79' Kawasaki kz650 carburetor install please help!

Hello I just bought my first bike but i'm having some minor problems getting it running. I am a complete newb when it comes to working on motorcycles but i'm hoping someone can enlighten me.

Ok my first problem is the vacuum line on the carb. I'm not really sure what i'm supose to do with this. Theres an extra valve on my gas tank other than the main fuel line so is it meant to hook into the tank? (I have it hooked to the tank right now) Or do i just block this off?

Next thing is the airfilters. I sucessfully started the bike by sticking rags in where the airfilters go but I just bought new airfilters and i'm guessing they're letting in to much airflow because the bike won't start at all. Is there someway to adjust this or is there something I need to do with the carb itself? Someone mentioned syncing the carb. Will that solve this?

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to do all this myself without spending alot of money to have someone look at it.

Welcome... Well, if you want to work on the bike yourself, I do strongly suggest you get a Kawasaki FSM (Factory Service Manual) for your bikes year and model. Usually you can find this on eBay.

Be aware that there were 3 different KZ650's for 79'. B, C & D. Please share a good PIC so we can help you to figure out which model.

Do you still have the stock airbox? ...or are you running PODs? Also, what condition was the bike in when you bought it? Was it running?

Let us know...

It's not letting me upload pictures on here for some reason but ill keep trying. I was aware there were a couple different kz650's but I have no idea how to find out which one i have. Hopefully I can get pictures on here to help.

When i bought the bike the carburetor was off and needed work. So i cleaned it and replaced some jets then put it back on, tinypic.com/view.php?pic=10oflsl&s=8#.VDbAFPldU1I
This is like the one i have so i hooked it up according to this but i just dont know where the vacuum line goes.

I took the stock airbox out and bought these. image.dhgate.com/albu_293758367_00/1.0x0.jpg
But before i put them on i just used rags where the airfilters go and the bike had no problem starting. Now that the airfilters are on it wont start at all.

Thanks for the help. Once again im completely new to all of this so bare with me

Welcome to the madness :silly: :blink: :silly:

Your two best friends are going to be the stock air box and a genuine Factory Service Manual. Put the airbox back where it belongs and sell the pod filters to someone who is in desperate need of headaches.

It looks like you have the two hoses in the pic hooked up where they should be. The black one with the filter takes fuel from the petcock (fuel valve) to the carbs. The other hose sends vacuum to the petcock to open it when the engine is running. If the carbs were just reinstalled, you will need to turn the valve to PRI to fill the carbs with fuel before you try to set the fuel level or start the engine.

Your bike looks like it could be a 1977 or 1978 SR 650. The two yellowish hoses are overflows, the large black hose with filter is you fuel supply from the tank to the carbs, and the last hose is a vacuum for the petcock. Without it fuel will not flow. Just as TexasKZ stated. I have K&N Pod filters and they are a pain in the butt. Just bought a used Air Box Assembly to replace the Pod Filters. Good luck, and keep swinging the bat, you'll get a hit.

Kawasaki never made a 1977 KZ650 SR. They made a 1978 SR, but the bike shown is a 1979 model. Ed

For further info about the carbs:

Click here > www.wgcarbs.com/index.php/using-joomla/e...-vm-carb-connections

Good Fortune!

Thnaks for the help. Im not as lost as i thought i was. Ill try putting the airbox back in

Welcome.
Did you happen to notice what size jets were in the carbs when you had them open?
Looks like your vacuum hose is hooked up correctly in your first picture.
It may be a little long though.

I believe that is a 78 model 650 SR..... If it was a 79 it should have that emissions/breather crap on top of the cam cover, I don't see that in the pics.... It's just painted a color very similar to 1 of 2 color options for 79..... 78's came 1 color only, Persimmon Red.....
Try the suggestion given about filling the carb bowls by putting the petcock in the PRI position before trying to start it...the engine will not pull enough vacuum on the petcock to open it just cranking it over, hence the PRI position on the petcock.....

ezrider714 wrote: I believe that is a 78 model 650 SR..... If it was a 79 it should have that emissions/breather crap on top of the cam cover, I don't see that in the pics..........

Good point. However, I'm still thinking it's a 1979 SR but with a 1978 engine and exhaust from a B or C model. The 1979 SR has the drilled rotors which this bike has. As you stated, the engine looks more like a 1978 than a 1979. The exhaust system came off a B or C model because the SR came with the cross-over header pipes an this bike doesn't have them.

If the owner posts the VIN that is stamped in the frame and the engine serial number stamped near the oil filler cap we should be able to positively identify the year of the frame and the engine. Ed