1976 KZ900: Dynamo Stator Cover Oil????

When I replaced the stator on my 82 GPZ1100 B2 a few years after I bought it, I asked at the dealer before doing the work and was told to lean it to the right and I'd have no problem. I did and was able to replace the stator with little to none oil leak.

Patton: Yup, same with my manuals... Oneof the reasons I posted thus insuring I didn;t screw something up or was looking at this all wrong...

Neither FSM otherwise mentions oil in the dynamo area or references anything about outcoming oil upon removing the engine dynamo cover.

Kawi Shop manual Oil Flow Chart...

And based off the OEM images above, I can't see where this Dynamo cover wouldn't have a considerable amount of oil... :S :huh: :dry: :blink: :woohoo:

In review of some other postings, how the hell where these cases dry is beyond me... I can understand KZ650 vs 900/1000 or KZ vs GPZ series... but some of the psoting depicted very lttile to no opil in them... :huh:

Ah well, thanks for the replies guys for now I feel a little more confident I didn't forget soemthing during the build out...

OMR

I wouldn't normally have bothered answering this post but it contains stuff that will get folks confused so let me chip my 2 cents in. FIRST, there ain't no oil seal on the crank on this end of the engine. Oil will fill the stator cover but not all that much unless you lay the bike over on that side (like in a pickup) OR have it on its side stand. The stator cover should have had the penetration for the grommet up on top rather than the lower pocket where it is located on all KZs. If you carry your KZ in the back of a pickup on its side, put the stator up. Next issue is HOW MUCH oil... guess if you had it on side stand a long time and pulled the cover, you would get between a pint and quart on the ground. This is normal. If you have it on side stand, you will get less but it will still be enough to make a mess as oil tends to fill that pocket towards the bottom rear of the cover. The MAIN reason discussion of oil in this area comes up is that the plug leaks. It is poorly located and should have come out the top of the cover towards the rear not in that pocket on the bottom. If you are engine building, make sure you use a new grommet with a silicon seal or other sealing goop of your choice. I generally use Permatex hi-temp copper because that stuff works for lots of small jobs and I generally have a tube or two on hand. You won't find an oil seal on that end of the crank but will on the other in the outer part of the inner points cover. That is why you don't get oil in the points cover but get it in the stator cover. Keith1 has already explained things well enough but I wanted to toss this in for emphasis. To all, Merry Christmas and have a blessed and peaceful New Year!

Yup.... there ain't no oil seal on the crank on this end of the engine. OR have it on its side stand.

The stator cover should have had the penetration for the grommet up on top rather than the lower pocket where it is located on all KZs.

Yup... As mentioned, grommet (BTW, I replaced with new) is not the issue...

Next issue is HOW MUCH oil... guess if you had it on side stand a long time and pulled the cover, you would get between a pint and quart on the ground. This is normal.

This is what I was looking for.... Thanks!

Another point this discussion brought to mind (above paragraph) is the conversion, front and rear tires are 1" vs. OEM front 18", rear 19". The original side kick stand was too long (bike sat too stright up, tobble over too easy)
so I had cut ~ 2" off the bottom and re-welded another ground plate.

All in all, it's lean angle may be a little more than normal which would account for the oil in this casing as well...

Sweet, thanks guys!

OMR

Hi guys,
I have the same oil drops issue on my KZ900 from the stator side and I might have an idea where it came from.

I just got this bike and I had an issue with some gas spill on the ground and migration in engine oil (app. 4 oz).  Still not sure why it happened but I found that the carburators floats were not equaly ajusted. (Waiting for new gaskets to re-install)

So, the engine oil level (plus gas) was over the glass window when I notice the issue: it was at normal level when I previsouly check. I drained some oil and notice the gas smell that explained the oil level increase. Note: I change oil after.
The previous owner mentionned that it had never leak before.

My guess is having excess oil level into the engine case will allow more oil to go in the stator area and to leak by the grommet.

I will let you knok if that was my cause and I just order some Hondabound also

Kaw-boy 900 wrote:

Hi guys,
I have the same oil drops issue on my KZ900 from the stator side and I might have an idea where it came from.

I just got this bike and I had an issue with some gas spill on the ground and migration in engine oil (app. 4 oz).  Still not sure why it happened but I found that the carburators floats were not equaly ajusted. (Waiting for new gaskets to re-install)

So, the engine oil level (plus gas) was over the glass window when I notice the issue: it was at normal level when I previsouly check. I drained some oil and notice the gas smell that explained the oil level increase. Note: I change oil after.
The previous owner mentionned that it had never leak before.

My guess is having excess oil level into the engine case will allow more oil to go in the stator area and to leak by the grommet.

I will let you knok if that was my cause and I just order some Hondabound also

As mentioned by most others in this thread, the stator cavity is NOT sealed off from crankcase oil, so, some oil into this area is perfectly normal.

If your bike is having charging system problems, get a new stator and a SERIES type R/R, like a Shindengen SH775.  That will solve your problems.

Not the stator cover rubber grommet is leaking, it´s the stator copper wire insulation.
The engine oil took the tiny passage, due to the adhesive effect, between the copper wire and the porously braided heat resitent insulation. You have to put some sealant to the copper wire in/ex port location of the insulation.

As Scirocco stated, Kawasaki used a braided over insulation then stranded copper 3 leads coming out of that rubber grommet on engine cover. But.. the rubber grommet Does shrink as well as the underlying insulation under the cloth over the span of it's life and become an issue. Won't see it on a non-running engine because static oil level won't reach this area but once the piston pumping starts easily recognized dribble on the floor.  That Grommet becomes a little brick, so a combination of shrinkage of grommet and it's inherent "weeping/wicking" oil passing around the wire cloth, ya got a leak. Especially if a lighter viscosity fuel contaminated the crankcase oil.  

When Im correcting that grommet leak I start with a new grommet. Like people have said the oil tends to weep past that seal due to the cloth cover that they used. You can buy a new harness as the old one is usually pretty oiled up. The kit comes with a new rubber grommet, 3 crimp connectors and the wiring and plug. I cut the three yellow leads to the coil leaving enough length to attach the new harness. maybe 5- 6inches. First I remove that cloth cover and clean the wires with brake cleaner. I then position strips of heat shrink on those wires where they go through the grommet which tightens up the fit between the grommet and the wires. I like to use a marine grade heat shrink as it has an adhesive which seals well. Once you test fit the grommet with the coil in place you can remove the coil and grommet, crimp the new harness in place and seal the wires to the grommet. I like to use a bellows adhesive used in the marine industry. I use it for a lot of things and is super sticky.
www.amazon.com/MERCURY-92-86166Q-1-Bello...a-571139943288&psc=1
The grommet has a flat side and a slightly dished side. I position the dished side toward the coil. I apply the sealer to the grommet and wires and work it into the center of the grommet and let it set up overnight. When I install the grommet I use the same sealer on the grommet and the side of the cover where the grommet fits. If you remover that cloth cover and use the sealer you should not have a leak.