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79 Invader 440

17K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  1100saber 
#1 ·
I just purchased a 1979 Kawasaki Invader 440 L/C as a little side project. It was running last year and then put in storage. He lost the key so I only paid $100 bucks for it but its complete and he said she runs. Are there any tips I need to know about this machine??? The airbox is gone and I was told that these motors, being so tempermental will blow up without one so I was going to just put some K&N snowchargers on it. Thanks, Pete
 
#2 ·
I had a 1980 back in 1980 and I just bought another one last year. These are great motors, I have not found them to be tempermental at all. There should be no problem putting the K&Ns on it. This one I bought last year sat all summer. I primed it and it started one pull. The one problem I had back in the day and today is they dont steer worth a darn. Got to put the big carbides on them.
 
#6 ·
I just purchased a 1979 Kawasaki Invader 440 L/C as a little side project. It was running last year and then put in storage. He lost the key so I only paid $100 bucks for it but its complete and he said she runs. Are there any tips I need to know about this machine??? The airbox is gone and I was told that these motors, being so tempermental will blow up without one so I was going to just put some K&N snowchargers on it. Thanks, Pete[/b]
The 440 1978 & 79 Invader had Mikuni "econojets" and needs the airbox to create enough vacuum to pull fuel from them,, it will be very lean without the airbox,, I must have had 15 Kawasakis through the years including 7 new ones, Invaders, LTD's & 1 Intercepter,,, I extensively modded them, including Nitrous, 46 Mikunis, and twin pipes on the 440 Invaders, The LTD's and Intercepters had factory twin pipes and dual spark plugs per cylinder.

I have quite a few parts remaining if ever looking.

The Waterpump/oil pump is oil filled and must be changed at least every other year, there is a sight glass on the motor to check oil height.

Don
 
#7 ·
The 440 1978 & 79 Invader had Mikuni "econojets" and needs the airbox to create enough vacuum to pull fuel from them,, it will be very lean without the airbox,, I must have had 15 Kawsakis through the years including 7 new ones, Invaders, LTD's & 1 Intercepter,,, I extensively modded them, including Nitrous, 46 Mikunis, and twin pipes on the 440 Invaders, The LTD's and Intercepters had factory twin pipes and dual spark plugs per cylinder.

I have quite a few parts remaining if ever looking.

The Waterpump/oil pump is oil filled and must be changed at least every other year, there is a sight glass on the motor to check oil height.

Don[/b]
Don,
I got a set of UNI Pod Filters, I assume these will be alright for the motor? Also where can I find this window at. Thanks, Pete
 
#8 ·
Don,
I got a set of UNI Pod Filters, I assume these will be alright for the motor? Also where can I find this window at. Thanks, Pete[/b]
My suggestion if using pods would be to remove the float bowls and put the proper size main jets into the needle jets instead of the bottom of the float bowls, then disconnect the econo-jets.

Sight glass is in left front of motor near the crank PTO end, 2.7 oz of 10W/40 motor oil, fill to center of sight glass.
 
#11 ·
Is there suppose to be oil in chain case on the 79 Invader[/b]
These 440 Kawi engines used the Mikuni Power Jet Carbs, as XCR said. I have a couple JD Liquifires that use the same carbs. The Power-Jet comes in to play above approx 5000 revs. They need the airbox in order to provide the pressure drop for the Power-Jets to work. The Pods will not provide the proper vaccum for these carbs. Either find an airbox or swap them out for regular 36 or 38mm Mikunis otherwise you run a good chance of leaning out the fuel and burning a piston.

Jeff
 
#12 ·
The 440 1978 & 79 Invader had Mikuni "econojets" and needs the airbox to create enough vacuum to pull fuel from them,, it will be very lean without the airbox,, I must have had 15 Kawasakis through the years including 7 new ones, Invaders, LTD's & 1 Intercepter,,, I extensively modded them, including Nitrous, 46 Mikunis, and twin pipes on the 440 Invaders, The LTD's and Intercepters had factory twin pipes and dual spark plugs per cylinder.

I have quite a few parts remaining if ever looking.

The Waterpump/oil pump is oil filled and must be changed at least every other year, there is a sight glass on the motor to check oil height.

