kz550 81 petcock ?

hey guys i just picked up a 81 kz 550 and i rebuilt the bottom of the carbs does anyone know if the petcock on the bike has two fuel lines or one fuel line and one vaccum line

One fuel line and one vac. The larger/lower pipe is for fuel. The smaller/higher pipe is for vac. The number 4 carb should have a dedicated vac port for the petcock vac line. That vac port is on the actual #4 carb body on the side near the #3 carb.

The fuel line goes to the T pipe in between the number 2 and number 3 carbs.

k well i know i got that all hooked up the only thing is i thopght that was a fuel line soi had put a inline fuel filter in it. could this restirct the amoutn of vaccum that is needed. also i drianed the bowls and the <from left to right sitting on the bike> 1st 2nd and fourth carb bowls drianed out gas when i opened them the third one did not what would that mean. also what is the best way to sinc the carbs. i have a set of mercury gauges i know where to hook em up but just wanting to know what a good starting poitn and where the sync scrwes are cause i see no scres on outside of carbs

#3 is either not getting fuel, or the drain is clogged.

The filter on the vacuum line is not needed, take it off. A vac filter will just delay the petcock turn on and off points, but it should still work. However it will affect the sync on the #4 carb.

You know you have to use the prime positiion on the petcock before starting, right? That's because during starting there is not enough vacuum to turn the petcock on long enough to fill the carb bowls if they are empty. Normally the bowls will have gas in them from the last time the bike ran, but if the carbs were dry, then you have to use the prime.

Mercury manometers are probably the most convenient way of syncing. Here are some notes to keep in mind.

home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/Manomet.../ManometerNotes.html

ok well i got the number three carb fixed thefloat need some ajusting it was to high an would be fine on a bench test but when u put the bowl cover on it would hit the bowl and enoguh and close so i got that fixed. i gotta put em back on the bike tomarrow and c if shell fire it hasent on the three carbs or just hasent got enough gas in the carbs yet so well c

hey another dumb ? how do u mesure the float to see if it in the right spot

Clear tube test.



Good Luck!

For many good informative links, could type "Clear Tube Test" in the Search Forum box, and click on Go.

Good Luck!

The nice thing on the TK-22 carbs is that the drain screw also acts as the valve to check the float height. Just pull off the overflow tubes and fit a clear tube over the drain pipes. Then force the clear tube into a bigger clear tube so that capillary action won't affect the level reading. Turn the petcock on prime and do one carb at a time. Open the drain screw and let gas flow out of the clear tube (into a bucket etc.) until there are no air bubbles. (air bubbles will cause a false reading. Shut the drain screw. Then hold the wide, open end of the clear tube next to the carb body. Slowly open the drain screw. The level should rise up to just below the bowl seam. repeat it several times until you get consistent results. Obviously, the bike has to be perfectly level and straight up and down (put shims under the center stand to make sure the bike is straight upright).

Also, hold the tubing up high next to the carb body, then lower it. Do not raise the tubing after lowering it. If you do, start over. A plastic medical syringe is a handy measuring device - I scored mm lines w a utilty knife, then connectd it to clear tubing. Works well.

JMKZHI wrote:

Also, hold the tubing up high next to the carb body, then lower it. Do not raise the tubing after lowering it. If you do, start over. A plastic medical syringe is a handy measuring device - I scored mm lines w a utilty knife, then connectd it to clear tubing. Works well.

I like that syringe idea. Thanks. And good point on lowering the tube to get the level.