Getting ready to look at a buddy's new project bike tomorrow, wanted a few pointers on opinions.
80 KZ550 "Cafe Racer" project done by amateurs. Emgo pods & Kerker 4:1. Only goes well enough at 1/4 throttle or less, bogs badly at half throttle & higher. pilots are a bit lean even. So it stalls occasionally due to this on first test runs with my 1st time rider bud cruising on it.
Wiring/electrical was moved into a tray under the seat. Occasionally it won't start & he cranks it a while, and seems like it kills the battery, but lights are still fairly bright. Previous, a few times, it'd barely crank twice for 1 second and seem like dead battery, then hit starter button again & it cranks full power & starts. I was thinking starter may be bad.
Cranked it 45 seconds on & off when he stalled it last, saw smoke under seat. Heavy gauge starter wire off starter relay melted the insulation off the clean copper conductors!!!
I suspect a bad starter (just a good hunch), but also plan to check connections all over & see if there is a good ground between the engine and the frame, and frame and battery. I should probably convert it to a single point ground as Jim always pushes to do.
If wiring and grounds are good, can I assume the starter motor is just shot?
80 KZ550 "Cafe Racer" project done by amateurs. Emgo pods & Kerker 4:1. Only goes well enough at 1/4 throttle or less, bogs badly at half throttle & higher. pilots are a bit lean even. So it stalls occasionally due to this on first test runs with my 1st time rider bud cruising on it.
Wiring/electrical was moved into a tray under the seat. Occasionally it won't start & he cranks it a while, and seems like it kills the battery, but lights are still fairly bright. Previous, a few times, it'd barely crank twice for 1 second and seem like dead battery, then hit starter button again & it cranks full power & starts. I was thinking starter may be bad.
Cranked it 45 seconds on & off when he stalled it last, saw smoke under seat. Heavy gauge starter wire off starter relay melted the insulation off the clean copper conductors!!!
I suspect a bad starter (just a good hunch), but also plan to check connections all over & see if there is a good ground between the engine and the frame, and frame and battery. I should probably convert it to a single point ground as Jim always pushes to do.
If wiring and grounds are good, can I assume the starter motor is just shot?
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