TOPIC:

Cor! This place has chaned a bit! I'm liking the differences, though. Very tatseful design...

Anyway, I'm back because I'm taking the plunge and getting my '80 Z750 E1 back on the road. Well, I say 'back' but it's been sat in my shed for almost two years, mouldering. I've a couple of quick questions about the carbs (Keihin CV34s) though, because I think they're the source of most of the bike's problems. Here we are:

What are the consequences of using no-brand pod filters? They came fitted to the bike. It seems to me that when the bike is on its side stand one of the pods is more than open to rainwater. Silly question, but won't wet filters ruin the engine?

Secondly, what happens if I put caps over the vacuum hoses on my carbs? I think they were set up a bit wrong anyway, because I have a vacuum petcock but the hoses bridge carbs 1-4 and 2-3, leaving no spare hoses for the petcock. Is this correct?

I'll probably be back with more Qs as the project progresses. Is a 4-dial vacuum gauge a necessity when tuning at home, or am I better off taking it to a pro?

I've left this post on here for a few weeks and still no followups! Is it true? Does nobody know anything about it? Or have you all PMd each other saying "Shh! Don't tell him!" I've scoured the forum with words like 'Vacuum', 'bridging', 'hoses', 'pipes' etc. in almost every order and not found a single thing about this.

Right, so here it is again. '80 KZ750-E1. Keihin CV34 carbs. Where do the vacuum hoses go?

Forget the other stuff for now. If I can't get these carbs set up right I'm putting the bike back in the shed for another year!

Pleeeeease can anyone help?

I have this same bike, and have modified it to not use any vacuum lines. (manual petcock, removal of smog equip.) IIRC, the #2 carb vacuum line fed the vacuum port on the petcock, #'s 1 and 4 were routed thru the smog equip, and #3 was blocked off. Hope this helps!

Can't give you specifics, but here are some places to start:

Do you have access to a repair manual? (Not being flippant here, I felt around like a blind man when I first got my Kz1000. I finally broke down and spent $30 on a manual: best 30 bucks I have spent in my life...)

Also, wiredgeorge's website has some specific info on some of the different carbs and vacuum line arrangements. More specifically, what fittings must be capped.

You can also look at some of the parts schematics on some of the online parts houses. Try bikebandit.com. There may be some clues there.

As for your lack places to hook up your lines: some of the lines may have hooked up at one time to the stock intake. With it gone and the pods on, you may have to "T" into an existing line to get your petcock line. Better yet, toss the vacuum petcock in favor of a manual one. Pingle makes them (if you want to spend the $). I think they also make adapter plates and gasket sets that allow you to use one off of other popular bikes.

I know I basically just sent you fishing...but good luck!

P.S. looks like Draco got his more helpful post in while I was submitting mine.

Post edited by: andoman, at: 2007/02/01 13:56

andoman wrote:

Can't give you specifics, but here are some places to start:

Do you have access to a repair manual? (Not being flippant here, I felt around like a blind man when I first got my Kz1000. I finally broke down and spent $30 on a manual: best 30 bucks I have spent in my life...)

Also, wiredgeorge's website has some specific info on some of the different carbs and vacuum line arrangements....

Andoman nailed every point exactly as I would have stated. I am novice at bike repair so I have no specific advice on your bike, but I too will offer some possible starting points.
For a new manual, go to www.themotorbookstore.com/shopman.html enter your bike info and order it. Or if you want used, go to craigslist.com, browse the page till you figure out how it all works, then select posts for your city, and put a message in the "wanted" section asking if someone has a shop/repair manual they will donate to the cause. I'll bet you can get one cheap or free, if you are willing to go after it. In fact, I found out about KZRider in the craigslist motorcycle chat forum. I don't go there much now because I don't like jerry springer, and that is what it reminds me of.
An alternative is to use the info section of this forum and search, possibly for " carb setup " on your bike. The info you find useful will almost certainly come from wiredgeorge.
The first search I did after finding out about this forum, was for set up on my "new" '78 KZ 1000.
The very first hit I got was from wiredgeorge, and showed me exactly what I needed to get started.

Cheers guys! Just the ticket! It's UK machine so there was never any smog systems on it in the first place and it has pods now, so who knows about those leads. I'll probably just buy a load of vacuum caps! Time to cruise over to WG's website and have a look there...

Cheers!

Whiz.

HI whizzer. Same bike as you. Never had smog connections in Canada. I have a vacuum percock and connect a line from carb #2 to the vacuum spiggot on the petcock. The remaining carbs have vacuum caps. I have heard of people running a line from one to the other and I dont think it makes a difference if you bridge or cap. If like Draco you use a manual petcock then cap or bridge them all.

Yes - if you leave the bike on the side stand and it rains the pods will get wet and suck air differently. I hear it rains a lot in England

Post edited by: JR, at: 2007/02/02 09:07

Thanks JR, just what I was after! At the moment 1-4 and 2-3 are bridged and I have no idea why. I think it contributes a tiny bit to smooth running but I hear the benefit is negligible.

I think my brother has some K&N cleaning gear, I might get that onto the filters. It rains like billy-O around here, I think I'll have to knock up some kind of shield. Maybe made of the top of a plastic milk bottle or something...

[edit] Oh, and did you have the pods and 4->1 installed before the 810 kit? Do you remember the jetting you were using at the time? I used to have a handle on the jetting I was using but it's been such a long time since I used the bike I don't remember whether it's rich or lean anymore!

Post edited by: whizzer, at: 2007/02/02 09:31

hi whizzer
have a 1981 kz750 e1 imported from the states had all
the pollution gizmo pipe work on it ect, took it all
off and put k&ns on bridged vacumes. still using
vacume fuel tap. bike runs great.weather not too bad
here in southampton

whizzer wrote:

.

Oh, and did you have the pods and 4->1 installed before the 810 kit? Do you remember the jetting you were using at the time? I used to have a handle on the jetting I was using but it's been such a long time since I used the bike I don't remember whether it's rich or lean anymore!<br><br>Post edited by: whizzer, at: 2007/02/02 09:31

I bought the bike the way it is listed in my sig. All the hard work was already done.
Jets are as shown in the pic. Stock is 125 and 60.
With this setup it runs great. It did tend to be a smidgen on the rich side (sooty plugs) but I did the coil modification last summer and it now runs even better ...and the plugs look perfect.



Post edited by: JR, at: 2007/02/02 16:23

Very handy, thanks JR! I think I might be running 60 and 135s, just because I couldn't find 132.5 jets anywhere!

Lucky you in Southampton, bullitt. Been a glorious day in surrey too, just wish I had a working bike to blast around on! I'm only about 15 minutes' ride from Box Hill where I am, the perfect spot for chomping filty burgers and gurning at shiny bikes! There's a massively fat bloke who turns up with his Goldwing and matching sidecar every sunday. If it starts to rain he just gets a portable marquee out of his sidecar, sets it up over his machine and carries on eating in the dry! Goldwings... Hah! There's that ancient gag about why Goldwing riders don't wave back to you - they can never find the 'Wave Back' button!