q[dsn_klr650] rear duro 904 cracked!

[Guest]

Hi, I bought a KLR about three weeks ago. After a few low speed rides, I find that my bike is running hot. I think it is the pilot screw. So I drilled the metal cap and found that the pilot screw was set to 1 1/4 turn. Just to make sure: Less turn gives a leaner mixture and more turn (2 1/2) a richer mixture??? Can anyone confirm this??? Thanks, Patrick

[James]

From: "Patrick Vincent" To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 10:13 PM Subject: [DSN_klr650] Pilot Screw Question Hi, I bought a KLR about three weeks ago. After a few low speed rides, I find that my bike is running hot. I think it is the pilot screw. So I drilled the metal cap and found that the pilot screw was set to 1 1/4 turn. Just to make sure: Less turn gives a leaner mixture and more turn (2 1/2) a richer mixture??? Can anyone confirm this??? Thanks, Patrick Correct. I have mine at 2 1/2 out from the original one turn. Iridium plug (8.00) and now it runs really great. Gas mileage seems to be about the same. (Haven't checked it to the 10th of a gallon yet). Did I read correctly on another post that the cams have to come out to adjust the valves? Jim

[Thor Lancelot Simon]

On Tue, Aug 17, 2004 at 12:09:12AM -0400, james wrote:

> > Correct. I have mine at 2 1/2 out from the original one turn. Iridium plug > (8.00) and now it runs really great. Gas mileage seems to be about the same. > (Haven't checked it to the 10th of a gallon yet).

Wow, you have your pilot screw set to 3.5 turns? Are you sure there is a filter element in your bike's airbox? I just bumped mine up from a hair under 2 turns to 2 1/3 turns, and the bike is, if not actually running rich, _just_ this side of it -- stumbles noticeably if I choke it when it's warmed up, starts with minimal or no choke; very very different from how it was before. It is definitely a little smoother in the middle of the RPM range though. I think I'll back it down to exactly 2 turns and see how it compares.

> Did I read correctly on another post that the cams have to come out to > adjust the valves?

Yes. And good luck actually getting any calibrated torque tool in around the upper frame member when you go to put the cam caps back on (everyone seems to wing it and it seems to work okay). Thor

[James L. Miller Jr.]

No, but then again, yes. YOu have to pull the cam caps off to get new shims out/under. You have to lift them up far enough to get the shims out (1/4-1/2") We pulled both front and rear off to get a step ahead, and that wasn't smart on our part. Do the intakes, pull the intake caps off, retorque check clearance again, then do the front. If you do manage to slip if off the chain, it's easy at that point to put it back on. Oh, and watch the adjuster. Easiest thing I found was to pull the center bolt out and pull the spring out. This kept it from getting loose enough to, again, fall off and keeps your original tension on the chain. It was a harrowing experience for poor Nick, it was his first valve check. I was just concerned that I'd lost my touch after all my in and out of the motor. Read the book, check Mark St. Hilaire's site (google KLR650 Valve Check) and have at it! millerized

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "james" wrote: > > > From: "Patrick Vincent" > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 10:13 PM > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Pilot Screw Question > > > Hi, > I bought a KLR about three weeks ago. > After a few low speed rides, I find that my bike is running hot. > I think it is the pilot screw. So I drilled the metal cap and found > that the pilot screw was set to 1 1/4 turn. > Just to make sure: Less turn gives a leaner mixture and more turn (2 > 1/2) a richer mixture??? > Can anyone confirm this??? Thanks, > Patrick > > Correct. I have mine at 2 1/2 out from the original one turn. Iridium plug > (8.00) and now it runs really great. Gas mileage seems to be about the same. > (Haven't checked it to the 10th of a gallon yet). > > Did I read correctly on another post that the cams have to come out to > adjust the valves? > > Jim

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-08-16 10:27:21 PM Pacific Daylight Time, yj110495@... writes:

> > Did I read correctly on another post that the cams have to come out to > adjust the valves? > > Jim > >

To swap shims you don't really remove the cams. You start by removing the cam chain tensioner. Then remove the end caps on the cams. Removing the cam chain tensioner gives you the slack in the chain so you can lift cam high enough to get the shim out. Best way is to use one of those small magnets on the end of an extendable pen. Once the shims are replaced, torque back down the end caps. Be careful to make sure the cams are sitting in the journals. If the cap bolts start taking up tension before the cap seats flat, STOP, something is out of alignment and f you keep going you run the risk of cracking an end cap and you can only get new ones by buying a complete head assembly. Once you have the end caps torqued down reinstall the tensioner. You push the tensioner to its max tension position before installing, as you install it will reset itself to the proper tension. Pat G'ville, Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[wannabsmooth1]

