Kawasaki GPZ400R Restoration - !Updated! -- Electrics

[squishio]

Hi All

I have just got myself a Kawasaki GPZ400R and am going to restore it as it is in a bit of a sorry state at the moment.


Got it of eBay for £325 it was a bit of a quick impulse sale, it was close by, it would be delivered, and it was fairly cheap IMO. (So no comments saying I got ripped off please J I’m happy with it so.

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Right.jpg

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Front.jpg

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/left%20engine.jpg



So that was how it came, the pics do make it look better than it really is.

I plan to completely strip it down and build it back up.

Current status:

Tank leaking – not sure where from but there is a screw with some filler in it so I am guessing that is it
- Brakes binding
- Carbs clogged up
- Only semi running on 1 cylinder (suspected due to the carbs)
- Dead battery
- Body work is shit, tank dented, lots of scratches and filler on her
- Suspension is cack
- Pretty much everything else just needs stripping, cleaning or replacing


Day 1 - Delivery Day

Got it out the van and pushed it into the front garden (with a lot of effort as the brakes are locked)
Once parked it started chucking it down

Once it stopped raining I stuck a new battery in it and hooked up a temporary fuel tank and tried to fire her up.
Nope. Wouldn’t go . After lots of backfiring and smoke I gave up as it just wasn’t going to happen.
So wrapped her up for the week until next weekend.










Day 2 - Down to Business

Pulled the carbs off and stripped them down one by one cleaning the float bowls, jets and the ‘slide side’
One of the ‘slide side’ covers has a hole in it not sure how or why but it has so I plugged that up with some silicone.

Once they were all back together I refitted them to the bike and attached my temporary fuel tank, and fired her up.
After lots of starting and going straight to red-line (I had flooded the carbs) I got it running reasonably well.
It idles quite happily but when revved it won’t return to a low idle.

Could this be because I need to balance the carbs?

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/All%20Four.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Four%20USD.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Left%20Output.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Left%20Pair.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Right%20Output.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Right%20Pair.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Slide%20Diaghram.JPG



Day 2 - Afternoon

Pulled off the brake callipers for stripping, cleaning and reassembly.
Took me a while to figure out how to get them apart but eventually realised that I needed to compress the pad locating bar bits, so using a G clamp I squashed them down and bingo I slid the pads out.

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Front%20Left%20caliper_old.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Front%20caliper%20assembled.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Front%20and%20Rear%20calipers.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Pistons_medium.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Rear%20Caliper_medium.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Stuck%20Piston_medium.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Assorted%20parts.JPG



The rear of the pads were horrible…

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Old%20Brakepad.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Old%20Pad%202.JPG


To get the pistons out I used an air compressor as suggested in my Haynes manual.
I put a rag infront of the piston to protect it incase it popped out.
The first one came out fairly easily, the second need some pursuation and eventually came out with a pop.

But the third (rear) was the one that was really stuck solid.
The piston was half in and half out so I tried with the compressor but that didn’t work so then I tried using one of these to force the piston back in just to get it moving.

https://z.about.com/d/homerepair/1/0/m/-/-/-/clamp.jpg

But still wouldn’t budge.

So I got my dad’s very old but very solid G clamps out to give it a go…

https://pro.corbis.com/images/42-18391675.jpg?size=572&uid=%7B71F7F62D-DEDF-45E9-8423-25C24667FA38%7D

And with a lot of pressure it went down.
Then I slightly shat myself as I thought I now had a calliper with a piston stuck right at the back and no way to get it out.

But after 20 minutes of sticking the compressor on it, it came out with one hell of a bang.



Now the 2 front callipers seem in pretty good condition but the rear has a problem in the form of a groove that the piston catches on…

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Stuck%20Piston.JPG



when I put the piston in it catches on the little ‘lip’ / groove displayed above.

This is where it gets stuck…

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Stuck%20Piston.JPG


however when you wiggle it, it does go down…

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Rear%20Caliper.JPG


Could this be an issue?
The grove goes round about a quarter of the cylinder.

I can get a replacement for £20 from a guy breaking a gpz on eBay at the moment but am not sure if I need it or not.

Comments?


Well that is as far as I have got, I am yet to re-assemble the front callipers.

I will be positing updates regularly for those interested.


