[racelia]

Dealing with the elections: They said a short could be causing my battery or plugs from not hitting as hard. Not as fast a turn over in the starting process and the fuel mixure when comes to keeing it from flooding/ running......

[92xjunker]

That makes better since. First, did you have the battery tested? It could be just a bad battery causing all your problems. Kats like good strong batteries. Kat are known for loosing some voltage going to the coils but, there are things YOU could do to fix that. Just ASK or use the search above. Most here know more than your mechanic on these bikes.

Turn over yes, hard start yes- could be. mixture burn no- the alternator is now supplying power to the bike. It's a carb problem.

[Kat Floyd]

Agreed. Get a nice strong battery and actually dip all the carbs a minimum of 24 hours EACH into something like Berrymans carb dip.
Just spritzing carb cleaner at them WONT DO ANYTHING.

[Kreylyn]

After reading this thread.... wow.. just wow.

Let me save you some time and $ to point out a few things.

1. Power - IF your battery was low or the wiring was bad enough to cause an issue with the bike running due to lack of voltage, it wouldn't start up cold by the starter. You would see issues where you constantly had to bump start or jump start the bike to get it running the first time it ran each day. If you can start the bike from the starter when cold, it's not a voltage/power issue.

2. Fuel - Your fuel is gravity fed. The petcock works on vacuum from the motor turning over. When the motor turns over, vacuum opens the petcock, fuel flows down by pressure from gravity into the carbs. Nothing electrical there. Additionally up to the carbs, the fuel source will feed at least 2, if not all 4 carb bodies depending on the year / or aftermarket mods. A single carb not getting fuel is more likely a carb issue.

3. Coils - work as a wasted spark setup. This means you have 2 coils, each sparks 2 spark plugs. When a coil triggers, BOTH spark plugs arc. If you have only 1 plug fouling, it's not a coil.

4. Coil wires - are replaceable. So are the boots. This is cheap and easy, something you can do yourself. It IS possible that you have a bad wire or bad boot that is causing a lack of spark. It's also possible that a wire or more are arcing to the engine. If there wire is hard/not flexible, has been cut or nicked... this would be a good indication that new wire is needed. I'ts not a bad idea to pull the boot off, clip back the wire by about 1" to fresh flexible wire, and screw the boots back on. If the boot is cracked... replace it. Check to make sure no water is collecting in the socket wells. If any is/does, make sure you clean the drain holes to help prevent this from happening in the future.

5. Carbs... I agree, the most likely issue and something that needs to be approached as a full on dis-assembly and cleaning. Not just opening the bowls and looking. Take it all the way down, fully clean and inspect all rubber and o-rings. Dip thee bodies at least 24 hours. Replace any rubber that is deformed. If your bike is older than 98 model, then pay real close attention to the needles are not notched, and the emulsion tubes are not worn. Oval openings on the emulsion tubes will cause problems with too much fuel at cruising speeds specific to that cylinder, and foul out the spark plugs from an overly rich fuel mix.

6 . Sync/ vacuum leak - I include sync with vacuum leaks because carbs out of sync basically are vacuum leak issues. Sync is important. Generally speaking though, out of sync or vacuum leak issues cause a really badly responding throttle action, or surging idle (RPMs bounce up and down). I didn't get that from what I read in this thread, so while you do need to do a final check for vacuum leaks and then sync the carbs, I don't think this is currently having a large effect on your running issues.

Your quote from what the "shop" told you... OMG, scares the shit out of me that they would have a clue what to do for you. NOTHING of that even comes close to matching your bike and how it works. CRazY!

Krey

[racelia]

It dose need jumped... It didn't use to. The battery is charged. It dies as I try to start it. The coils are sparking. I have taken it apart twice with someone there and one aother person. Only #2 is giving me problems....
Should I replace the coils anyways and just hope?

[skjeflo]

If the coils are sparking then no, you don't need to replace them. The question then becomes are they sparking enough?

From your description of the battery condition I'd guess no. You need a battery in good condition to supply enough power to get the proper spark at start up. Also, you might have to do the coil relay mod to be sure there is enough power getting to the coils at start up.

I'd still guess that your base problem is that your carbs still aren't clean though. You can spray they all day long but until you are willing to do them right you will continue to have running / idle problems.

[racelia]

2 open nobs .. 1in between carb 1-2 and 1 between 3-4

can any body please tell me wat to do with these on my carbs? hoses go wher?
also with the lil 3rd hole that's at the bottom of my gas tank? other then the 2 petcock drains..... thank u

[skjeflo]

http://katriders.com/wiki/index.php?title=Hose_Connections&redirect=no

[92xjunker]

All tank ports are vents or drains, one is for the Cali smog equipment. It it's not present just run a hose to it.

[racelia]

my gas tank only has 1 lil nob down on the end and and 2 from the gas.......

skjeflo u ever see that? I kno the link has many more but I have 3 total under my gas tank.. is it pos to hav market tank on it? whats your recommendations?

[92xjunker]

It's a non-Cali tank. Nothing changes. They are all vent or drain hoses.

[racelia]

OK.... I now have another problem.... I have a hole in the side of carb 4 the mechanic dropped it dime size hole , he jb welded it, it didn't work..
... Can it be welded or do I need to buy a new carb 4??
I will look at my lines those evening bit mow it don't matter with a hole on my carb...

[shpielers]

New carb. Mechanic broke it, he's responsible for replacing it. Arsenic might have a spare. He's more likely to than anyone else.

[92xjunker]

New carb. Mechanic broke it, he's responsible for replacing it. Arsenic might have a spare. He's more likely to than anyone else.

+1

[racelia]

Yes he paid me 50 cash to buy a used one....

Arsenic?? This another member?

And Mr 92xjunker... WATS +1 mean??
Thank u both....