Summer 1989 The Kawasaki Technical Magazine Vol. 2 No. 2

The Latest Wonder of The Sea!by Tim Bean, Program Developer

JUST WHEN THE COMPETITION THOUGHT it was safe to go back intothe water, Kawasaki unveiled the JF650-B1 TS, its new-for-’89 two-seat

personal watercraft. Even with two aboard, the “Tandem Sport” is no perfor-mance featherweight: Its proven 635cc engine puts out 52 horsepower andboasts 463 pounds of thrust from its jet pump propulsion system. The TSalso features a huge 6.3-gallon fuel tank (including 1.1 -gallon reserve).

All this inside a stylish new extra-wide hull delivers the unusual combina-tion of comfortable two-up riding and sensational sporting performance.

The competition should probably slip back out of the water . . .

JF650-B1 SPECIFICATIONSDisplacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 635 ccBore & Stroke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76.0 x 70.0 mmCompression Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.2:1Maximum Horsepower . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 @ 6000rpmCarburetor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BN34 Diaphragm TypeMaximum Thrust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 463 lb.Overall Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109.4 in.Overall Width 42.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in.Overall Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.2 in.Draft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.0 in.Dry Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415 lb.Minimum Turning Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.9 ft.

SERVICE TIPS WINNERS

ALL KAWASAKI TECHNICIANSare winners when they participateby sending tips to K-TECH NEWS.And we received some great ser-vice tips from those of you whoentered our “Service Tip Contest!”

... So great that it was a realchallenge to select the winners andespecially hard to decide whichtips to publish in this issue. But, thejudges have finally decided.

Thanks to everyone who par-ticipated and congratulations to thewinners. Don’t miss the winningservice tips on Page 9 of thisissue.

ROUTE LIST nn SERVICE nn PARTS nn SALES

SHOP TALK/TECHNICALThe JF650-B1 “TS” Tandem Sport

by Ken Ploeser, Technical Services

THE TS IS THE LATEST addi-tion to the Kawasaki JET SKI®

watercraft family. Servicing the TSis a breeze when you know thedetails. Read on and pick up someinformation on a few of its featuresas well as some time saving tips.

New Hull DesignTHE HULL IS MADE OF SMC withfoam injected into the hull cavitiesto provide flotation and addedstrength. Blocks of preformed foaminserts provide additional floatation.

Hull repair procedures areavailable on video tape. See Train-ing Bulletin #TR89-01 for details.

Lanyard Key Shut-Off“WHY THE LANYARD CORD?”you ask. The TS does not self-rightlike smaller JET SKI® watercraft. Ifthe rider somehow capsizes theTS, the lanyard stops the engine.Without it, waterentering the en-gine compartmentthrough the intakevents could be in-gested by the still-running engine.

The owner’smanual states: “Without thelanyard key pushed under the stopbutton, the engine cranks but willnot start.” Don’t forget this new fea-ture; several reports of“mysterious starting problems”have already been called in to theHot Line . . .

The lanyard key is availableas a separate spare part, P/N92072-3734. You may want tohave an extra one handy.

Fuel Priming PumpTO MAKE INITIAL START-UPquicker and easier, and therebyreduce starter wear and excessivedrain on the battery, a fuel primingbulb (P/N 49043-3702) is provided.It is located in the fuel supply line,and both carburetor and fuel pumpcan be primed with a few squeezesprior to start-up.

The pumping action draws fuelup from the fuel tank through thefuel pick-up filter, past the fuel tapand into the primer bulb, thenthrough thesediment bowl into thefuel pump. Thus the entire fuel sys-tem can be filled before one at-tempts to start the engine. Thisalso eliminates the need to removeany hoses, spill fuel or over-pres-surize any part of the fuel systemduring set-up or servicing.

Exhaust SystemWHEN YOU OPEN THE TS hoodyou will notice a large rubber cou-pling between the exhaust pipe“elbow” and the muffler. This de-sign completely removes water

from the tunedchamber portionof the exhaustsystem. In addi-tion, the vibrationand overall noiselevel of the sys-tem are reduced.The new exhaustmanifold and elbow are castaluminum and water jacketed inthe same way as Kawasaki’s otherwatercraft. The unique part is theway water is routed around andthrough this new coupler. Insidethe boot is a series of collars, seal-ing rings and springs which isolatethe cooling water flow from the ex-

haust gas. Also new is the way thecooling water flows from the newcoupler to a special sleeve weldedaround the tuned chamber portionof the pipe. The water exits therear of the sleeve directly into thewater box. The exhaust gases andwater don’t mix in the system until

the water box, which keeps coolingwater away from internal engineparts and provides more stablehorsepower.

This new exhaust systemdesign also allows the tuned ex-haust pipe and the water box to befixed to the hull through rubber.support vibration dampers. The en-gine is rubber mounted as usual.Overall result? The exhaust systemis now significantly lighter andseparate from the engine, reducingnoise and vibration.

The real benefit, however, isthe performance increase realizedbecause of the water-free tunedexhaust chamber.Other new items to look for:l Larger cooling and bilge lines;l Easy access battery;l Fuel pump located between

carb and cylinder;l Rubber isolated electric box.

