Having trouble leaning out my mixture [KZ200]

I think you can pull the head on any KZ with the engine in the frame. Do you plan to pull the jug and replace the base gasket?

I hope not. Can you still get rings for that thing? :dry:
Steve

Makeshift valve spring tool.
Steve

He should be able to reassemble with the old rings. I was concerned that he may have broken the seal on the old base gasket while he was removing the head. Besides, if there was already a leak there, now would be the time to take care of it unless he bought one of those fabulous green gaskets.......

swest wrote: Makeshift valve spring tool.
Steve

Nice!

TexasKZ wrote: I think you can pull the head on any KZ with the engine in the frame. Do you plan to pull the jug and replace the base gasket?

I might as well, shouldn't be too much work if retrieving that dropped screw doesn't take all day.

Do you have a manual?
Steve

Regarding the running problem, sounds like the float needle is sticking resulting in flooding the engine at low speed. Checking the fuel level using a clear tube on the float bowl drain nipple is a simple test (should be shown in your factory Kawasaki service manual).

Hope you didn't pull the head just because. Now that you have disturbed the seal on the top end you should pull the cylinder off and replace the base gasket and any seals in the top end as well, including the valve stem seals as Steve alludes.

Many if not most gasket kits are highly suspect. Athena brand with the green gaskets in particular. OEM Kawasaki gaskets are of superior quality and you can typically piece together what you need by purchasing individual gaskets off ebay for discount prices. Kawasaki didn't sell "kits", other than some crappy aftermarket kits sold by the US arm. If you find any of these don't buy them either because they are at least 25 years old and the gaskets are going to be hard and brittle.

If you do not already have one, the very next purchase you should make is a genuine Kawasaki Factory Service Manual (fsm). It will save you many times its purchase price in money and frustration. Some of the aftermarket manuals are better than nothing, but here is no substitute for the genuine article.

Thanks, I have a Clymer manual that's proven itself so far. I was able to retrieve my lost screw pretty easily but the valves wouldn't budge. I put a big socket on there and could only compress them about a centimeter. I'm gonna see about renting a valve spring compressor sometime soon or just picking one up.

Nessism wrote: Regarding the running problem, sounds like the float needle is sticking resulting in flooding the engine at low speed. Checking the fuel level using a clear tube on the float bowl drain nipple is a simple test (should be shown in your factory Kawasaki service manual).

Hope you didn't pull the head just because. Now that you have disturbed the seal on the top end you should pull the cylinder off and replace the base gasket and any seals in the top end as well, including the valve stem seals as Steve alludes.

Many if not most gasket kits are highly suspect. Athena brand with the green gaskets in particular. OEM Kawasaki gaskets are of superior quality and you can typically piece together what you need by purchasing individual gaskets off ebay for discount prices. Kawasaki didn't sell "kits", other than some crappy aftermarket kits sold by the US arm. If you find any of these don't buy them either because they are at least 25 years old and the gaskets are going to be hard and brittle.

Oh man, that's the exact pack of gaskets that I bought. Hope they aren't as bad as you say. :whistle:

The keepers are IN THERE. You will hear a pop when they let loose, then try to get them out.
Steve

TexasKZ wrote: If you do not already have one, the very next purchase you should make is a genuine Kawasaki Factory Service Manual (fsm). It will save you many times its purchase price in money and frustration. Some of the aftermarket manuals are better than nothing, but here is no substitute for the genuine article.

These are cheap on eBay also, that's where I got mine for $15.

swest wrote: The keepers are IN THERE. You will hear a pop when they let loose, then try to get them out.
Steve

Thanks, I decided to just leave the valves alone. I was planning on getting the bike all assembled today but I broke one of the piston rings when trying to get the cylinder back on. :pinch: Hopefully I can some non original rings. I'm not too fond of ordering parts from 30+ years ago when these rings seemed to snap so easily.