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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 23 Jan 2014 19:05 #619833

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So it turns out there IS a difference between the carbs. Looking through my Clymer today, and verified on the actual carbs, the J models have a coasting richener which adds fuel while decelerating. The J and K also have a different set of needles/jets (127.5 and 49 on the J, 122.5 and 51 on the K). I find it interesting that the J, which is the base-level model, has the extra feature of the coasting richener. Why don't other models have this? They all have the same engine, so why is it only needed here? And why the difference in jet sizes?

Anyone familiar with carbs, please explain this to me. Also, any suggestions on what combination might be best for me? My typical riding is a mix of highway and city. I rarely get out on the interstate, but I do ride in the mountains when I can. I have no problems gutting both carbs for a set of parts that works for my riding style.
1981 KZ1000-JK1
She's a beautiful mess, and I've made her all mine

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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 27 Feb 2014 14:25 #623554

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Got a chance to throw together some engine parts on the frame today and take a look at how the exhaust lines up. I think I want to put a slight upward bend in the end of the header section and bring the tip up at the same angle as the bottom of the aluminum side plates. It looks like I'll have to wait until the rear wheel has been assembled again, to confirm my clearances. Hanger brackets should be easy enough to punch out and put the pipe right where I want it though.

The good news is there's no reason to think I need to add any special hangers directly to the frame, so I can start getting parts powder-coated as the money comes available. I just need to start checking local shops and find out how hard the powder-coating is gonna hurt my wallet...

1981 KZ1000-JK1
She's a beautiful mess, and I've made her all mine

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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 28 Feb 2014 05:44 #623607

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a lil closer :evil: !

keep us posted,

leon
skiatook,oklahoma 1980 z1r,1978 kz 1000 z1r x 3,
1976 kz 900 x 3
i make what i can,and save the rest!

billybiltit.blogspot.com/

www.kzrider.com/forum/5-chassis/325862-triple-tree-custom-work

kzrider.com/forum/5-chassis/294594-frame-bracing?limitstart=0

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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 05 May 2014 12:04 #631413

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At this rate I should be done in about 10 years! :laugh:

Last week I took my wheels over to the Kaw dealer and had the tires removed. Both wheels were slimed (I assume something to repair leaks?), so I had to do a bit of work with a hose and wire brush to finish cleaning them up. The dealer informed me that the bearings in both wheels were completely shot. Good thing to know before I get it on the road! So I just need to get the old bearings tapped out and the wheels will be ready for powdercoat.

Yesterday I finally got around to working on the carbs again. I made up a coffee can to drain gas into each carb so I could check the float levels. Two of them needed adjusting, and I had to remove one of the bowls from the spare set of carbs because the drain screw was seized and the slot in the head was stripped out. It seemed to go pretty well though, and I have the bowls and the top pieces screwed back on in prep for soda blasting. I need to find some pieces of foam to fill some of the holes so I can limit how much soda gets into places it shouldn't.

The little sandblaster arrived last week, and I have a cheap 30-gallon tote I'll be prepping to use as a blast cabinet. The medium-grit soda should be arriving this week, so hopefully I'll get the carbs blasted soon and then they'll be the first pieces I paint. I'm considering leaving the screw-heads in bare steel to contrast against the flat-black of the engine, give it a bit of an industrial look, plus paint tends to flake off any screws if you ever have to remove them.
1981 KZ1000-JK1
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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 04 Jul 2014 22:42 #638935

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It looks like I'm out of funds for this year. :( I was really hoping to get the bike on the road this Summer, but my roof started leaking last Winter and I couldn't get anything covered by either insurance or a home equity loan, so I had to kill my savings to get the job done. Over nine grand got me a completely re-shingled roof including 13 sheets of plywood replaced, and the new gutters should be installed next week. Obviously which so much plywood replaced, I couldn't have put this off any longer, so its a relief that I have a new roof, but still a bummer that I won't be riding this year. Maybe if I'm lucky I can come up with some cash to get the frame powder-coated so I can still assemble some of the smaller stuff. We'll see how it goes...
1981 KZ1000-JK1
She's a beautiful mess, and I've made her all mine

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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 04 Jul 2014 23:11 #638937

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:S Life's happens while we're busy making other plans, eh? Sorry to hear about funding issues, glad to hear you got your roof fixed. Believe me when I say I feel your pain brother!
Building a happy home, one bike at a time...

