Floats for VM28 Carbs KZ1000

My 78 KZ1000 was fitted with VM28 carbs from the later models with an accelerator pump. My floats seem to have lost "buoyancy" and although I have them working for now I've had to bend the tabs a long way and have had the carbs off numerous times to continually adjust the levels as the floats seem to "float" less. I'm looking for new floats, I know the float bowls from the VM24's are the same, because I used a set when I removed the accelerator pump mechanism and bowls from the carbs, but are the floats the same? I've seen brass ones for the VM24's and thought these might be a better replacement with ethanol in today's fuel, even though I avoid that at all costs. Otherwise does anyone know where to get a replacement set of the composite floats at a decent price? Thanks

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationThe carb float part number for the KZ650-C1 is 16031-031 (see www.powersportswarehouse.com/p/Kawasaki#...50-C1-1977/070052C-9 ). If you use that part number in searching eBay you will see there are some that are used and some that are new old stock (NOS), but they can be a little expensive depending on the seller. Below is one example of a NOS one. Ed

Try here.
Steve
jetsrus.com/individual_parts/007_255_su.html

Thanks,so the VM24 floats will fit the VM28 Carbs based on the part numbers?

What are the thoughts on using brass versus the composite ones. My experience has been that brass flats can leak, but if you get lucky with good ones they last forever.

I put the ones from my 28's in my 33's. The brass ones leaked.
Steve

redhawk4 wrote: Thanks,so the VM24 floats will fit the VM28 Carbs based on the part numbers?

What are the thoughts on using brass versus the composite ones. My experience has been that brass flats can leak, but if you get lucky with good ones they last forever.

I can't speak from personal experience, but if you go to www.powersportswarehouse.com/pages/oemparts#/s/KUS//16031-031 and then click on "Select Model" on the right hand side of the page a list of models that the float fits appears. If your model is on that list you can then click on it and see the parts diagram for the carbs. That diagram will show part numbers. Ed

OK, that parts guide shows the same floats for my KZ650 and KZ1000 working off them being the carbs from a 79 KZ1000A3 or an 80 ZIR.

I'm still not sure about brass floats with the possibility of leaks but I don't know that I'd trust a NOS float either given that they deteriorate and were not designed for modern fuels. I'm sure I saw new Mikuni branded floats somewhere, I'll look again now it seems they are the same for most of the carbs. Out of interest I looked at a spare float from the CV 36 mikuni on my 1980 Suzuki SP400 and it will fit in the old VM24 parts carbs I have.

I found some genuine Mikuni brass floats for about $11 a piece, so I'll give these a try. I think I might weigh them and then submerge them in fuel for a day to see if they have any leaks before fitting them. With the run of luck I've had on these carbs so far, I'd be amazed if without checking the floats, the carbs didn't have to come off yet again due to a leaking float. Hopefully they will finally rectify the situation.

The stock plastic type floats work perfectly fine. I never heard of one going bad from fuel or other.

RonKZ650 wrote: The stock plastic type floats work perfectly fine. I never heard of one going bad from fuel or other.

+1
I've had zero problems with mine in 40+ years. Ed

Have you put them in water to see if the float the same?
Steve

RonKZ650 wrote: The stock plastic type floats work perfectly fine. I never heard of one going bad from fuel or other.

Well mine have gone bad and keep getting progressively worse. I have the tabs bent way up to maintain the correct float level. I wouldn't be anti using new ones if they could be found for a reasonable price, in the end I need new floats and the Mikuni brass ones are available, newly manufactured and at an affordable price. Netrophyl which I think is the name of the material used in those "plastic" floats is known to be affected by modern fuels on numerous vehicle types. In general I've found them to be good, especially given they are 40 years old, however with mine on my KZ1000, I don't know if it was a fuel additive someone used at some point or what, but they are not close to floating correctly and are absorbing fuel, while on other bikes I have they still work fine. I had worse problems with a Yamaha XT200 I had a few years back, luckily it was a single carb, but even then being a TK I had to spend a fortune on a NOS float which solved the problems caused by the original.