'80 KZ440 LTD with pods - Am I doomed?

We're trying to get it stable at ~1500, but after it runs for a while it drifts up to about 3K.

The_Raven wrote: ...adjusted the float level....

If not already done, the fuel level should be adjusted by using the clear tube method.

Good Fortune!

The_Raven wrote: According to what I've read, it's a whole different animal, unless I'm mistaken.

As seen here

We had problems with 440's with some customers who wold bugger up the air silencer gasket. The air silencer is #2 in the schematic. You want the ENTIRE air box assembly on the bike with a filter in place.

When those bikes were brand spanking new, they were jetted on the lean side. If the silencer was removed, they didn't run well at all.

Trying to coax any worthwhile performance improvements out of a 440 through the removal of the air box and carb rejetting is pretty much a waste of time.

We've got the whole top (parts #2, 3 & 4) and bottom airbox installed, with the proper filter element (#4), but I don't think I saw a gasket where the two assemblies meet. I'll have a look. Thanks!

There was no gasket, so we're going to put RTV silicone on that seam and seal it with duct tape. It's remarkable how sensitive these carbs are to even small air leaks.

P.S. we did do the clear tube float level test...

Hehehehe... Pardon me while I bleep a Twinkie.

So I get to where my buddy and I have been working on my bike, about 60 miles from home, with a simple plan; try sealing the airbox, if that doesn't work, take the bike to a shop close to my home that specializes in old Japanese bikes. The guy that runs the shop is renowned for being a cranky a-hole, and not cheap, but he knows his stuff. He's my last resort.

Sealing the airbox had no real effect. The bike still idles high, and I'm getting backfiring on the right cylinder on deceleration. The backfiring should have clued me, in retrospect, but...

...so now I've got to ride a pretty sketchy bike from Norton, MA to Lynn, MA. The registration and insurance are cool, but there's no current inspection sticker. I've got my nephew tailing me in case it dies, but it was pretty uneventful for the most part. I get to the shop and the guy comes out, I fire up the bike and he says instantly, "You know you've got an exhaust leak, right?"

:huh: Ummm... Geez, we didn't actually check the exhaust... Son. Of. A. Bitch.

Right where the H-pipe meets the right exhaust, the clamp is totally loose and I can feel the exhaust hitting my hand.

So now I've got him going over the bike to see if there's anything else we missed. I'm not certain where the exhaust leak would cause the idle to hang, but it certainly explains the backfiring.

So that's the story for now...

tl;dr : Don't miss the forest for the trees, check the exhaust as well as the intake!