Best clutch, kevlar, or cork, paper..

[GaryS-NJ]

I dont know what ckutches are made of but years back on my harley dry clutch, i would wash it in solvent when it got oily from the transmission seal.. eventually i put a super nut in to seal the trans and then went to a Barnett kevlar wet clutch. Folks on the GS site say stay off the kevlar and gp with oem style on those bikes but I found one style is cork but someone also makes paper. A paper clutch (don't smoke it). So what's the best clutch for a katana daily rider... or a katana quad, yes quad.

[shpielers]

I replaced my stock one with a Barnett race kit a couple months back. For my 98 750, it was their only option. Not sure anymore what the material was, but I'm liking it. Definitely a more crisp engagement. Also used the Barnett springs. Some have said that Increases lever pull way too much, but....I literally don't notice any difference. I replaced my clutch cable at the same time as a just in case. Before install, new and old cable were equally smooth, so might not have even been necessary.

[GaryS-NJ]

Thanks. Hey I have a 1990 kat11. Good on the highway but having trouble with my idle still after a carb rebuild and replacing intake manifold o rings. The idle hangs high then drops low and lumpy. I know seems like an intake leak but haven't been able to pinpoint it

[92xjunker]

Have you synced the carbs?

[GaryS-NJ]

Yes I synched the carbs and with the vacume gauge I could see #2 missing so I changed plugs and trimmed the plug wire. But the low lumpy idle persisted. Changing the intake manifold orings I think the second time helped the drift idle but I have to check my notes

[DClark]

I had the same problem with my kat 1100. I hunted around with carb spray until I noticed the idle went up when I sprayed near the air box.
Years ago, I had leak in seam of air box, I smeared rtv to fix it . This time , the leak was on the rubbers that connect air box to carb inlet. Some looked a little warped. They come in two sizes, one is out of stock. So, I smeared rtv on them, reinserted them, applied more rtv... tested last week, no leak, perfect idle . And, idle doesn’t hang when riding anymore .
I suspect that as these bikes age, this will be a more common occurance.

[GaryS-NJ]

airbox???

I guess I'll try that.. I had not thought that a leak on the airbox side of carbs could make such a difference.. but interestingly enough while the airbox bubbers seems to fit snug in the airbox, the rubbers were not clamping down onto the carb inlets well so I wrapped the airbox rubbers with a couple wraps of rubber self fusing tape such that there was a thicker wall for the clamps to squeeze and this allowed me to clamp firmly onto the carbs.. I'll try shooting some propane around there to recheck.. doubt I'll ever for NOS airboc rubbers.. Big note here tho that I am running a K&N air filter, 4:1 pipe and jets for the filter and pipe and folks have told me to ditch that filter but when I ran the air filter restrictor, it dogs the bike so I didn't want to down jet and go to stock air filter... but the high idle isn't so much the problem now (I kinda forget because I ride ands work on a bunch of bikes and haven't rode the kat 11 in a month), it think I got that solved, the problem now is very lopey idle and I was seeing #2 droping out. like I should ohm #2 through the secondary.

I had the same problem with my kat 1100. I hunted around with carb spray until I noticed the idle went up when I sprayed near the air box.
Years ago, I had leak in seam of air box, I smeared rtv to fix it . This time , the leak was on the rubbers that connect air box to carb inlet. Some looked a little warped. They come in two sizes, one is out of stock. So, I smeared rtv on them, reinserted them, applied more rtv... tested last week, no leak, perfect idle . And, idle doesn’t hang when riding anymore .
I suspect that as these bikes age, this will be a more common occurance.

[DClark]

Like I said, you can new rubber boots, but there is one size (I forget whether it be inner or outer) that is unavailable.
I used to own a K&N and tossed it in favor of stock oem. With the KN, you don't get the steady flow of air that you get with the paper filter. Also, you don't get the vacuum needed to suck those needles up.
I went from Dynakit- to factory prop to factory pro and oem filter. I
fiddled and fiddled but it still didn't run as smooth as I wanted it. Put the oem filter in and it was night and day. The idle is always stable and smooth, no more erratic. Throttle response is perfect, very linear. Driveability is much better. I don't think I lost any power. Overall, bike felt stronger.
And that dynakit...wow, what a box of junk! Even with that KN in there, felt like crap. Those needles have a abrupt taper which, combined with the mutilated springs, gives a strange off/on response, presumably to full the rider that it has more power.
Tell you what, if you spray around your carb area and find no leaks, put an oem
filter in there and bet all carb problems will disappear.

[GaryS-NJ]

Pretty sure I also tried an oem filter but with sa me issue as the k&n restrictor, it would bog if I walked the throttle and also stumbled through mid range as if the final jetting had to be brought back to stock. Getting cold now and I have two other bikes to work on so might get moth balled till spring

Well maybe I be sure to the oem filter first before winter haha!!

[DClark]

Another thing to check is the pilot jets. You didn’t say what kit you ran but for whatever reason, dynakit needles are very hard on those jets. Pull one out and look for wear. In my case, none were egged out but all were a bit bigger than the brand new ones I had. Also, the inner part of the top hole was shiny ( might need magnifying glass)and slightly irregular from wear with needle.
Your k n might be covering for parts of the carbs that are bad. I fiddled for years to get my bike to drive and idle perfect.
Good luck with your other stuff!

[GaryS-NJ]

I believe the pilots are left stock with any "jet kit". You are talking about the jet needles, emulsion tubes (needle jets) and main jets. My main just were mikuni and two sizes up from stock. My emulsion tubes I do t recall if they were stamped with part number but they were not egg shaped. my jet needles were not stamped with part number so I called both dynonet and factory pro and based on measuremrnts, my needles didn't come from either company.

[DClark]

Yeah, I meant those emulsion tubes. The best way to inspect is to compare to new ones but if you don't go that route, use magnifying glass to see signs of wear. They can look fine but under a glass, no.
Stock needles have only one clip, that might be what you have as I am not aware of anyone else making a jet kit for the 1100. The stock contour isn't bad, its just the FP one is a bit more aggressive and has adjustablility.

[katanarider]

When you rebuilt the carbs, did you replace the o-rings on the diaphragm slides ? Someone else here just went through a idle problem because of those o-rings.
Heres what I've got on the pilot jet and main jet combos:

http://www.geocities.ws/brian_sandrasmith/Katcarbs

I think I may swap mine and I have stock needles.
EDIT: I'm trying to keep my engine from over heating at stop lights, so I'm considering looking for larger pilot jets from another Mikuni carb set.
Currently re-setting my floats to the rich side of the spectrum.

Been wondering if the choke/enricher plugs will cause a leak if not tighten enough. Those things are a big pain in the arse to get any type of wrench on them. I struggled with needle nose pliers to tighten mine.
What ever you do, don't use carb cleaner spray to check for vacuum leaks. The Acetone will eat the Nitrile Buna-N rubber as well as other compounds. Brake cleaner maybe

[Duro5341]

OEM replacement clutch from EBC is your best option, especially for a stock, or Mildly stock (jet-kit/exhaust).

Replace with OEM springs too.

Unless you making huge power, the OEM clutch works just fine

DUro

[DClark]

Excatcly where are those “hidden” O-Rings ? I picture the slide, with the needle
dropped in. I imagine the clip, plastic spring and needle guide that is in carb body but a little black O-Ring? I don’t see it.
Where is it?