What will I find?

[snood63]

I'm new to the bike thing and have found these things to be incredibly tempermental. That having been said, I've got a problem.

Here's the deal. 93 Kat 600. 6000 miles.

It has always ran like a charm since I bought it a little over a year ago until recent.

The problem came on fairly sudden. It will not idle. I smell gas when I do get it to run and if I choke it it wants to run at 5g, Half choked it flutters between 2500 and 3000. I have changed petcock, wires, plugs. Took out 5 degree and installed original signal generator.

Now on top of all that it's ticking rather loudly. I just now took off the plastics and did the spit test on the exhaust. All sizzle with the exception of #3.

I'm really going to have to tear into this thing and my question is as to what would be the wise way to proceed? What I mean is what should I check in order as I go along and does anyone care to venture a guess as to what I will find.

Ty for all replies.

[ZukiFred]

If I where you I would start with draining the tank and checking for rust, along with a good carb cleaning, Then check and adjust your valves. But I am no mechanic this is just what I would do. I am sure there will be someone else with other ideas posting for you soon.

[md86]

Yeah , if you've already checked/replaced all that other stuff , then it's probably in the carbs . I'd GUESS that it has something to do with your float in that carb (#3) .

[Special K]

I agree with MD............sound like carb # 3.

Also, what did your #3 plug look like?

[snood63]

There was nothing significantly different about plug 3. I thought carb issues as well but the loud ticking throws me off.

I had just replaced plugs about 400 mi beforehand. I had an extra set sitting around so I changed them again.

I'm waiting on clothes to dry and then I'll be outside working on it. I'll be checking the plug again to see if it's a different gig this time.

I have isolated it to cylinder 3 so atleast so I've started to zero in.
Right now I'm thinking I got more than one issue going on here.

[snood63]

I also failed to mention It's been vibrating through the seat as well when at 4g or better.

[snood63]

Odd thing. I partially disassembled carbs. The o-ring tab part of the float assembly came off exceptionally easyon the pick-up side. Can't figure out how this would have happened.

I have a parts bike. It's a 93 also. I went to get a float off of it and the carbs have differences to them. Floats look the same. I still cant get all four floats to seat in the body. Whichever one I put the o-ring on from the original float wont seat.

I removed plugs 3 and 4. Both had just started to blacken and smelled of gas.

I shopped around for parts and I'm having a hard time figuring out why these aren't $20k bikes sold brand new. Parts costs can kill.

Bike will probably be down a couple weeks or till my level of financial embarassment improves.

[ThAzKat]

the original price is low so they can get it back on parts LOL

I agree with the other's it sounds like carb floats and general carb malfunction. I would replace all rubber parts with new not used.

[snood63]

I would replace all rubber parts with new not used.

What you would think would be simple task has somehow morphed into an annoyance.

I went to 1 bikeshop, 2 hardware stores and 3 autopart stores. I can not find the right size o-rings for the carbs. I have found some that are close but the o-rings themselves are too fat. In order to set the float assemblies back in I would have to force them and I suspect that's what the cause was of the break in carb 3. Not gonna do it. Lowest price online I can find is more than $2 for just one o-ring. That pains the hell out of me.

I need to be better prepared to do the job right or I'm just going to end make the problem worse. I'm going to get a sync set. Morgan seems to be highly regarded so I'm looking at those. Comments?

I also am going to check valve adjustments, replace chain and sprockets, hoses, and all the other moderately tasking maintainance procedures. I don't want to be in the habit of playing catch up on repairs.

I think she's done for the season but it's not going to hurt too bad. My son has a 96 and he's in boot camp.

[md86]

Yeah , I pretty much found the same thing when searching for o-rings . All I found for the floats were too fat . Hey , I wouldn't give up for the SEASON though . Unless you're in Canada or something , in which case it's probably already snowing there , right ? So you BROKE your float ?

[snood63]

Yeah , I pretty much found the same thing when searching for o-rings . All I found for the floats were too fat . Hey , I wouldn't give up for the SEASON though . Unless you're in Canada or something , in which case it's probably already snowing there , right ? So you BROKE your float ?

It's broken but I wouldn't say I did it. I'm guessing it happened when the last person put them back together. Number 3 carb float is broken right where a fat o-ring was and it was the only float that had a fat o-ring,

I'm gonna continue looking for skinnier ones. Did you find a solution?

I live in Indy. Weather here is still nice. Last year I rode til early Nov. I won't this year on this bike. Like I said. Son has one and he's in boot. I know he wouldn't mind. Hell, I bought the thing.

[md86]

I'm gonna continue looking for skinnier ones. Did you find a solution?

No , I didn't really find a solution . But my o-rings weren't TOTALLY shot , they're hangin in there . Ronayers.com has them , but I don't remember the price .
So where in Indy you live ? I'm about 40 minutes from the river straight down 75 ...

[snood63]

I'm gonna continue looking for skinnier ones. Did you find a solution?

No , I didn't really find a solution . But my o-rings weren't TOTALLY shot , they're hangin in there . Ronayers.com has them , but I don't remember the price .
So where in Indy you live ? I'm about 40 minutes from the river straight down 75 ...

Kenuckian?

I'm on the south side of Indianapolis. Small town called Beech Grove.

I checked RA and they were in excess of 2 bucks. Unbelievable.

[md86]

Yeah , but do watcha gotta do , right ? If you can't find them anywhere else ....
Yeah , I'm a Kentuckian . I like it down here . Fun roads , nice scenery , but STUPID rednecks everywhere .

[snood63]

Yeah , but do watcha gotta do , right ? If you can't find them anywhere else ....
Yeah , I'm a Kentuckian . I like it down here . Fun roads , nice scenery , but STUPID rednecks everywhere .

I'm not in panic mode just yet. I'll continue to look for cheaper. I've got 2 sets of carbs here and the expense could get rather salty if I don't locate an alternative.

My ex- inlaws were from eastern Kentucky and south central West Virgina. Beautiful places to look at. Son and I had planned on going to W Va with our bikes down where we use to go to visit his mom's family this summer but I broke my foot 2 weeks before we were suppose to leave.

Roads up here suck. You simply have 4 choices. N, S, E, or W with no change of elevation.

I'm contemplating relocating after the holidays to S Fla. Roads wont bend anymore than what I have here but I'll be riding longer.