Hello custom fighters,
I joined your forum because I need some help with my kawasaki gpz 1100 A1 1983.
I own this bike since 1987 and had a lot of fun with it. The last six years I didn't ride it, left it in the garage and the engine didn't run for the last three years. Recently I thought of piking up riding again and pulled the bike out of the corner. Bought a new battery, new oil and air/oil filters, some new gas in the tank. After a few minutes it started up, but man did it smoke; there was a thick mist in the garage, could barely see the bike and gasped for clean air. Took the bike outside and went for a spin, clutch wasn't working properly, became better after a while. The engine was coughing, puffing and hissing all the time when riding. It even died on me a couple of times but started-up right after. On stationary idle there is no problem.
I'm still in love with the looks of this bike. (Had a look around but within my budget; nothing worthwhile)
So work to be done.
I need to replace the gaskets, the headcover one was leaking on the left front where the rubbers are on the camshaft end. There is smoke coming out of the exhaust when closing the gas, so new valve-oil-seals. Also new new ringsets for the pistons.
But what worries me the most is the badly running engine. Is this the injection in combination with the 'computer' not working properly?
In the past new oversized pistons were placed; to get it running properly a potmeter (vario resistor) was put between engine temp-meter and computer. On high revs I had to switch it off for proper performance; in city driving environment it had to on otherwise the engine would stall in the low revs. Inconvenient but I lived with it.
Does anyone know a better solution?
I read about the conversion to carbs, is that a solution to get rid of the 'computer'?
I could buy a donor-engine; a 1100 spectre '83.
I can't find any table of torque for any of the bolts on the bike. Does anybody have a list?
Do I need to take some special precautions when removing the cams and head?
thanks
pieter.

I joined your forum because I need some help with my kawasaki gpz 1100 A1 1983.
I own this bike since 1987 and had a lot of fun with it. The last six years I didn't ride it, left it in the garage and the engine didn't run for the last three years. Recently I thought of piking up riding again and pulled the bike out of the corner. Bought a new battery, new oil and air/oil filters, some new gas in the tank. After a few minutes it started up, but man did it smoke; there was a thick mist in the garage, could barely see the bike and gasped for clean air. Took the bike outside and went for a spin, clutch wasn't working properly, became better after a while. The engine was coughing, puffing and hissing all the time when riding. It even died on me a couple of times but started-up right after. On stationary idle there is no problem.
I'm still in love with the looks of this bike. (Had a look around but within my budget; nothing worthwhile)
So work to be done.
I need to replace the gaskets, the headcover one was leaking on the left front where the rubbers are on the camshaft end. There is smoke coming out of the exhaust when closing the gas, so new valve-oil-seals. Also new new ringsets for the pistons.
But what worries me the most is the badly running engine. Is this the injection in combination with the 'computer' not working properly?
In the past new oversized pistons were placed; to get it running properly a potmeter (vario resistor) was put between engine temp-meter and computer. On high revs I had to switch it off for proper performance; in city driving environment it had to on otherwise the engine would stall in the low revs. Inconvenient but I lived with it.
Does anyone know a better solution?
I read about the conversion to carbs, is that a solution to get rid of the 'computer'?
I could buy a donor-engine; a 1100 spectre '83.
I can't find any table of torque for any of the bolts on the bike. Does anybody have a list?
Do I need to take some special precautions when removing the cams and head?
thanks
pieter.
