Ok I will take it apart this weekend. The closer-to-oem carb should be here this weekend and the PO sent me the OEM carb (finally), should be here sometime early next week. I ordered a vented fuel cap just to I can make sure that isnt an issue. I also ordered front bushings so I can replace those when I do the CV boots. And I did myself a favor and ordered an elongated fuel mixture adjustment screw, I have one on my YZ250 and it makes adjustments so much easier Hopefully it fits correctly, if not it will fit my XR600 so it wont be a waste.

 

You can download parts and service manuals from K&T Parts House. Looks like the stock Keihin Pilot Jet jet is a 45 and Main Jet would have started as a 137.5. Once you can get it running decent, you can try different Main Jets, to see which gives the best top speed/performance. You can try JetsRUs .com. Start with a 137.5 Keihin then try 1 size richer or 1 size leaner, if it looks to rich. I like to err on the rich side. Start with getting it to start and idle, next get the midrange running smooth, lastly the main jet tuning. The last Cat that I tuned was a 2002 400 4x4 FIS. Couldn't believe the gain from carb tuning. Got it to top out at 57 mph with a fat guy driving, me! It did have the original Keihin carburetor, and I used a Dynojet kit to tune.

 

I got my hands on a 99 manual and I noticed a couple things that may be giving me some issues...

First and foremost I am pretty sure I am operating the choke backwards. When I am putting it into "cold start" mode I am pushing the lever forwards so it is pointing vertical, according to the manual that is actually the normal running position and pushing it down towards the driver is actually the "choke" position.

Second, I am operating the 4x4 in reverse as well, I am keeping it in 4x4 all the time when I am wanting to be in 2x4, I have also heard there is a way to add a third position for 4x4 locked to the front diff, I am wanting to do that.

Third, There is a plug in the bottom of the muffler that is meant to allow you to clear out the spark arrestor that I am missing, I am going to find a bolt to put in there. I dont know about on this machine but if you removed the spark arrestor port on my old XR100 it would open the exhaust way up and you could get a little more power out of it if you rejet it. That may be leaning me out alot in my situation.

And fourth, According to the manual the fuel screw should be 2-1/4 turns out to OEM spec. I have been turning mine 1 to 1-3/4 out, also leaning it out alot.

I am going to try to correct these issues and see if I can get it to run correctly now, Im glad I got a hold of that manual otherwise I would have been just struggling forever.

 

Hey, I have a wireless winch and after a few days, sitting, the winch would drain my battery. You may wanna look into isolating the winch with a switch of some sort.

 

I have it hooked up with a relay and haven't had any issues yet. I will be sure to disconnect the battery If I am going to let it sit for an extended period of time. Thanks for the heads up.

 

 

The winch controller has a built in relay. Theres a battery that powers the wireless antenna and when you connect the remote to the controller it lets the power go to the winch itself. When the controller is disconnected theres no power allowed to the winch.

 

Our winch control boxes are different then. My winch looks for a winch remote signal if not isolated. Originally I had a switch under the seat. I am about to wire in a continuous solenoid to a switch on the handlebars.

 

Ah that is unfortunate. Couldn't you just connect it to key-on power only so when the key is off it doesn't receive power? Maybe wire it into the headlight power if it is a large enough fuse?

 

Ok good things and bad things. I have it running well now but only after getting it to start. It it a PITA to start cold, I crank it a few times and it will give a few backfires and then a bang, then I crank it one more time and it will start right up and run completely fine. Am I still too rich? I put an adjustable fuel screw in so now its much easier to adjust. The OEM carb the PO sent me had a stripped out jet stuck in it (now I know why it was replaced) so I made sure my jets were the same size and I am continuing to use the chinese knockoff. Also when I do have it running and riding and once it is warmed up it will idle fine and run fine but sometimes it just dies for no reason. I will pull the plug to check color when I get a chance but I still suspect too rich.