Persistent flat spot off idle

  • mopguy
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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

05 Dec 2015 14:35
#702048
Maybe you need a new throttle cable or it needs to be lubricated so it slides freely all the way to the bottom?
I have a 1980 Kawasaki KZ750 Ltd. I bought new. I recently managed to get it out of my garage after 28 years and put it on the road again (2010). I feel like a kid all over again. Since I have acquired 3 78 KZ1000 Ltd, 1 1981 KZ1000 Ltd, and another 1980 KZ750 Ltd. Love the LTD's.

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  • Mean Green Z28
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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

05 Dec 2015 16:40 - 05 Dec 2015 16:42
#702061
jackleberry wrote:
Mean Green Z28 wrote: I am very new to this but one passage/opening I found clogged on my carbs was the pilot bypass orifices near the throttle blade. Idle was fine and mid/top range was fine, the off idle fueling was f'd up, and it turned out that these tiny little orifices were clogged.

they're shown here as transfer ports

www.xs650.com/forum/showpost.php?s=2464b...7&p=4464&postcount=2

That's possible. I know the pilot jets themselves are clean because I've had them out many times. I've blasted that entire circuit with carb cleaner many times and seen it exit via those holes. How did you know yours were clogged and how did you unclog them?
just a lot of head scratching until I found the diagram that showed those two bypasses. Didn't even know they were there. When I first sprayed, I saw nothing come out, but I kept spraying lightly from the bore side to soak it and also using a strand of wire to poke the holes. Then wrapped a bunch of electrical tape around the carb cleaner nozzle and poked it up into the pilot jet tube from the bottom and kept praying and blocking off any other holes that the spray would come through (may have sprayed my face a few times, ha), until I saw a nice stream come through those openings. It was a pain in the ass and my skin dried out like crazy 'cos of all the solvent on my hands! hahaha
2010 Camaro 2SS
1983 Kawi KZ1000P ... bag of bolts
Last edit: 05 Dec 2015 16:42 by Mean Green Z28.

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  • Nessism
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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

05 Dec 2015 17:38 - 05 Dec 2015 17:40
#702070
Back to basics. Here is a link to a Mikuni BS CV carb rebuild tutorial. Bust down the carbs and soak each one in carb dip to be sure all the various passages are open. Replace all the O-rings. Verify fuel level is correct using the clear tube method. If the weight of the float depresses the float needles replace the needles. Look at each jet and make sure the numbers match the factory manual for your bike. If someone put aftermarket carb kits in your carbs that may be your problem right there. Most common carb kits are full of inferior junky jets that may or may not match your originals. Big red flag there if that's the case... zeus.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/Mikuni_...Rebuild_Tutorial.pdf
Last edit: 05 Dec 2015 17:40 by Nessism.

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  • Patton
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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

05 Dec 2015 18:24
#702075




Good Fortune! :)
1973 Z1
KZ900 LTD

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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

05 Dec 2015 18:43
#702079
If the passages are plugged it's extremely difficult to clear them by trying to force spray though. That's why you should soak the carb body in carb dip followed by a water rinse. Use the spray after to verify the passages are open.

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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

06 Dec 2015 11:22
#702155
bountyhunter wrote: You might try draining the bowls and reinstalling the bowl screws then filling the carbs with Gumout liquid or some equally strong carb cleaner and let sit for a week. If internals have oxidized gas gumming them up, that should clear it.

Have already done this with Seafoam.
1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)

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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

06 Dec 2015 11:23
#702157
LarryC wrote: When no amount of jetting cures a problem it's a good indication the fuel level is not correct.

Fuel level is at 3mm on all 4 carbs.
1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)

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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

06 Dec 2015 11:23
#702158
mopguy wrote: Maybe you need a new throttle cable or it needs to be lubricated so it slides freely all the way to the bottom?

Thottle cable moves freely (these are push/pull anyway, so return is not an issue)
1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)

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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

06 Dec 2015 11:24
#702159
Nessism wrote: If the passages are plugged it's extremely difficult to clear them by trying to force spray though. That's why you should soak the carb body in carb dip followed by a water rinse. Use the spray after to verify the passages are open.

That's the thing... I've already verified that spray/compressed air goes through *all* of the obvious passages in the idle circuits. Including the air jets/passages.
1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)

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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

06 Dec 2015 11:29
#702160
Mean Green Z28 wrote:
jackleberry wrote:
Mean Green Z28 wrote: I am very new to this but one passage/opening I found clogged on my carbs was the pilot bypass orifices near the throttle blade. Idle was fine and mid/top range was fine, the off idle fueling was f'd up, and it turned out that these tiny little orifices were clogged.

they're shown here as transfer ports

www.xs650.com/forum/showpost.php?s=2464b...7&p=4464&postcount=2

That's possible. I know the pilot jets themselves are clean because I've had them out many times. I've blasted that entire circuit with carb cleaner many times and seen it exit via those holes. How did you know yours were clogged and how did you unclog them?
just a lot of head scratching until I found the diagram that showed those two bypasses. Didn't even know they were there. When I first sprayed, I saw nothing come out, but I kept spraying lightly from the bore side to soak it and also using a strand of wire to poke the holes. Then wrapped a bunch of electrical tape around the carb cleaner nozzle and poked it up into the pilot jet tube from the bottom and kept praying and blocking off any other holes that the spray would come through (may have sprayed my face a few times, ha), until I saw a nice stream come through those openings. It was a pain in the ass and my skin dried out like crazy 'cos of all the solvent on my hands! hahaha

Hmm. Well, I've already seen the spray come out of those ports. I'll try running some guitar string through them the next time I have them out though just in case.
1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)

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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

06 Dec 2015 11:33
#702162
Nessism wrote: Back to basics. Here is a link to a Mikuni BS CV carb rebuild tutorial. Bust down the carbs and soak each one in carb dip to be sure all the various passages are open. Replace all the O-rings. Verify fuel level is correct using the clear tube method. If the weight of the float depresses the float needles replace the needles. Look at each jet and make sure the numbers match the factory manual for your bike. If someone put aftermarket carb kits in your carbs that may be your problem right there. Most common carb kits are full of inferior junky jets that may or may not match your originals. Big red flag there if that's the case... zeus.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/Mikuni_...Rebuild_Tutorial.pdf

Already done all this (except for splitting and dipping, that is beyond my apartment-living, side of the public road capabilities at the moment). That's what I mean by 'persistent'. None of the 'usual' stuff has resulted in much of an improvement. When I say everything is stock, I mean it. Stock, genuine Mikuni parts for this bike (except o-rings, which are Viton).

Whatever is going on here, I don't think it's one of the usual suspects.
1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)

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  • zukdave
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Re: Persistent flat spot off idle

06 Dec 2015 13:36
#702179
jackleberry wrote: [Have already done this with Seafoam.

Maybe if you used some real carb dip like Berrymans and not snake oil
you might just get them clean. Myself I'd break them down and find a shop that has a sonic cleaner
and have them cleaned right.
1980 KZ650 F1
ZX750A1 motor.
Wiseco 810cc kit.
Zukiworks racing ported head.
VM 29 smooth bore's.
Dyna 2000 Ign. w/Dyna mini coil's
APE cylinder stud's and nut's.
APE valve spring's.
APE Track King clutch.
V/H KZ1000 sidewinder.
3.5x18 laced to a KZ1000 disk hub.
150/60/18 Shinko 006 Podium.
63" wheel base.

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