1984 ZX900 Ninja winter project begins

[killingbugs]

We found this fine example of a first generation Ninja on Craigslist ad. It has been sitting for about 20 years, after the crash.
Most of the fairings have seen better days. So I'm checking craigslist and shopping.
It has a sticker from Staten Island Kawasaki, in New York anyone familiar with them??

I first pulled the crankshaft cover and made sure it would turn by hand.  YEP!
Added a new battery and she cranks over.
I have pulled the valve cover checked the valve clearance and installed stick coils from a C-14.
Next block off plates for the emissions stuff.
The carbs are soaking and will be ready soon.
The gas tank is BAD, so I think on what to do. Anyone every clean and seal a tank??

[killingbugs]

We found this fine example of a first generation Ninja on Craigslist ad. It has been sitting for about 20 years, after the crash.
Most of the fairings have seen better days. So I'm checking craigslist and shopping.
It has a sticker from Staten Island Kawasaki, in New York anyone familiar with them??

I first pulled the crankshaft cover and made sure it would turn by hand.  YEP!
Added a new battery and she cranks over.
I have pulled the valve cover checked the valve clearance and installed stick coils from a C-14.
Next block off plates for the emissions stuff.
The carbs are soaking and will be ready soon.
The gas tank is BAD, so I think on what to do. Anyone every clean and seal a tank??

[veefer800canuck]

Glad to hear the motor turns.

If there are any other problems which render the motor unserviceable, the later model Ninja 1000R motor slots right into the 900's chassis, FYI.

Here's some inspiration for you:

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://www.ac-sanctuary.co.jp/rcm/gallery/ninja/rcm165/&usg=ALkJrhia_FOR3YaY6Ydx3wFtmda9sfjapA

[veefer800canuck]

Or this one:

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://www.ac-sanctuary.co.jp/rcm/gallery/ninja_formula_package/rcm120/index.html&usg=ALkJrhjYUhB3l_DUNdG-1tdN78Ry8gohsA

[killingbugs]

Here is a pic of the stick coils installed

[mugwump58]

[scott19]

Up until late last year, my 85 ZX900, aka GPZ900R, aka 900 Ninja was my main ride. He it is on the Dragon a couple of years ago:



If I may impart some advice upon you:

1) join the GPZ900R forum at http://www.gpzzone.co.uk/gpzforum/ . You have to pay a yearly subscription and learn to decipher English slang, but there is no better source on the planet for advice and hard to find parts. Great bunch of people.

2) Get it running decent before you start modding it, otherwise you'll never have a baseline to know if it's really running right.

3) Following #2, I'd try my best to stick with the original airbox. The carbs are a bitch to get right without it, IMHO.

4) Have fun. It's a great, historically significant bike.

Parts aren't too hard to get. The engine is the basic same one as was in the original Concours, as well as the GPZ1100 and ZRX.

PM me with questions if you have them.    

[turnipbmw]

maybe things are different in the USA but that doesnt look worth working on !

a real nice clean one would be unlikely to make over $1500 over here.

good luck anyway !

[killingbugs]

Thanks for the encouragement Scott!!
Last winter we did a 1985 ZL900 (the same engine but I installed a Concours motor after freshening it up)
And I had a 1985 ZX900 Ninja a couple years back

Finishing up the carbs today, may start it Monday?

[scott19]

Wow, looks like you know what you're doing! Once I get my project car back on the road, I hope to start getting the Ninja back to it's original state and look as well. Have at it!
 

[killingbugs]

We have had this ZL1000 for 4 yrs.
Found it in a cow barn, it seems the gal bought it broken and he boyfriend was gonna fix it for her starter bike
But she changed boyfriendsand the new one didn't work on bikes.

Carbs are done. I will try to get them installed Monday. Did some painting on the motor and alternator

[killingbugs]

Well the carbs are cleaned and re-installed!!
Last night my 7yr old Grandson was able to help for a little while after homework!
We where working on the tank, I removed the gauge and petcock, and inserted 2 pieces of large chain.
Covered the holes with duct tape and shake well for a long time.
Then we used a strong magnet to remove the mettalic rust and scale.
He thought that was great!
The first pictures show the inside of the tank after the chain scrubbed some rust off
The second pictures is an envelope we used to hold the rust and scale that was removed.
Today I'm dropping it off at a shop to clean and seal the inside.

So now I can remove the exhaust and pull the oil pan and make sure there isn't any gunk blocking the pick up screen.
then re-fill with cheap 10w-40 and a new filter and I may start the motor.
But that will be a few days away, getting ready for Christmas and working are taking from my garage time.
This is the Greatest Season of All

[scott19]

If you get a chance, inspect the triangle shaped rubber bumpers/dampers in the starter linkage. Mine had disintegrated over time and, besides leaving shards of rubber all inside the engine of my first ZX900 (the black one above is my second), made me think my starter clutch was gone. Of course, I didn't realize this 'til after I replaced the starter clutch.      

[Meemuh]

Well the carbs are cleaned and re-installed!!
Last night my 7yr old Grandson was able to help for a little while after homework!
We where working on the tank, I removed the gauge and petcock, and inserted 2 pieces of large chain.
Covered the holes with duct tape and shake well for a long time.
Then we used a strong magnet to remove the mettalic rust and scale.
He thought that was great!
The first pictures show the inside of the tank after the chain scrubbed some rust off
The second pictures is an envelope we used to hold the rust and scale that was removed.
Today I'm dropping it off at a shop to clean and seal the inside.

So now I can remove the exhaust and pull the oil pan and make sure there isn't any gunk blocking the pick up screen.
then re-fill with cheap 10w-40 and a new filter and I may start the motor.
But that will be a few days away, getting ready for Christmas and working are taking from my garage time.
This is the Greatest Season of All

Double bonus!  A nice little rehab project AND quality time with the grandkid.
Sounds good to me!  Good luck.

[Meemuh]

Glad to hear the motor turns.

If there are any other problems which render the motor unserviceable, the later model Ninja 1000R motor slots right into the 900's chassis, FYI.

Here's some inspiration for you:

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://www.ac-sanctuary.co.jp/rcm/gallery/ninja/rcm165/&usg=ALkJrhia_FOR3YaY6Ydx3wFtmda9sfjapA

Or this one:

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://www.ac-sanctuary.co.jp/rcm/gallery/ninja_formula_package/rcm120/index.html&usg=ALkJrhjYUhB3l_DUNdG-1tdN78Ry8gohsA

Retro-purdy...

[killingbugs]

I got a little work done today.
Soaked the front brake calipers with brake cleaner, while I reassembled the boots between the engine and air box to carbs.

Went after the calipers with compressed air and blew the pistons out of caliper, cleaned everything up and re-assemblied them.
Drained the old oil and refilled crankcase. Repaired the broken wire I found on the fuel gauge.

Battery is on the charger, may hear it run Weds

[Meemuh]

And???