2 l K-Tech News

COMMUNICATIONSService Bulletin Latest

by Ray St. John, Senior Technical Writer MP89-02 JET MATE™ Watercraft Trailer FDM April 21,1989: TR700-A1:JET MATE™ Watercraft Trailersthrough serial number 2000402 have the wrong seal in-

Bulletin Tipstalled in the wheel hubs. The seal lip rubs against ahole in the spindle allowing grease to leak out and

HERE’S A QUICK TIP when servicing KX250-G1’smodified for racing purposes: Refer to Service BulletinRS89-05. On page two, under the heading “CylinderHead,” the 0.26mm gasket mentioned is the stock gas-ket, not an optional one.

JET MATE™ Service Bulletins

water and other contaminants to seep in. This FDMauthorizes Kawasaki Marine Products dealers toreplace the hub seals on eligible units.

MP89-03 JET MATE™ Watercraft FDM, May 19, 1989:The exhaust pipe on some eligible units does not havean outlet hole in the water jacket. This causes the ex-haust system to overheat, damaging the rubber con-

SOME NEW service bul-letins recently issued:

nectors and causing leaks. The exhaust leaks fill theengine compartment withexhaust gases and the en-

MP89-01 JET MATE™gine loses power. Con-tinued use can cause the

Watercraft Recall, March24, 1989: Kawasaki hasdetermined that it may bepossible for gasoline toleak out of the carburetor.case when the engine isrunning on eligible units. Ifthis were to occur, the pos-sibility of fire or explosioncould result. No reports ofsuch occurrences have

This FDM authorizes

Kawasaki Marine Pro-ducts dealers to drill anoutlet hole in the inner wallof the exhaust pipe oneligible units.

MP89-04 JET MATE™Watercraft FDM, May 19,1989: The rear seat on

been received; however,this recall campaign isbeing initiated to eliminate the possibility of any suchoccurrences. This recall authorizes Kawasaki MarineProducts dealers to replace the defective O-ring whichcauses the leak.

eligible units is a push fitinto the rear part of the

hull. Under windy conditions when the boat is towed ona trailer at highway speeds, the rear seat may blow off.This FDM authorizes Kawasaki Marine Productsdealers to install hold-down straps on all eligible units.

MICRO-by “Micro” Mike Jeffers, Parts Publications

To SIMPLIFY PARTS ORDERING, we are now in-cluding crankshaft bearing selection charts on the

applicable microfiche. The chart will appear on the ap-

Connecting rod big end bearing insert selection:

Con-rod Big EndBore Diameter Crankpin Diameter Bearing Insert

Marking Marking Size Color Part Number

None¡ Brown 92028-1476

NoneBlack

¡92028-1475

¡None Blue 92028-1474

propriate microfiche grid, thereby eliminating anotherresearch step. New microfiche will include this informa-tion and older models will gradually be included as re-visions are needed. See the “Crankshaft Bearing”article on Page 8 for details on rebuilding procedures.

THE KX MICROFICHE have recently been issued withcomplete jetting information included under the Option-al Parts heading. This information will only appear on’89 and later product fiche.

AS IS ALWAYS THE CASE, any suggestions to im-prove the microfiche are appreciated. Please sendsuggestions using the Micro-K report card (P/NM99994-152).

The Technical Magazine l 3

GUEST SPOT

Burbank Kawasaki Supports Technician TrainingGuest Spot by Don Church trained mechanics don’t arrive at you because problems encountered

your doorstep when you need them. on the job by a student can be dis-

IN MARCH, LEON BELLISIMO, So get involved with a trade cussed with his instructor.the owner of Burbank Kawasaki, school in your area and support a After graduation, you can offer

invited me to join him in at- the student a full time job iftending the- MotorcycleMechanic Trade AdvisoryCommittee Meeting at WestValley Occupational Center inLos Angeles. Leon has beena member of the AdvisoryCommittee for 10 years be-cause he recognizes that sup-port from local businesses iscritical for the survival ofmotorcycle mechanic trainingprograms such as the onetaught by Dale Martin, ChiefInstructor at West Valley Oc-cupational Center. Dale hasstrong local support for his20-week Motorcycle Mech-anic program which is why heis still training young, en-thusiastic students after 20very successful years.

Leon recognizes the im-

you have found that he meetsyour standards. Here againthe school can help you byproviding you with formalguidelines on how to hire amechanic, what to look forand even how to testprospective new hires todetermine their level of com-petency and achievement.

