographyDave Corey, Rich Cox,

Kevin Wing

Copy EditorPat Shibata

ProductionDesiree Holland

©1997 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.All rights reserved.

Published by KawasakiAll suggestions became the property of KMC.Sending a service suggestion gives Kawasaki

permission to publish and/or ore itwithout further consideration.

Specifications subject to change without notice.

A K-Tech News exclusive picture - Muzzys Kawasaki camshaftgear drive.

tern, intake funnel andmanifold lengths to gener-ate more horsepower andtorque. Muzzy uses aSerdi machine to do preci-sion valve jobs. It has aone-piece cutter whichcuts all the angles at onetime and repeats the sameprogrammed, near-perfectcut over and over.

The Daytona andPomona races gave every-one a chance to see howtheir machines stacked up.Chandler needed morepower and improved mid-comer traction to help hiscomer and exit speeds.The team went to work onthe chassis by changing

the rake and trail, shocklinkage, rocker arms, alter-ing the wheelbase, andchanging the suspensionvalving. After the firstthird of the season,Chandler arrived at chas-sis settings he was com-fortable with so the teamcould focus primarily ontires and suspension valv-ing for each track.

Muzzy said that engineperformance really didn’tcome around until afterthe World Superbike raceat Laguna Seca. They werefinally able to come upwith some combinationsthat gave them more top-end and improved ride-

ability. An improvedexhaust system and a newintake tuning length con-tributed to the success.

What about the geardrive for the cams?Muzzy told us it wasnever used on Chandler’s‘96 AMA bike; they onlyused them in FormulaUSA events. The geardrive (which will be usedin the ‘97 AMA bike) onlyadds about one horse-power on top, but as Robsays, “sometimes theyspend a month trying tocome up with one horse-power, so a horsepower isa horsepower. ”

Chandler and TeamMuzzy had a near flawlessweekend in Las Vegascapturing the pole posi-tion, leading the most lapsand winning the race tocapture the title. Wewanted to know how theygot the bike dialed in sowell. Rob explained theperformance on the trackwas the fruit of their laborput in during the seasonand especially the sixweeks between the lasttwo races. They spentthree days at Daytona per-formance-testing newideas and endurance-test-ing ideas developed dur-ing the season. The teamwas in the points hunt allyear so they played it safewith their new ideas.

How does Chandler

Continued on page 12


Jet Ski® Troubleshooting

Here comes another PWC riding and wrenching season! In view of that fact, Ithought I’d put together a few of my favorite troubleshooting tips for you to refer to.

NORTH & EAST

1) After working on a customer’s boat, make sure you run the engine with the enginecompartment cover on and latched. Exhaust leaks and obstructions in the intaketract can cause the engine to run poorly when the engine compartment is closedtight. You can catch problems you didn’t know were there by doing this.

2) Customer complaints of poor performance don’t always indicate an engine problem. Jet pump problems canresult in the same complaint. Try to get enough information from the customer to distinguish between anengine problem and a pump problem. Pump problems usually feel like a slipping clutch to the customer.Check for a worn impeller or air leaking into the pump from around the pump housing.

3) If you think a unit has a carburetor problem, always bypass the rest of the fuel system and run it before tear-ing into the carbs. Connect a remote fuel tank directly to the carburetor fuel inlet. If the engine runs wellwith the remote tank, the carburetors are not the problem. Check the fuel tank, petcock, pick-up tubes andlines and filter for obstructions or leaks.

4) For electrical problems, don’t forget to check the electrical box ground. Run a jumper lead from the box tothe engine. If the problem goes away, check the ground in the stator wire harness for problems.w

Fred DeHart

201 Circle Drive N. #107

Piscataway, NJ 08854(908) 469-1221

Temperature Gauge Fix

While I was conducting a seminar at a Good Times Owners Club rally last year, sev-eral Voyager® XII owners asked me questions about the operation of the temperaturegauges on their Voyagers. The questions came from customers who were concernedbecause their temperature gauges never read above the low end of the normal range.Was there something wrong with their gauges or were the bikes really running that

WESTcold? Actually, it turns out neither was true in most cases.

