Troubleshooting

Engine Doesn't Start, Starting Difficulty

Starter motor not rotating
  • Starter motor defective
  • Battery voltage low
  • Relay not contacting or operating
  • Starter button not contacting
  • Wiring open or shorted
  • Ignition switch defective
  • Engine stop switch defective
  • Engine stop switch off \
  • Fuse blown
Starter motor rotating but engine doesn’t turn over
  • Starter motor clutch defective
Engine won’t turn over
  • Valve seizure
  • Cylinder, piston seizure
  • Crankshaft seizure
  • Connecting rod small end seizure
  • Connecting rod big end seizure
  • Transmission gear or bearing seizure
  • Camshaft seizure
  • Kick starter return spring broken
  • Kick ratchet gear not engaging
No fuel flow
  • No fuel in tank
  • Fuel tap turned off
  • Tank cap air vent obstructed
  • Fuel tap clogged
  • Fuel line clogged
  • Float valve clogged
Engine flooded
  • Fuel level too high
  • Float valve worn or stuck open
  • Starting technique faulty (When flooded, kick with the throttle fully open to allow more air to reach the engine.)
No spark; spark weak
  • Ignition switch not on
  • Engine stop switch turned off
  • Battery voltage low
  • Spark plug dirty, defective, or maladjusted
  • Spark plug cap or high tension wiring defective
  • Spark plug cap not in good contact
  • Contact breaker points dirty or damaged
  • Contact breaker point gap maladjusted
  • Capacitor defective
  • Ignition coil defective
  • Ignition or engine stop switch shorted
  • Wiring shorted or open
Compression low
  • Spark plug loose
  • Cylinder head not sufficiently tightened down
  • No valve clearance
  • Cylinder, piston worn
  • Piston rings bad (worn, weak, broken, or sticking)
  • Piston ring/land clearance excessive
  • Cylinder head gasket damaged
  • Cylinder head warped
  • Valve spring broken or weak
  • Valve not seating properly (valve bent, worn, or carbon accumulation on the seating surface)

Poor Running at Low Speed

Spark weak
  • Battery voltage low
  • Spark plug dirty, defective, or maladjusted
  • Spark plug cap or high tension wiring defective
  • Spark plug cap shorted or not in good contact
  • Incorrect spark plug heat range
  • Contact breaker points dirty or damaged
  • Contact breaker point gap maladjusted
  • Capacitor defective
  • Ignition coil defective
Fuel/air mixture incorrect
  • Pilot air screw and/or idle adjusting screw maladjusted
  • Pilot jet, or air passage clogged
  • Pilot jet bleed holes clogged
  • Air cleaner clogged, poorly sealed, or missing
  • Choke valve closed
  • Fuel level too high or too low
  • Fuel tank air vent obstructed
  • Carburetor holder loose
  • Air cleaner duct loose
Compression low
  • Spark plug loose
  • Cylinder head not sufficiently tightened down
  • No valve clearance
  • Cylinder, piston worn
  • Piston rings bad (worn, weak, broken or sticking)
  • Piston ring/land clearance excessive
  • Cylinder head gasket damaged
  • Cylinder head warped
  • Valve spring broken or weak
  • Valve not seating properly (valve bent, worn, or
  • carbon accumulation on the seating surface)
Other
  • Ignition timing maladjusted
  • Timing not advancing (spring broken or stretched)
  • Throttle valve doesn’t slide smoothly
  • Engine oil viscosity too high
  • Brakes dragging
Poor Running or No Power at High Speed

Firing incorrect
  • Spark plug dirty, defective, or maladjusted
  • Spark plug cap or high tension wiring defective
  • Spark plug cap shorted or not in good contact
  • Incorrect spark plug heat range
  • Contact breaker points dirty or damaged
  • Contact breaker point gap maladjusted
  • Capacitor defective
  • Ignition coil defective
  • Ignition timing maladjusted and or timing not advancing
Fuel/air mixture incorrect
  • Main jet clogged or wrong size
  • Jet needle or needle jet worn
  • Jet needle clip in wrong position
  • Fuel level too high or too low
  • Air bleed pipe bleed holes clogged
  • Air cleaner clogged, poorly sealed, or missing
  • Air cleaner duct poorly sealed
  • Choke valve closed
  • Water or foreign matter in fuel
  • Carburetor holder loose
  • Air cleaner duct loose
  • Fuel tank air vent obstructed
  • Fuel tap clogged
  • Fuel line clogged
Compression low
  • Spark plug loose
  • Cylinder head not sufficiently tightened down
  • No valve clearance
  • Cylinder, piston worn
  • Piston rings bad (worn, weak, broken, or sticking)
  • Piston ring/land clearance excessive
  • Cylinder head gasket damaged
  • Cylinder head warped
  • Valve spring broken or weak
  • Valve not seating properly (valve bent, worn or carbon accumulation on the seating surface.)
Knocking
  • Ignition timing maladjusted
  • Carbon built up in combustion chamber
  • Fuel poor quality or incorrect
  • Incorrect spark plug heat range
Miscellaneous
  • Throttle valve won’t fully open
  • Throttle valve doesn’t slide smoothly
  • Ignition timing maladjusted
  • Timing not advancing
  • Brakes dragging
  • Clutch slipping
Overheating