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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 06 Jul 2014 18:37 #639080

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Of course I say I can't do anything on the bike, then turn right around and finally get a weekend to figure out the little soda blaster. So I managed to get the carb bodies and several pieces cleaned up and painted. I think I have all of the brackets done except for the throttle cable bracket (it was under some other things on the workbench and I missed it). The paint should be pretty well cured by next weekend so I can start reassembling the various throttle linkages. I'll probably replace the rubber boots on the choke, so I can put the whole rack of carbs back together until those are here. And I'll need to wash everything -- there's still soda grit everywhere inside the carbs (despite having taped up the holes, I thought).

Had to make a last-minute change in paint. The local auto store didn't have any flat-black engine paint. Guess they changed their stock since the last time I looked, but this may be for the better. Some folks have told me that ts hard to clean flat colors, but I really wanted to do the two-tone black scheme. Well I found a color called "black pearl" which is a low-gloss black with a very fine metal flake in it. It ends up being a very light shade towards gunmetal black, and the flakes make it stand out just enough from the gloss black of the frame that there will be a distinct difference. The only issue is that they don't make this color for the exhaust pipes, so I will need to decide if I'm going to go with flat black (in which case I'll have three different tones of black), or a gloss black (which would blend the pipes in with the frame). I have a long ways to go before that's an issue though. For mow I'll be happy to get the carbs done and off the workbench, and finally feel like I've made some progress on this project...
1981 KZ1000-JK1
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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 26 Oct 2014 16:23 #651796

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Apparently I didn't update this thread before... The original paint on the carbs turned out to be a disaster, peeling off in places as soon as it dried. I made the mistake of not cleaning off the soda residue before painting, so it just didn't stick properly. Ah well, live and learn!

A couple weeks ago I started stripping the paint, and this time I used some fine sand (it's called medium, but it's only about .50mm). That left a very nice finish on the carbs that gave me confidence would stick. Today I finally got a chance to get back at it again, and finished up all the blasting and painting. Going by recommendations from various people, I picked up a couple big cans of non-chlorinated brake cleaner to hose down the carbs after I finished with the sand, leaving them nice and clean for the paint.

This time I was able to find the flat-black that I originally hoped for. I was also not too happy about how heavy the original paint went on. Today was only 74 degrees, and the cooler weather makes it easier to hold the spray can back a lot further, giving me much better control to lightly cover the carbs. I finished all four carbs with a single can of paint (plus some to spare) compared to last time when I barely finished with two full cans. I think the lighter coat will help the paint stick better as well?

So I'm finished just in time for Winter. I'll let the paint dry for the next week, then pull the carbs back apart so I can wash them out good in the sink and make sure to get any last bits of sand out of the passages, and if everything looks good then I can finally reassemble them and let the paint cure all Winter before they ever see any gas. Also once the carbs are out of the way, I can really clear off my workbench and make room for tearing down the engine over the Winter. That will give me plenty of time to clean everything up and get the crank welded, so when it warms up again I may be ready to paint the block.
1981 KZ1000-JK1
She's a beautiful mess, and I've made her all mine

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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 26 Oct 2014 16:58 #651798

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New fork tubes if those are damaged. No coatings. Asking for trouble.

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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 26 Oct 2014 17:20 #651800

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swest wrote: New fork tubes if those are damaged. No coatings. Asking for trouble.

Wrong thread?
1981 KZ1000-JK1
She's a beautiful mess, and I've made her all mine

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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 26 Oct 2014 17:41 #651805

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The slide cutaway may be different or the nossels are larger or smaller. Check the numbers. jetsrus has a lot of info. A lot of it has to do with emissions.

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1981 KZ1000 J-to-K build 21 Nov 2014 12:01 #654322

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I need to get some new pictures to post... The paint of the carbs seems to have worked great. Rubbing my fingers around the edges, the paint is not flaking off like last time. We might have some decent weather this weekend for me to try putting the carbs back together again, so we'll see how that goes.

The other thing I apparently never mentioned was that I picked up a 650 ducktail a couple months ago. Started cutting into it and working out how I need to do brackets, and I'll have to strip down the seat, modify the pan to fit the tail, then do my own custom vinyl. So much work left to do, and I never seem to have any free time. :unsure:
1981 KZ1000-JK1
She's a beautiful mess, and I've made her all mine

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