When I got back to KMC, I did some checks and it turns out the problem stemmedfrom an inadequate ground for the gauge sending unit. The sending unit is mounted in the thermostat housingwhich is attached to the frame. The negative cable from the battery, however, is connected directly to the engine.

Apparently this long ground path from the sending unit to the housing to the frame to the engine can result intoo much resistance even with all the connections clean and tight. To fix this problem, prepare a ground wire atleast 10 inches long with an eyelet at each end. Connect one end of the wire to a thermostat housing mounting bolt(8mm head) and the other end directly to the battery negative post. If everything else is correct, the gauge shouldnow read in the middle of the normal range at operating temperature.w

Robert Taylor9950 Jeronimo Road

Irvine, CA 92718(714) 770-0400


Did You Hear That?

There it goes again! For most of us, an abnormal noise in an engine can be pretty dif-ficult to find. The sound seems to come from everywhere. Some people try to find thesound just by putting their ear next to the engine. Others use different objects like alength of rubber hose or screwdriver to try to hear the sound better. I’ve been assuredthat, if you use a screwdriver with a wooden handle, it really works. The screwdriver isprobably the most common “tool.” I’ve used them and I’ll admit it, they work betterthan the “naked ear.” But compared to a mechanic’s stethoscope, these homemade tools

SOUTH & CENTRAL

don’t work very well.With a mechanic’s stethoscope, you can pinpoint the noise in an engine within 4 to 6 inches of its source. That

means you can not only hear the difference between the bottom and top ends, but you can tell what cylinder andeven whether it’s on the intake or exhaust side. If the noise is in the transmission, a stethoscope will sometimes evenallow you to distinguish which shaft the noise is coming from.

There are many types of mechanic’s stethoscopes on the market today. I have tried several of them including theelectronic type with volume control. Some are more expensive than others and some are more effective than others.But expense and effectiveness don’t necessarily go together, in my opinion. I prefer the old-fashioned kind that aresimilar to a medical stethoscope, but with a thin metal probe on the end instead of the flat disc that doctors use.These are relatively inexpensive and they work great. If you don’t have one, get one. You’ll be glad you did.w

Walter Rainwater

6110 Boat Rock Blvd. S.W.

Atlanta, GA 30378

(404) 349-2000

Micro-K have to be used together. In other words, the newspring washers will not work with the old hub nut and

Substitute Parts list vice versa. When this occurs, there is a message on

by Jeff Hoeppner your K-Share confirmation that will solve the problem,Parts Data Coordinator but many people miss it. The message will read “SEE

SUBSTITUTE PARTS LIST.” This message appears anyI have been getting a few calls lately from dealers time a single part must be replaced with multiple parts.

who need to know more about a certain publication In this case, the leaf spring washer must be replacedthat we send out. The publication I’m referring to is with an updated pair of leaf spring washers and thecalled the “Substitute Parts List.” It provides informa- new style nut.tion about replacement parts for canceled part num- The Substitute Parts List is mostly made up of olderbers that don’t have any direct substitutes. model headlights, meters and fork assemblies that are

One good example of this book’s purpose and use- no longer available as a set, and lists all of the sub-partsfulness is the clutch hub nut and leaf spring washer on that are required to make the assembly; but you willConcours and similar models. When you try to order also find other important information. Take a minuteeither of these parts, the part numbers come up can- to find your Substitute Parts List and familiarize your-celed with no alternate parts available. “How can such self with it. You should keep it in your parts bulletina vital part of a fairly current model be unavailable?!” binder. If you can’t find one, order it under part num-is the usual response. The old parts cannot substitute to ber 99969-0134, and keep an eye out for the message onthe new style parts because both of the new style parts K-Share.w


Expanded Video Training Programby Don ChurchManager, Service Trainingand Communications

In today’s competitiveretail environment, train-ing is what distinguishesthe winners! You probablyknow about Kawasaki’s“Back to the Basics” seriesof technical training pro-grams. If your dealershipis a member of the TechTraining Video Club, youmay have received thefirst two programs andperhaps the third has justarrived (see article below).Each video workbook hasa quiz at the back. Pleasebe aware that those techni-cians who send the quiz toKawasaki and score betterthan 80% receive aCertificate of Completion.

