Sync carbs on a 1983 KZ1100 L1.... Problem on how to sync all 4 carbs...

Hi... I am rebuilding my kz1100... I have had this bike Since the early 2010... Carb #2 ran lean without me knowing it and burned a hole in the piston... I do my own work as I was working on Hondas in the early 1970's ... It took me awhile to find a new piston that was not 250.00... I removed the debris and honed  all cylinders, put new rings in them too... I replaced all of the wiring with a good used harness... I had the carbs cleaned from a local mechanic... as I had been into them many times and seemed to be missing something as it only ran on 1 and 3 cylinders... now it runs well.. but, I want to sync the carbs to get them all producing well... now here is the problem... I have sync many 750 Hondas... Each carb had a mechanism to adjust each carb... The book I have says that to sync these carbs on the KZ... you sync 1 and 2, and then 3 and 4, and then using center screw, sync them together... Nothing I  am used to... I tried to do this on 1 and 2... but the screw does nothing as the carbs are close to each other... and moving it up or down, did not do anything....I have searched the carbs trying to find an adjustment screw... I tried to change the idle screw which was about 2 1/4 out, but that did nothing.. I need a KZ Mechanic to explain to me how to sync these carbs... Can someone help me...
Thanks..
Michael

Are all the various vacuum ports on the carbs plugged off?  

I sync 2 & 3 together first.  Then move to the outer carbs.  It doesn't matter what order: 1 & 2 or 3 & 4.  

I'm puzzled. If these are CV carbs then they're paired. 1 and 2, 3 and 4. Then you bring the 2 pairs together. I can't see how doing 2 and 3 first can help. Looking for education, not faulting..

moizeau wrote:

I'm puzzled. If these are CV carbs then they're paired. 1 and 2, 3 and 4. Then you bring the 2 pairs together. I can't see how doing 2 and 3 first can help. Looking for education, not faulting..

When doing the initial mechanical sync #2 sits on the idle screw and the central adjuster brings #3 into sync - then the outers are brought into sync with #2 & #3

As Wookie explaind, carb #2 is the master carb with no sync adjustment screw!
First sync carb pair 3 & 4 vaccum equal, independent of #1 & 2 readings.
Then sync carb pair 1 & 2 vaccum equal, independent of #3 & 4 readings.
Just now adjust the 1 & 2 pair and 3 & 4 pair equal as possible.
Repeat the procedere if the vaccum clock readings are matching nearly perfect as possibele.

Hi,  

Thanks for the replies... First, you misunderstand my message about 1 and 3 hitting fine, but 2 and 4 only hit about 10% of the time... cleaning the carbs out fixed that...
Yes, all vacuum ports are hooked into the gauges or plugged... The screws seem to adjust the butterflies?... vacuum wise the carbs 1 and 2 are not equal, though close... I see no way of adjusting the vacuum for each of 1 and 2 to be equal vacuum... Yes of course, there is an adjustment screw between 1 and 2, and 3 and 4, and a central one for all 4.... but if 1 and 2 are not equal by the gauges... how do you get 1 and 2 pulling the same vacuum? That I thought is what synchronizing the carbs is all about...at least for the Hondas....So I guess... I can only Synch each side to pull close to the same vacuum and then get all 4 doing the same thing with the central adjustment??? So ! and 2 cannot be synch to pull the same vacuum...Is this so? I have not tried 3 and 4 yet as I was seeing what can be done with one side... I guess I will try 3 and 4 tomorrow and see what they tell me...  If 3 and 4 are not pulling the same vacuum to each other... then there is a problem with the carbs? 
Anyway, So those who read my message right, are telling me what the book says... and not how to get each carb to be pulling the same vacuum between 1 and 2 nor 3 and 4... 
Is there some other way to get 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 to be pulling the same vacuum to each other? 
I truly thank all for responding... Unless someone can tell me hoe to get 1 and 2 to pull the same vacuum, then there is no way to get them all synch together...
Thanks again,
Michael

83LTDshafter wrote:

Hi,  

Thanks for the replies... First, you misunderstand my message about 1 and 3 hitting fine, but 2 and 4 only hit about 10% of the time... cleaning the carbs out fixed that...
Yes, all vacuum ports are hooked into the gauges or plugged... The screws seem to adjust the butterflies?... vacuum wise the carbs 1 and 2 are not equal, though close... I see no way of adjusting the vacuum for each of 1 and 2 to be equal vacuum... Yes of course, there is an adjustment screw between 1 and 2, and 3 and 4, and a central one for all 4.... but if 1 and 2 are not equal by the gauges... how do you get 1 and 2 pulling the same vacuum? That I thought is what synchronizing the carbs is all about...at least for the Hondas....So I guess... I can only Synch each side to pull close to the same vacuum and then get all 4 doing the same thing with the central adjustment??? So ! and 2 cannot be synch to pull the same vacuum...Is this so? I have not tried 3 and 4 yet as I was seeing what can be done with one side... I guess I will try 3 and 4 tomorrow and see what they tell me...  If 3 and 4 are not pulling the same vacuum to each other... then there is a problem with the carbs? 
Anyway, So those who read my message right, are telling me what the book says... and not how to get each carb to be pulling the same vacuum between 1 and 2 nor 3 and 4... 
Is there some other way to get 1 and 2 or 3 and 4 to be pulling the same vacuum to each other? 
I truly thank all for responding... Unless someone can tell me hoe to get 1 and 2 to pull the same vacuum, then there is no way to get them all synch together...
Thanks again,
Michael

The adjustment screws are there to equalise the vac readings between that pair of carbs (syncing) by adjusting the butterflys. If you can't bring them into sync with the adjusters that would suggest another problem, possible air leak (hardened or split manifolds etc) tight valves, low compression etc

Hi again.. OK maybe I am not understanding the controls between the carbs ... I thought that 1 and 2 were both adjusted together... Now looking at Wookie58 reply, I will try what he says and see if I can get all 4 to the same vacuum reading... Thanks again....
Michael

Thanks Wookie... That can explain my problem... THe intake manifolds are new... and are well sealed... I will check to see if my valves are not correct... as there is a range for adjustment... maybe 2 is too tight... I will take your advice and see if I can get things right...
Thanks, again
Michael

A quick compression or leak down test will tell you the truth about the suspect #2 cyl.

To get a thorough understanding of operation, pull the bank back off. Flip assy over so you can visually witness intent and operation of what those screws/springs are accomplishing. As everyone mentioned the "master" carb is the one with the idle thumbwheel, every other individual carb is based on this one. Be mindful that too tight of adjustment on others, where throttle plate is "overly" closed, will push that initial idle master plate out of whack. So..turn all the 3 screws out/in till plates are open, somewhat exposing the "pilot bypass" holes in venturi. Bypass holes are the small holes drilled right behind the main hole where fuel needle tip pokes thru into venturi. Set "master" carb plate visually. Use the hole that the pilot fuel adjust would poke thru as your guide. You want the throttle plate intake side leading-edge to expose approximately HALF of that hole. Duplicate same "exposure/opening" for each carb. Use a handheld magnifying glass if needed!! You will find if this initial step is done correctly Your sync will be almost perfect and only fractional adjustment required. And not mentioned but vital!! If using a cheap set of mechanical vacuum gauges, don't really trust those, use YOUR EAR!         

Like this, note leading edge of plate sitting loose above that first hole behind pilot adjust opening hole.