Wow, thanks for the info.

Are you saying that there is no mixture adjustment on this carb?

Or that I shouldn't bother adjusting it?

Do you think the following is the best order to proceed:

1) Fuel stabilizer run through a tank and then new gas
2) Adjust mixture
3) Check petcock
4) Check valves

Obviously, that order also happens to be the order of easiest to hardest, but isn't that good process anyway?

Thank you!

 

Would you mind id'ing which part broke apart:

92055-1112: O-ring
43049-1066: valve packing
92055A-1419: O-ring

Or some other part.

Also, doesn't the bike have a stock fuel filter between the tank and carb?

It shows up on the parts diagram (16160-1151)

I've never checked or changed it -- possible to swap out with a off-the-shelf (walmart/auto parts store) filter?

By the way, the numbers all come from:

http://www.kawasaki.com/Default.asp?...lCode=KVF400C4



Thanks!

 

And most importantly, very nice personal web site.

I'll bet Little John enjoys riding on the Prairie.

 

Thanks, yes little John loves four wheelers. He will stick to his electric one for now though. I think that part was called the packing. It should have three holes in the rubber piece, two small ones for normal and reserve fuel, and a large oval hole where it goes on to the carb. My 400 had no fuel filter at all, not even a screen. I got a wix inline clear filter from Oreilly's for about 8 bucks and spliced it in right below the petcock. As far as what order, I have no clue, I just did a bunch of stuff until I stumbled across the problem. The carb is pretty easy to take apart though and if there is any trash in it, it will be obvious. I used it as a good excuse to take the rest of the wheeler apart and clean everything real good. Depending on hours, it might be time for your valves anyhow.

 

Yep, that's 92055-1112

I'll check it out.

The onlione parts diagram shows an inline filter. I'll check on the bike. I've got the 2002 KVF400-c4 -- same as you, from what I can tell.

 

I think the filter you are seeing in the online diagram is for the coolant line that runs though the carb to help it warm up and not ice over. Its a water filter. Your looking at the carb schematic right? I have the same machine you do.

 

Wow, did I read that wrong!

And, I ordered all the wrong parts ($45 wasted)!

Wish I had a service manual instead of just the online parts diagram.

Hopefully, cleaned gas and fuel system and/or mixture adjustment will do the trick.

Thanks.

 

Idling problems, especially on a machine with low miles (low miles generally = low use) would lend me to believe the carb jets are gummed up from old fuel. With a little patience and finess, you can remove the carb and clean it and reinstall it in under 2 hours. You don't have to take the carb all the way off, just enough so you can get the float bowl off to allow you access to the main jet and pilot jet. Take both jets out and examine them for buildup. Especially the pilot jet with tiny hole/s.

I've had to do this same procedure on my Honda 250ex and other bikes or snowmobiles.

Jim

 

Well, here's the progress so far:

1) Took the tank off and checked the petcock. All is fine. Cleaned some rust/sediment from the petcock, but otherwise gaskets are fine.

2) Looked at the carb from every angle I could without actually removing it and didn't see a mixture adjustment. I see the idle/throttle, the choke and a plunger -- no other moving parts on the outside.

3) Learned how the idle control works. Seems the black **** is connected to the carb via a short cable. The other end of the cable is a long (maybe 2.5") rod, with 1.5" of it threaded. This long threaded part essentially adjusts how open/closed the throttle is. So, without having understood that, I didn't realize how much travel was available in the idle adjust.

4) Put in a nice concentration of gumout super fuel system cleaner and took a long ride, and then a ride with my wife.

5) Lubed cables and shifter mechanism while I was in there.

6) Checked air filter and it's totally clean (wish I had more opportunity to get it dirt).

Bottom line, it looks like it's running better, most likely from simply adjusting the idle and probably the gumout.

Thank you everyone so much!

 

Glad its working for you. If you do actually decide to remove it, its pretty easy, the gas tank is held on by two barrel screws in the rear, the same two going into the colored plastic and the front of it just slides in place. Once you have it out, you can cut the ties that hold the fuel, and coolant lines to the carb, the choke unscrews from the carb, the throttle cable is pretty easy to figure out by looking at it, then just loosen the two large clamps on the intake and "exhaust" side of the carb and it comes out. buy some new metal screw type hose clamps from the auto store and some thicker fuel line if you like. If you had any rust/sediment in your petcock, you can be assured its made its way into your carb. It seems the manual fuel guage on these things rusts up pretty easily. FUEL FILTER! sorry, I keep throwing that out there....... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]