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Help ZXR250A1 issues to watch for?

Discussion in 'Kawasaki 250cc In-line 4's' started by banner001, Feb 5, 2018.

  1. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    Hi tarmac, I'm in North Nuneaton...so not far from you. PM me your phone number and I'll give you a bell. It would be excellent too if I could take some photos of your bike to see how a few cables and hoses route.
     
  2. kiffsta

    kiffsta Senior Member

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    Kawasaki used the box style swing arm on the early a models then went to the newer style you have on the later A models
     
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  3. Minimata

    Minimata Active Member

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    I had a ZXR250A and the only thing I was dreading replacing if required was the cam chain as could only source outside of UK and looked a pig of a job......

    Great little bike that I loved to bits and missed the minute I sold it and bought a Street Trip.... Have the Balius now so happy bunny!

    I may have a few bits lurking so will have a hunt around.

    WP_20140820_004.jpg

    It wasn't that well when I first got it either.....

    zxr10.jpg

    DK Spares in Stoke On Trent have a lot of stuff but make sure it is 250 parts and not 400 as plastics differ for example...

    Cheers
     
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  4. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    Cheers for all the assists people, i seem to recall a lot of Ebay ZXR250 spares coming from Stoke...might have to see what i can get me hands on now, and then go speak to them, see if they can cut me a deal on a job-lot...

    Also, the pictures like the one immediately are ideal for me, cable/pipe routing is the main thing, plus it always helps to have a few visual clues...though its pretty similar to the zxr400.

    I see you also espouse the philosophy of "no front brakes, for less rotating mass" :D
     
  5. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    As for the cam chain, i guess its similar to the zxr400, i.e. if you get it in the right place you can hook it on and off the crank sprocket and then feed it up the engine...
     
  6. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    Anybody interested in a zxr250 A1 to A2 service manual...keep your eyes on this space...I know a guy...
     
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  7. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    After much fudging of electrics the bike turns over on the button. Coils all look good, plugs are a good colour, carbs look filthy but should do the job. Needs fresh fuel and a bit of luck and it should give us a bit of life...has no airbox or exhaust yet though, so it won't be happy. Might loosely fit the exhaust at least.
     
  8. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    The current rats nest...
    26417182558_b690215870_b.jpg

    I dont have the key, so i removed the barrel and now use a screwdriver to turn it between the various points...
    40244610612_c0010261ac_b.jpg

    Ive also bypassed the starter lockout circuit
    26417179178_58ec4e847b_b.jpg

    The bike now turns over on the button :)D), but it wont fire up, i looked to see if i had a spark, didnt look promising, so could be duff coils or dead plugs (it has been satin a box for 13 years), ive got some known good zxr400 coils that should be basically the same, ill check the resistances of the current coils, and swap to the 400 ones if necessary.

    Can anyone with a 1989/1990 bike confirm if there is an ignition fuse, or something else like that that might be preventing power going to the CDI? thats the only other reason i can think of for having no spark.

    As for the manual, there used to be a site zxr250.com thats now defunct. I have been in touch with someone who lives a few minutes away from the previous site owner of zxr250.com...he should have an early manual, either as a pdf, or a physical copy. Failing that they are available on japanese auction sites for ~7000 yen/£45 plus shipping and taxes.
     
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  9. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    Progress, thought I had bypassed all the starter lockout pins...I was wrong. All I had done was bypass them, the CDI however was not getting the correct feed...grounded out the green/black wire and hey presto big fat sparks!

    I had prior to this pulled the coils and checked the primary and secondary windings, primarys are all good, but the secondarys were in the high mega ohms.

    So on one coil (ill do the other later today or tomorrow) I've replaced the HT leads and cleaned out the plug caps by disassembling them...plug caps 1 to 4 has gone from 45Mohm, to 22kohm...which is bang on what I should be getting and the reason for the fat sparks!!

    I still need to give the carbs a proper clean, but now there is no reason that it shouldn't run, it has timing, compression, sparks and fuel...am a happy banner :)
     
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  10. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    This is after cleaning them, the resistors are good, but there was a fair bit of corrosion on all the components, cleaned it off and watch the ohms fall...they will be like new now

    26445711008_b8143ba850_k.jpg
     
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  11. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    For anyone wondering how to regenerate your Coils and plugs...

