[bkyser]

I have a stupid question. What kinds of problems would a broken "push" throttle cable cause? Is it possible that the bike would slow down too much and stall? I am waiting for my replacment cable, but wondered if it is possible to keep putting my bike back together, and fire it up to see if I fixed "the" problem. I cleaned and coated the tank, rebuilt the petcock, cleaned the carbs, replaced the manifold "boots", bought a new battery, changed the oil and antifreeze. I really want to put it all back together now, but don't know if I'll have to start removing parts to put the new cable in.... and If I'm asking for trouble starting it with the broken cable. Local shop has been taking a week to a week and a half to get parts, and I just ordered it this weekend, after deciding not to buy used from ebay.

Thanks
Bob

 

[Loran in Npvl IL]

A problem may be the motor will race and not decelarate without the "closing throttle cable". Another issue is you may have to remove the carbs to install the new cable.

 

[bkyser]

Not what I wanted to hear, but I'd rather know now, instead of putting it all back together, only to remove everything again.

So, I guess the "push" cable closes the throttle, and the "pull" opens it? I kind of assumed it worked the other way.

does anyone know for sure if I have to remove the carbs to put on the cable?
Thanks
Bob

 

[R.C. Taylor]

I have replaced the throttle cables without removing the carbs, it is not an easy task,but neither is removing the carb.
I made a hook from a iece of flexible wire, ran it around the hook-up on the carb. hooket to the end of cable and used needle nose pliers to turn the end of the cable into the carb hook-up.

 

[jdegreif]

The calbes are not too hard to do. Small fingers help though. I rode mine for months with the calbe broken with no problems at all. But if something does bind up then there would be no way to close the throttle.

 

[fergy]

I might be wrong here, but I believe that the "push" cable is there in case your throttle return spring were to break, giving you a way to throttle down without the spring in an emergency situation. At least that's the way it is on the KZ's I've owned, and have ridden them while waiting on a "push" cable, no problem.

 

[bkyser]

That was kind of what it looked like to me. The repair manual doesn't really go into this, other than how to lubricate it and a little bit about changing it. Anyone else have any experience with the push cable? I don't plan to ride it long term, and don't mind doing a little "gymnastics" to change it with the carbs on, but I've been chomping at the bit to at least start it, and maybe ride it around the neighborhood.... I also want to be safe. I recently retook my ABATE safety course, but it's been a LONG time since I was a regular rider, would like to safely ride around the block a few times for practice, while I wait for the push cable.

Anyone have any more information? I am a big fan of back up systems, and don't want to ride it like that long term, but I'm thinking that short easy cruises in the neighborhood should really not be a problem as far as the return spring breaking???
Thanks
Bob

 

[Loran in Npvl IL]

If you do put it back together, without the closing cable, you should be able to tell if there will be a problem before starting it. Without the bike running, work the throttle fully open and closed with the handle bars fully left, fully right, and in the middle. If the throttle seems to work normally, then you should be fine.

 

[loner]

Bought my '86 in oct. 2004 with no idea of what previous owners had been up to. Found upon isnpection that push cable was broken approx. 8 inches from the bottom end. Removed the old wire, ran a new one and soldered it to the old end-piece. Installed again without removing anything (a bit of a challenge but funny and not really that hard). Realised after a week that the end-piece had come off (bad soldering) and was just lying below. Don't know if it's smart but I've done nothing regarding the cable since then and there has been no problem whatsoever.

 

[fergy]

I rode my kz550 to work every day while I was waiting on new cables, with a push cable off the bike. I consulted an expert buddy of mine who's been biking since biblical times and he says that he looks at the push cable as a spare, if ever your pull cable breaks, you'll have an extra one with you. He says he never replaces the push cable if one goes bad, but that it's probably not great advice (liability) since someone somewhere thought it needed to be there.

So, it obviously doesn't matter if it's there or not to test the bike.

 

[Sky Rider]

You CAN replace both cables without removing the carbs from the engine. I just did both of mine after reinstalling the engine in the frame. Just make sure there is no binding in the pull cable and check for movement at the carb when you run the handlebars through their full range of motion.
As long as the spring return on the carb works, the pull cable is not really necessary but is a safety if the spring breaks. Test your bike and replace the pull cable when it comes in. If you haven't removed it yet, use it to snake the new one into position.