Thanks,

Rich
____________________
Current - Hornet 600, Transalp 650, X140 Pit, GPZ400R
Past - SY125, GT250, GT650, CX400, CBF600, Bandit 600, SL1000, GT250

[SaffaChris]

Hi mate,

Good luck with the restoration... I'll be following it with great interest so please update it when you can!

I'm heading back to SA after being in the UK for 6 years, and I've got my GPZ400R in my garage waiting for me. Obviously there are going to be loads of issues after standing for 6 years, but it was running sweetly before that so hopefully it won't be too bad.

Chris

[ToGGoT]

Good luck with this mate! Looks like you've got your work cut out!

I've had an '89 GPX600R for a few months now, and although she is in slightly better state than yours i've still found loads of problems! I'm finding it a really good learning experience!

She'll be a beaut when shes finished!

ToGGoT
____________________
2005 BMW R1150R

[Thom]

A nice upgrade from the standard front disc calipers are those from a kr250 b2. they bolt straight on and give you an extra piston on both sides

got them on my GPX400.
____________________
Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[MarJay]

I believe G has an FX400R which has the same engine and running gear as the GPX. He may be willing to sell it for spares if you ask him nicely...
____________________
British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[russeleoin]

Hi there Squishio. How cool, I bought a GPz 400R last week. It is black but just like yours, same nic by the looks of things as well. Mine has been standing since 10/04 and is at the moment a non runner. I stripped off the fairing, tank and seat today but didnt take any pictures. I will start doing so from tomorrow.
I am looking forward to your updates, hell I hope to learn from your rebuild.
Regards
Russ

[squishio]

Right!

Sorry for the delay in updating!



Quite a lot has changed now since my previous post.

The bike is completely stripped minus the wiring, frame and engine.

And this is how it looks now…

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Strip%205%20no%20body.jpg


so everything stripped off I am now getting bits ready to get powder coated and painted.






My source for parts for far has been:

Wemoto
eBay
Tastynuts.co.uk
https://homepage.ntlworld.com/steven.cooper2/GPZ400R_list.html




Here are all of my parts and tools I have bought specifically for this project…





Morgan Carbtune II - eBay for £38

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Carbtune%20II_medium.JPG



Pro-Bolt (tastnuts) stainless engine casing kit

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/ProBolt%20Engine%20Casing%20Pack_medium.JPG


Pro-Bolt (Tastynuts) aluminium fairing bolt kit

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/ProBolt%20Fairing%20Bolt%20Pack_medium.JPG



Clutch Cable

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Clutch%20Cable.JPG



Speedo Cable

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Speedo%20Cable.JPG


Magnetic Sump plug

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Magnetic%20Sump%20Plug.JPG


Fork oil seals

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Fork%20Oil%20Seals.JPG


Fork Dust seals

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Fork%20Dust%20Seals.JPG



Stearing Bearings

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Steering%20Bearings.JPG

Front + Rear wheel bearings

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Wheel%20Bearing.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Wheel%20Bearings.JPG



EBC front and rear pads

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/EBC%20Brake%20Pads_medium.JPG





Pictures from the stripping process…

At this point I had that annoying moment where you suddenly have the urge to rat/fighter a bike…

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Strip%202_medium.jpg

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Strip%203_medium.jpg

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Strip%204%20no%20Body_medium.jpg

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Strip%205%20no%20body_medium.jpg

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Strip%20Parts_medium.jpg

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/strip%201_medium.jpg

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Tank%20and%20Seat%20off.JPG

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/strip%201_medium.jpg




Once it was all stripped to just the frame and engine I requested my dads assistance to help me move it to the side of the garden out of the way.
Big mistake – queue a massive argument about the best way of moving it etc

So there I am left to move this thing myself which is how it ended up like this…



https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Strip%20Fail_medium.jpg



Eventually I managed to get it steady and it is now sitting on a few blocks of wood.




So now to dealing with the parts I removed…

The exhaust is pretty nasty…


https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Rusty%202_medium.jpg


https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Rusty_medium.JPG






The plan was to get the pipes blasted and fit a pair of slip-on’s onto them, but the rust has gone all the way through in places so I am looking for a replacement stainless system now but this is proving difficult with such a unpopular bike no one stocks or advertises replacement headers apart from Nexxus but I think theirs is fugly.