    1. First undo the screw holding the HT lead to the coil.
    40296414472_72ffed3228_b.jpg

    2. Check your primary and secodary resistances, primary is between the two prongs you connect to your loom (should be 1-3 Ohms), secondary is between the pins that attach your coil to the HT lead (should be 13-20K Ohm).

    3. Check your existing resistance of HT lead and plug cap (your HT lead and plug cap should be essentially 0 Ohms, there is an internal resistor that should be 4.8 - 5.0K Ohms per plug cap). Plug cap to plug cap you should be expecting 5k Ohm + 5K Ohm + 13 to 20K Ohm = between 23 and 30K Ohm plug cap to Plug cap. Mine shown here is way above the 5K Ohm reading i should be getting so it needs cleaning.
    25469495167_0031700c3b_b.jpg

    4. Remove the rubber boot, plastic ring and plastic screw, keep these to one side.
    40296406602_382f889440_b.jpg

    5. Unscrew the plug cap from the HT lead.
    25469490337_123cc8b11f_b.jpg

    6. Clean the screw end of the plug cap with a very small metal brush, make sure to get rid of any damaged plastic, metal wires etc, and try to remove some of the corrosion from the screw. This can also be accomplished by screwing a piece of new HT lead onto the screw and then overtightening it, to rub the copper HT wire against the screw...
    39444010115_e576caee0d_b.jpg

    7. Next use a slotted screwdriver to remove the bottom plug, it shouldnt be too tight.
    39444253605_4f0f80f168_b.jpg

    8. Check the resistance of the resistor, clean any corrosion from the spring, resistor and base of the plug.
    Before:
    26469950718_5aefdc1f60_b.jpg

    After:
    40296399932_b79da713df_b.jpg

    9. Clean as best as possible and corrosion inside the plug cap, especially right down in the very bottom of the metal cup, where the spring sits.
    [ 39630258244_57b2f6bf89_b.jpg

    10. Check the resistance of the plug cap from the screw to the slotted plug...it should be 4.8 to 5.0K Ohms, if not, or if the reading is fluctuating more cleaning is required.

    11. Reassemble the plug cap, cut a new length of HT lead (a tad longer than the original so you can trim it to length when its on the bike is a good idea), put the rubber boot, plastic washer and screw end onto the HT lead, push it onto the spike inside the coil and tighten up the screw. Now screw the plug cap onto the end of the HT lead until its tight...measure your new plug cap to plug cap resistance and rejoice.

    This coil was better than the other one, still this coils plug cap to plug cap resistance has dropped from ~87K Ohm to 23K Ohm, both are now fairly equal.
    One coil:
    39630254324_c3e5faa69e_b.jpg

    The other coil:
    39444003615_ca24a69225_b.jpg
     
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  12. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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  13. beano

    beano Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    excellent post, love these how to's!!
     
  14. Murdo

    Murdo The Good Doctor Staff Member Contributing Member Ride and Events Crew

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    Very good, but you forgot to put the dielectric grease in the caps to stop further corrosion and help conductivity.
     
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  15. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    I've never found it useful on coils, unless the bike is in the rain all the time. A bit of dielectric grease doesn't stand up to the voltage too well. I use it in loom connectors though...
     
  16. my67xr

    my67xr Bike Enthusiast Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    I use Dielectic grease on the contact's of my COP coil's where it clip's onto the top of the spark plug's, that get's around 30,000V plus through it, i can still see it there now and they've been on my bike for 18+ month's now.
    I use it on all of my ignition connections and harness connections, inside switch's and on earth's etc

    [​IMG]

    I also use it on my cars' pencil coil's, they are well known for arcing out if a bit of moisture get's in there and i haven't had a problem with it since using Dielectric grease on them
     
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  17. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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  18. my67xr

    my67xr Bike Enthusiast Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    The link doesn't work for me.
    It might if i had a Flickr account ?
    You can upload pic's and video's directly from your phone or pc by using the 'Upload a File' tab in the middle down below this box
     
  19. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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  20. banner001

    banner001 Well-Known Member Premium Member Contributing Member

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    The last time it fires up was March 2005, so it's been a while, though I have good hopes for it.

    Am waiting on the authorities here to licence it to me as it has some dodgy history...hopefully that goes through, I can fix my ZXR400 and then get this little machine on the road.
     
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