Need help...won't start

Hi there. I've been a member here sometime, love reading the posts, never posted until now. I have a 81 kz1000 ltd. Bought it a year ago. It would start, but it would "pop" and "crackle" while idling and going down the street. It came with a 4 into 1 header. I don't believe it was jetted for this. I removed the stock air box and put pods on. Since I removed the stock air box, the air suction system hose does not hook up to anything, can this be causing me troubles? Or is this something I can remove or bypass? Any ideas also about the jets not being the right size..would this also cause it not to start? I do have spark and it turns over and there is fuel (that has been in it for a year - this ok?) Any help would be so greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for any ideas!

Help me out with a time line here... you say it ran but popped with the header? Did it run well recently and then you put pods on it or did it sit for a while?

I know the pods and header will make it really lean and that could make it hard to start. It should run but be lean and pop a lot.

What else can you tell us?

Hi 81Kawrider - Yes, first get that old gas out of the tank and drain the carbs of it, too. As for the "air suction system hose", this might be the crankcase vent hose. If so, K&N makes nice filters for crankcase vent hoses - should be able to find one of them to fit. Also, when I changed the exhaust system on my '82 GPz750 to a V&H 4-1 years ago, I had to go to richer jets for the carbs. I imagine this is also true if you've changed the air filter to K&N pods rather than the stock air box (not the case when just changing from the foam air filter to K&N within the stock air box, at least for me).

Hope this helps.

Yes, it ran but popped with the header. No, it hasn't been started for a year. The pods were put on during the year while it sat. The last time it ran was May 2006. I've been changing chain, sprockets, ect. while it sat. Now it won't start. It only turns over. The only thing different from when it ran in May and now is the stock air box is gone and the air pods are on it.

No, it's not the crank case vent, it's an air suction system. Thanks for the reply. I will get the gas out of there.

go to hardware store and buy a couple rubber caps and a hose clamp for each.for the vent run a piece of vinyl hose to a point up under seat and strap to frame,no need for filter;)

Plummen

Thanks for the reply. I will head to the hardware store to get the supplies. I also noticed that there is a line that runs from my carbs up to the air suction system, can this be capped of or does it serve some sort of vacuum?

Thanks again for all your guys help.

You are referring to the "clean air" emissions system. Should be two ports on the valve cover, and two running from the carbs. I capped mine at the covers with large vaccum caps, and capped the carb ports. I removed the entire system.

Sounds to me like you are running very lean. I have the same bike. I bought my bike with headers and the clean air emissions system moved. The 2 ports on the valve cover were bridged with one hose and the hole in the air box plugged , but you don't have a air box now. You need to take off your carbs and possibly clean them. I dont remember where you are located but it's usally different jets for different altitudes or mods you have. I am not sure also but I think someone said on here.... you change the exhaust- one size bigger, change both exhaust and intake - 2 sizes bigger jet. Good luck!

Before changing jets and such I would check for leaks aroud the carb holders. Spray some carb cleaner or brake clean around the boots. Its better then replacing jets and taking thing apart. Haveing a vacumme leak will lean out mixture too.

All of the emissions hoses need plugged or you will run lean. There should be 2 on the carbs (plug with rubber caps) and 2 on the valve cover (run a hose from one to the other). I learned this the hard way many years ago when I pulled off the stock airbox from my '80 LTD 1000. Air is being sucked directly into the engine as it is now. Plug up the emissions stuff first and start from there.

Also, the original crank case breather goes to the filter box too. This will not affect how it runs but should have a filter to keep out debris.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Post edited by: 79MKII, at: 2007/06/20 13:42