Jetting

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ARCHIVE_MachIV

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KBB Blue book on an`85 900

May 9, 2005




1985 Kawasaki ZL900-A1 Eliminator
4-Cylinder
4-Stroke
900cc






Suggested Retail Value $2265

The Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail Value is representative of dealers' asking prices and is the starting point for negotiation between a consumer and a dealer. This Suggested Retail Value assumes that the unit has been fully reconditioned and is in excellent condition. Mileage/condition and additional equipment may have a substantial impact on the value shown above. This value also takes into account the dealers' profit, costs for advertising, sales commissions and other costs of doing business. The final sale price will likely be less depending on the unit's actual condition, popularity, type of warranty offered and local market conditions.
 
Ching

Hey MACH;

I just sold my 85 900 for....

$3500.00 Canadian.

9000 Original miles.


I'll miss her.

Bought a 2003 Katana 750F
 
$$

Actually, smart ass, :D :lol: 8O
, thanks to the declining American economy, thats about
$2845.00 US.

canadaapplianceparts.gif
 
Got all of the little bugs out of my bike so I can actally test ride it for real. Only problem I have right now is it is really hard to start when cold.

I would like to get a consences of what jets everyone is running and where the clips are positioned. I have pods with stock exhaust and stock timing plate. I am finding out there have been some mods to this bike already, some good and some bad.

Test ride results are outstanding, I don't remember this bike having this kind of power when I had a new one in 86, I must be getting old. It pulls strong thru all of the gears up until my pansy ass lets off, never stutters or bogs. It could have been rejetted already, smells pretty rich at idle. Anyway I am going to pull one carb apart and see what jets it has and where the clips are at and would like to compare notes.

Don't worry Mark I am going to get the proper jets, I have access to jets here locally for free.
In another post you said our buddy at Factory pro was about as helpful as you grandmother, all I have to say about that is DITTO!!!!!!!!!!
If I end up needing to swap my mains and adjust the needlesI don't want to have to buy a $130 kit to do so when I can get jets for free.
If I am missing something please educate me, your advise is highly valued along with all the others who have posted on my topics. I can't imagine I would be near as far as I have gotten with just the worthless manual. Peace.

ZL-OA. IS DA BOMB <do they still say that.
 
elimafreak said:
In another post you said our buddy at Factory pro was about as helpful as you grandmother, all I have to say about that is DITTO!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
You read me wrong there. I was talking about the asswipes at Dynojet.
 
Got my jet kit from Factory Pro yesterday. Used 145 mains and clips in third slot. I did a thorough cleaning and inspected the enrichener assemblies. I can't get anyone at Factory Pro because it's Saturday so I am looking for help here.
I still can't get it to start cold, I crank and crank and crank with the throttle just cracked open and eventually it will start and after 5 or 10 seconds I can start reving it and will run fine.
This morning I went out and pulled off the pods put a 2x4 to the back of the carbs and after about 5 revolutions it busted right off.
I didn't get pilot jets in my kit and was thinking I would, and now I wonder if I need different ones. What do pilot jets do (i.e. low end, idle, ect).
I thought I had cleaned the carbs good the first time I had them off but during the second round I found the pilot jets to have a little crud in them that carb spray and compressed air didn't get (still in carb). This time I removed the jets and found the crud, got out my old set of carb drill bits and gave them a good cleaning. Really thought this would cure my hard start problem, I am just about to drill them out a little bigger to see if that helps.
Any ideas?...................anyone?
 
The pilot jet is for idle and low RPM cruise only. With the enrichener, once you crack the throttles, the available vacuum is routed away from the enrichener circuit and it quits drawing fuel. If your idle is set too high, it can cause this also. How was it before you installed the jet kit? The 145 mains sound way high for stock exhaust. zlMark and myself have pretty much the same setup with pods, advancer, and jet kit. He is running the 136 mains and I am running the 132's. With the big juets and factory exhaust, you might not be creating enough vacuum to pull fuel through the enrichener. You don't build a lot of vacuum when cranking.
 
You beat me to it gosupes. Like you said can't crack the throttle when trying to start it. It needs all the fuel it can get. I'm almost convinced about the bigger pilot jets. I can say the more fuel i add the better it runs/performs. I'd like to add the low end is nothing like it was before the jet kit/pods. I'm seriously considering the stock airbox again to re-gain that low end and fuel economy.
 
