Save a kat

[Cbass]

Ok, so I finally got the por 15 treatment done (gas tank had rust) and replaced the petcock (gas leaking from the carbs). Also changed the oil (gas in oil from leaky carbs) and added an in line fuel filter (just to be safe).

Next,
Installed the factory pro stage 1 kit, cleaned and replaced all o-rings on carbs and started her up. It was very difficult to do. With no choke, impossible, with choke barely. Took around the block real quick and by the time I got back and slowed down to pull in she died. Would not start! Push up in driveway. Leave, come back, same scenario. I am also having trouble with idle. Will not stay at 1300 rpm's.

What are my possible solutions to this problem/ problems?
Do the carbs need to be fiddled with some more?
Is there an electrical issue?

Please help as I do not have the money to take it in and have some one else fix it for me and I do not know what is wrong.

Thanks in advance,

[The CyberPoet]

(A) Have you checked the battery? It might be low.

(B) Replace the spark plugs if you didn't at the time you put in the jet-kit. You probably still have fouled plugs from before. If you did replace them, pull them out and check 'em for what type of fouling you find -- the fuel leak may have caused other damages (such as ring wear) if went unnoticed for a while (a while during which you were riding)

(C) Did you adjust the idle thumbwheel? May need to increase or decrease the settings, especially if you messed with it before the rebuild to try to keep the bike running.

(D) Finally, if nothing else, contact FactoryPro.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[ThAzKat]

Check and be sure you put all parts on the bike. There are steps missing, did you check float bowl height? reset air/fuel mixture screw to the generic stock setting? did you synchronize the carbs?

[Special K]

Sounds like mostly carb problems...........they ARE tricky to get right! Synching them is a MUST!

[Cbass]

Yes the carbs are the problem I think as well Special K.

Cyber,
A) I had just taken the batt. of the charger so that part is good.
B) I will pick up some plugs today but they have no more than 25 miles on them as I replaced them already prior to all this.
C) I adjust the idle thumbwheel but it either goes to high or dies out on me. Do I need to Adjust the throttle cable?
D) Yes call Factory Pro, just hoping maybe you all might be able to help me out first.

Thaz,

All parts have been installed, I did set the float height to 14.5mm which is what I found to be correct from reading every post containing the words Carbs in the forums, I set the A/F screw to three turns out, and have synched the carbs as well. I read that you can leave the vacuum hose from the number 4 carb connected to the petcock if you are using the tank to feed gas, is this correct? Maybe this is my prob?

Speacial K,

I hear around these parts that you may have spare carbs ready to go for sale. Is this true?

Anyhow thanks for your responses if you have any other thoughts please let me know.

[takirb]

i went through quite a few sets of spark plugs when i was trying to get my carbs right. the choke assembly on the carbs themselves was sticking, and i kept fouling plugs. this also affected my idle. it was either running with a mind of it's own, or not running. the battery was also a problem for me for a bit, even after pulling it off the charger, it didn't last long so i had to replace it as well. i've heard once you totally kill a motorcycle/atv type battery, they sometimes won't hold a re-charge that well afterwards...

[The CyberPoet]

A) I had just taken the batt. of the charger so that part is good.

Don't assume just because the battery is freshly charged it is good. To test, charge, remove the battery, measure voltage, wait 6 hours with the battery out and retest -- a good battery will have the same voltage reading 6 hours later. That number should be 12.6 volts or higher for a healthy, fully charged battery.

B) I will pick up some plugs today but they have no more than 25 miles on them as I replaced them already prior to all this.

25 miles is more than sufficient to refoul plugs -- one mile is more than sufficient to refoul the plugs if you are running with the choke all the way on. You may be able to get away with simply cleaning them.

C) I adjust the idle thumbwheel but it either goes to high or dies out on me. Do I need to Adjust the throttle cable?

Let it go to high... how high are we talking about? Depending on the RPM's it stablizes at will help us troubleshoot the issue (e.g. - if it goes to 4k - 5k RPM, it's usually a vacuum leak in the air pathways, such as a bad airbox connector).

I set the A/F screw to three turns out, and have synched the carbs as well. I read that you can leave the vacuum hose from the number 4 carb connected to the petcock if you are using the tank to feed gas, is this correct? Maybe this is my prob?

What's the right settings for the FactoryPro given their instructions? I know the Ivan's kit says 4 turns out and if you only go three, it will be way lean at idle.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[loudnlow7484]

My guess is...... vacuum leak. Check all your intakes to the head. Make sure none of them are cracked, torn, or not secured to both carb and head. Check the vacuum line to the petcock. Make sure it's connected, if the tank is on, or blocked off, if using a stand-alone tank while tuning. Check, also, the o-rings on the vacuum port under the black cap on the top of the carbs. To cause that kind of problem, though, you'd need a relatively large vacuum leak. I accidently left my petcock vacuum line off before, and it caused very similar issues.

Another thing to check would be pilot jets, and the little rubber cap over them. However, as you just had the carbs apart, I'd guess they are all in place and correct.

[Cbass]

Thanks for your help everyone. I was getting real frustrated!!

I guess that maybe something was blocking the flow of gas? For some reason the bike seems to run without dying now.
Also it idles at like 1300 on start up and drops to like 1000 after warm? I just need to fine tune the settings I think.

Factory recomended the 3 turns out so that is why I set the A/F screw to 3 out. I know that I may need to adjust them during this process though.

If I am crackling on decel that means that I am running rich correct? It is also quite sluggish and rough when I hit the throttle from any rpm range.

Cyber,
The battery is three weeks old so I did assume it was good but will hit it with my meter to be sure tomorrow.
Spark plugs will get checked as well and cleaned or replaced if need be.
The idle was jumping around from like 2.5-3K to 800rpm and dying? Any thoughts on why this would simply vanish? Maybe the plugs burned off some goo?

Loudnlow,
I did not find a rubber cap on the pilot jets? I just put everything back the way I found it? Maybe this is part of my prob? Could you go to the micro fiche and point out the number of the part you are refering too? I did not see anything on the fiche that went with the pilot jet.

[The CyberPoet]

I guess that maybe something was blocking the flow of gas? For some reason the bike seems to run without dying now.

Can happen... the fuel line (including any filter) needs to run downhill the whole way, since there is no fuel pump. Laying the tank on excess fuel line, or having the exit to the fuel filter lower than the entrance will starve it for fuel. Petcock vacuum diaphram issues can also come into play, esp. if you forgot to reconnect the vacuum line previously.

Also it idles at like 1300 on start up and drops to like 1000 after warm? I just need to fine tune the settings I think. If I am crackling on decel that means that I am running rich correct?

Idle normally climbs as the bike warms up.
Crackling/popping/flames on decel is usually a case of the pilot screws being set too lean (i.e. - insufficient fuel when you are closed-throttle and dropping RPM's).

The idle was jumping around from like 2.5-3K to 800rpm and dying? Any thoughts on why this would simply vanish? Maybe the plugs burned off some goo?

Could be as simple as your throttle cable isn't being pinched this time...

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet