Clear tube method

Set the fuel level on my 29s by rigging em up on a board with 2 carb holders holding them then using a vice got em nice and level...... after replacing all 4 valves (2 were leaking pretty good and one barley) Igot em all right at 3.5mm below the carb body (hair over 1/8th inch) and I thought I was done. Or at least hoping I am.

Then I mounted em on the bike and see they are at a angle (rear of carbs higher than the front). Maybe 8-10 degree's ? Damn how long have I had this I would a swore they were closer to level.

So now my fuel level is still nice and even but its now 7mm down in the back of the bowl...... 3.5mm in the center and just below in the front maybe 1mm. Is this were I'd leave it ???

Also now that I got your attention how about a question #2............Bike ran perfect for 10 miles with the level like this, started within 3 sec and idled and had "zero" hesitation off idle and then slowing down for a stop sign I felt it just start to load up and run a little rough at idle and just off idle. Rode a little more then went home and thought ok after it cools I'll check the synch. Did and its near perfect with the Morgan. (bench shimmed it with a 1/32 rod correctly looks like).

Next morn I took it out and it was still like it was missing half a cyl (maybe slightly worse) ...... Went home changed plugs and 1 and 2 were too rich 3 and 4 a little lean. Didn't help. Took it out again and was still not right down low........hit the black top just down from my street and ran it up to 60 and it was perfect for a mile or so then turned around and ran it up to 8 grand or so in 4th and 5th and it was pulling and running great!! but when I slowed to come into town was still sounding like a cyl was not really missing but at lower power. Checked the plugs and now 1-3 and 4 are a little lean or close to right and only#2 is sooty. Guessing I got to blow out the pilot passages and jets again and maybe replace that Emego fuel filter I just bought and old fuel line too. When I drained the bowls it did have a tiny bit of lint? and a couple very small pieces of junk but would just like to hear it from you guys as I'm a big worrier and have about got myself sick over it.

Clear tube method...3 mm +/- 1 mm while holding the tube at the middle of the bowl on the bike is how I've always done it. If you are having issues with idle mixture just after pulling the carbs, and it wasn't a problem before, then I would guess it is a vacuum seal / leak problem or dirt in the idle circuit passages and / or pilot jets.

I just had a similar problem and most of it was due to a bad set of (new) NGK B7ES plugs, and rust getting by even a 10 micron fuel filter. With points, it seems Champions are more reliable if your ignition is old and not up to firing with 20K + volts. Two of the NGK's stopped working after only a few minutes, while the other two would only produce an orange spark (vs. blue as it should be). With nothing else changed, the bike runs again now, and much better than ever, with the Champions...surprise to me!

-Scott

Hey thanks I figured its about as right as I can get it were it is..... and a good cleaning along with the new Golan filter I just ordered should get it back to running right......

Funny you should mention Champions as that's what I replaced em with.... been saving a new set for a while for a special occasion. Been my fav since I read the Bonneville bike used em.

Heat ranges will vary from brand to brand. I've tried different types only to go back to the NGK's.
Steve

KZB2 650 wrote: Set the fuel level on my 29s by rigging em up on a board with 2 carb holders holding them then using a vice got em nice and level...... after replacing all 4 valves (2 were leaking pretty good and one barley) Igot em all right at 3.5mm below the carb body (hair over 1/8th inch) and I thought I was done. Or at least hoping I am.

Then I mounted em on the bike and see they are at a angle (rear of carbs higher than the front). Maybe 8-10 degree's ? Damn how long have I had this I would a swore they were closer to level.

So now my fuel level is still nice and even but its now 7mm down in the back of the bowl...... 3.5mm in the center and just below in the front maybe 1mm. Is this were I'd leave it ???

Also now that I got your attention how about a question #2............Bike ran perfect for 10 miles with the level like this, started within 3 sec and idled and had "zero" hesitation off idle and then slowing down for a stop sign I felt it just start to load up and run a little rough at idle and just off idle. Rode a little more then went home and thought ok after it cools I'll check the synch. Did and its near perfect with the Morgan. (bench shimmed it with a 1/32 rod correctly looks like).