Here is another greattraining opportunity foryour dealership. TheService TrainingDepartment has teamedup with CareerTrack tooffer a full library ofaudio- and video-basedtraining programs cover-ing a variety ofManagement, CustomerService, Communication,and Team Building sub-jects. All of these videoand audio programs arevery attractively priced forKawasaki dealers with adiscount of 35 percent. Forthe cost of sending one ortwo people to a seminar,you can invest in a train-ing tool that is immedi-ately available and can beused over and overagain.w

In January, Kawasaki sent every dealership aCareerTrack catalog of available training titles. Inserted intothis issue of K-Tech News is the order form. Be sure to sendthe order form directly to Kathie Pillard at CareerTrack. Ifyou have any questions about these or other programs,contact Kathie Pillard at (800) 325-5844.

Training Programs Available

Team Building:How to Motivate and Manage People

Communication:Dealing with Conflict and ConfrontationHow to Deal with Difficult People

Management:Succeeding as a First-Time ManagerHow to Interview and Hire the Right PeoplePerformance Appraisal Solutions

Customer Service:Pleasing Your Hard to Please CustomersHow to Give Exceptional Customer ServiceProfessional Telephone Skills

New TechTraining Videoon Two-StrokeEnginePressureTestingby Ray St. JohnSupervisor, TechnicalWriting

A new video in the“Back to the Basics” train-ing series is now available.Two-stroke EnginePressure Testing coversthe tools and procedures

for pressurechecking mosttypes of two-strokeengines. Ittakes youstep-by-stepthrough theprocess ofperforming apressurecheck andgives sugges-tions on diag-nosing running problems never done this job, andrelated to pressure loss. works well as a refresherThis tape is aimed at the for more experienced tech-new technician who has nicians.

If your dealership is amember of the TechTraining Video Club (over500 dealerships are mem-bers so yours probably is,too), you have alreadyreceived this video at theclub price of $25.00 plusshipping, handling andapplicable sales taxes.Regular price is $36.95(plus the usual S & H &tax), but you can join theclub and get the tape atthe club price by callingKawasaki TechnicalServices at (714) 770-0400,ext. 2465. Ask for Kiki.w


It’s Here!Vehicle Service Inquiryby Marge LakinManager, OperationsAdministration

Just what you havebeen asking for: K-Sharenow offers Vehicle ServiceInquiry (VSI). You havealways wanted an inquirysystem where you couldfind the service history ona particular unit. VSIoffers just that......!!!

All you have to do is goto your K-Share com-puter — open the K-ShareProgram Group, doubleclick on VSI and the infor-mation will be at your fin-gertips.

Simply key in theVIN/HIN numbers or usethe short-cut method andkey in the Model andFrame/Hull number (lastsix numbers of the VIN ormiddle five numbers ofthe HIN). Click on the“Call KMC” button totransmit the request to

KMC. KMC will respondwith the information wehave on file, including cus-tomer address, warrantystatus, any FDM, FAR orRECALL activity, as wellas completed warrantywork. Any repair cam-paigns not completed willbe highlighted in red. Besure to check for any out-standing FDM’s and

RECALLS every time youuse the VSI screen. Doingso can ensure that vehiclesdon’t leave your shopwith important campaignrepairs not completed.Once you have the VSIinformation on yourscreen, click on the “Print”button to print a copy foryour customer file.