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, kdxkawboy@a... wrote: SNIP> . Once you have the end caps torqued > down reinstall the tensioner. You push the tensioner to its max tension > position before installing, as you install it will reset itself to the proper > tension. > > Pat > G'ville, Nv UMMM, PAT, Don't you mean push it back to least tension position before re- installing? 'Cause the ratchet mechanism will only let it go out - more tension - after it's installed? If you set it to max tension before installing, I don't think it will go back in........ All the best, Mike

[takes2serious]

Personally, I take the cams out. I read the write-ups about just lifting them up without removing them from the cam chain, but it's so easy to replace the cams that I just find it cleaner to remove them. I also completely remove the cam chain adjuster. Maybe it's because I'm used to working on twins and fours with shims underneath the buckets, but the KLR's single with shims on top of the buckets seems so easy to do by comparison that I tend not to short- cut the procedure. I even found my cams were off by one tooth on my first adjustment so I was glad I reset them anyway. Randy --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "James L. Miller Jr." wrote:

> No, but then again, yes. YOu have to pull the cam caps off to get > new shims out/under. You have to lift them up far enough to get

the

> shims out (1/4-1/2") We pulled both front and rear off to get a

step

> ahead, and that wasn't smart on our part. Do the intakes, pull the > intake caps off, retorque check clearance again, then do the

front.

> If you do manage to slip if off the chain, it's easy at that point

to

> put it back on. Oh, and watch the adjuster. Easiest thing I found > was to pull the center bolt out and pull the spring out. This kept > it from getting loose enough to, again, fall off and keeps your > original tension on the chain. It was a harrowing experience for > poor Nick, it was his first valve check. I was just concerned that > I'd lost my touch after all my in and out of the motor. > Read the book, check Mark St. Hilaire's site (google KLR650 Valve > Check) and have at it! > millerized > > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "james" wrote: > > > > > > From: "Patrick Vincent" > > To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> > > Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 10:13 PM > > Subject: [DSN_klr650] Pilot Screw Question > > > > > > Hi, > > I bought a KLR about three weeks ago. > > After a few low speed rides, I find that my bike is running hot. > > I think it is the pilot screw. So I drilled the metal cap and

found

> > that the pilot screw was set to 1 1/4 turn. > > Just to make sure: Less turn gives a leaner mixture and more

turn

> (2 > > 1/2) a richer mixture??? > > Can anyone confirm this??? Thanks, > > Patrick > > > > Correct. I have mine at 2 1/2 out from the original one turn. > Iridium plug > > (8.00) and now it runs really great. Gas mileage seems to be

about

> the same. > > (Haven't checked it to the 10th of a gallon yet). > > > > Did I read correctly on another post that the cams have to come

out

> to > > adjust the valves? > > > > Jim

[klwheelerjr]

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, Thor Lancelot Simon wrote:

> On Tue, Aug 17, 2004 at 12:09:12AM -0400, james wrote: > > > > Correct. I have mine at 2 1/2 out from the original one turn.

Iridium plug

> > (8.00) and now it runs really great. Gas mileage seems to be

about the same.

> > (Haven't checked it to the 10th of a gallon yet). > > Wow, you have your pilot screw set to 3.5 turns? Are you sure

there is a

> filter element in your bike's airbox? > > I just bumped mine up from a hair under 2 turns to 2 1/3 turns,

and the

> bike is, if not actually running rich, _just_ this side of it --

stumbles

> noticeably if I choke it when it's warmed up, starts with minimal

or no

> choke; very very different from how it was before. > > It is definitely a little smoother in the middle of the RPM range

though.

> I think I'll back it down to exactly 2 turns and see how it

compares.

> > > Did I read correctly on another post that the cams have to come

out to

> > adjust the valves? > > Yes. And good luck actually getting any calibrated torque tool in

around

> the upper frame member when you go to put the cam caps back on

(everyone

> seems to wing it and it seems to work okay). > > Thor

Guys, A 1/4" "clicker" torque wrench has a small enough head to fit right in on mine. About $20 & works fine! Ken

[mwl_95623]

I've read on several occasions where people have adjusted their pilot screw to the point where they no longer needed to use the enricher/choke (E/C) to start the motor. And than on several occasions I've read where people think the E/C should be shut off asap to avoid engine damage. Doesn't the pilot jet and enricher/choke work together as a system? And wouldn't adjusting the pilot jet screw to the point where you no longer needed it be basically the same as driving around with the C/E on all the time (in the stock configuration)? Matt

[kdxkawboy@aol.com]

In a message dated 2004-08-17 6:38:43 AM Pacific Daylight Time, eaglemike@... writes:

> UMMM, PAT, > > Don't you mean push it back to least tension position before re- > installing? 'Cause the ratchet mechanism will only let it go out - > more tension - after it's installed? If you set it to max tension > before installing, I don't think it will go back in........ > > All the best, > > Mike >

I should refer to the shop manual at that hour in the morning ... you are right. Thanks for the correction. Pat G'ville, Nv [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]