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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 18 Mar 2019 08:34 #800574

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I bought a '78 KZ400 with Pods and do not have the OEM airbox to throw back in it. My plan is to buy the rejetted Mikuni V32 kit for it eventually but I don't have the funds at the moment. I have no idea if the previous owner rejetted it or not and I don't know how to tell. My plan is to get new pods on it because they are junk and later this summer get the new carbs on it. Am I going to cause any long term issues running this without it being rejetted with pods? Everything I have read is that you do not want to put pods on this without a carb swap or major recalibration. Thanks.

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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 18 Mar 2019 17:37 #800607

  • Nebr_Rex
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Check out the link in my signature and start on page 18.


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2002 ZRX1200R
81 GPz1100
79 KZ1000st daily ride
79 KZ1000mk2 prodject
78 KZ650sr
78 KZ650b
81 KZ750e
80 KZ750ltd
77 KZ400/440 cafe project
76 KZ400/440 Fuel Injected

www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=39120.0


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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 18 Mar 2019 17:53 #800609

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That looks like some good info and also way above my pay grade. I know it will cost me way more but I think I need to just order the carbs already configured for the pods because I'm not very mechanically inclined. I'm hoping that I can get by with the pods and the OEM carbs until I can get new carbs this summer. I just hope it doesn't ruin anything. Your bike looks amazing by the way.

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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 18 Mar 2019 18:19 #800611

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Kzkrazy wrote: I bought a '78 KZ400 with Pods and do not have the OEM airbox to throw back in it. My plan is to buy the rejetted Mikuni V32 kit for it eventually but I don't have the funds at the moment. I have no idea if the previous owner rejetted it or not and I don't know how to tell. My plan is to get new pods on it because they are junk and later this summer get the new carbs on it. Am I going to cause any long term issues running this without it being rejetted with pods? Everything I have read is that you do not want to put pods on this without a carb swap or major recalibration. Thanks.



32s are too big for a stock 400; VM30s would be much more suitable. Pods and a stock exhaust shouldn't require dramatic jetting changes, but you'll want to work with the shop selling the carbs to work out the jetting.

Pull your spark plugs and look at the color. Google for a color chart to see what a 'normal' plug should look like. Lean is bad: your bike will run hotter and may discolor the chrome on the headers. You can also burn valves over the long term with a lean mixture.

I would buy the carbs and the pods at the same time to ensure you get ones that fit. (You can work with the shop on this, too.)

With aftermarket carbs you will almost certainly need an aftermarket throttle cable. Be sure to account for that in your budget, as you may need to have that installed (since you said you're not mechanically inclined).

Or you can go on ebay and look for a KZ400 airbox. There are quite a few available and they will be much less expensive than new carbs and pods.
1979 KZ400 Gifted to a couple of nephews
1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza
1980 KZ440B
1981 Yamaha XT250H
1981 KZ440 LTD project bike
1981 GPz550
2013 Yamaha FZ6R

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Last edit: by Nerdy.

Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 18 Mar 2019 18:24 #800612

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Thanks for the advice. I think I'll shoot for this.

power-barn.com/mikuni-vm30-carburetor-ki...z400-and-1981-kz440/

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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 18 Mar 2019 19:08 #800614

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Kzkrazy wrote: Thanks for the advice. I think I'll shoot for this.

power-barn.com/mikuni-vm30-carburetor-ki...z400-and-1981-kz440/



That looks like a good kit. It includes genuine K&N filters, which is nice, and the cable. The sale price doesn't look bad either.

Something else to consider: you'll probably want to replace your carb boots as well. If they're original they're 40+ years old, and old rubber carb boots are difficult to work with and are prone to leakage. You don't want air leaks to mess with your tuning.

One thing I find odd is that they specify the kit fits up to '78, but the 400 was made through '79 and IIRC the last two production years are identical. There should be no reason why the kit wouldn't fit the '79. Strange.
1979 KZ400 Gifted to a couple of nephews
1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza
1980 KZ440B
1981 Yamaha XT250H
1981 KZ440 LTD project bike
1981 GPz550
2013 Yamaha FZ6R

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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 18 Mar 2019 19:36 #800617

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Nerdy wrote:

Kzkrazy wrote: Thanks for the advice. I think I'll shoot for this.

power-barn.com/mikuni-vm30-carburetor-ki...z400-and-1981-kz440/



That looks like a good kit. It includes genuine K&N filters, which is nice, and the cable. The sale price doesn't look bad either.