Kawasaki’s K-TECHTraining classes are anotherresource in your overalldealership training program.Sending your personnel toKawasaki’s training classesfor advanced, model-specifictraining demonstrates thatyou care about the develop-ment of their skills andcareers. It is also an invest-ment in the future of yourbusiness. Everyone comes

out a winner.West Valley Occupational Cen-

ter is now on our Tech Servicesmailing list. We have sent them acatalog of all training video tapes,training manuals, parts catalogmicrofiche, and other servicematerials that are available. Youcan add the trade school nearestyou to the same mailing list by call-ing (714) 770-0400, extension2472. We will work with you to getexposure for Kawasaki in your local

portance of healthy motor- A staunch advocate of technician training schools: cycle mechanic training Leon Bellisimo, owner of Burbank (Calif.) Kawasaki.programs for the success of his motorcycle mechanic training pro-business. He knows that training gram. Take the view that the tradeprograms like Dale’s don’t turn out school is a resource for your ownseasoned mechanics, but they do dealership training program. Helpprovide apprentice-level students steer the curriculum so that the stu-who are well versed in the basics dents emerging from the tradeand are serious about their chosen school have the technical skills youcareer. need. You could hire students on a

Every successful dealership part-time basis while they’re still inhas an employee training program school and start them out with newaimed at developing the qualified product setup. Then gradually workstaff needed for a successful ser- them up to more difficult jobs. Thevice business. You all know that school will be a great resource for trade schools.

K-TECH NEWS STAFF TECH SUPPORT SPECIALISTS©1989 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. Publisher . . . . . . Kawasaki Tech Services Joe Nowocinski Bob Ellison(KMC). All rights reserved. Publications Manager........ Don Church Randy Davis Tevis Moffett

Executive Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gary Herzog John Porno Ken OsbergPublished by Kawasaki. All suggestions Editor-in-Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Ploeser Gregg Thompson Steve Ricebecome the property of KMC. Sending aservice suggestion gives Kawasaki per- REGIONAL EDITORS GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTIONmission to publish and/or use it without North and East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fred DeHart Graphic Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tim Beanfurther consideration. Specifications sub- Central and South . . . . . Walter Rainwater Copy Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pat Shibataject to change without notice. West and Corporate . . . . . . . . . . Ken Ploeser Production....Nickless Communications

4 l K-Tech News

FEATURE

Tracking Service Performanceby Ken Ploeser, Technical Services clean-up, tool repair and the like.

These labor hours must bemonitored as closely as possible bythe service manager.

ment and business decisions for theservice department. U s e t h eworksheet to analyze the remainingkey indicators of your service opera-tion.

COMPLETING THE SERVICEOperations Analysis Worksheet

is an important step in the K-BOSSService Plan. This worksheet isfound in the K-BOSS Service Train-ing Binder, Page 5-13 in the “Ac-counting” section. When youperform the analysis of your shop, itis essential that you follow the pro-cedures outlined in the binder. Ifyou don’t have a K-BOSS trainingbinder, call your Regional TrainingInstructor for a copy. If you have thebinder with you now, follow along ...

The worksheet provides a basisfor determining your present posi-tion in seven key management con-trol indicators.

These are:1. Labor Cost2. Lost Time3. Productive Hours Available4. Cost of Labor Hours5. Customer Rate Needed6. General Expense per Hour7. Operating Profit Percent

Labor CostTHIS FIGURE SHOWS THE payrollfor all the service departmentemployees, including management.Obtain these figures from thepayroll records or from a review ofrepair order hard copy data.

Lost TimeTHIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANTfactor in the whole plan. Since“labor hours sold” is your primarysource of revenue for service, youmust get a handle on this part.

Some “labor hours available”are not really available for sale tothe retail customer. They may bebilled internally for Sales or Partswork, but may never show up as“paid” on an accounts receivabledue the Service Department. Mostoften, hours not sold at retail orbilled internally are spent on tasksnot billable outside the servicedepartment: pushing bikes, shop

Lost time is the culprit which

“Lost hours unrecoverable”

needs close scrutiny in making key

may also be time allocated forlunches, sick days, vacation,

management decisions.

holidays, or service training classes.All shop hours must be accountedfor in your service operations plan.

These first three areas give you

Productive Hours

an idea of the kinds of things you

AvailableNOW YOU CAN DETERMINE the

need to do to make sound manage-

potential revenue from labor salesof productive hours available, notjust the total number of hours theservice department is open. Thisfigure shows the potential income tothe department-a realistic figure towork with. Compare this figure withthe actual income collected fromrepair orders over a 90 day reviewperiod. Now you can see the impactthat lost time unrecoverable has onthe “bottom line!”

The Service OperationsAnalysis Worksheet allows you toreview the details of the operation in43 simple steps. Yes, I said “43”and I also said “simple.” Hey guys,this is one of those, “If I can do it,you can too” deals. The K-BOSSTraining Binder will walk youthrough the entire process.

“Is it worth all the work?” yousay. Well, do this simple calculationand then decide:

Take the total hours your shopis open in a month and multiply bythe hourly retail labor rate youcharge. Then multiply the total by12 (the number of months in a year)and multiply again by the number oftechnicians you employ a year.

Are you getting your fair shareof that yearly potential? If you needhelp working any of this out, just callyour Regional Training Instructor.Good luck and keep the GoodTimes Rolling!

The accompanying chart lays itall out for you.

In Search Of Productive Hours:A Service Operations Analysis Can Help!

Are you getting your fair share of yearly potential labor sales? Fill-in theblanks below and then compare the result with your existing records:

Total Service Department hours per month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hours

x hourly labor rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ per hour

= labor sale potential per man (per month) . . . . . . . . . . $

x 12 months per year.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

= yearly labor sales potential per man ................. $

x number of technicians employed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . techs.

