Restoring Zephanie

Wookie58 wrote: The choke thing sounds like a "faff" but almost anything is achievable.

Ha! You're not wrong there.

Wookie58 wrote: Ref the screws, unless they have a specific purpose "air screws etc" they are generally easily replaced.

I think you could say the screw definitely has a specific purpose. It's not just a standard screw, it's tapered at the end, and has a ledge for holding an O-ring. Here's a picture.

It's 92009 that looks like mine, I'm not sure why it shows a slightly different screw there labeled 92009A. 

Thanks for the clarification, I guess you are back to OE then 

If you figure out the thread pitch, you can spend some time with a file and make new drain plugs from plain bolts; I think the o-rings are just to keep out dirt, the variation shown in the parts diagram looks to have a head that would cover the opening entirely. EDIT: Checked the diagram. 92009A has a different thread pitch as well. 

I would cut some slots in your existing screws and use a flathead, since that's a cheap and quick solution. They don't need to be more than a little snug. 

If you're set on allens, you may be able to find some from a different model that fit - can't say which, just a thought. My ZX600J has allen drain screws but I think they're too fine. 

Regarding your other questions:

-I always thought it would be nice to have a choke lever on the bars. Switch carburetors with me. 

-I envy your idle adjustment mechanism. I fiddle with mine a lot and my gloves can't fit under there. I feel like this could be taken out of context. 

In seriousness, the idle adjustment screw on my carbs isn't a perfectly smooth mechanism. Switch if you want, but I don't see the point personally. 

Changing the choke actuator should be no problem. If you are good with a lathe, you could make a cool custom knob. The idle speed mechanism may be more of a challenge as I think the little cable makes a ninety degree corner on the way to the carb.

Sidelined again. 

Leaving work the other day I got on my bike, everything was fine as I set out, and I  even had a really nice ride. My commute is short, only maybe two miles the way I went. But about a block from my house, coming down a small hill, as I was downshifting from third to second, something felt and sounded off. Rolling off the throttle and downshifting to first as I pulled into my driveway, the tach dropped down past 1k rpm, and she quit on me. 

The next morning, I started it up. Things were as normal: (this part may sound familiar to anyone that’s kept up with this thread) choke on, press starter, engine roars to life jumping up to about 4k rpm, as the needle drops to around 3k rpm, I start to give it a little throttle while simultaneously rolling off the choke, hold the throttle open in the 2-3k range as it warms up, maybe thirty seconds, and then slowly roll off the throttle. Now at this point, it should settle into a steady idle of about 1k. I can usually take off, and after a mile or so of riding it might be up to about 1200rpm at idle. But this morning it would not idle. Instead the needle just drops down below 1k and it dies. 

I pulled a spark plug, and for the first time it looks normal. No fouling. All four exhaust pipes were “ouch stop touching that” hot. 

So I’m not sure where to start with this one. Maybe an idle jet is clogged? It seems to run at quarter throttle on up, so I figure it has to have something to do with the carbs, idle/pilot system. 

What do you dudes and dudettes think? 

Sudden Idle irregularities are usually (but not limited to) changes in mixture or spark. 

Pulling one plug certainly is a good start, but I would pull the other 3, the condition of which which will "speak" to you. 

I've had a main jet mysteriously  unscrew itself, a float get stuck closed... 
Spark plugs gone bad for no apparent reason...

Check voltage at the coils?
Check spark advancer mechanism?
Inline fuel filter?

Step by step approach.

H.
 

Yes to Howardhb. I know the plug failure personally. Second to last ride this past fall bike ran as norman. Upon the last start up and ride to top off the tank it just didn’t sound right warming up. #4 head pipe noticeably cooler then the rest. Pulled the plug, replaced it and off to fill the tank. Plug fouled for no reason apparently when the bike was parked. I know it can’t but it was fine at the end of the previous run and bad at startup if the next??? So I tried something I had wanted to for sometime, clamped the fouled plug in the vice and got out the propane torch. A few minutes in no noticeable difference, I figured I can’t ruin a bad plug, so I continued to pour the heat on. I started to notice the ceramic start to change from soot black to gray. I thought what the heck let’s go more. That plug cleaned up looking almost new. With deliberate aim I could get the flame to swirl around the ceramic and get all the way to the base. Some light brushing with a small stainless wire brush and it looked great. I put it back in the number four cylinder and took a quick ride around the hood and it’s running great again. First start and short ride this season and all good. 

Started right up and idled fine this morning. Go figure. 

Sounds like a petcock or tank vent issue

Good thing I just got a brand new OEM petcock for it. Is it ok for me to simply flip the tank upside down to install it? Or do I need to drain the tank right side up first then I can flip it over? 

I believe the cap is vented so if you turn it over you will have fuel all over the place. You may be safest draining into a "jerry can"

wrote:

Yes to Howardhb. I know the plug failure personally. Second to last ride this past fall bike ran as norman. Upon the last start up and ride to top off the tank it just didn’t sound right warming up. #4 head pipe noticeably cooler then the rest. Pulled the plug, replaced it and off to fill the tank. Plug fouled for no reason apparently when the bike was parked. I know it can’t but it was fine at the end of the previous run and bad at startup if the next??? So I tried something I had wanted to for sometime, clamped the fouled plug in the vice and got out the propane torch. A few minutes in no noticeable difference, I figured I can’t ruin a bad plug, so I continued to pour the heat on. I started to notice the ceramic start to change from soot black to gray. I thought what the heck let’s go more. That plug cleaned up looking almost new. With deliberate aim I could get the flame to swirl around the ceramic and get all the way to the base. Some light brushing with a small stainless wire brush and it looked great. I put it back in the number four cylinder and took a quick ride around the hood and it’s running great again. First start and short ride this season and all good. 

Mikaw, I saw that "flame" spark-plug treatment on Allen Millyards web page a while back... 
So I decided to try it as well....
I used one of those DIY butane gas cannisters with a "trigger" type torch  attachment.
A minute or so, of directed flame, heated the plug until the top third of the thread was red hot!
(while heating, I could see the carbon deposits "flashing" off the centre ceramic electrode insulator)
After cooling, the plug "looked" new, except for the zinc plating being somewhat dull, no longer shiny! 
Installed it and it fired right up... 
Dumpster dove into my bin to retrieve two more plugs. Saved them also!

H.