Don[/b]
Hey Don,
You sound like the guy to talk to since you have played with these engines extensively. I,m restoring a '78 Invader and wonder if you can please help me with setting it up. I have the original carbs from a '80 J.D. liquifire with a single pipe that I can use, but I also have twin pipes for it that I would like to use instead of the single,and want to ditch the powerjet carbs for a couple of 36 or 38 mm non-powerjet carbs (from an indy 650 or a formula 3 700 respectively). Question: Should I use the 36's or the 38's on this stock motor with the twin exhaust? What jetting do I need? JN, NJ, MJ, PJ, clip position? Also, do you recommend putting extra seals in the crankcase (double on PTO side right?) And yes, I bought a solid new center seal.
Do you happen to have a stock, not scratched, cylinder for this motor? Thanks! E-mail: jrgrossbauer@yahoo.com
 
#13 ·
Hey Don,
You sound like the guy to talk to since you have played with these engines extensively. I,m restoring a '78 Invader and wonder if you can please help me with setting it up. I have the original carbs from a '80 J.D. liquifire with a single pipe that I can use, but I also have twin pipes for it that I would like to use instead of the single,and want to ditch the powerjet carbs for a couple of 36 or 38 mm non-powerjet carbs (from an indy 650 or a formula 3 700 respectively). Question: Should I use the 36's or the 38's on this stock motor with the twin exhaust? What jetting do I need? JN, NJ, MJ, PJ, clip position? Also, do you recommend putting extra seals in the crankcase (double on PTO side right?) And yes, I bought a solid new center seal.
Do you happen to have a stock, not scratched, cylinder for this motor? Thanks! E-mail: jrgrossbauer@yahoo.com[/b]
I would use the 36's if keeping the motor stock. You should be able to use the stock jets except the mains. Look what the OEM main jet size is on the power jetted carbs and start by going about 4-5 sizes larger, watch your plugs and wash, start with plugs which are used but not fouled and have some color already on them to see if they begin to "clean up", if so, jet richer. I believe the J.D.'s didn't used the econo-jet carbs, if that's so, ( I don't remember that far back), then you should be able to use close to that jetting but a little richer as the J.D.'s had different exhausts which made a little less H.P..

I no longer have my record books for these sleds as I gave them to the guys who bought the sleds from me. Aaen Performance made our twin pipes for the Invaders, they should still have the recommended jetting specs. I would FOR SURE contact them for the info.

I would re-seal the case as per stock if your going to get into it that far. I never had any seal problems even on the juice. (NOS)

I have 2 cylinders, both sleeved,,,, but one is from a 4/6, (4 into 6 port), 1980 LTD and the other is from a 1982 Intercepter, no Invader 4 port cylinders left. Your cylinders could be re-plated or sleeved if need be.

Check your right side aluminum axle, large gear splines, those were known to go bad, I have a good used one for sale, I also had a guy make a steel one back at the time and it's possible to have that done by someone again I assume.
 
#14 ·
I would use the 36's if keeping the motor stock. You should be able to use the stock jets except the mains. Look what the OEM main jet size is on the power jetted carbs and start by going about 4-5 sizes larger, watch your plugs and wash, start with plugs which are used but not fouled and have some color already on them to see if they begin to "clean up", if so, jet richer. I believe the J.D.'s didn't used the econo-jet carbs, if that's so, ( I don't remember that far back), then you should be able to use close to that jetting but a little richer as the J.D.'s had different exhausts which made a little less H.P..

I no longer have my record books for these sleds as I gave them to the guys who bought the sleds from me. Aaen Performance made our twin pipes for the Invaders, they should still have the recommended jetting specs. I would FOR SURE contact them for the info.

I would re-seal the case as per stock if your going to get into it that far. I never had any seal problems even on the juice. (NOS)

I have 2 cylinders, both sleeved,,,, but one is from a 4/6, (4 into 6 port), 1980 LTD and the other is from a 1982 Intercepter, no Invader 4 port cylinders left. Your cylinders could be re-plated or sleeved if need be.

Check your right side aluminum axle, large gear splines, those were known to go bad, I have a good used one for sale, I also had a guy make a steel one back at the time and it's possible to have that done by someone again I assume.[/b]
Thanks for all of the helpful info! Could this sled that I've got be a factory twin pipe/ported machine? When I bought it, it came with twin pipes on it. They look like the LTD pipes and they are heavy as hell. The sled runs, but not good, and doesn't start easily because of a deeply scratched mag side cylinder. Will there be some kind of letter and/or number found in the model/serial number that I can use to identify the sled as being a factory job? Thanks again.
 
#15 ·
I don't remember what it was called, but back in the stone ages, Kawasaki offered a High Performance kit, through the dealers for the Invader 440's. It had twin pipes,ported cylinders, and I don't recall what else. There was no twin piped Invader 440 sold oem
 
#16 ·
I don't remember what it was called, but back in the stone ages, Kawasaki offered a High Performance kit, through the dealers for the Invader 440's. It had twin pipes,ported cylinders, and I don't recall what else. There was no twin piped Invader 440 sold oem[/b]

True Dave, except the 1980 LTD 4/6 said Invader on the hood right above the "4/6". it was twin piped, dual plugs, I had 4 of those. Here's one of them, (notice the old Rupp in the backround).
 

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