Saving a '81 KZ750-E

I started working on the carburetors yesterday to prepare for installing them. I rebuild them around a year ago, and they have been sitting on a shelf while the engine work was being completed. So I put them in a vise, and got them leveled. After putting the clear tubes on For the float level test I started to add fuel. Okay, dumbass, maybe you should make sure the float bowl screws are tightened... :dry: Once I got my act together, I didn't have fuel running all over my bench! I had good (or close) levels on carbs 1, 2, and 3, but #4 wasn't showing any fuel at all. So I drained them all and took all the float bowls off. It looks like the new float needle was sticking in the seat. I got it free, reassembled everything, and the same thing happened - no fuel getting to the #4 carb. Today I will pull it all apart again to see if it's a stuck needle again (will get it cleaned out with carb cleaner, but it was all clean and dry when it was rebuilt?) or if there is a blockage between the 3 and 4 carb fuel passage. Hopefully I can get this straightened out without having to ungang the carbs, but I will figure it out... Since I had the fuel flow issue on #4 I didn't take any actual measurements on the fuel levels of the other three, but visually they were very close to the same amount of distance just below the top of the float bowls. Measurements will be taken as soon as I have fuel flowing to all of them.

A while back I had some valve shims go missing in the USPS system. They shipped from Costa Mesa, CA on Dec. 14, 2020. I finally received them today! Don't need them any longer, but they will be good for the first valve adjustment after break in and some miles. I will always pay a little more for UPS or Fed-X. Sheesh!

With only 3 or 4 weeks of work left to do before she fires for the first time, I had to cover her with a sheet.  Sad...  to say that sometimes life gets in the way is an understatement.  Almost three months have gone by and I am still not sure when I can get back to this bike.     

Completely understand. My budget is running on life support. And I’m so close to having everything I need. 

Skidmark post=848804With only 3 or 4 weeks of work left to do before she fires for the first time, I had to cover her with a sheet.  Sad...  to say that sometimes life gets in the way is an understatement.  Almost three months have gone by and I am still not sure when I can get back to this bike.  

  

I know the feeling, 15 months in lock down in Ireland and now im back to work but both my time and funds have dried up for bike projects, now its 100% trying to get my business back to a shadow of where it was before. Hold in there and it will sort its self in the end.

Best of luck with your business, kzstreetfighter71.  I got lucky with this pandemic, and had retired to a rural area 2 years before it hit the US.  My income or lifestyle wasn't affected.  But I found that I have more unfinished projects in retirement as I did while I was working.  Priorities got to a point where they had to shift.  Us dads while do almost anything for our daughters and sons!  I am going through some serious bike withdrawals so it is finally next in line.  I just need to knock one more thing out of the way, first.  Been saying that all year!

I have finally finished the other stuff that was getting in the way.  Time to pull the sheet off the bike, dust it off, and get going on it again.  Well, as soon as I can walk straight.  The day after I finished the last project I ended up throwing my back out.  So a few more days...     In the mean time I am doing a mental refresh of where I left off and making a list of things still needing doing.  Excited to get back on this bike!  Itching to hear it pop for the first time!

 

It’s a beauty. 

Looking good mate.   

Finally some work going on.  I took the float bowls off and cleaned the new float needles and seats, and got fuel flowing to all bowls.  Looks like carbs #1 and #2 need a float level adjustment.  Carb bank is leveled, me holding the phone while taking the pic, not so much...

 

Absolutely stunning!

/A

Glad to see you back at it.