Kawasaki LTD 440

Hi.

A friend of mine has a Kawasaki LTD 440 that hasn't been started in 12
years. Does anyone know how I should proceed in starting this bike?

Alberto

 

shot of light oil into each cylinder before you start it.

 

Me, I just installed a used engine that sat for
who knows how long. What I did was squirt some
oil in through the spark plug holes and put new
oil in the crankcase. Then for about a week,
while I was fiddling with the vacuum hoses, I
cranked the engine without gas or spark plugs
just to lubricate everything.
My 2 cents...
AL

 

Make sure you pull the carbs and clean them out, did I mention make sure
they are clean. Don't forget the air screw. Do a compression check now and
again after you have gotten it running for a while. Oh and make sure the
carbs are clean, did I mention that.
I had a LTD750. great compression, did the valve adjustment but could not
get it to produce any power. turns out the rings had collected all the crap
off the cylinder walls and stuck into their glands. Removed engine and
pulled cylinders. cleaned and freed up rings, a quick cylinder hone and it
ran like new. After synching the carbs of course. Good Luck

 

Squirt of oil down the cylinders, turn it over with the plugs out, new
fuel, new plugs, new battery, and see what happens.

If it then runs sweetly, leave it alone.

If it runs roughly, if there's been any fuel left in the carbs, you've
got gummed-up carbs and you may have a terrible job. Simply cleaning and
blowing through the jets often is not enough - you need to strip them
right down to the last component, and maybe have them ultrasonically
cleaned.

Seriously - modern lead-free fuels leave a terrible residue and it
collects in all the galleries and nooks and crannies.

If you have the carbs cleaned and it then runs fine, leave it alone.
Only start tearing the engine down if it smokes, rattles or misbehaves
elsewhere. In other words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

Dear God. Go and *buy* one.