= Total Potential Labor Sales Income (per year) . . $

The Technical Magazine l 5

SERVICE MERCHANDISING

Using the Kawasaki Revolving Credit Cardby Ken Ploeser First: Have the customer com- mitted with the installment sales

plete the Good Times Credit Ap- contract. Limits on cards issued for

IF YOU HAVE THAT old sign on plication. service and parts sales are basedthe wall that says something like Second: Use your K-SHARE on the requested amount and the

“Cash Only” or “We don’t take terminal to submit the info to HRSI. customer’s credit history.checks,” you are missing out on the The response time is usually less You can offer the card to al-best thing to hit this industrysince rubber t i res: theKawasaki Credit Card.

most any service customerthat walks into your shop!Your customers can use thecard to pay for their first ser-vice. They can even financetheir first service on the cardwhen they purchase theirnew Kawasaki! Think aboutthis card’s value to yourbusiness; apply your im-agination and get creative!

Here’s how it works: Ifyour customer purchasedhis Kawasaki from yourstore on the installmentsales contract, he probablyalready has the card. Youcan check with HouseholdRetail Services (HRSI) toverify the customer’s revol-ving charge account status.(Refer to the Good TimesCredit Plan dealer manual,P/N 99969-4011, for theprocedures.)

Read the Good TimesCredit Plan Dealer Manualfor all the details. Decide onthe person in your dealer-ship who should take the

than 15 minutes. You will receive a

If he did not purchase his “Yes,” “Maybe,” or “No” response.application information and assistyour service customer with the

Kawasaki on the credit plan, you The “Yes” and “No” responses are

can still offer him the benefits of the final; the “Maybe” means they needdetails. Once you realize thebenefits to your shop and to your

revolving credit card. more time to process the request.The credit limit is usually set at

customers, you will see a definite in-Here’s how easy it is to get crease in customer satisfaction and

your service customer on the plan: $500 if the card request was sub- service income.

Selling It Straight: The Right Oil For The Right Jobby Ken Ploeser, Technical Services

WHICH OIL TO USE is a questionasked by every customer you

have. The answer you give is impor-tant! We have found that some“failures” are directly related to the useof non-specified lubricants in Kawasakiproducts. Often, the blame is neitherwith the lubricant used nor the fault ofthe failed component. The problem issometimes the combination of brand ofoil used, operating conditions and thevehicle’s unique requirements.

We do know how the lubricantsrecommended in the owner’s manualwill perform; so, if a type of oil is notspecifically listed in the manual, thendon’t use it! This is especially true ifyour customer is experiencing a leak-ing problem or, worse, a mechanicalfailure on his Kawasaki. We may notbe able to honor a request for warrantycoverage if the lubricant used is not

specifically listed in the owners orother Kawasaki manuals.

Here are some examples ofproblems reported to the Hot Line:

1. ZG1200 Voyager final driveoil leaks: An oil leak from the finalgear case vent is caused by the oilfoaming and working its way out thevent hole. Advise your customers touse Kawasaki gear oil, API rated, GL-5Hypoid gear oil, P/N K61030-001.Don’t use any other brand unless ithas anti-foam properties equal to orbetter than the Kawasaki oil. Manyvent leakage problems have beenreported with other brands of oil thatdo not meet API GL-5 specifications.

2. All watercraft models: UseNMMA-certified TC-WII or BIA certifiedTC-W Kawasaki JET SKI@ engine oil,P/N W61020-101A. Rod thrust washerfailure, piston seizure, excessive com-bustion chamber deposits and prema-ture ring wear can result from using

oils other than Kawasaki JET SKI@ en-gine oil.

A High Performance JET SKI@ oilhas been developed for racing and ex-treme operating applications. This is anew product just introduced in the1989 Kawasaki Accessories Catalog,P/N W61020-103.

3. KX race bikes: Use KawasakiTwo-Stroke Racing Oil, P/N K61020-022A. Using a high grade of gasoline(race fuel) and Kawasaki’s two-strokeracing oil at the ratio recommended inthe owner’s manual will preventpremature engine bearing failure andpiston seizure resulting from lubrica-tion breakdown.

4. The KLF300-C1 4x4 front dif-ferential: Use API GL-5 Hypoid forlimited slip differentials, SAE 140grade. No lubrication-related problemshave been reported in the limited slipdifferentials. Let’s keep it that way byusing the right oil.

6 l K-Tech News

INSIDE TECH SERVICES

Hot Line Communicationsby Ken Ploeser, Technical Services

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR again:The weather is beautiful and your

s e r v i c eschedule isoverflowing.T h e H o tLine staff isalso verybusy. To in-crease the support staff numbersduring the peak season, theregional training instructors serve astechnicians and man the Hot Linephones. We have also addedanother phone line, increasing thenumber of incoming lines to nine.

You can help us serve you bet-ter. Call early in the day, and ob-serve the following six tips the HotLine staff recommends wheneveryou call ...

