1983 KZ440 LTD starter removal

New member here. My starter died and trying to figure out why the starter cover on the left site has a springy resistance while trying to remove it. Even if it is cocked at an angle it feels like a spring is holding it in. Pull on it and it just pulls itself back. Don’t want to damage anything. It doesn’t feel like a suction type pull back. Yes, the shifter and shifter cover were removed in case you were wondering.

You are asking about the small, rectangular, chrome cover on top of the transmission, right? Remove the two screws, and it should pop off easily. Perhaps a previous owner put some sealer on it.

See page 74 for the procedure.
www.kzrider.com/modules/ServiceManuals/kz440.pdf

There is a gasket under the cover that could be sticking.
The two bolts are all that is holding the cover in place.


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I am talking about the cover in my photo that has the Kawasaki emblem on it. After removing all the screws from the cover and pulling it off about an inch, something that feels like a spring is pulling it back. The gasket remained on the engine case so it’s not the gasket. It’s not like a suction pull like a shaft in a bore, Even if I cock it on an angle about 2 inches on one side it wats to pull itself in towards the engine case.

The cover I am talking about is the one in my photo that has the Kawasaki emblem on it. After removing all the screws and I can pull it off about an inch and then the cover pulls itself back towards the engine case like a spring is pulling on it. It’s not like a suction pull like a tight fitting shaft in a bore. Even if I cock it about 2 inches on one side it just wants to pull itself back. Just to be clear, the chrome rectangular starter cover, the (2) starter bolts, the shifter lever and shifter lever cover have been all removed.

That's your generator cover; there are magnets in there.

Thanks, but I am talking about the left hand cover shown in my photo that has the starter gear and starter clutch behind it. The shifter lever and shifter lever cover have been removed, it’s just the adjoining cover I am referring to.

You can lead a horse to water……..

Yes, I know. You said "The cover I am talking about is the one in my photo that has the Kawasaki emblem on it". That is the generator cover. There are also two wires running to the generator/alternator.

Go here and look at pages 71-72 in the manual: kzrider.com/modules/ServiceManuals/kz440.pdf

Observe that the end of the starter is also under that cover.

I have looked at that before and after looking at the exploded view drawing again I now figured that it is the alternator wire lead grommet causing the resistance (that springy feeling) as I had not removed the alternator wire grommet off of the housing. I know feel like an idiot. Thanks so much for your help!