KZ-440?

wiredgeorge wrote:

For those of you folks still touting Chem Dip... well it is a different formula now. The new stuff is worse than useless... leaves the carburetors nastier than when they went in. It is also probably pretty safe as it doesn't melt plastic like it used to either but since it doesn't clean carburetors, I guess there is little point in buying it.

I have never dipped my carbs, not that I wouldnt like to try it... I usually use spray carb cleaner and brake parts cleaner. Is brake parts cleaner safe to use to clean carbs? I find it really takes all the varnish and crap out and is reasonably good with the tube on the can to spray through the jets and stuff. I havent ruined anything yet that I know of. Course the 440 has those rubber bladder things so I imagine you would want to keep it away from those!

The major problem with using brake cleaner instead of carb cleaner is that it usually evaporates quicker than you can get an air hose nozzle to it to blow it out/off, where most carb cleaners don't evaporate at all.
So basically when you spray that varnish with brake cleaner out of one area, it just pools and dries quickly in another. :pinch:

bullitt00692 wrote:

Nothing is easy...

unless you want to spend the money and have the expert do it for you. click the link in WG's sig

bullitt00692 wrote:

Logically it sound slike a good cleaning or a rebuild my be my best hope - But how is a non-mecanic like me going to do this - Is there a poor man's way to clean the carbs. I can always pay someone to do it, but I want to avoid spending $100+ for this when I should be able to do it myself.

Replacing the spark plugs sound slike a good idea as well, and will look into that today.

Dude, I just took the carbs apart on my 440LTD for the first time and its easy as pie Really, once you get the carbs off of the bike you have 4 screws to take the top cover off which lets you remove the diaphragm and spring, then 4 screws on the bottom that allow you to remove the float bowl. Was a little daunting at first but i think i would be comofortable taking my carbs part again and again and again. Which is good, because I will probably have to

careful with the diaphragms they are constructed out of unobtainium ya know. I have bought entire bikes just to take a chance on getting a good set of diaphragms.
But honestly the 400/440 carbs are real easy to clean. You may need to sacrifice a screwdriver to the grinder to make it narrow enough to get all the jets out. Try just disassembling and cleaning before you go out and buy a kit.

wiredgeorge wrote:

For those of you folks still touting Chem Dip... well it is a different formula now. The new stuff is worse than useless... leaves the carburetors nastier than when they went in.

wiredgeorge, I mean no disrespect but I have had really good results with Chem Dip (but of course I'm not a professional). Since so many of the people on this, and other forums, are not professionals we don't have access to the same chemicals a professional can get (or don't need the quantity), we are sometimes stuck with what's available.

Most newbie bike owners just want to get there bike on the road and just don't have the funds to pay someone to do it for them.

These two little carbs on a 440 are simple and easy for a newbie to rebuild with very few issues. This would be a good place for someone to learn how to work on their bike. Let's not make it harder than it is.

As far as a poor man's way; In my younger days I've used nothing more than spray carb cleaner, old tooth brush, hot soapy water and compressed air to get a respectable clean job on some carbs. It all hinges on budget and desire.

Later,
Stone

flht1997 wrote:

careful with the diaphragms they are constructed out of unobtainium ya know.

Funny, and true.

flht1997 wrote:

careful with the diaphragms they are constructed out of unobtainium ya know....

Yea, and you know how rare unobtainium is. You can't hardly find it!

JimatMilkyWay wrote:

flht1997 wrote:

careful with the diaphragms they are constructed out of unobtainium ya know....

Yea, and you know how rare unobtainium is. You can't hardly find it!

There is a guy making and selling replacement diaphragms. There was a long thread over on the "Kawasaki Twins" (kz400.com) not too long ago about this. One member bought a set and tested, and was very pleased... lemme see if I can find the link....
Here it is , but you might have to be a memeber to read the post, I don't know...

problem is those are about 60 bucks a piece before shipping from europe, and i can usually find a entire 400 for 100 dollars. right now i have 2 good sets but i am always on the look out at swap meets and stuff for 400 carbs.

Okay - I took the cargs off and cleaned then and blew a bunch or compressed air into every hole I can find (on the carbs!). Put the carbs back in and shot in some starter fluid and she fired right up - Good deal - right?

I then put the boots between the air box and the carbs and the problems start - With a shot of starter fluid and choke all the way open, she starts and keeps RPM's up around 5000 - 6000 with ok throtle response. When I close the choke the RPMs' drop and with the choke all the way closed, she dies. Won't start unless the choke is all the way open even it the bike is hot - way hot.

I put the air filter on and same problem.

Carbs are clean and two new plugs - No air filter

So any ideas why she only runs at full choke and high RPM's. Any suggestions on how to fix?

bullitt00692 wrote:

...So any ideas why she only runs at full choke and high RPM's. Any suggestions on how to fix?

I know you mentioned earlier in the thread that it ran last season. It just sounds to me like the only fuel it gets is from the choke, and of course with the choke you get high idle.
Have you measured them the floats with a float fuel-level tool (home-made or otherwise) while on the bike, on the centerstand?
You say it didn't run well before, but it ran. Can you describe how it ran poorly before?