Couple Questions

[Duo Maxwell]

So I recently purchased another kat, and now I'm getting around to cleaning the carbs and taking a look at it...and it is very weird. It's an 88 kat but from what I can see it has 98 carbs (as well as the whole "98 kat" on one of the caps). The engine also seems different so I thought I'd post pictures up to see if any of you know if it is an actual pre 600. The valve cover doesn't have any fins on it, and some other parts look different.







Some concerns:
-No cross member
-Oil seems to be spattered on the right rear fairing, and upon removing the tank...a lot of parts have a film of oil on them. The number 2 and 3 spark plugs have oil near them as well. Not really sure why this is...the bike runs very well, compression checks out, it doesn't burn oil for as much as I can see, and the exhaust is clear.
-No adjustment on forks. My 89 has knobs you can adjust the forks with....but this 88 does not. Did they just not come with adjustable front forks in 88? or did someone remove the adjustment caps. It doesn't look like there's any way to attach any adjustment knob.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any insights. I can't pry the carbs completely open because the screws are starting to strip so I'm waiting till tomorrow to pick up an impact screwdriver.

Thanks,
-Duo

[Rowdy]

not sure about your other questions,
but the oil residue in the engine compartment is coming from that crankcase breather, best bet is to route it to an oil catch can.



*edit*
looking again that marker on the carb cover may very well say 88 kat, the 9 looks an awful lot like the 8.

[loudnlow7484]

The carbs look like they say "88 kat" on them to me. Honestly, though, I've never seen an 88 up close, so I don't know....... but those look like GSXR carbs to me. My 86 GSXR750 had a choke like that one, that you pull from the side.

If you post up the engine number, we can definitely tell you what engine that is. I've never seen a flat valve cover either, so I don't know off the top of my head.

[Psycho1]

looks like possibly 88 carbs to me, due to the choke. If they were 98 carbs, there should at least be a provision for the TPS. I thought the GSXR's had flatslide carbs instead of CV's?

[Duo Maxwell]

A couple of remarks.

@Rowdy

Thanks, didn't think of that crankcase breather of being the problem.

@loudnlow and Sprague
The choke definitely says 88, but the slides are made out of metal, as are the diaphragm caps. I thought the katana had plastic slides and diaphragm caps until 98. My 89 carbs have two screws holding on the diaphragm caps and two crews holding on the bowls. These carbs have four screws for each...and the slides are made out of metal.

Another comment, the vacuum ports are on the actual intake boots...and there is no connection for vacuum to the carbs...the vacuum line off the motor just goes straight to the petcock.

I took a picture of the engine number, but it isn't clear enough to read the whole thing. I have N705. I'll get the rest tomorrow.

**EDIT** http://www.bikebandit.com/suzuki-mot...m6164sch283315

These are definitely 88 carbs.

http://www.bikebandit.com/suzuki-motorcycle-gsx600fj-katana-1988-cylinder-head-cover/o/m6164sch285066

The valve cover definitely doesn't have fins on the 88.

[DreKat]

looks like those carbs came from a salvage yard (usually when you purchase used parts they write on them in yellow marker)

[loudnlow7484]

looks like possibly 88 carbs to me, due to the choke. If they were 98 carbs, there should at least be a provision for the TPS. I thought the GSXR's had flatslide carbs instead of CV's?

You're absolutely right. The 85-87's had (I believe) 29mm flatslides. 88 and up had CV's, but I don't know those years of GSXR well enough to know if they had chokes like that, or on the bars.

Glad you got it sorted, anyway.