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Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

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Gray17
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Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

#1 PostAuthor: Gray17 » Tue Oct 07, 2025 9:11 am

Morning Guys, its been a while, thats because i re stripped the kawasaki down again, replaced the cam chain as Rob recomended, had Carburettors stripped and ultrasonically cleaned all new genuine Mikuni internals, new rubber fuel lines (this was one of the issues, wrong rubber prev used), new clutch plates , pivot rod, ball bearing etc.
All new gaskets a 2nd time. Tank re sprayed after disaster with E5 fuel blistering it. Looks mint!
So finally assembled everything, replaced oil and filter, connected up the battery, it fired up on choke immediately but 2 outer cylinders run perfect, 2 inners not so, the exhausts outers hot, inners luke warm only? Carbs all full of fuel checked with drain screws, sparks on all 4 plugs.
So im stumped, suggestions please.
Thanks
Last edited by Gray17 on Tue Oct 07, 2025 2:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

gray
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Re: Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

#2 PostAuthor: gray » Tue Oct 07, 2025 6:31 pm

2 inner cylinders - I'm thinking the coil that feeds those 2 cylinders as a starting point to look at. Are you on electronic or points ignition? If points, then the points ( gap, points surface and timing) or the condenser that feeds those 2 cylinders might be the next thing to check
gray

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Re: Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

#3 PostAuthor: zed9 » Tue Oct 07, 2025 9:49 pm

Try swopping cylinders 2 and 3 spark plug caps over you might have them wrong way round. One coil supplies cylinders 1 and 4 the other 2 and 3.

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Re: Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

#4 PostAuthor: zed1015 » Tue Oct 07, 2025 10:15 pm

zed9 wrote:Try swopping cylinders 2 and 3 spark plug caps over you might have them wrong way round.


Swapping caps won't make a difference.
Both 2 and 3 fire simultaneously with alternating wasted sparks.
It does sound like an issue related to that coil though.

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Re: Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

#5 PostAuthor: Gray17 » Wed Oct 08, 2025 2:27 am

Appreciate the replies Guys
In answer to question's yes its on electronic ignition, i did have a problem with the pick up magnet falling out but thats now resolved, ign timing is still spot on and the advance and retard free and working as it should. The bike also has the relay mod which ensures full batt voltage present at both coils. However i have disconnected this and tried without, but no difference.
Plugs have been removed and were both wet but not sooty, both 2 and 3 have good fat spark when held against cylinder head and engine spun over.
Theres great compression from those 2 cylinders too as there should be as engines had full rebore and new pistons etc.under tank wiring has been checked seems ok.
My next step as suggested would be to swop coils over and see if problem moves to cylinders 1 and 4 in which case its prob a dicky coil, or the pick up on that coil.
Thanks

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Re: Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

#6 PostAuthor: zed1015 » Wed Oct 08, 2025 7:49 am

If it's still got that Chinese ignition i'd get a proper Dyna 'S' fitted instead.

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Re: Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

#7 PostAuthor: gray » Thu Oct 09, 2025 6:20 pm

I tried the Wired george mod to give the coils full voltage and it melted them., 1 after the other. If you have a multimeter compare the resistances and continuities between the 2 coils - you should be able to do this without removing them. 1 of the coils might be on the way out, and reversing the mod won't make it better.
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Re: Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

#8 PostAuthor: gray » Thu Oct 09, 2025 6:22 pm

to clarify - resistances and continuities in each coil, and compare the readings between the 2 coils
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Re: Z900 A4 not running right on 2 cylinders

#9 PostAuthor: Gray17 » Thu Oct 09, 2025 8:27 pm

Thanks for replies.
First off ill check the coils as suggested on ohms to compare between the 2, but if i swop over the coils then surely fault will swop to cylinders 1 and 4 and cylinders 2 and 3 should run ok
Ill also check the ignition pickups again these can be swopped over as their identical. If ones failed then next step is replacement ignition, or refit original points and condensers back again.
Least ive now got things to try to establish whats causing it.
Will keep you all posted
Thanks


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