1 - BE PREPAREDGet all the information together

before you call-product identifica-tion, job codes, a clear descriptionof the prob-lem, etc. Ifyou feel thej o b y o uhave is aw a r r a n t yrepair, com-plete a warranty request form, fillingin all the blanks that relate to therepair. The Warranty Policies andProcedures Manual covers all thedetails. (Also, read the article onpage 12, “Is it Warranty?“)

2 - MAINTAIN A PHONE LOGMaintain a phone log listing the

calls yourservice per-sonnel maketo the HotLine. Includein it columnsfor both thelog numberassigned to your contact by the Hot

Line specialist and his name.(Record the log number on therepair order, too.)

The log number is used to trackinformation fogged against a framenumber by the Hot Line or Con-sumer Services. Providing us withthe log number lets us access anyprevious contact information.

3 - CUT DOWN ON CALLINGThe number of calls you make

to the Hot Line depends on manyfactors: How complete is your infor-mation about the problem? Haveyou read the technical support pub-lications relating to the product? Doyou have the unit apart yet? Haveyou done this kind of repair before?

Your first call may just be for“Technical Information and Assis-tance” on how to proceed with thejob. If you provide the necessarydata and warranty clearly applies,you may be issued a log numberand warranty authorization to finishthe job and submit the claim on thespot! The majority of problems canbe resolved in a single call-if youare prepared.

A key point to remember inmaking a warranty repair is that youshould look for the “causal part”-that part which “due to a defect inworkmanship or materials” makesthe repair necessary and qualifiesfor warranty coverage.

4 - DON’T MISLEADThe original repair order in-

structions should be written in sucha way that your customer is not mis-led into thinking the job is warranty,no matter what. One way to write upa R/O is as follows: “Possible war-ranty, diagnose for estimate, callcustomer.” Until the cause of thefailure can be determined, the workshould not be considered warranty.

If the reason a problem occursis not related to a “defect inworkmanship or materials,” the cus-tomer needs to be informed of the

cost to repairthe problem.You must ex-plain thereason theproblem isnot coveredunder warranty before the repairsare completed.

5 - BE ACCURATEWe make our decisions based

upon the accuracy of the informa-tion you provide and thus we workas a team to determine the bestcourse of action for correcting theproblem and pleasing the customer.

Upon completion of the warran-ty repair, tag and label the part(s).When the claim is paid, the partsbelong to KMC and are likely to becalled in for inspection by WarrantyAdministration.

Submit the Warranty Requestto KMC for review by your “ClaimsAnalyst.” The claims analystreviews the information, checks tosee that it matches the log, thenprocesses the claim. If there arediscrepancies, you will be notifiedby telephone or sent a status cor-rection form attached to the originalrequest form.

6 - IN SUMMARY ...We all

know thatthere ares i tuat ionswhich re-quire moretime and ac-tivity than wehave just de-scribed. Butheed thesefew simpletips and Hot Line phone time will beheld to a minimum, your claims willbe processed more efficiently and,best of all, you will be providing theefficient “after-sale service” yourcustomers expect.

The Technical Magazine l 7

TIPS FROM THE SPECIALISTS

Crankshaft Bearing Selectionby Ken Ploeser and Randy Davis

F ITTING CRANK BEARINGScan be a relatively easy

process. The extent of damage tothe crankshaft and rods will dictatethe procedure you follow.

At the initial diagnosis, look forforeign particles in the oil by filter-ing it through a cheesecloth ornylon stocking. This will indicatethe extent of contaminationthroughout the engine’s oil pas-sages. While the engine is apart,be sure to inspect and clean thecam bearings, oil pump, filterscreen, pressure relief valve, oilpassages, and any other placeswhere metal particles could “hide”in the engine. Of course you will bereplacing the oil filter and oil.

Some rod failures can be.remedied by replacing only thedamaged rod and its bearingwithout replacing any other rods orbearings. This is the case whenone rod is bent from a hydrauliclock or if the wrist pin bearingfailed. You may want to inspect theother rod bearings for wear

1. Crankpin 2. Plastigage

(depending upon the mileage ofthe unit), but it usually is not neces-sary to replace them. Some war-ranty repairs work out that way.Especially if only one rod failed,there should be no need to replacethe other three bearings or rods.

Be sure to inspect the thrustsurfaces and side clearances ofthe rods during reassembly. Selecta new rod that matches the weight

Crankshaft Side ClearanceStandard: 0.05 ~ 0.20 mmService Limit: 0.40 mm

1. Crankcase2. Measure here

3. No. 2 Journal

of the rod being replaced. This willminimize engine vibration. If theweight grade stamp on the rod is

Weight Mark Location

1. Big end cap2. Connecting rod3. Weight mark, alphabet

worn away, the original grade canbe determined by weighing the rodassembly. Then, refer to the ser-vice bulletin microfiche: Bulletin#MC 83-09 gives the necessary in-formation for determining theoriginal weight code.

Now for the bearing selectionprocess. Carefully follow the ap-propriate service manual proce-dures. The details of the processcould not be better explained thanin the manual! One item of con-fusion, though, is in the identifica-tion of the rod size. The size gradesymbol is the circle (or lack of thecircle) around the weight gradestamp on the rod’s big end. If thereis a circle, the rod is considered tobe “marked.” If the marks are worn

Size Grade Mark

1. Big End Cap2. Connecting Rod3. Diameter Mark, “O” mark or no mark

off or you are at all suspicious, youmust measure the bore of the rodwith a dial bore gauge.

