Hi, newbie to this forum here with a tough one. I recently did a re-piston/ring/cylinder sleeve overhaul because of an excessively smokey engine. It starts easy enough now, but smokes still. And on wide open throttle, it acts like it has a rev limiter holding it back around half throttle. Is it possible I got the timing chain a tooth too advanced/retarded? It has good bottom end, but revs out easy. There are 2 cam timing marks on the flywheel. As you look through the hole, I aligned the top of the 2 marks when the cam mark is aligned with its mark on the case. Also, I took off the air filter while trying WOT, and it seemed to have back pressure coming out of the air boot. I also had to adjust the floats, it would flood through the overflow while running. I adjusted them to where the overflowing just stopped. If anyone has any specs regarding float level and drop, or cam timing settings please fill me in. It starts too easy to be anything really bad, but it wont hardly climb the ramps into the truck at WOT. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

-Curt C.
Charleston, WV

1987 Kawasaki Bayou 300 2x4

 

With a engine tear - down like you have done its hard to pinpoint what your prob may be. I assume you had a manual in doing this resleeve, if not, i would suggest investing in one and going over in your brain what you did and compare it to what it says to do. Your machine will smoke after a ring job as the rings have not yet seated, i would advise you to after you get it running right to go out and drive it for a period of time at a constant, slightly higher than normal RPM with some fresh oil in it, this will help seat the rings properly. Improper float height could be the culprit, i have no clue and i doubt that my 98 and your 87 have the exact same carb setup but for what its worth: in tearing apart my carb for a much needed cleaning my float arm(the part that attaches to the carb) was darn near exactly paralell to the float tang( the part the needle hooks to). I wasnt rebuilding the carb just cleaning it so i really have no idea what the float height should be, but again a manual should tell you that. You are new here and so am i but i have learned that the bayou posts get little if any attention here so I try to chime in on anything bayou related no matter how little help i probaly am. good luck

 

'Preciate the reply, AlaskaBayouGuy. as far as the re-sleeve, my local Kaw shop took care of that, and honed it to match the Wiseco piston/rings. You may be on to something with the unseated rings being related to the smoke. I didnt have a manual during the overhaul, just paid attention to this and that during removal - guess I should have paid closer attention to those 2 dang marks! Hindsight is always 20/20. Anyways, the Kawasaki site has manuals for $40, guess theyll pinch me for that much more.