KZ1100 carb issues (I think)

Hi, proud new owner of an '83 KZ1100 Spectre. So new to me that I have not picked it up yet. The bad. It won't run. Well, it will run, but only on two cylinders. Has new coils and plug wires and plugs. Compression is supposedly good on all four. I 'think' the problem is likely carb related, owner says it will run with starting spray. So, I am also an '81 XV750 Virago owner so I know old fuel systems, those bikes need careful carb cleaning to run well, if at all. Am I right to assume the same goes for the 1100 or are there other possible problems I might find? The tank has some red coating crap in it that I am very leery about, I will pull that and make sure the stuff is not clogging the petcock and strainer. It has new carb diaphragms so I am told. Any tips I would welcome, thank you in advance.

I'd go through the carbs straight away. Adjust the valves too. You can't diaganose running problems on the bike that needs maintenance.

This link will show you how to rebuild the carbs. It's from a Suzuki but the Kawasaki Mikuni's are very similar if not identical in most ways. NOTE: do NOT purchase carb "rebuild kits", get some new O-rings and reuse all the various brass jet parts. www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/Mikuni_B...Rebuild_Tutorial.pdf

Good luck.

Thanks. I see silicone sealer on the carb mounts, so that crap has to go as well. Looks like it just needs to be gone through properly and I hope will be a good runner. I have not ridden a KZ1100 since the early eighties and my memories of it was wow, that thing can go!

If there is silicon on the carb holders, they have to be replaced. That could why it doesn't run on two.
Steve

If there is silicon on the carb holders, they have to be replaced. That could why it doesn't run on two.
Steve

Or maybe leaking at the flange face, and some sealant added. It worked nicely on mine but not a permanent fix I know.

As well as a thorough clean out of your carbs, take the fuel tap out and clean the strainer. An inline fuel filter suitable for gravity feed would be a worthwhile addition. Some car type fuel filters seem to need more pressure so best avoided. The red stuff inside your tank is probably tank sealant, it can come unstuck and cause blockages.

Yes the red sealant is not even nicely applied, rough and nasty looking, I think I'm on the lookout for a new Spectre tank, if anyone has one lying around....?

Well I picked the Spectre up today. Got it to my shop and tried to start it and it fired and idled first try... then died. Cranked it a bit and it pops and tries to run but no. Pulled the carbs, they are 34 Mikunis, were black painted at one time. Carbs are clean looking inside, I didn't have time to dig further. But, are the idle screws on the top of the carb, after the butterflies? If so, these still have the metal plugs sealed over them, and I have a feeling the idle screws and ports could be plugged up if these have not been removed for cleaning. When this bike was new, like my '81 XV750, the idle was way too lean to start with, those bikes like another turn open of the idle mixture to run well, especially on todays ethanol enriched fuel, which makes the whole thing leaner anyway.

Are the idle screws air or fuel screws? What im asking, what do the idle mixture screws regulate, so I can know which way is richer or leaner.

Pics of the carbs could help.
Steve

Assuming we are talking about CV Mikuni's, the pilot screw controls the amount of fuel/air emulsion that controls the throttle chamber which controls low speed mixture. Out is richer. 3 turns out from lightly seated is a good tuning starting point. After the bike is up and running tweak the screws until you achieve the highest possible idle. Should be somewhere between 2.5 - 3.5 turns open.

Thanks, so to me, they are fuel screws, opening them adds more fuel.
Tried to attach a pic of the carbs but it won't let me for some reason.

Too large?
Steve