Dealers are receiving

the software update fromKawasaki automaticallythrough the K-Share sys-tem or through the mailon a diskette.

If you have any ques-tions regarding VehicleService Inquiry (VSI) onceyou have the software,please call K-Share at (800)626-2158.w

After AllTheseYears

We’ve recently learnedof a small error that hasexisted in the Vulcan™1500 microfiche and ser-vice manuals since the firstyear of this model (1987).

Install this way

The balancer shaft (shown VN1500s, and the picturewith the crankshaft) has has been corrected onbeen pictured backwards them. However, we can’tin all our publications. correct your service manu-Recently you received new als, so we suggest you getmicrofiche for all out all your VN1500 base

manuals and make a noteon the exploded viewdrawing at the beginningof the CrankshaftTransmission chapter.

It is possible to assem-ble the engine partiallywith the balancer shaftinstalled as depicted inyour manuals (back-wards), so make sure youmake a note in all yourmanuals and toss out yourold microfiche.w — Ed.


Keeping Tabs 4WD—Use It Only When You Need ItNew ATV Binder Tab

by Put ShibataSupervisor, Service Material

In an effort to keep up with

the changing needs of dealer-

ships, we have separated the

ATV line from the motorcycle

line for service-related materi-

als. This means that any ATV-

related bulletin you receive now

has the ATV symbol and num-

bering system on it. A new ATV

tab and index were distributed

for both the Service/Warranty

and Part/Accessories binders in

January to make filing these

new bulletins easier for you. In

the future, add any new ATV

bulletins behind the ATV tab. If

you need additional tabs or

indexes, please contact the Tech

Pubs Department at extension

2472. w

by Dave Behlings andGregg ThompsonProduct Support

We have had severalcalls from dealers trying tofix 4WD Mules (2510s)that have a very loudintermittent “poppingnoise” coming from thebevel gear case (PTO) forthe front drivetrain. Intalking to the dealer, wefind that the noise onlyoccurs when the vehicle isin 4WD mode and beingridden on surfaces withgood traction (usuallypavement!).

What’s wrong with thispicture? It’s easy (whileconcentrating on findingand fixing the noise) tooverlook the rather obvi-ous fact that there is NONEED to be driving themule in 4WD on pave-ment! The noise is NOTthe result of a failure ofany kind, but rather fromusing 4WD when itshould not be used.Unfortunately, we havetalked to dealers who havedisassembled the wholetransmission and/or otherparts of the drivetrainlooking for the cause ofthis noise. It’s not the kindof noise a customer islikely to put up with.

Here is what causes thisnoise. The front drive sys-tem is intentionally gearedslightly higher (wheels

turn slightly faster) thanthe rear drive. The reasonfor this is to improvesteering feel and reduce“understeer” (the ten-dency for the front wheelsto push or plow in a turn).There is a spring-loadedcam-and-ramp damper inthe bevel gear case whichis mechanically between thefront and rear drivetrains.On pavement, with thefront and rear wheels con-stantly trying to roll atslightly different speeds,the cam damper winds up(taking up the difference)and eventually pops overcenter, causing a very loud

noise. This noise willoccur at regular intervalswhile driving on pave-ment or other surfaceswith good traction.

In poor traction condi-tions where 4WD wasintended to be used, thisslight difference in gearingis easily taken up by tireslippage. The cam dampernever has to bear anyunusual load.

Make sure all your cus-tomers and dealershippersonnel know that this4WD system was neverintended to be “full-time4WD.” Use it only whenit’s needed.w


Body Parts and Decals...Still Confused?by Jeff HoeppnerParts Data Coordinator

the text provided to deter-mine if parts come with

decals. It reads in part:“If the size of the decal is

larger than

250mmx180mm (approxi-

mate size of your palm),

but smaller than

360mmx250mm (approxi-

mate the size of your face),

the part will be supplied

without decal. If it is diffi-

cult to paste on because the

design is complicated, a

part will be supplied with

decal.”

