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Yeah, I hear you... In my case it hasn't even been a band aid yet. We will see how it runs with just one washer. I'm thinking I may do the 685 kit. When that happens, I will intall the KLX kit.
An0ther carb question....
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Yeah, I hear you... In my case it hasn't even been a band aid yet. We will see how it runs with just one washer. I'm thinking I may do the 685 kit. When that happens, I will intall the KLX kit.
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So.... I installed the .22 mod utilizing two #4 washers. I also opened up the fuel screw to 1 3/4 turns. Took the bike out and discovered it was running horribly rich at the low end. So, I removed one of the washers. Took another test ride and found the bike better but still running horribly rich at the low end. I am now scratching my head.... I reset the fuel screw to a tad over one turn took another test ride. Still... horribly rich at low end. I remove the remaining washer, essentially putting the needle to stock position. Start it up and find it is still running horribly rich at the low end. I readjust the fuel screw to exactly one turn out. I also notice the overflow hose on the carb had been melted. apparently, it touched a pipe sometime in the PO's life. I made a quick repair and started the bike up. Hmmmm.... doesn't seem to be loading up on low end anymore. I look under the bike and crap! The bike is leaking fuel big time. I just it down and turn off the petcock. As I am cleaning up the spilt fuel, I see the piece of burned hose I had cut off. I noticed that it had been burned shut. In essence, it was sealed and clearly wouldn't allow fuel to pass through it. I then realized I may have a float issue. The float might not be shutting off the fuel. The overflow wasn't draining it because it had been sealed. I pull the carb (Majot PITA BTW) and remove the bowl. Everything looks ok so far. needle is moving in conjunction with the float ok. I check float height, it's ok as well. I blow into the fuel line with the float in the shut off position. I can still move air. I then remove the float and needle and take a look inside the seat. Lo and behold! There is something in there. I remove it and see it is a metal burr of some sort and it was preventing the needle from seating properly. It was constantly dumping fuel into the engine. If it sat idling, it would load up and stall. I cannot imagine how that got in there. I cleaned it out and put the carb back together and reinstalled it on the bike. (another major PITA lol). Put the tank on again (for the 50th time) and reconnected all lines and fired her up. She sat there ticking over perfectly. No more loading up. By this time, it was too late to take her out for a test drive. I will do that tomorrow. What an experience. All that work and I am right back where I started. I did get a chance to see what effect the washers have on performance. My issues were only low end not midrange or above. I did remove the flat spot with just one washer and it seemed to run ok but, it felt like it lost a little power. I will run it without the mod for a while. If I decide to install a 685 Kit, I will set it up properly with the KLX kit. BTW, the fuel screw is currently sitting at 1 1/2 turns out. I am expecting (hoping) the test ride tomorrow will be pretty much like it was before I started this little project.
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Interesting.... That being the case, I wonder where the excess fuel drained from. It certainly appeared to be draining from that hose but, I could be wrong. (By that time, I was beginning to see double. lol). If not the hose, then perhaps it was draining into the airbox and leaked out from there? then again, maybe someone installed an overflow? Based on most everything else being stock, I would doubt that is the case. Took her for a test ride today and am back where I started from. She is running as before. Runs great, pulls well but still has the minor flat spot just under 4K. I am seriously considering the 685cc kit. If I go that route, I will install the KLX needle kit as well and get the carb properly jetted. If I decide against the kit, I may just stuff one #4 washer under the stock needle and call it a day. I think I know where the metal burr that was in between the needle and seat came from. I just replaced the fuel tap prior to playing with the carb. It is a Chinese copy of the original part. The tap works great but I bet there was a burr inside. That almost has to be where it came from.There is NO Over-flow stand pipe in the float bowl, never has been, only a drain & screw!
But one can install one,
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You had the float bowl off how many times?
Surely you would have seen a brass stand pipe just off-center leading to the nipple on the exterior bottom of the float bowl, if it had one?
To the best of my knowledge the North American KLR models never had an over-flow stand pipe in the float bowl, but European models did. Thank or cuss the USA EPA for that.
It may be possible that the 1993-1996 KLX650R dirt bike had an over-flow stand pipe in its "dirt only" model CVK carb.
Same basic carb, slightly different jetting. That is where we get the KLX needle from.
I can't remember the last time I worked on one of those bikes, been quite awhile back!
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49 Posts
First off, I had the float bowl off once, and only once. it was then, I found the piece of metal in the seat chamber preventing the needle from shutting off the fuel. As I was thinking of this after I replied to your last post, I remembered, the leak only occurred once. It happened right after I repaired the blocked drain hose. And yes, my carb has the brass overflow stand pipe which I obviously noticed hence my reference to the fuel coming from the overflow. Pretty sure this is the stock carb that came with this 2011 KLR. Apparently, North American bikes did get carbs with an overflow and that is exactly where my leak came from. Sorry to correct you.
Did you purchase your bike Brand New or Used? I'll suggest there is our answer.
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Just what exactly are you trying to say?
