Carb Fun!

1977 KZ650 C-1 with pods and a seriously hacked Kerker (baffle removed and some dirtbike tip weleded on to keep the cops away). Bought it as a basketcase a few weeks ago. Cleaned the carbs last night and they're immaculate (touch of OCD helps). PO is a MC mechanic and swears he jetted for the pods/pipe but I just cant get this thing dialed in. I did a mechanical synch but need it to run well enough to bring it in for a dial job. Starts ok for a kick only. Once it warms up (forever and a day) I got it idling at 1100 all super duper smoothlike. In gear it bogs until it reaches about 4K then comes to life and runs super all the way to redline. Pull in the clutch and it dies after falling though idle. Starts right up with a pop of the clutch and idles fine. I suspected original coils but it seems to get good juice at high rpm. The greenies were ordered anyway. I know these carbs are spotless and there is seafoam coursing through her veins right now so what the hell am I missing here?
Valves checked
Points good
Timing tonight but I think it's good anyway

Arrrrgh...hell it beats my old V-MAX ("touch them carbs boy and I'm gonna charge you 500 bucks just for being stupid")

Stuck mechanical advance weights maybe? Leaking carb boot? Cracked vacuum line? PO, not the mechanic he thinks he is maybe? I had one of those.

yeah I'm beginning to think that too. He does work for Polaris after all. Anyway..update. Just rode it 30 miles in 85 degree weather and it basically sucked at all rpms...like its not getting enough of one of the three (spark fuel air). The whole ride was akin to needing to switch to reserve (full tank) I'm back to thinking coils. Also....while I was reconnecting carbs, I saw I have a push pull throttle with only the pull attached. The push was snipped and hidden. Doesn't seem to make a difference....or does it?

and new symptom...rpm isnt dropping below 3000 when the clutch is pulled in then after about 5 seconds, falls off rapidly to 0. This began after it got really warmed up

I run my push pull throttle with just the pull cable hooked up, figuring I can switch to the other one if the first one breaks. Hasn't hurt anything yet.
Yours sounds a lot like a vacuum leak. Mine did the same thing, and I finally broke down and took the carbs off and discovered that the super genius PO had somehow jammed the carbs back on with one of the boots folded over. Sometimes it leaked, sometimes it didn't. Had me pulling my hair out.
Plus one of the spark plug holes was stripped and he JBWelded the plug in. I put an insert in that.
Also the speedo didn't work. Took the front wheel off and found out he somehow didn't get the drive dogs lined up with the slots and ruined the drive gear. Advance weights were frozen solid.
Some mechanic he was.
Maybe it was the same guy??

Is your battery fully charged? What is the voltage at the coils? Roy

riverroad wrote: I run my push pull throttle with just the pull cable hooked up, figuring I can switch to the other one if the first one breaks. Hasn't hurt anything yet.

It's up to you, of course, but you may want to reconsider hooking up the "push" cable. If your throttle ever sticks open the push cable lets you quickly regain control. Ed

More interesting twists if you're reading this with similar issues. Major exhaust leak on #3 fixed. Bad boot on number 4. Points were so tight that they barely separated. Timing slightly off. All combined in one crappy running bike. Probably still a pilot jet issue but don't despair if yer new basket case is seemingly beyond hope! Thanks to all!!

Oh and loose chain dragging on center stand. Bought a massive amount of 6pm bolts and now I spend quiet evenings unscrewing the PO's nonsense.

You are on top of things it seems. Just do the basics. Make sure there is good voltage to the coils.

Just one step at a time. Roy