The Carbs.......and i don't mean potatoes!

     The day has come, it's carb time.

In need of a good service........and a clean

     I took a deep breath, exhaled and repeated, carbs are a black art. That's what I thought, thta's what I feared. "Oh well - in for a penny, in for a pound". I prepped my work area and got the tools for the job, various flat head and cress head screw drivers, carb clean, WD-40 and a plethora of shop wipes.
    I tentatively took the carb top covers of, then sighed, realizing I needed a carb kit and gaskets....off to eBay I trotted. The card servicing kit, and the subsequent correct lower gaskets rushed me a michty $45.00:

 

     The float bowl gasket for my KZ650C are slightly different to the ones supplied in the kit, can you see the difference above? Anyways, the prompt arrival of my parts facilitated my carburetor adventure.

     Back to the work bench I went, and started. Now I am usually methodical to start and then as the confidence grows, neat and tidy goes. This was not going to happen this time. After reading much about jets and exhausts, being none the wiser it was decided to go with 102.5 main jets as the bike is going to get a nice 4 into 1 set of pipes.

     Tops off and bits out (fnar fnar, hehehe). These have not seen the light of day since they were built, or so I suspect. The insides were covered in a powdery residue and stains. The logical approach to cleaning and servicing began:

The carbs were testing me, but I was triumphant. I managed to get them off the mounts, separated and apart. Initially laying them out in order on the bench, so as to assemble beck in the same order. Clever eh? The the cleaning, mainly with alternating WD-40 and carb cleaner. I decided to give the card covers a bit of a polish, but not to much. Not wanting a mirror finish on them. Wanted them more 'enginey'. As you can see from pictures, they buffed up and cleaned out none to shabbily.  The throttle bodies and needles

were carefully disassembled and cleaned, needled and washers replaced and put back together. The float assembly was given the same treatment, as were the floats and float bowl. The jets were removed, being replaced with the afore mentioned 102.5 pieces.
     The exterior of each carb was gently cleaned, again, no painting or rough treatment. Then the piece was assembled and put to one side.

Dry and dusty

     Rinse, repeat four times. The carbs them selves are now clean. The next challenge was the choke, mount and fitting my newly acquired pod style air filters. Another eBay acquisition, and, as with all eBay transactions, 3 weeks later a set of K&N pods sold for the same price as my 'replicas'.
     First of, all connecting tubes and bodies were thoroughly cleaned, my attentions now going to the aluminium mounting bracket. I did think on polishing the whole thing. Decided that i did not have the time of patience for than, so it was cleaned and sprayed the same gunmetal shade as other parts of the KZ. High temperature paint being the weapon of choice. Then final assembly began, so far so good and all very methodical. When i got to the installation of the choke, it was decided that the mounts and choke pieces were to be cleaned and parkerized. Good job i used to do this a lot for my guns.Do a quick go on the wire brushes and into the 'goop' for ten minutes. Whils the pieced were cooking I cleaned and painted the choke lever. All looking fine now.
     The putting together of the puzzle was easier than i expected and results pant wettingly satisfying. The pictures do the work som justice, but, mmmmm.

     My, what great pods. Well actually if they perform as good as they look, my KZ caferacer will sound and perform most satisfyingly. Here are a few more pictures, just to complete the story:

 You can see the colour used for the bracket in this picture. 2 primer coats and 3 wheel paint coats. The overall outcome was very nice indeed. All screws were lightly polished and the same for the bolts. Again, I stress that i do not want to over restore the bike at this stage, just get it to a very nice and rid-able condition, and then iron out it's foibles and change what I need to, so the bike lives and evolves.


     That was that, they took a week or so in all, what with work and the long haired colonel needing my attention too. I am satisfied with the results, I just hope that not too much tweeking will be needed. I may employ the help of an engine guru, now to find one here in Jacksonville. And now the last big piece for the build. The 650 lump..........