He's saying that if you bought your bike used and it has a carb bowl overflow standpipe in it, it was installed by the previous owner or by some cycle shop that worked on your carb for you, because theres no year - at least after 2000 or so, but I think not ever - when it was installed at the factory on US bikes, because the EPA would prefer that if your petcock sticks and so does the needle valve, the gas runs into your cylinder/crankcase where it cant soak into the ground and polute the groundwater. My '08 has one... because I installed one when I rebuilt the carb. Minor project when the carb is already off/apart, so it seemed like a prudent measure.
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Thanks for the explanation, I do appreciate and understand your response. I did understand what he was implying. I am just not too fond of the sarcasm in his emails (check out his second response, post #25). I thought there were rules about that stuff on this forum. I am new on this forum with just a small number of posts and yet, this is the second time I have had to undergo his sarcasm. I admit I am new to the KLR; this is my first one. I am learning its idiosyncrasy's. I am not new to bikes, however. I have been riding, racing and working on them for 63 years starting at age 12. Sorry for the rant. It's over lol. And thanks again for the response.
CaptainBob,
Sorry I ruffled your feathers, but I'm glad that you got it running again.
Too many times people refer to the float bowl atmospheric air vent nipple at the upper LH front side of the carb as an over-flow, because their carb had a Massive flooding issue.
Speaking of which, depending on how that air vent hose is routed it can cause some running issues at higher road speeds due to air flow around it.
I like to re-route the KLR atmospheric vent hose up & over the main frame spine from RH side to LH side and down along the shock absorber mount bolt & body. And cut the tip of the hose at a steep angle.
I edited post #23.
Sorry I ruffled your feathers, but I'm glad that you got it running again.
Too many times people refer to the float bowl atmospheric air vent nipple at the upper LH front side of the carb as an over-flow, because their carb had a Massive flooding issue.
Speaking of which, depending on how that air vent hose is routed it can cause some running issues at higher road speeds due to air flow around it.
I like to re-route the KLR atmospheric vent hose up & over the main frame spine from RH side to LH side and down along the shock absorber mount bolt & body. And cut the tip of the hose at a steep angle.
I edited post #23.
You'll find that will apply to both the bike and the forum 🤣 Lots of different personalities on here, and some of us are harder to read, but most are very helpful and mean to do you well by you. As a rule, the most prolific posters are also the most knowledgeable/experienced if sometimes a bit... curt? Price of admission, I guess. I'm on a number of different dualsport/ADV/KLR forums and this is far and away the best of the bunch for actual knowledge and advice. I'm confident you'll learn to look past the occasional scraped nerve and value the pearls of wisdom 🙂 Welcome to the world of the KLR, the Swiss Army Knife of the two wheel universe!
Well said, and ditto on most helpful forum out there for this bike!
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49 Posts
I wasn't referring to the float bowl atmospheric air vent nipple and/or its corresponding hose. (Mine runs up alongside the frame as it should) If you thought I was referring to that specific hose you were mistaken, I was referring to the drain at the bottom of the bowl. In any case, it was your post #25 that got me a bit excited. It is clear you have a lot of knowledge on these bikes, and I am sure you have helped out numerous folks. I am also sure your help is greatly appreciated. Just be careful of your assumptions. In either case, no big deal. Let's move on and consider this yesterday's news.
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I wholeheartedly agree with you regarding the KLR being the Swiss Army Knife of two wheeled-dom. The more I ride this bike the more I appreciate it. As far as forums go, I also agree this forum is a great forum. I am (and have been for decades) on a host of other forums as well. I created a forum for my last company almost 20 years ago. It is still going strong. In my opinion, sarcasm should never be the price of admission for knowledge on any forum. I also understand that sometimes it is hard to read the correct emotion in someone's typed words. I am not a thin-skinned person at all and usually give the benefit of the doubt. I have respect for the individuals that have knowledge and are willing to share that knowledge. Let's not dwell on this anymore and just move forward. All is forgotten.
One could consider installing the 'T mod' into the carburetor atmospheric air vent.
The Gen 1 bikes simply routed that hose Down alongside the shock to the hose holder below the swingarm.
When it was submerged below water, the bikes would simply die.
The Gen 2 bikes are routed up high along the RH frame rail & air box.
If rain water or wash water gets into that hose, they can simply sputter or die, or the water can run into the float bowl.
I do not like that oem routing.
If one inserts a 'T' upside-down or side-ways directly aft of the vent nipple, one long hose can be run up under the fuel tank towards the steering neck, then double-back in sink-trap fashion and tuck into the forward corner of the LH fuel tank puck mount.
A second shorter hose can dangle down to the hose holder or shorter. Very rare for mud-dabber bugs to plug both air vents & zero chance of errant water entry or other air flow disturbance.
The Gen 1 bikes simply routed that hose Down alongside the shock to the hose holder below the swingarm.
When it was submerged below water, the bikes would simply die.
The Gen 2 bikes are routed up high along the RH frame rail & air box.
If rain water or wash water gets into that hose, they can simply sputter or die, or the water can run into the float bowl.
I do not like that oem routing.
If one inserts a 'T' upside-down or side-ways directly aft of the vent nipple, one long hose can be run up under the fuel tank towards the steering neck, then double-back in sink-trap fashion and tuck into the forward corner of the LH fuel tank puck mount.
A second shorter hose can dangle down to the hose holder or shorter. Very rare for mud-dabber bugs to plug both air vents & zero chance of errant water entry or other air flow disturbance.
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