Where to go from here?

I just cleaned the carbs from a KZ1100 that was sitting for about 8 years. Before the bike was put away they were rebuilt and I guess it wasn`t winterized one year and my father couldn`t get it started so it ended up sitting until now. I cleaned all passageways and changed the O-rings on the float valves. The needles and jets only had about 500 miles on them so I didn`t go for the rebuild kits right away just a cleaning. The diaphrams look to be in good shape too. I wanted to get it running first before I put money into it besides a fresh battery. The gaskets need to be changed but they are not leaking. The motor also has about 1k on a rebuild before it was stored away so the compression should be good.

I can get the bike to start and run but it takes a little gas sprayed in the carbs to kick over when its cold. After that it will run but it wants to run at 4k rpm. I can not get it to idle. I did once for a little while. Even when the choke is in all the way it will stay at 4k and then go down to about 1500 where I have the idle set up a little higher to keep it running. It shuts off shortly after. When It is warm it does the same thing.

What should I adjust or check first? The air fuel mixture screws on top were set to the factory 1 1/4 turns out.

Is air getting in somewhere? The vacuum lines are connected to the gas tank and the rest are plugged.

Should I try to sync them? It backfires pretty regularly but not loud just slightly out of the carbs.

Not familiar with those carbs, but the condition reeks of plugged idle circuits. Did you clean/replace the pilot jets?

Yes everything is clean and the jets only have about 500 miles on them so I don`t think that they are worn out.I took the carbs completly apart and cleaned everything.Blew out all passageways etc.

The jets could still be clogged after sitting for a season in fuel that got rotten. Pilot jets have very small passages that gum up quickly. First thing I'd be doing is looking at them to make sure they are clear. Might be able to get away with cleaning them, but if they've been sitting years you may have to replace them. You should be able to buy just the jets, without having to buy full rebuild kits. Needles can clean up easily enough if they've got a little varnish on them, but jets can be pretty tough to clean once they've gotten nasty inside.

I let them soak and put a small piece of wire through all the holes in them to make sure they are free from debree. I was also able to spray carb cleaner through the passageways that lead into where it sits. I didn`t change the O-rings on the plugs that go over it but they seemed like the fit snugly enough that it would seal.

Okay, so assuming the pilot circuits are clear (sounds like they are) lets move our attentions elsewhere. Are you confident there are no leaks on the carb holders? Have you sprayed carb cleaner on all areas of the carb holders while running to see if you get any change in your idle?

Also wouldn't be a bad idea to check valve clearances. Out of spec valves can make you think carb problems when you're not actually chasing carb issues...

Update!!

I read through a bunch of threads and decided to check the basice. First I disconnected the throttle cable. Bingo it must have been too tight. I can now get it to idle a steady 1500 for now. Its spitting out of carbs 1 and 2.

What should I adjust first? I bought the tubing to make the " Manometer" to sync them. Should I do this first or adjust the mixture screw in the back of the carbs.

mookieo2 wrote:

...spitting out of carbs 1 and 2.
What should I adjust first?...

Valve clearances, as suggested by anarki650.
And would check especially for too tight intakes.

Good Luck!

I turned the screws out 1.5 turns and it ran a lot better. As it warmed up I was able to settle it down to about 1k rpms. I put a little seafoam into the gas just for a little extra cleaning. I was able to get it to idle smooth at 1100. I would blip the throttle and it would rev to 4k and stay there for a while. I think the throttle cable needs to be lubbed because after few times doing it started to go back to idle immediately after I blipped it. I had it idleing for a while and it was running great. I can`t test drive it because I don`t have brakes. I broke the bleeder valves off and figured I`d wait to get it running smooth before I did anything else. Before I went in I reved it a few times slowly up to about 4k and maybe 5k and back down. I heard a clanking noise and it started to happen a few more times, the bike shut off and I called it a day. I hope I didn`t blow the motor. I didn`t rev it past 6k once when the throttle was stuck. It would figure that when I finally got it running something else would happen.

Do you have a manual?

I would find the area where the clunking is comming from. Use a piece of wood held to your ear and place it in the area where you hear the noise.

Remove the throttle cable completly.

Keep in touch. Roy

The mechanical ignition advancer might need some light oil in the pivot areas. It's under a CD sized cover on the right side of the engine. If the bike has electronic ignition, this is where the pick up coils are(Kawasaki calls them pulsing coils).

If the bike has a standard igition, this is where the points will be.

MFolks wrote:

The mechanical ignition advancer might need some light oil in the pivot areas. It's under a CD sized cover on the right side of the engine. If the bike has electronic ignition, this is where the pick up coils are(Kawasaki calls them pulsing coils).

If the bike has a standard igition, this is where the points will be.

Not sure I understand why this would help? It has electronic ignition.

The clunk just started after it was running for a long time sitting in my driveway. The engine reved hard a few times I`m assuming from the throttle cable sticking. I hope its not too serious. The motor was recently rebuilt before it was put away for 8 years. I`ll try again tomorrow. I may have to post this new problem in another thread in the appropriate section.