Next morn I took it out and it was still like it was missing half a cyl (maybe slightly worse) ...... Went home changed plugs and 1 and 2 were too rich 3 and 4 a little lean. Didn't help. Took it out again and was still not right down low........hit the black top just down from my street and ran it up to 60 and it was perfect for a mile or so then turned around and ran it up to 8 grand or so in 4th and 5th and it was pulling and running great!! but when I slowed to come into town was still sounding like a cyl was not really missing but at lower power. Checked the plugs and now 1-3 and 4 are a little lean or close to right and only#2 is sooty. Guessing I got to blow out the pilot passages and jets again and maybe replace that Emego fuel filter I just bought and old fuel line too. When I drained the bowls it did have a tiny bit of lint? and a couple very small pieces of junk but would just like to hear it from you guys as I'm a big worrier and have about got myself sick over it.

Just my two cents on carburetor adjustments. The adjustments are all designed to provide uniform performance over a variety of operating parameters. Sometimes you ride up hill and sometimes down. You lean your bike around curves and obstacles while changing velocity. You accelerate and decelerate. The fuel in the float bowl moves in relation to those riding forces and directions. The fuel height in the bowl is designed to provide uniform performance over the operating extremes. So in my opinion, if you are in the ballpark to the specified manual value and all the bowls close to the same, then the bike should ride great on a typical test ride. You would have to take the bike to performance extremes to notice a problem. So yeah, check your carb settings when the bike is having issues, but don't change something that is likely working fine. Look for the real problem. Have you adjusted the valves? The only exception I would make to this is carb balancing. Get a good meter and check this annually.

SWest wrote: Heat ranges will vary from brand to brand. I've tried different types only to go back to the NGK's.
Steve

Hey Steve, I agree....ish...but you need the engine to at least run for a while before you can check if you have the right temp plugs!

I generally prefer NGK to all others as well, but it seems that a weak ignition does not favor them. Not the first time I've been told as much, usually by guys with old points ignitions four stroke trail bikes. My old yard tractor would not even start with a brand new NGK platinum plug. Put the old Champion back in and it starts / runs perfect.

I know, replace the KZ650's ignition- right? Well, for any improvement it would be about $500 CAN for parts all - in, ignition, coils, wires. The 650's owner doesn't want to spend that much. He doesn't even want to buy the new plugs!

If it was my bike, I would have replaced the points, coils, and HT wires with Dyna long ago...

-Scott

Thanks guys yes I did synch it with a Morgan (and bench shimmed it before I put em on) and its right on all valves checked 3 times since the rebuild (1,300 miles) and all 5.5 to 7.5 thousands 200 miles ago.... been running exc with the stock 24s since ...... have a 10 pack of NGK's too and that's what its run on since the build (very finely I might add and I've replaced the carb holders with slotted KZ1000s when fitting the 29s and I'm sure they sealed good and tight with allens....... the carbs after a soak and blowing them out every which way got all new nettle valves, o rings, gaskets and even bought new genuine main and pilot jets too so I could keep the others in the stock 24s.

Now that I've calmed down a little I'm sure I just picked up a little dirt and was having a really bad day Sun and Mon over it worrying about it ....... Carbs sat and was moved around a lot while waiting on parts and even though I covered em mostly with my cats checking the action and a dusty house I probably picked up a little that way......Was running too perfect for the first 10 miles to be anything else. Have a Golan filter and new line coming and have the carbs off ready to spray and blow em out again just before this stuff comes in. Tank was rinsed before (zero rust) along with the like new can and pure gas so good there too. And the dyna ign, Dyna green coils and solid copper wires were installed 1,300 miles ago so I should be all set. (Second set up first in the mid 80s).

A second cleaning did get it even though they were really clean at the start...... rinsed the tank....was super clean got nothing in a clean glass cup and put on new line and the Golan fuel filter....... started and was 95%+ after the #2 plug cleaned itself off a little. Both new plugs carboned up on #2 so that's where the problem was and after running it 3 days (100 miles) and going from 3/4 turn out to 1 turn on #2 (and 3/4 to 5/8 on #1 on the air screws its a nice dry and clean color and looks good to me across all 4......... And really just like you guys said it took the 80 to 100 miles to get the plugs colored good too so hats off to ya for that tip. Check the synch one more time and its ready.:woohoo: