frozen master cylinder cover screw

[Rick B]

After I posted the last time that I thought the engine sounded tight after installing the doohickey I took it back out let it get warmed up and then adjusted the tension spring. Worked like a charm for whatever reason it runs fine now. Took it out today for it's first road ride since the work and did about 140miles of mountain highway and about 30 miles of gravel fully loaded with camping gear. Did fine...I got stuck in a traffic jamb and it started to get hot so I pulled it over, let it cool down and when I got back into traffic I put the choke on about 1/2 way and it seemed to run cooler. Does that work or am I fooling myself...I've also found that if I use less choke at higher altitudes when the bike is already warmed up, it starts easier. or at least it appears that way to me. I modified the fuel petcock to bypass the diaphragm and shortened the main tank fuel tube about 3/4". I like the extra miles I can put on before having to switch to reserve. I'm not sure about bypassing the diaphragm, I don't see any advatage but I did it in such a way that it's easily reversed so I'll study it alittle mre before deciding. I started the valve inspection project this evening and hope to have it done in a few evenings. I'm thinking that that might help with cooler running, but I think a lot of it is just the way KLR's operate. At the same time I'm adding a lighter plug on the rear fender under the luggage rack and converting my fuses to solid states. I'm planning my trip to start the week after Labor day!

[Rick Brown]

Hi John, Thanks for the help. I didn't think of it until you said something, but last year when I bought the bike, one of the first things I did was to drill several 1" holes in the top of the air box. I was assuming that since I ride most of the time at 6000ft and above, that I was being pro-active in increaseing the airflow situation. Now I'm thinking I increased the air, by a bunch, but not the fuel. Thus causing a lean running condition. After the valve job I'll give it a test drive. If I still have the problem I'll seal-up the air box holes and test ride. If that doesn't work I'll adjust the pilot screw...and ... If that doesn't help I'll work toward the re-jetting project. I hesitate to do the re-jetting because my understanding of the re-jetting for altitude actually involves changing the jets to make the carbeurator run even leaner than the factory jetting (what I already have). And that is the situation as we both think is too lean already. On the way to a solution:) Rick From: "Cox, John" To: Rick B ; "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sunday, August 7, 2011 11:54 PM Subject: RE: [DSN_KLR650] Doohickey Project - Update If it runs cooler on a hot day with choke your bike is almost certainly running too lean a common condition with bikes unmodified from the factory jetting. Do a search on klr650 jetting for more info. It should not run hot with proper jetting. Everything you wrote makes perfect sense to an old mech like me. Very Respectfully, John Cox From:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Rick B Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2011 10:06 PM To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Doohickey Project - Update After I posted the last time that I thought the engine sounded tight after installing the doohickey I took it back out let it get warmed up and then adjusted the tension spring. Worked like a charm for whatever reason it runs fine now. Took it out today for it's first road ride since the work and did about 140miles of mountain highway and about 30 miles of gravel fully loaded with camping gear. Did fine...I got stuck in a traffic jamb and it started to get hot so I pulled it over, let it cool down and when I got back into traffic I put the choke on about 1/2 way and it seemed to run cooler. Does that work or am I fooling myself...I've also found that if I use less choke at higher altitudes when the bike is already warmed up, it starts easier. or at least it appears that way to me. I modified the fuel petcock to bypass the diaphragm and shortened the main tank fuel tube about 3/4". I like the extra miles I can put on before having to switch to reserve. I'm not sure about bypassing the diaphragm, I don't see any advatage but I did it in such a way that it's easily reversed so I'll study it alittle mre before deciding. I started the valve inspection project this evening and hope to have it done in a few evenings. I'm thinking that that might help with cooler running, but I think a lot of it is just the way KLR's operate. At the same time I'm adding a lighter plug on the rear fender under the luggage rack and converting my fuses to solid states. I'm planning my trip to start the week after Labor day! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[revmaaatin]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rick B" wrote:

> > > > I modified the fuel petcock to bypass the diaphragm and shortened the main tank fuel tube about 3/4". I like the extra miles I can put on before having to switch to reserve. I'm not sure about bypassing the diaphragm, I don't see any advatage but I did it in such a way that it's easily reversed so I'll study it alittle mre before deciding.

Rick, Wow. Yowsers. Sounds like you are having a great time up grading and farkling your bike. An interesting fuel mod. and how did you choose 3/4"? Most folks, if they mess with the fuel straw LENGTHEN the straw to increase the RESERVE, not decrease it. So, just how many miles can you go on 'reserve' before you run flat out of fuel? Do you know how to get fuel from the double secret reserve? I don't suggest you ride that rig in its present configurataion where the gas stations are more than 50 miles apart = North Prairie USA and Rocky Mountain roads. Rarely will it =my KLR's go more than ~25 miles on RESERVE in the OEM straw-length configuration before requiring the double secet reserve. and then you only get ~6-8 more miles. If you push this pig just once, it will cure you of fuel neglect. If you sell the bike, PLEASE tell the poor unsuspecting new owner what you have done to the fuel reseve system. and If, while you are riding in SD/WY/ND/UT/NV/MT/KS/NE and the coyote's eat you while you walk for gas, can I have your bike? revmaaatin.