Example:36001-1540-B1(without decals)

As you may have readhere in K-Tech News, manycowlings and side panelsare now being shippedwithout decals. AlthoughATVs, Utility Vehicles,and Jet Ski parts havealways been offered thisway, it will take a littlegetting used to for streetparts. Figuring out if aspecific part has a decal or

not can be confusing. I’veseen well-informed

employees here atKawasaki order too manydecals for a specific job, soI thought another articlewas in order.

The confusion lies in

Imagine trying toexplain that to a customerat the parts counter! Thegood news is that there isan easier way to deter-mine if any part will

Indicator digit

36031-5053-R1(with decals)

include decals.If the first number of

the suffix in the part num-ber is “5”, the part willcome with decal(s); if it isany other number, the partwill come without

decal(s).I haven’t found a single

part that doesn’t use thismethod. It works on

motocross, off-road, andstreet motorcycles; ATVsand watercraft. Even fueltanks with decals clear-coated over will have the 5in the part number, speci-fying that it will have adecal. Give it a try, and letme know if you find anexception.w

C.B.-Related Engine Troubleby Tevis Moffett Voyager XIISenior Product SupportSpecialist

“My engine almost diesevery time I key my C.B.radio microphone!” Youmay have heard this com-plaint; others have and weusually get a call when ithappens. The engine isactually dropping thenumber one and fourcylinders (no spark) eachtime the mic is keyed.

Also the tachometer maymalfunction at the sametime. Dealers usually can’tdecide whether to diag-nose the ignition system orthe radio.

The trouble has alwaysturned out to be in theC.B. system, specificallythe antenna or the coaxialcable running to the

antenna. If the antenna hasa poor ground connection(loose mount or corrosion)or if the cable is routed tooclose to a spark plug (hightension) wire, RF interfer-ence will get into the igni-tion system causing it tomisfire on one coil (twocylinders).

If you get a Voyager in

your shop with this com-plaint, first make sure theantenna has a goodground and then makesure the coax cable isrouted as far from the coilwires as possible. You canalso go to your local radioshop, buy some cableshielding and wrap theantenna cable with it.w


VN1500: Diagnosing Coolant leaksby Gregg ThompsonProduct Support Supervisor

We have had a few callson the Hotline latelyregarding top-end coolantleaks on VN1500s thatwere difficult to diagnose.In each case, the area ofleakage was identified asthe right rear portion ofthe front cylinder or cylin-

der head. Although theleak can occur anywherefrom the base gasket to thecam cover gasket, webelieve the source of theproblem was always in thesame general area.

On the 1500s, coolantgoes from the water pumpinto the right hand enginecase between the base ofthe two cylinders and thentravels up into the cylin-ders from there. This areain the top of the right handcrankcase between the twobase gasket surfaces is fullof water passages and boltor stud holes. We believethat because of either cast-ing flaws or mismachin-

ing the coolant passagesmay get connected to oneor more of these bolt orstud holes. Once thecoolant gets into a studhole, it will eventually findits way out through a gas-ket or under a cap nut.

If you have a coolant

leak from ABOVE the

water pump (especiallyfrom the front cylinderarea) on a VN1500, don’tdisassemble anything untilyou have pin pointed theexact location of the leak.Use the spray powdermethod of locating theleak. Clean the whole areaof any coolant and spraythe area with an aerosol

RIGHT SIDE

foot powder. Then run theengine and WATCHCAREFULLY to see wherethe coolant is comingfrom.

If the leak is coming

from the right rear corner

of the front cylinder base

gasket, head gasket orcam cover gasket, you

might have to pull thatcylinder stud and reinstall

it with sealant on thethreads. But first tryreplacing the upper left

hand water pump coverbolt with a new sealant-coated bolt (P/N 92002-1622 for D models, andP/N 92002-1534 for A andC models). If this sealedbolt doesn’t stop the leak,you’ll have to pull the topend off and seal the right

Right Rear Cylinder StudMay Need Sealing

InstallSealed Bolt Here


rear cylinder stud in thecases with a non-perma-nent thread locking agent(blue loctite).

