KZ550 jetting with K&N pods and stock exhaust

I'm putting K&N pod filters on tonight in lieu of the stock airbox. The main jets are 92 size inside of the TK carburetors. Does anyone have suggestion and a line on where to find the best size of main jet to replace it with? the dynojet kits don't seem to list the sizes in the ads on websites I've seen. I've never been very good with carburetion so I welcome any help or suggestions

. It's an 82 KZ550, NOT the GPZ550. Thanks.

Start with 96 mains. You can get small-head keihin with the right threads.
You will have to drill the pilots if they need to be changed, but do that last since it is not reversible.
You will also need the adjustable needles which can be found in the rebuild kits.

If you are not good at carbs, be ready to do a lot of trial and error work.
Why do you want to get rid of the airbox? Once you know how to take the carbs off and on it's not too hard to do on a warm day.

There is a link to TK22 info in my signature. You should probably download all of the manuals in my sig, and read the vlve train warning too, before doing too much tinkering.

"I've never been very good with carburetion so I welcome any help or suggestions" Your words..... here is my suggestion. Do your homework and research Pods vs Airbox. There is a whole library here about that subject. I suggest you read it before you do this. But it is your bike and your time and money involved. Just be forewarned Pods come with a learning curve, gobs of wrenching and sometimes do not please at all.

Thanks for your suggestions. The rubber boots on the airbox were so hard it seemed impossible to get the carbs reattached. Prices I saw were $50 for 4 little rubber boots, I figured for half that I may as well put on pods and see if there's greater performance. I'm not going to get rid of the stock airbox until if and when it's running right.

You probably wont get much in the way of performance out of it. The k&n pods are also more expensive than the airbox boots. The pods are mostly installed for looks and the ease of taking the carbs on and off

eddiekilowatt wrote: Thanks for your suggestions. The rubber boots on the airbox were so hard it seemed impossible to get the carbs reattached. Prices I saw were $50 for 4 little rubber boots, I figured for half that I may as well put on pods and see if there's greater performance. I'm not going to get rid of the stock airbox until if and when it's running right.

:laugh: :laugh: If that happens be sure to share the secret formula. Also, let us know the total cost of pods, jets, etc. and total the number of hours involved in getting the bike to run well. I'm probably wrong, as usual, but I suspect $50 may seem like a bargain. Ed

Take note that those saying it's definitely not possible to get more power out of the Kz550 with TK22 carbs also have not owned and rejetted one. They are only quoting journalists working on different bikes for a magazine many years ago, before wideband systems were easily had. Don't take technical advice from a journalist as your only source of information. God help us if we did. They usually can't get people's names spelled correctly, much less any technical information.

I've gone back and forth a few times between pods and airbox, on several bikes, and the highway rollon is definitely more exciting with pods. But I don't claim it would be faster in a quarter mile, though it feels like it, but the top end only. But who even cares? These bikes are old and if you want to go faster easily, just get a bike a few years younger.

Total cost for disposable pods, which are preferred over Uni's and K&N's, in my opinion, are around $40. Rebuild kits, which are usually necessary anyway, since these bikes are over 30 years old, are about $80 to $100 for four.

loudhvx wrote: Take note that those saying it's definitely not possible to get more power out of the Kz550 with TK22 carbs also have not owned and rejetted one. They are only quoting journalists working on different bikes for a magazine many years ago, before wideband systems were easily had. Don't take technical advice from a journalist as your only source of information. God help us if we did. They usually can't get people's names spelled correctly, much less any technical information.....

In my case this is true. :blush: Ed

I like the Pods look but never used them, Got my own issues now with a stock air box and someone with a golden screw driver. I use this lil picture to keep me on track hope it helps.