[Rick Brown]

Hi revmaatin, I been out on the road late at night...seen my pretty Alice in every headlight... Lowell George Yep, I'm from Iowa and I live in Colorado and I've been to all them places you named, and I've run out'a gas and crashed and got lost, caught in the rain and hail and the bugs and the snowww; ran into a slough of frogs on the interstate along the Platte, itchy buffalo tipped my bike over while I was having lunch...flat tires, broken chains, blown fuses, froze pistons and all that kind'a stuff. But I'll tell Nancy that if I don't come back this time, to crate-up what's left of the bike and send it to ya!...course you might want'a replace the seat.. You're spot on about the oil strainer, that's what started the doohickey project and that's run into the valve adjustment project (I just finished ordering the shims from Fred) and except for a couple of other small electrical and carb things to do, I think I'm about good to go camping, all I gotta do now is run into some time and money oh oh. I did the petcock main tank mod because I was having to fill-up at about 125 miles (say 1/2 to 1/2 ratio) by rough measuring, and I haven't had a chance to see what my new main tank and reserve range is (but I'm thinking about a 3/4 to 1/4 ratio). Gee, maybe I'll test it up on the Umcompaghre Plateau. Ha Ha. Thanks for the Tech Help and the humor, Rick From: revmaaatin To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, August 8, 2011 9:14 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Doohickey Project - Update

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rick B" wrote: > > > > I modified the fuel petcock to bypass the diaphragm and shortened the main tank fuel tube about 3/4". I like the extra miles I can put on before having to switch to reserve. I'm not sure about bypassing the diaphragm, I don't see any advatage but I did it in such a way that it's easily reversed so I'll study it alittle mre before deciding. Rick, Wow. Yowsers. Sounds like you are having a great time up grading and farkling your bike. An interesting fuel mod. and how did you choose 3/4"? Most folks, if they mess with the fuel straw LENGTHEN the straw to increase the RESERVE, not decrease it. So, just how many miles can you go on 'reserve' before you run flat out of fuel? Do you know how to get fuel from the double secret reserve? I don't suggest you ride that rig in its present configurataion where the gas stations are more than 50 miles apart = North Prairie USA and Rocky Mountain roads. Rarely will it =my KLR's go more than ~25 miles on RESERVE in the OEM straw-length configuration before requiring the double secet reserve. and then you only get ~6-8 more miles. If you push this pig just once, it will cure you of fuel neglect. If you sell the bike, PLEASE tell the poor unsuspecting new owner what you have done to the fuel reseve system. and If, while you are riding in SD/WY/ND/UT/NV/MT/KS/NE and the coyote's eat you while you walk for gas, can I have your bike? revmaaatin. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Blake El Explorador]

Yeah I just had the same fun this weekend. The metal was soft enough that I managed to tap in (gently, ish) a flathead. Worked a treat on the left screw, for the right one I had to give it a couple of gos. Found that it worked best to tap the head of the screw back down with a ball peen hammer so the slots filled back in a bit. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[revmaaatin]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Rick Brown wrote:

> > Hi revmaatin, > SNIP > I did the petcock main tank mod because I was having to fill-up at about 125 miles (say 1/2 to 1/2 ratio) by rough measuring, and I haven't had a chance to see what my new main tank and reserve range is (but I'm thinking about a 3/4 to 1/4 ratio). Gee, maybe I'll test it up on the Umcompaghre Plateau. Ha Ha. > > Thanks for the Tech Help and the humor, > Rick >

Rick, 125 miles!!!! You were a good sport to laugh along. It seemed crazy to shorten up the straw...but based on this new data point, I could see it could frustrate you very quickly. Was that a new bike or had some PO messed with it? From what you describe, someone lengthed the fuel strainer-straw. It is easy to see why it was frustrating! Q. Are you using an inline fuel filter as well? While using the inline filter on one of my KLR's, it left two gallons of unused fuel in the tank when it went to reserve. After removing the inline fuel strainer, It used ~5 gallons before going to reserve. It was the same bike that I have had a problem with in the past at temps above 90F; makes me wonder if the two items are connected as the tank may not have been venting enough to allow the fuel 'head-pressure' to push through the inline filter. Others have reported different = excellent results, using inline filters, but they have not worked well for me. I think I would do a complete fill to completly empty gas useage test to see what the deal is with the fuel useage. That double secret reserve: is after you have used ALL the Main gas, switch to RESERVE and run out of gas again. Then, Lay the bike down on the left side, slosh 'most' of the trapped fuel in the right side into the left 1/2 tank for he first secret reserve. Ride a while furthur until you run out again. Then You get to do that procedure a second time. In my experience you get to do it twice before you can't transfer that last little bit. I got an extra 8 miles one day...and it was JUST enough. Some have reported as much as 12 miles. shrug. truly, ymmv. Laying that pig down and picking it up twice in temps above 90F and ATGATT will catch your attention...never had to do the double secret reserve since! revmaaatin.