Firing incorrect
  • Spark plug dirty, damaged, or maladjusted
  • Incorrect spark plug heat range
  • Ignition timing maladjusted
Fuel/air mixture incorrect
  • Main jet clogged
  • Fuel level too low
  • Carburetor holder loose
  • Air cleaner poorly sealed, or missing
  • Air cleaner duct poorly sealed
  • Air cleaner clogged
Compression high
  • Carbon built up in combustion chamber
Engine load faulty
  • Clutch slipping
  • Engine oil level too high
  • Engine oil viscosity too high
  • Brakes dragging
Lubrication inadequate
  • Engine oil level too low
  • Engine oil poor quality or incorrect
Clutch Operation Faulty

Clutch slipping
  • No clutch lever play
  • Friction plates worn or warped
  • Steel plates worn or warped
  • Clutch springs broken or weak
  • Clutch release maladjusted
  • Clutch cable maladjusted
  • Clutch inner cable catching
  • Clutch release mechanism defective
  • Clutch hub or housing unevenly worn
Clutch not disengaging properly
  • Clutch lever play excessive
  • Clutch plates warped or too rough
  • Clutch spring tension uneven
  • Engine oil deteriorated
  • Engine oil viscosity too high
  • Engine oil level too high
  • Clutch housing frozen on drive shaft
  • Clutch release mechanism defective
Gear Shifting Faulty

Doesn’t go into gear; shift pedal doesn’t return
  • Clutch not disengaging
  • Shift fork(s) bent or seized
  • Gear(s) stuck on the shaft
  • Shift return spring weak or broken
  • Shift mechanism arm spring broken
Jumps out of gear
  • Shift fork(s) worn
  • Gear groove(s) worn
  • Gear dogs, dog holes, and/or dog recesses worn
  • Shift drum groove(s).worn
  • Shift drum positioning pin spring weak or broken
  • Shift fork pin(s) worn
  • External shift mechanism arm spring weak
  • Drive shaft, output shaft, and/or gear splines worn
Over shifts
  • Shift drum positioning pin spring weak or broken
Abnormal Engine Noise

Knocking
  • Ignition timing maladjusted
  • Carbon built up in combustion chamber
  • Fuel poor quality or incorrect
  • Incorrect spark plug heat range
  • Overheating
Piston slap
  • Cylinder/piston clearance excessive
  • Cylinder, piston worn
  • Connecting rod bent
  • Piston pin, piston holes worn
Valve noise
  • Valve clearance incorrect
  • Valve spring broken or weak
Other noise
  • Connecting rod small end clearance excessive
  • Connecting rod big end clearance excessive
  • Piston ring(s) worn, broken, or stuck
  • Piston seizure damage
  • Cylinder head gasket leaking
  • Exhaust pipe leaking at cylinder head connection
  • Crankshaft run out excessive
  • Engine mounts loose
  • Crankshaft bearings worn
  • Camshaft chain tensioner defective
  • Camshaft chain, sprocket, guides worn
  • Camshaft chain requires adjustment
  • Starter motor chain worn
  • Loose dynamo flywheel
Abnormal Drive Train Noise

Clutch noise
  • Clutch damping rubber deteriorated
  • Clutch housing/friction plate clearance excessive
Transmission noise
  • Bearings worn
  • Transmission gears worn or chipped
  • Metal chips jammed in gear teeth
  • Engine oil insufficient or too thin
  • Kick ratchet gear not properly disengaging from kick gear
Drive chain noise
  • Drive chain adjusted improperly
  • Chain worn
  • Rear and/or engine sprocket(s) worn
  • Chain lubrication insufficient
  • Rear wheel misaligned
Download Kawasaki KZ 200 Manual Service Book

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