The best way to obtain thecorrect final fit between bearingsurfaces is with all the new partsready and a selection of new bear-ing inserts available. If your partsdepartment does not stock a fullselection of rod and main bearinginserts, you will have to perform allthe measurements first. Then,order the bearing insert specifiedby the chart in the service manual.

1. Crankshaft Main Journal 2. Plastigage

You’ll need to Plasti-Gauge thenew inserts to verify the fit.

If you are unsure of yourmeasurements or you don’t havethe right measuring tools, it may bepractical for you to initially as-semble the rod for checkingclearance with Plasti-Gauge usingthe “black” sized bearing. In mostcases the “black” bearing is the in-termediate size. If this yields thecorrect clearance, no furtherchange in bearing insert size isnecessary. If it is incorrect, then

8 l K-Tech News

only one size change (up or down)will be necessary. An easy deal.

This is a process requiring alight touch and some previouspractice. The main thing is tosecure the crankshaft (or rod) fromrotating when you tighten the Plas-ti-Gauge strip between the bearingand journal. ANY movement willlikely give you a false reading.

These same basic proceduresare followed in servicing the mainbearing journals. The originalKZ1300 did not have “select fit”main bearings. In 1981 the bear-ings were made available. Use thelatest version of the servicemanual, (P/N 99924-1015-04) forthe new main bearing selection.

In the case of a failed bearing,a very. close inspection of thecrankshaft journal is necessary.Again, rely on the service manualprocedures for bearing sizing andfit. The oil passages in the crankneed to be inspected and cleanedbefore you measure the journals.You will need a micrometer ac-curate to plus or minus 0.001 mm.A digital type works best. Use adial bore gauge to measure the rodand engine case bores.

When you determine the cor-rect bearing inserts to use, careful-ly place the insert halves in their

respective locations in the rod orcase. On some models, a film ofmolybdenum disulfide grease is

1. Apply molybdenum disulfide grease. 3. Oil.2. Do not apply grease. 4. Big End Cap

recommended between the upperrod insert and the rod bore innersurface. This reduces the initial im-pact on the upper insert when thebike is first fired up.

A break-in period similar tothat for a new bike should be fol-lowed. You should recommend tothe customer that the bike bereturned for inspection and a pos-sible oil change within the first 500miles of operation.

If you need additional helpwith crankshaft servicing, call yourregional training instructor or theHot Line.

$$$Service Tips Contest Winners!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED to the K-TECHNEWS Service Tips Contest. The great response from technicians all

over the country made the selection process particularly difficult. But thejudges have finally made their decisions-two tips notable for the ways inwhich they make difficult tasks simple.

Congratulations to the winners, Michael Hughes and Jay Jacksonwhose winning service tips are presented below. Checks for $50.00 are inthe mail to each of you!

Winning Tip #1: From Michael Hughes, Service Manager, TucsonKawasaki in Tucson, Arizona:

“Occasionally I have had a Vulcan 750 refuse to develop oil pressureon initial fire-up during the A & P. Obviously, this is not good for the en-gine, particularly the hydraulic lash adjusters.

“Remove the oil pressure sending unit switch at the front left side ofthe engine. Place an oil pan under this area. Start the engine, watch foroil coming out. Shut the engine off as soon as oil appears. Reinstall thesender switch and wipe down any oil spill. This process bleeds the airfrom the oil galley, preventing any air lock from occurring.

“On 454 and 500 twins, a simple process is to unscrew the oil filter1/2-3/4 turn to bleed the air from the system.”

Winning Tip #2: From Jay Jackson,Service Manager, Mac's Cycle inClarkstown, Washington:

“When checking compression orpurging water from the engine on allJET SKI® watercraft models, ratherthan grounding the spark plug leads onthe cylinder head nuts, simply pressthe stop button and the start buttonsimultaneously. This prevents anysparks while the engine cranks overand will not cause any damage to theignition system.”

The Technical Magazine l 9

TIPS FROM THE SPECIALISTS

Exploring The Latest In Battery Chargersby Bob Carlson,The Carlson Company

BACK IN THE MID-’70s smallmotorcycle batteries were fre-

quently over-gassed with automo-tive and other inappropriate batterychargers, which were too hefty forthis industry’s needs. That’s when(and why) Christie introduced thefirst charger specifically designed

recover sulfated batteries bymeans of a controlled, elevatedcharging voltage. They help restorebatteries which, due to a sulfatedcondition, will not accept a chargefrom conventional battery chargers.And these new chargers work wellwith sulfated batteries which havebecome discharged due toseasonal or other prolongedstorage. (Note that if a battery is

for motorcycle service depart-ments. It could charge up to 10batteries at a time automatically, ata slow rate, and is still popular.

Why, then, is Christie in theprocess of expanding its chargerline with new products now? In aword: S-U-L-F-A-T-l-O-N.

Christie’s latest electronicchargers supplement a servicedepartments present chargingmethods with new and differentcapabilities. They are designed to

Bob Carlson founded the CarlsonCompany in 1972 to provideprofessional service equipment tomotorcycle dealerships. He is amechanical engineer and formerengine builder, and has been amotorcycle enthusiast since 1952.

