Carb boots: am I getting screwed?

My '79 KZ650 broke the timing chain shortly after I bought it. I took it to a local bike shop specializing in classic bike, especially Kaws.

Since they had the bike, I decided to go ahead and let them rebuild the carbs, too. I'd been planning to get a set from wiredgeorge, but, since they were already working on the bike, it just seemed simpler to have them do it, rather than waiting to get the bike back from them, then starting the process of getting the carbs from George.

Well, despite promising to have the bike back in a week, they've had it for over 5. I'm not going to go into all the disgusting details, but, I spoke to them on Friday and was told he'd finished the carbs, but, while he was synching them up, he discovered the carb boots were bad. He told me he'd ordered new ones, that they'd cost me 80 bucks, and they'd be in the next day. He said all he had to do was bolt them on, synch the carbs, and I'd be ready to go. He said he'd call me the next afternoon when it was ready.

Needless to say, I never heard from him. Called Monday, left a message, no return call. Got ahold of him today, and he told me my bike was unique, and that none of his aftermarket suppliers made carb boots for it. He said he'd had to order them directly from Kawasaki, and they'd cost 30 bucks apiece.

I did some searching, and found these at Old Bike Barn: Old Bike Barn has These

They say they're for KZ650 H2 and H3s, 82-83. I'm pretty sure they won't work, will they? I'm guessing the difference is the 81 and earlier boots have the vacuum tube, while the 82 and later don't?

Does anyone know of a source for these? Am I getting hosed on them?

I also found these. will they work?

www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=443

Post edited by: seanof30306, at: 2007/08/29 03:35

Post edited by: seanof30306, at: 2007/08/29 03:43

Post edited by: KZCSI, at: 2007/08/30 08:54

Nothing worse then when they promise one thing and can't even call you when they run into a snag or something.

That link from Z1 sounds like what you need my man! 79 KZ650 Carb boots! If your in doubt contact Jeff or Rob @ Z1 Enterprises. They are cool dudes and will make sure you get what you need.

Sorry you have to deal with that man. That is why i learned how to work on these bikes. I have a low threshold for that cr@p myself. Best of luck and let us know how it turns out!

Dude, go with Z1! Got all my carb holders, carb to airbox boots, etc. Price was good and parts fit perfectly. Parts arrived in a week, overnight if you want to pay more. Z1 is the way to go!!

You started getting screwed the minute you left it with a shop, sorry bro but its true.

I don't think you're getting screwed exactly. Getting the runaround though. Those boots you pointed out are about $10 each anywhere. The correct boots are about $30 each so they are not lying there. There is no vacuum fittings on those newer boots so you wouldn't be able to ever sync the carbs for one thing.

Ron, The carb holders that are sold by Z1enterprises.com come from the same supplier that I use. They are the ones that made the originals, way back when. They have vacuum fittings on them. Only problem is they only make the ones for the 3 and 4 carburetors so if you buy four carb holders all the fittings will point out to the right side of the bike. This is a little inconvenient when putting vacuum hoses on but not all that big a deal. I am pretty sure Jeff will have them in stock at:

www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=443

Most of the carb holders for constant velocity carbs for Kawasakis will not have vacuum fittings as the fittings are on the carb bodies themselves... perhaps that is what you were thinking of.

The vacume tubes in some older manifolds I had
screwed in.OEM or aftermarket I don't know.I
drilled my new ones and screwed them in,work
great.Anyone good with a small lathe could make
them.A business oportunity for someone?

The Z1 ones will work fine, I didn't even look at them earlier, I only looked at the ones from the other place that he mentioned that had no vacuum fittings. The left side's NLA? Seems strange.

damn! 5 weeks! i am so sorry man thats awful. wish you lived near me i could point you in the right direction as far as a mechanic. to get my carbs rebuilt complete and new exhaust was a 4 hour turn around! im getting my jugs back in the next week or so bored 3mm over and my mech says i will be without my bike for about 2-3 days while it is being rebuilt from the pan up. any one who lives in the ft. worth area shoot me a pm and i can send you to a "good mech". by the way hope you dont use your bike for transportation. i would definately use another mechanic in the future.

ran429 wrote:

You started getting screwed the minute you left it with a shop, sorry bro but its true.

no doubt....

Well, the correct boots are around 70.00 from Z1 Enterprises. I found them on ebay for 55 (with shipping).

I called the shop today and told them I could get them for much less and since they hadn't gotten the ones they'd ordered in yet, to see if the order could be cancelled. He said he would, but, if I supplied my own parts, they wouldn't warranty any of the work.

Looks like I'm screwed either way I go.

I should've gone with my first impulse and waited to get the bike back from the cam chain repair and gotten the carbs from wiredgeorge, so, I guess it's my own fault. It's too bad he's so far away. It would've been nice to just take the bike to him and let him handle it all.

810gpz750 wrote:

damn! 5 weeks! i am so sorry man thats awful. wish you lived near me i could point you in the right direction as far as a mechanic. to get my carbs rebuilt complete and new exhaust was a 4 hour turn around! im getting my jugs back in the next week or so bored 3mm over and my mech says i will be without my bike for about 2-3 days while it is being rebuilt from the pan up. any one who lives in the ft. worth area shoot me a pm and i can send you to a "good mech". by the way hope you dont use your bike for transportation. i would definately use another mechanic in the future.

That's amazing, dude. You need to make sure that guy is on your christmas card list!

Honestly, it's not the time that has me the most bothered. This is clearly a shop's busiest time of the year. Looking at all the bikes there, you'd have to know going in that there were people there ahead of you.

What bothers me is, they had me make an appointment to bring it in, because they said they didn't want it to just sit around the shop waiting to get worked on. They've made at least half a dozen promises to me on completion, and not only have they not kept one of them, but, they haven't once given me the courtesy of letting me know they weren't going to meet their comittment(s). Instead, they've made me chase after them.

(You know what) happens, you can't always do what you said you were going to do, for a wide variety of reasonable excuses. What you can do, though, is, at least, show someone a bit of courtesy along the way and let them know you're not going to be able to keep your promise. It's that lack of respect that really frustrates me.

Post edited by: seanof30306, at: 2007/08/29 19:46

Post edited by: seanof30306, at: 2007/08/29 19:47