I never got to try it with the stock air box, when I got it she wouldn't start. Was told by the previous owner she had been sitting for quit a while, so I went straight to the carbs. Problem was that once I got the airbox off, I couldn't get it back on (tore a boot trying). Turns out that if I had gone for the fuel pitcock first I would have been done a month ago. Now I am stuck with pods I guess. I bored out the pilot jets one drill size and it seems to be starting and running just fine, although like Mark said the bottom end really suffers. She idles and runs really smooth. The 145 jet is a Factory Pro and the smallest that came in the kit. I am really going to miss that bottom end snap but I don't think I'll miss the risk of burning holes in the pistons now. I put a couple of hundred miles on her and see what happens, once I'm sure that she will start okay I might back the jets down a little.
 
That might be where I was a bit off. I have the Dyna Jet kit and they recommend the 132 that's in the kit so they obviously size them differently. Jetting isn't a science by any means, different combo's/sizes work differently on each bike. Trial and error is your best bet unless you have access to a dyno.
 
85 900, stock exhaust and advancer, the big pods, 132 mains, no idea what clip position. Later.
 
in listening to the discussion, i am reminded why i am hesitant to meddle with certain aspects of the engine. the zl was tuned out of the box as one of the most effective street set ups ever. why fix what isnt broken. JMHO>
 
bigjeffie said:
why fix what isnt broken. JMHO>
Click to expand...

becasue we can...

On a serious note, very few mass produced vehicles of any kind were tuned for maximum performance. They were tuned to meet with EPA requirements, noise levels, DOT limits and were meant for the 80% of the riders that would be happy with that.

Personally, I like the look of the bike better with the stock airbox and covers in place. That being said, what drove me to the pods and jetting is the air box being cracked, the covers being cracked, the cost of replacing them, and having to remove and install the carbs a couple of times just to get them running right. Otherwise I would have left them alone too.


Jarney, since you have the same basic setup as myself and zlMark, did you notice the loss of low end grunt that Mark has?
 
This is why I'm hesitant to change my jets, as mush as I want to. I like the look of the airbox, and the only thing broken is one of the clips on the right hand cover. It breaks every time we take it off. I'm possibly getting some custom made exhausts next year, if I can afford it, and I was looking at getting a jet kit to help with the exhausts.
 
My mods were done a very, very long time ago. But I don't remember any significant change in the low end. At that point in time, I didn't spend much time in the low end range though - hahaha. Later.
 
HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does the horsepower ever quit on this bike? Took her out for some test speed runs today and 125MPH is no problem for this bike at all and it was still making power. As far as I am concerned I'm through tuning, although I will pull the plugs tomorrow and see what they look like. She starts easy, runs and idles smooth and has all the HP I will ever need. I want to take this time to tell everyone thanks for all your help.
 
hopefully i understand the ways of motorcycling better now....
after 20 years on the street, i thought a wide, accessible powerband was useful.
i thought a low profile was desirable as well, so i liked factory exhaust systems.
the whole neighborhood does not want to hear my motorcycle.

the epa is good. I might like to see a classic muscle car, but smelling one sucks . Sitting behind one at a light makes me grateful the whole street isnt lined with stinking exhaust pipes .

i am happy we no longer dump used oil or paint like back in the day.

where i live, speeds over 90 mph mean jail time.
reckless driving means a suspended license for 6 months.
since i am 40, not 20, I no longer care to drive on a suspended license.

wringing the final 30 % out of the street means placing the farm in jeapordy. License, job, health.

I can enjoy it all or risk it foolhardedly.

no more illegal passing. I f the road is open I take it in good measure. If not i dont force it anymore.

I dont miss being chased by helicopters, or hiding in the woods as half the local constabulary roves the back roads in search of a renegade biker.


so, i am sure whoever is still much wiser, a better biker, whatever....

i dont believe in K&N filters, jet kits, etc. i dont need an aftermarket pipe either. when i buy an older bike i like all original. if i see a bunch of speed junk i think its been run too hard
.

when cops see me now they think look at that fat old guy on his bike.
i am not all hunched over winding up like the tasmanian devil.

so ya , my practically bone stock zl1000 busts the one ton mark with regularity and ease, but it doesnt stay there long. it just isnt worth it.
 
I know the problem you are having ,though mine is slightly different.
When I bought my 750 it came with K&N filters on it and although it starts and idles fine when I get to 70 miles an hour the bike feels as though it is struggling to get fuel, if you keep accelerating it still pulls ok but trying to keep it at a constant 70 is difficult. I have managed to get a stock air box so I am going to put that on in place of the K&Ns as I hope that it will make it run better, good luck with yours as said before carb set up is not an exact science.
Rogue :good luck:
 
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