Something else to consider: you'll probably want to replace your carb boots as well. If they're original they're 40+ years old, and old rubber carb boots are difficult to work with and are prone to leakage. You don't want air leaks to mess with your tuning.

One thing I find odd is that they specify the kit fits up to '78, but the 400 was made through '79 and IIRC the last two production years are identical. There should be no reason why the kit wouldn't fit the '79. Strange.


It thought that was strange too. Thanks I never thought about the boots.

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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 19 Mar 2019 07:40 #800633

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$400 sounds sounds like a lot to spend on a KZ400. I would look into cleaning & rejetting the old ones. Carburetor work isn't that hard & there are only 2 carbs. I'd never done carbs before and I thought it was easy & my bike has 4 mechanical slide carbs. CV carbs should be easier.

Without the stock airbox maybe consider adding extenders between the individual pod filters & carbs. and also maybe fab up some sort of enclosure to restrict the air flow some. possible materials: plumbing rubber hose or rubber couplings. radiator hose. sheet aluminum or tin. maybe even milk jug plastic. ss band clamps. Also, to alleviate any stress on the carb holders, you may need to fab a support bracket for the carburetors to keep them from bouncing.

....

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Last edit: by martin_csr.

Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 19 Mar 2019 17:41 #800682

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martin_csr wrote: $400 sounds sounds like a lot to spend on a KZ400. I would look into cleaning & rejetting the old ones. Carburetor work isn't that hard & there are only 2 carbs. I'd never done carbs before and I thought it was easy & my bike has 4 mechanical slide carbs. CV carbs should be easier.


$400 isn't a big deal to everyone, and in this case the improvement over stock would be worthwhile IMO. YMMV.


Without the stock airbox maybe consider adding extenders between the individual pod filters & carbs. and also maybe fab up some sort of enclosure to restrict the air flow some. possible materials: plumbing rubber hose or rubber couplings. radiator hose. sheet aluminum or tin. maybe even milk jug plastic. ss band clamps. Also, to alleviate any stress on the carb holders, you may need to fab a support bracket for the carburetors to keep them from bouncing.


Did you see where the OP described himself as "not very mechanically inclined"? :)
1979 KZ400 Gifted to a couple of nephews
1967 Yamaha YCS1 Bonanza
1980 KZ440B
1981 Yamaha XT250H
1981 KZ440 LTD project bike
1981 GPz550
2013 Yamaha FZ6R

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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 19 Mar 2019 17:46 #800684

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LOL! I got the bike for $500 and other than the pods the bike is in fantastic shape so I don't feel too bad spending the $400. I replaced the shifter spring myself so I saved myself some money there too so I figure the price of the carbs for the convenience is worth it.

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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 19 Mar 2019 18:33 #800689

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Nerdy wrote:

Kzkrazy wrote: Thanks for the advice. I think I'll shoot for this.

power-barn.com/mikuni-vm30-carburetor-ki...z400-and-1981-kz440/



That looks like a good kit. It includes genuine K&N filters, which is nice, and the cable. The sale price doesn't look bad either.

Something else to consider: you'll probably want to replace your carb boots as well. If they're original they're 40+ years old, and old rubber carb boots are difficult to work with and are prone to leakage. You don't want air leaks to mess with your tuning.

One thing I find odd is that they specify the kit fits up to '78, but the 400 was made through '79 and IIRC the last two production years are identical. There should be no reason why the kit wouldn't fit the '79. Strange.


None of those carbs are jetted right. They are 2 stroke carbs with the wrong needle jet and jet needle.
As for the product description in '78 was a change over year. The engine was redesigned and then grew up to become the 440.
The fact is that 'kit' will fit both the early and late head.


.
2002 ZRX1200R
81 GPz1100
79 KZ1000st daily ride
79 KZ1000mk2 prodject
78 KZ650sr
78 KZ650b
81 KZ750e
80 KZ750ltd
77 KZ400/440 cafe project
76 KZ400/440 Fuel Injected

www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=39120.0


.

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Bought a '78 KZ400 B with Pods and OEM Carbs and need help. 19 Mar 2019 18:40 #800691

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None of those carbs are jetted right. They are 2 stroke carbs with the wrong needle jet and jet needle.
As for the product description in '78 was a change over year. The engine was redesigned and then grew up to become the 440.
The fact is that 'kit' will fit both the early and late head.


.[/quote]

So these carbs aren't jetted right either? Ugh!!!! So is it that you just can't run pods on these? That doesn't make sense to me I would think with the right carbs it should work.

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