If the leak is coming

from the short stud in the

rear center of the front

cylinder base, you shouldnot have to remove theengine to fix it. There is a10mm crankcase bolt onthe left hand side of thecases that goes into thisarea with the water pas-sages. It always connectswith this short stud hole

LEFT SIDE

but it’s not supposed toconnect with a water pas-sage. If a casting ormachining flaw connectsthis case bolt hole to thewater passage, coolant willleak out from the shortcylinder stud. You shouldbe able to fix this leak bysealing the crankcase boltthreads.

To seal this crankcasebolt, remove it and drainall the coolant from theengine. (If there is coolanton the bolt when you

remove it, you can be cer-tain you’re on the right Casetrack.) You should remove Sealerthe water pump cover soyou can do a good job ofcleaning the crankcasethreads. Blow contactcleaner and air into thecoolant passage and thecrankcase bolt hole. Thenreinstall the bolt with anon-permanent threadlocking agent, and reinstallthe water pump coverusing the sealed bolt men-tioned above.w

fromKawasakiAccessories

Seal This Crankcase Bolt

by Gregg ThompsonProduct Support Supervisor

Most of you already know

that for sealing crankcase

halves, we recommend using

only sealants that are specifi-

cally designed for this purpose.

In other words, don’t use RTV

silicones, or gasket sealers. You

also probably know that

Kawasaki sells crankcase sealer

under P/N 56019-l20 and that

it is quite expensive.

We now offer crankcase

sealant through our accessories

department at a much better

price. You can get it by ordering

P/N 1211. Your cost is $9.65

per tube.w


ChampionshipBikesContinued from page 3

Note the massive single-sided magnesium swingarm nowavailable from Muzzys and currently employed on Chandler’srace bike.

relate to the bike? Muzzysaid Chandler sets hismotorcycle up similar tothe rest of his very suc-cessful riders like ScottRussell. The rake, trail,and ride height settingsare set to offer very bal-anced and neutral han-dling. He uses a 51% front-and 49% rear-weight bias,“just like he did before(when Chandler teamedwith Muzzy Kawasaki towin the ’90 AMASuperbike Championship)and the other riders havefor years.”

Muzzy Kawasaki hasbig plans for 1997, sellingcomplete race bikes like a

Muzzys ever-changing works kit for the ZX-7R and ZX-7RR.

Chandler replica Superbike will put outSuperbike ZX-7RR, the close to 150 horsepowernew Raptor 850, and ZX- and weigh in close to the11 motors for Dwarf and 355 pound weight limit.Legend cars. The Cost has not been set, but

Rob mentioned Chandlerwon the ’96 championshipon a $50,000 race bikeagainst some that proba-bly cost $250,000. Theteam is just wrapping updetails on the Raptor 850with a claimed 165 horse-power at 407 pounds. TheRaptor will be less expen-sive than the Superbike,by using production ori-ented suspension insteadof full race Ohlins forksand shock. The Raptor is anatural for the FormulaUSA series, whereChandler has already hadgreat success on the bike.

K-Tech News asked Robif he had advice forKawasaki dealers thathave road race teams orsponsor local racers.“Don’t get caught up inthe trick stuff. Make surethe valves don’t leak (asclose to 100% as possible)and the rings (piston)don’t leak.” He sees bikesat the races with expensivetitanium rods boltedunder a cylinder headwith leaking valves.Chandler’s championshipbike doesn’t even use tita-nium rods or valves. Robthinks a good valve job isprobably the most benefi-cial modification totoday’s production streetracers. If you have theneed for speed at yourlocal race track callMuzzys at (541) 385-0706.w


spring 1997 the kawasaki technical magazine vol. …

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