TOPIC:

Patton wrote: If anyone ever gets a KZ400/440 with pods to perform on par with the stock setup, please call Guinness.

Good Fortune!

We got it ride-able in a few days of tinkering with jets, but then would occasionally make tweaks. It took almost 3 years to arrive at the final jetting/exhaust setup. We probably rejetted half a dozen times over that period. So yes, it's no simple task when starting from scratch.

loudhvx wrote:

Nebr_Rex wrote: Been there done that.
Check out page 12 in the link on the bottom of my sig..

I get this when I check the link:

I was replying to Patton.


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loudhvx,

The pistons do indeed rise and fall in unison, and slide freely in the carb body. I will check the air jets today - wouldn't be surprised if they're in one another's spots. Hopefully that will do the trick, seeing as my jetting is relatively similar to what your setup was a decade ago (albeit, all my parts are for the KZ and I haven't drilled my pilot to the size of the moon).

Patton,

I'm with you on this one... if I can't get them to run correctly in the next few tries, I'm ready to pick up a couple of mikunis and call it good!

Have you considered simply installing the stock air box and filter? That way you may be able to ride before the summer ends.

The same thing popped into my head about two weeks ago... That's the reasonable route... But instead, I picked up a 1980 Yamaha xs850 to ride while I continue to tinker with the Kwak...

alinaaseh wrote: I'm with you on this one... if I can't get them to run correctly in the next few tries, I'm ready to pick up a couple of mikunis and call it good!

If you're interested, I'm going to be selling a set of Mikuni VM30s (and dual throttle cable) from DCC. The plan was to swap the carbs on my '79 KZ400 this summer but now I'm passing the bike to my brother so the nephews can ride it.

Hi all.

I've come to admit that I made a very rookie mistake and have wasted your time. After ensuring that the air jets were in the correct spot (they were), I realized something that I should've realized long ago.

The carbs have an idle adjustment screw that changes the position of the butterfly valves, and it was locked up until today. I admit - I never once thought to tinker with it, as I believed it was part of the assembly that held the carbs together. A blast of wd-40 and a quick soak freed it right up.

I'm embarrassed that I spent so much time fiddling with jets when the solution was right there all along. I am, however, excited that the bike rides, and looking forward to tuning the carbs to their fullest extent.

Thanks for tolerating my idiocity. Much appreciated.

Two more things, both of which are purely for other users' information:

1) Jetting at this point (will update as I make tweaks):
- #40 pilot
- #40 slow
- #140 main
- #60 main air
- #90 pilot air

2) Took the bike for a spin around the neighborhood, made it quite a ways before it began to splutter, gurgle, and eventually die. I suspect an electrical problem. Voltimeter reads ~13v when running and drops by ~1/10th of a volt every few seconds. Revving the engine does not produce any sort of spike or increase in charge, which leads me to suspect a stator issue. Will post in electrical subforum if I can't figure it out on my own.

Many thanks.

I wouldn't jump to a conclusion that there is a stator problem. Instead, run the charging system tests in the Kawasaki Service Manual to diagnose and pinpoint the source of the problem. Keep in mind the problem could very well (and more likely) be in the rectifier or in the regulator or even in the wiring or a bad connector. My KZ650-C1 had a charging problem, and the tests in the manual very quickly identified it as a bad diode in the rectifier. I replaced the rectifier and presto / chango no more problem. Ed

alinaaseh wrote: Hi all.

I've come to admit that I made a very rookie mistake and have wasted your time. After ensuring that the air jets were in the correct spot (they were), I realized something that I should've realized long ago.

The carbs have an idle adjustment screw that changes the position of the butterfly valves, and it was locked up until today. I admit - I never once thought to tinker with it, as I believed it was part of the assembly that held the carbs together. A blast of wd-40 and a quick soak freed it right up.

I'm embarrassed that I spent so much time fiddling with jets when the solution was right there all along. I am, however, excited that the bike rides, and looking forward to tuning the carbs to their fullest extent.

Thanks for tolerating my idiocity. Much appreciated.

Damn Ed!
He didn't even make it to summer.


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I'm glad he found the issue so he wasn't reduced to riding a Yamaha all summer. Ed

Nebr_Rex wrote:
I was replying to Patton.

I was just interested in seeing your project and was bummed the link didn't work.