These chargers help restorenormal battery chemistry by auto-matically providing a higher initialcharging voltage of up to 20 voltswhich breaks down the sulfation.This higher voltage is electronicallycontrolled and automatically shiftsto a normal charging voltage as the“sulfation barrier” is overcome.

Ordinary battery chargers can-not provide this higher controlledvoltage and cannot charge sulfatedbatteries. The new Christiechargers, however, provide simple,accurate current and time controlsnecessary for proper charging pro-cedures. Readouts include am-meter and voltmeter. The chargingtime can be pre-set to the desiredamount for up to two hours or thetimer can be put on “hold” forcharging periods exceeding twohours. When recovering a minimal-ly sulfated battery, the current con-trol knob is set at the “SulfatedBattery” position, which is a lowand safe current setting adequatefor most batteries.

The technician can easilydetermine if a battery is sulfated byobserving the ammeter andvoltmeter while attempting to in-

more than three years old and ap- crease current flow with the knob.pears mostly white with sulfation, itis a doubtful prospect for recovery.)

If a battery is sulfated, current willnot flow, indicating a high internal

CHRISTIE SULFATED BATTERY CHARGERChristie’s latestchargers canbring sulfatedbatteries“back to life”with anelectronicallycontrolled systemof high initialcharge (toovercome thesulfation barrier)and thenlower voltagefinal charge.

10 l K-Tech News

battery resistance. The ammeterwill remain virtually at zero and thevoltmeter will read higher than anormal charging voltage (ap-proximately 15 to 20 volts).

If a battery is not sulfated(charged or discharged), advan-cing the current control knob will in-crease the ammeter reading whilethe voltmeter remains at a normalcharging voltage.

Naturally, it’s important to beaware of the battery’s amp-hoursize before cranking in too muchcurrent. Once sulfation is over-come, these units work like otherconstant-current chargers thoughthey do not taper like some others.

The new Christie chargers canbe used as “quick-chargers” (atnormal charging voltage) when thebattery must be promptly returnedto service. Other chargers will like-ly damage the battery used in thismanner; with the Christie charger,quick charging can be done at acurrent setting equal to 30 percentof the amp-hour rating of the bat-tery (normal charging is at 10 per-cent). For example, if quick-charging a completely discharged10 amp-hour battery, you would setthe ammeter at 3 amps and chargefor 3-1/3 hours. The equipmentcomes with complete instructions.

These versatile chargers workwith 6- and 12-volt batteries, andhave Automatic Positive PolarityProtection. The Model C 1512 Shandles one battery at a time andthe C 1012/2 S handles two at atime. Dealer benefits include in-creased income potential and im-proved customer service/goodwill.

The equipment is warrantedfor one year parts and labor andcan be serviced nationally (and inCanada) by over 200 AuthorizedService Centers.

The Carlson Company is awell-known source for Christie bat-tery service equipment. Call (800)222-6199 for additional info or toplace an order. Mention the Sum-mer issue of K-TECH NEWS andfreight charges will be waived (offergood through August 15, 1989.)

Service Fuel Levelby Steve Rice, Technical Support Technician

THE SERVICE FUEL LEVEL ADJUSTMENT procedure for the ZX-10 andZX-7 is the same as all Kawasaki carbs–with one exception. The cartshould be held at the proper angle while checking the service fuel level inthe float chamber. Refer to Page 2-7 in the ZX-10 service manual and 2-8 inthe ZX-7 manual. The angle measured from the centerline of the venturi tohorizontal is 45 degrees.You will need the spe-cial tool for looseningthe float drain screw(P/N 57001-1269.)

The size and lengthof the level gauge tubingis critical in obtaining thecorrect service fuel levelreading. Be sure to usea 6mm I.D. fuel hose,300mm long. Don’t usebattery vent tubing; it’s Look through the gauge at the service fuel leveltoo small and will give a while holding it on the carb body.

false reading! Also, when observing the level in the tube gauge, take thereading from the bottom of the fluid meniscus (the curve formed by the fluidsticking to the wall of the gauge) and look directly through the gauge.

4x4 Limited Slip Differential Torqueby Ken Ploeser, Technical Services Instructor

HERE’S A QUICK WAY TO verify the limited slip differential clutch torque:1. Raise both front wheels off the ground.2. Slide the propeller shaft sliding joint off the pinion shaft.3. Remove the cotter pin from both front hub nuts.4. Secure one front wheel from rotating.5. Use a torque wrench on the opposite wheel hub nut to check the

amount of torque required to turn the wheel.6. Smooth rotation of the torque wrench should yield a torque value

between 69 and 115 inch pounds.7. Replace the cotter pins with new ones when you are done.If the measured value does not fall within the specified range, start the

diagnosis by inspecting the oil. What grade oil was used? It should be anAPI rated GL-5 Hypoid oil, of SAE 140 grade for use in L.S. differentials.

You may need to remove the differential for disassembly and internalparts inspection. Check out the article in the last issue of K-TECH NEWS fortips on quick R&R of the differential.