I just won these of eBay for £105 which I think is really good…



https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/blueflame_overall.JPG


https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/blueflame_ports.JPG




They were described as “blueflame” I am yet to find out if they are actually blueflame or just described due to the burn effect on them.

The plan is to stubby them not massively but I don’t like really long cans so they will be cut down a bit.


I now have a box of bits ready to go the blasters and get powder coated.

These also just arrived…


https://richphoto.focusvpn.com/kawasaki/Kawasaki/Clocks/new_speedo.JPG

The original speedo was in kmh and had been poorly painted silver at some point…


https://richphoto.focusvpn.com/kawasaki/Kawasaki/Clocks/DSC_0289.JPG




I just started painting one of the front brake callipers aswell.
I bought some black “Savage calliper paint”


https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Caliper%20Paint_medium.JPG

The kit consists of;

1x cheap paint brush
1x aerosol cleaner
1x 250ml pot of black paint



https://richphoto.focusvpn.com/kawasaki/Kawasaki/Brakes/DSC_0430.JPG




I lightly sanded the calliper just to give the paint something to grip, gave it a thorough clean with the spray then painted.

So far it has had 2 coats.
The paint is quite runny so it is easy to not get brush marks which is good however if you put it on too thickly it runs and you get drip marks which is annoying.

But the finish is pretty nice, very glossy…

https://www.gpz400r.co.uk/pictures/Painted%20Caliper_medium.JPG






I also just ordered some paint!!!

https://www.specialistpaints.com/image_uploads/large/Candy_Green.jpg

I ordered some silver base and can of apple green ‘candy’ paint

Got it from….

https://www.specialistpaints.com/product_display.php?product_id=4


Not set on it but wanted to see what is was like so why not.

I’m also tempted to try the “orange candy” as well….



https://www.specialistpaints.com/image_uploads/large/Orange_Candy_2.jpg



But I quite want to stick with Kawasaki green.






So that is pretty much where I have got to so far.

I will hopefully be going to the powder coaters this week so will update when all that is done.
____________________
Current - Hornet 600, Transalp 650, X140 Pit, GPZ400R
Past - SY125, GT250, GT650, CX400, CBF600, Bandit 600, SL1000, GT250

[squishio]

[squishio]

[michaelnabbi]

have just had mine painted in candy orange over a high flash met silver was described as met tango orange if the green is any thing like as nice as the orange you will be well happy
____________________
the faster you go the harder you fall !! you have been warned

[squishio]

arrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhh......

https://richphoto.focusvpn.com/Random%20pics/homer.jpg


That paint looks sooo nice. did you do it yourself or in a spray shop?

I want to do mine myself with spray cans but keep having doubts it will look good (as good as yours)
____________________
Current - Hornet 600, Transalp 650, X140 Pit, GPZ400R
Past - SY125, GT250, GT650, CX400, CBF600, Bandit 600, SL1000, GT250

[michaelnabbi]

had mine done by a mate is a spray shop still have half a litre of both base and candy left paint only cost me £60 for both and a good night out for the spraying
____________________
the faster you go the harder you fall !! you have been warned

[warped one]

I must say they really are gorgeous bikes, crazymotorbiker totally rebuilt, much like you are.

IMO - They are one of the last bikes built by Kwak with real character, and they just sound the nuts. With looking quite mean aswel.

Cheers

Warped
____________________
amnesia - Never in the history of usernames has one been more accurate. Warped indeed. You sir are a fecking oddball.

[russeleoin]

Hi Rich, ja I took some pictures today and started a bit of cleaning. Having a look at your exhausts they are in a bad way, mine seem okay but I do have the dreaded nexxus 4 into 1. I did find that the water overflow tank had been up against the pipes and has a hole burnt in it. I have also seen that one of the water pipes feeding from the head has no bolt holding it. Suddenly I am worried about head gaskets and the like( why was the bike parked up??) Anyway, I will open a new thread and post some pictures.

Russ

[squishio]

Hi Russ

Hmmm not good news on your tank

This guy....

https://homepage.ntlworld.com/steven.cooper2/GPZ400R_list.html

has got a coolant tank you could use.
I bought a replacement petrol tank from him which he sent quickly so he is a legit seller.


