Specialized Tool Required? 79' KZ750 Twin

I decided to rebuild both the carburetors in my Kawasaki and was doing fine until I had to mess with the throttle slide/diaphragm assembly. There is a snap ring that needs to be undone in order to get to the jet needle. I managed to, with much difficulty, undo it with a pair of snap ring pliers and then realized that I have no way to put it back on. I went to 4 separate stores and could not find a pair of snap ring pliers that would fit in the opening while I held down the plastic spring seat that needs to be held down by it. Is there a trick to putting this on with conventional snap ring pliers or is there a special tool that I need to use? Any thoughts/suggestion would be appreciated.

There is a specialty tool from kawi which I actually sprung for 30 years back. Sort of needle nose pliers with long, skinny curved noses.

Not quite sure what you're referring to. If you're talking about item # 6 in the picture... the spring, hockey puck, needle all come out through the top of the slider and then you adjust/move the circlip to the desired position. A good pair of needle nosed pliers and hold the needle solidly so it can't bend is all you'll need. (If that's not what you're talking about can you point it out in the diagram?)

My problem is with that circlip. I managed to get it out to replace the jet needle and need some way to get it back in. Also, my spring seat does not look like the one in the diagram. It is similar but has a two inch peg that spurs from the center of it. It makes getting both a hand and tool down there very difficult. Everything else in the diagram is correct. Thanks for your help....

caperren wrote:

My problem is with that circlip. I managed to get it out to replace the jet needle and need some way to get it back in. Also, my spring seat does not look like the one in the diagram. It is similar but has a two inch peg that spurs from the center of it. It makes getting both a hand and tool down there very difficult.

Same one I have. Takes three hands. A trick I sometimes use: install the needle/spring/washer assembly loosely then pull it down from under the slide and use a piece of masking tape to hold the needle down so it won't push up against the plastic needle holder as you try to install it (and the clip). If you don't have some very long and thin clip pliers, I don't think you can get the clip in.

Last set I did I made a trip to Harbor Freight, bought a $2 set of long needle nose pliers, ground the tips to fit the snap ring holes. Then they were easy, I hold the needle from the bottom with my fingers, thumb against the slide, then put the clip in with the free hand.

Thanks for your replies! I'll see if I can get a set of really long pliers and grind them. It's gonna be tricky, but hopefully with a decent pair of pliers I can get it done. Thanks for all your help!

Can you post some pics, I'd love to see this. I've had many sets of carbs off twins apart and I've never seen such a thing. Be a nice addition to the unusual stuff for my data banks... heh :blink:

Sure....it might not be until later this week, but I'll try and get some pictures up.