Police Bike Bluesby Randy Davis, Senior Technical Support Specialist

WE HAVE RECENTLY SEEN AN INCREASE in the symptom of poppingout of fourth and/or fifth gear in late-model police bikes. The fix for this is areplacement gear set for third, fourth and fifth gears on the input shaft. Besure to call the Hot Line for the part number and advice on how to proceedwith the repair.

The Technical Magazine l 11

REGIONAL NEWS

The Basics Can save YOU Time! by Fred DeHart

THE SERVICEDepartment cannever afford come-backs on jobs com-pleted. It is criticalduring the busyseason to insurethat every job iscompleted proper-ly. Comebacks cost

you time, and time is money. You can’tafford to do any repair job twice.

With this in mind, every professionalservice person should strive to make thefollowing basic procedures an instinctivepart of their working habits:

Make sure all the individual parts ofthe mechanism or system you are work-ing on are clean.

Inspect everything for wear ordamage, including all related parts. Youdon’t want to start putting an enginetogether and find you need another partyou did not realize was damaged.

Measure any part that you suspect isout of tolerance or worn. Check the shopmanuals for factory specifications. Everygood technician should have his ownprecision measuring instruments.

Use proper assembly procedures! If indoubt, check the shop manuals, call theHot Line technicians or your RegionalTraining Instructor. Remember to lubri-cate all moving parts. Use new gaskets,new seals and the proper sealants.

Torque every nut and bolt to its propersetting after you have cleaned them. Noone was ever born with a torque wrench

built into their arm. The only propertorque is the one measured with an ac-curate torque wrench.

Make sure after the job is complete,that all recommended vital fluids areadded. Engine oil, coolant, brake andclutch fluid, and gas cannot be forgotten.

Test ride the product! Make sure itfunctions properly and that no otherareas need attention.

Inform the customer of any additionalitems you could service while you havehis Kawasaki.

If these procedures become habit,comebacks will be practically non-exis-tent. It’s called professionalism.

Fred DeHart, 201 Circle Drive N., #107,Piscataway, NJ 08854, (201) 469-1221.

THE WAY A CUS-tomer is greetedsets the proper tonefor any transactionbetween you andyour customer. Howare your customersgreeted when theyenter your dealer-

ship? Here are some techniques thatyou should learn and then be sure allemployees are practicing:

1. Greet every customer that comesthrough the door. (And acknowledge himeven when busy with other customers.)

Greetings by Walter Rainwater

2. Always be courteous.3. Be polite; avoid spilling internal

problems in your customer’s lap.4. Show genuine interest in the

customer’s needs.5. Maintain a positive attitude; avoid

just “putting in a day” for a paycheck.Business is too competitive to let cus-

tomers walk away because they werenot greeted courteously and politely.Every time someone enters your store orcalls on the telephone, you should addhim (or her) to your Kawasaki “family.”

Never hesitate to do a little extra. Aparts counterperson, for instance,

should offer to special order any partthat is not in stock, rather than sayingonly, “We do not have it.” A salesmancould take a potential customer into theservice department, introducing him tothe service manager and the technicianwho would service his machine.

There are opportunities every day to“do something extra” for every customer.And the fact remains: The only repeatcustomers you have are those that likethe way they are treated in your shop.

Walter Rainwater, 6110 Boat Rock Blvd.S. W., Atlanta, GA 30378, (404) 349-2000.

“Is It Warranty?” by Ken Ploeser

THE BEST WAYT O a n s w e r t h a tquestion is to havethe vehicle disas-sembled with thecausal part in yourhand and the HotLine Technician onthe phone. How-

with KMC’s warranty policies accordingto the product warranty policy certificate.Inspect the unit. Has it been maintainedproperly? Check its service history. Askfor the warranty registration card.

determined the causal defect leading toa failure; you may not get reimburse-ment for the repair.

So, “Is it warranty?” you ask. Let’slook at item #2 on the warranty certifi-cate: Coverage: “Any material orworkmanship found to be defective byKAWASAKI (KMC) within the warrantyterm shall be remedied without chargefor parts or labor at any authorizedKawasaki dealer within the continentalU.S.” (now includes Hawaii).

We are all working very hard to im-prove customer relations and maintainour high level of customer satisfaction.Show your commitment: Be forthrightand up front with customers by informingthem of the warranty policies andcoverage at the time of sale. You are re-quired to provide the customer with acopy of the appropriate warranty policycertificate for any Kawasaki product sell-ing for more than $15.00, so turn the re-quirement into an opportunity to show offyour parts and service departments!

ever, this is not the way it happens, noris it always practical, so read on ...

First, the unit must be “eligible.” Intowhich Claim Type category will therepair fit? Claim Types 1 through 5 dic-tate the way in which you proceed withthe repair. The unit will need to fit thecriteria of one of these types of claims.

Second, the condition of the unit mustbe acceptable. You MUST be familiar

12 l K-Tech News

Manufacturing defects are covered. Ifyou can’t pinpoint the defect, though, orif you have any doubts, call the Hot Linefor assistance. Don’t proceed with arepair unless you are sure you have

Ken Ploeser, KMC, 9950 Jeronimo Road,Irvine, CA 92718, (714) 770-0400.