Freebyrd's 81 KZ1000 Build

The fact that it will only run on the choke tells me that it is running lean in pilot circuit. Did you have the pods and 4 into 1 on the bike when it ran before the teardown? What kind of shape are your carb boots in? Are you missing a vacuum plug on any of the carb boots? Is the vacuum line to the petcock properly connected and not leaking?

testarossa wrote: The fact that it will only run on the choke tells me that it is running lean in pilot circuit. Did you have the pods and 4 into 1 on the bike when it ran before the teardown? What kind of shape are your carb boots in? Are you missing a vacuum plug on any of the carb boots? Is the vacuum line to the petcock properly connected and not leaking?

It definitely sounds like it is lean on the pilot. I had the pods and exhaust on before too. Same carbs, same jets, same exhaust, same pods. The boots are newer on the carb to engine connection. All carbs and boots have the vacuum plugs on them. And the vacuum line to the petcock from carb is connected and in place. I'll check to see if it has any leaks, but it looked fine before. I'll give it all a once over again. Thanks Josh!

Carbs -- CV or manual slide?

Good Fortune!

CV. They are stock which I believe are BS34's? They have the diaphram on top with the spring and needle. The choke assembly is the plunger you pull out sideways.

Any ideas from the guru's on this board? I know I can get great suggestions from this board. I'm not sure what to do next. Thanks!

desparation bump!

Are all pilot jet plugs present and accounted for?



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Thanks Patton!

Yes the pilot jets are in and accounted for. And you are correct, I do have those little plugs that cover up the pilot jets. Though the plugs were in there the first time when I had the bike running well, so I don't think having the plugs in there is the issue. Hmm

With pilot jet plug removed, and squirting carb cleaner into the pilot jet, spray should exit from both small ports in top of carb bore toward the engine side.
Leave the pilot mixture screw in position while doing the spraying, to better force the spray through the orifices into the bore.

Good Fortune!

I thought about that before cleaning them last time, then a couple weeks went by and i cleaned out all orifices without pressurizing that passage in between the two jets. I'll give that a shot next. It does sound like the pilot jets are not working at all right now so it makes logical sense. Do I even need the little plugs that cover up the pilot? What's the purpose of them if they were removed on later models?

freebyrd24 wrote: I thought about that before cleaning them last time, then a couple weeks went by and i cleaned out all orifices without pressurizing that passage in between the two jets. I'll give that a shot next. It does sound like the pilot jets are not working at all right now so it makes logical sense. Do I even need the little plugs that cover up the pilot? What's the purpose of them if they were removed on later models?

Am guessing later version without the plug might have eliminated the small passageway and instead drew more directly from fuel in the bowl, but that's just a guess without having reviewed the cutaway diagrams.

The FSM likely has the appropriate diagram for the particular carb model at hand.

Good Fortune!

Thanks again Patton! I needed a direction to head in and now I have an idea!

As always, you're the best!