Okay guys I am a newb and this is my first post here. At any rate, I have a '96 Kawasaki Lakota (KEF 300) that I traded for (long story) and yet I am having some trouble in getting it started now.

You see, the bike sat up for a while before I got it so I knew that it had some carb issues (among other things). Therefore I pulled off the carb and looked at it when I noticed the tear in the diapraghm which got longer as I looked at it (or so it seemed). So I got online researched the Carburetor which was Keihin 32mm? And honestly not all that impressive! Therefore when I discovered that the diapraghm alone was $89.95 (a new carb was in the $3++ range). Well, I about choked! So I started checking out all of my options.

And all of this led me to several discussions about swapping the carburetor and replacing it with a Mikuni 32mm. But I was apparently shipped the wrong carb as I ended up with Mikuni Round Slide Carburetor - 32mm (40mm Intake) which was a Bike Bandit purchase (Part # TR-426010). Well, I live in South Louisiana and I got the carb in right before the first storm hit. Therefore I couldn't just turn around and send the carb right back. Besides I figured that I could make it work with a little finesse. Plus I was actually in a bit of a hurry because I have the bike sold! So I really wanted to go ahead and finish the bike back up as the guy that is buying the bike is getting it for his nine year old son. Therefore I wanted to make it happen rather quickly for the little fella.

Well, I started off trying to make the Throttle Cable that I have work by grinding it and converting it to fit the new carbs action. And that worked fine as I got the bike together and all but the bike wouldn't start then. So I pulled the new filter element and noticed that the slide is partially open. Therefore Problem #1) I need a new throttle cable for the bike round slide Mikuni compatible that is.

Then I got to thinking about it for a while (and really listening to the bike) as it was really trying to start. As a matter of fact, it was almost running (as long as you are keep the starter pressed)! And I know that makes no sense but I am sure that someone here! As I know that I've heard it before on a Honda that I once had. And it occurred while I was adding new jets to it! So I am thinking that Problem #2) Is do I need new jets for the Mikuni Round Slide Carburetor - 32mm (40mm Intake) which was a B.B. purchase (Part # TR-426010). However, it may just be the short new cable?

Therefore I was hoping that someone on here could possibly tell me what cable I might need? Also how do I find out what jets are in the carb and or what jets do I need to make this application work? Any help or a point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated! Thank You!

 

personally i never have very good luck trying to do stuff cheap. by the time i end up getting done i have more in it than if i would have fixed it right. therefore my advice would be to bite the bullet and buy the diaphram or try and locate a used carb. there are several atv salvage places around.

 

Well I didn't look at it as being "Cheap" in that my whole thing was why pay $89.95 to fix a "Junk Carb" in the first place? Especially knowing that I could in fact pay a little bit more and I could get a "brand new" and or "much better" carb in the Mikuni! So I actually thought why not pay a little more than the overpriced diapraghm and get a whole new assembly?

Therefore I sort of viewed it the other way around here! In that, I could have paid less and purchased the new diapraghm but I figured that was the cheap route! Therefore I was not worried about the expense at all. As I wanted a better carb than the Keihin. Plus I was shocked at what you have to pay for the junk parts and or assembly itself. However, I did get caught "Post Hurricane" with no way to get any parts. So maybe that is where I came across in the wrong manner here!

However, I was really looking for advice on how to make the Mikuni 32mm work here regardless. But I do appreciate your response. So does anyone have any thoughts or advice on what throttle cable I might need or the correct jets for this application? As that is what I was really trying to find out???? Ideas????

 

no offense man, i just got the impression you were trying to piece it together.and if you want to find out whether it is lean or rich, while you are cranking it give it a shot of ether or carb cleaner or even a squirt of gas. if it hits, idles great and then dies it means it is starving for fuel. so check your basics and make sure u are getting a good stream of fuel out of the petcock and if so, i dont know the history of it but if it has a lot of hours on it and the timing chain is stretched that can lead to hard starting. also do a compression test on it. you may even stick a spark plug in it. if it is fouled it could lead to some funky stuff. with it wanting to run but not taking off it sounds like weak spark or lean mixture.

 

No offense taken! Just trying to figure this frustrating thing out is all!

Compression feels (although I haven't checked it but it is moving a lot of air). And we traied ether which is when it starts to barely run like (as long as you are holding starter button).

The other issue is that the throttle cable that I had on there was from the Keihin and it actually didn't fit. In other words, I had to modify it to make it work (which it really doesn't). Because as it turns the cable is too short (which we did not figure out until we had the carb installed and were trying to crank it). So now the slide is open (somewhat) therefore we have that issue to resolve first and foremost.

However, on another Lakota owner (on a different forum) that had suggested that he had used a TRX 300 throttle cable. Therefore we were hoping to confirm that before going out and buying something else that might not work?

So I am still not even sure that if I get the throttle cable right that I will have the right jets. Therefore I was just hoping that someone out here might have had some luck in making this swap or what have you?

Although I just went ahead and ordered the diapraghm for the original carb now and I guess that it will just do what these Keihins are famous for. Which is poor performance, hard starting, leaking and expensive repairs. And I know that the Mikuni does not have the issues that Keihin does! So I had hoped to get it right for the guy and hand him a much more trouble free bike (for the future). However, it is looking more and more like I will end up slapping that old Keihin back in there and handing him the Mikuni and wishing him luck with it!

I just always used to see this one Kawasaki guy on here who really seemed to know his stuff. So that is why I posted this here instead of the site where I first got the idea and or specs for the carb to order. Therefore if anyone knows what jets to use and what throttle cable to buy then please let me know? As I would even have a cable made for it (if I just knew how long the action on the slide should be)?

Thanks!

 

i just bought a 01 lakota sport. it starts like a champ and ironically it did leak but that was because the float valve was distorted where it seats in the fuel inlet. these kawi's are deffinately expensive to work on. it was 26 dollars, something that is generally 5-10. but it runs like a champ too. i would soak it in chem-dip overnight after making sure you have all rubber and plastic removed, that stuff works miracle. those carbs have orifices which are in the neighborhood of .010 in. and it is hard to get in there and get those cleaned out. that chem-dip does what tools cant. blow it out good with air and you should be good to go. where i always screw stuff up is when i start messing with float levels and turning mixture screws. i dont see that there is anything wrong with the stock carb. good luck!