I started stipping down my wheels today to get them ready for powder coat

The front went perfectly but on the rear one of the disc bolts sheared !!!!!!!!!



So once it had broken I got the extractor set out.
I think when I started I new it wasn't going to work as the force I put on the bolt to un-do it was so great it was inevitable to snap the extractor.



Step 1.

Drill hole in bolt...


https://www.rdphoto.co.uk/pictures/Bolt%20Drilled_medium.JPG




Step 2.

Screw extractor into bolt...

https://www.rdphoto.co.uk/pictures/Extractor_medium.JPG




Step 3.

Break extractor...

https://www.rdphoto.co.uk/pictures/Snapped%20Extractor_medium.JPG




Step 4.

Attempt to drill out extractor...

Fooking impossible, well with my drill bit anyway, the extractor metal is so hard the drill didn't make a scratch


Step 5.

Take a hammer, chisel and a cheap screw driver and wack a groove into the top of the stuck bolt....

https://www.rdphoto.co.uk/pictures/Chisseled%20Bolt_medium.JPG

https://www.rdphoto.co.uk/pictures/Slot%20in%20bolt_medium.JPG


My mistake as I am sure you will all point out is that the extractor was too small.
Well you're right, but I do think the same would have happened if I had used a larger one.


I am hopefully going to be buying a mig welder tomorrow and my plan is to (again hopefully) weld a screw driver into the slot I made and try and get it out like that. The screw driver I have in mind has a hexagonal shaft so I will be able to put a spanner on it to turn it.

Another option will be to take another bolt of similar size, grind the end down so it fits into the slot like a screw driver would then weld that onto the stuck bolt.





The problem with this is...
I am not very experienced at welding.
I have made a few stell boxes and such but nothing particularly accurate.

I have tried drilling it out completely so I can just tap out the remaining bolt but the end of the extractor that is stuck in the middle is making it impossible.


The other option if tomorrows welding fails is to buy a new wheel.
There are a few on eBay at the moment for around £30/40 so not a huge loss but it is all starting to add up.




On another note, I have just had a look at the belly pan and on the left side where the exhaust exits the pan it is melted quite badly

Not sure if this was a flaw in the design or something was bent out of shape.
But I'm going to try and sand it and smooth it out.
____________________
Current - Hornet 600, Transalp 650, X140 Pit, GPZ400R
Past - SY125, GT250, GT650, CX400, CBF600, Bandit 600, SL1000, GT250

[squishio]

[SaffaChris]

Good progress mate!

How similar is the 600R to the 400R, with regards to components? I need to pick up a few bits... brake caliper seals, fork seals, filters, clutch cable, speedo cable etc... are they the same on the 600?

Thanks!
Chris

[russeleoin]

Had a couple of hours today so took the air box off. Slathered the whole bike in gunk, left it for an hour then pressure washed it all off. Thank God for karcher!. So once it was clearer(still bloody dirty) I rigged up a temp tank, and jumpstarted it from the car. Couple of revs, a bit of choke and it started. Bit lumpy for about 2 minutes then settled into a smooth idle. Reved it a bit and it seemed okay, but it is definitly only firing on 1 and 2. Pipes 3 and 4 were cold to the touch after about 7 minutes running( touched 4, then 3 and then grabbed 2, shit it was hot!) Anyway, I stopped there.

Here is the question, I assumed that it was not coil or plugs as they are split( left hand coil powers plug 1 and 3 etc) so it must be fuel? Is that a valid assumption?

Oh and BTW how do I post pictures like you have? I tried and kept loosing my post so I gave up last night.

Regards

[squishio]

[squishio]

[virus]

[squishio]

[SaffaChris]

[squishio]

I got DR9EIX

that is the iridium version not sure on the original model no.

I'll have a look at one of my old plugs tonight and let you know.

But DR9EIX will do the job (supposedly better than a standard spark plug.

Rich
____________________
Current - Hornet 600, Transalp 650, X140 Pit, GPZ400R
Past - SY125, GT250, GT650, CX400, CBF600, Bandit 600, SL1000, GT250

[Welshd1k]

will a zxr400 exhaust system work ?
____________________
Current >Cb600fx hornet, ns125rk90 21.7bhp@wheel<
Sold >,zxr400 h2 (33bhp kit) rd350 n1 rd350 lc2<