Hello From Melbourne (Kawasaki F11B)

[JADERD]

Quick update, spent an hour or so in garage last night cleaning up and painting the slimline luggage rack (optional accessory back in day) i got from a generous guy on OZVMX forum, he supplied me this one and also the more AG style large one you typically think off with a kelpie sitting on.

For me i really wanted the slimline and the guy surprisingly had both types which he supplied free! i just had to pay for postage.

Got the angle grinder on it a few months ago taking off extra tabs that were welded on by prior owner for side saddle bags i think.  Yesterday i wire wheeled it to take off surface rust etc then just a 360 grit sand then painted 4 coats of Sating Black which was supplied in spray can from my powder coater incase i ever wanted to paint things to match my frame
 

Happy with how it came out, will fit it up tonight most prob.

[JADERD]

The plug was darker as in rich prior to the ride, that was taken after the ride finishing for last few seconds at idle then key off etc, tonight I screwed the air screw back in 1/4 turn so it's at 1&1/2 turns out as specified online for
Model, workshop manual states 1&3/4 turns out which I feel might be a little too on the safe side n rich. Will continue to check plug and will get someone to look at it off a forum who is a 2 stroke head etc.

Pics below of rack on, also Kelly enduro bag on front with first aid kit within.

Also let tyres down then went around all spokes slowly tightening each one 1/4 turn, went around each wheel around 4 times until they were all the same tension, some didn't get any further Tightening after rotation one as already were tight ( supposed to be around 25 lb torque) just went by feel etc.  also had a bit of a go at truing up rear rim, seems better, I think the standard tightening of the somes fixed it really as some were fairly loose.

Cheers

[JADERD]

Went for a ride today, the wobbly feel is basically gone, the tightening of the spokes worked perfect

I bought some glass wool muffler packing sheet stuff which looked identical to the old orig stuff within the muffler.  i cut out one 10cm X 10cm x the 1cm thick patch of it which was perfect wrap around then hold in place with some wire before slipping back in.  I didnt notice much sound difference but atleast i now know its doing its job properly re back pressure as there was only around 40% of the orig one left.

Did around 30km today on the road, max speed around 80kmh as where i ride is fairly hilly, think ill limit the amount of on road riding as i dont think the bike likes it much, at times around full throttle in 5th to get up hills etc.

The engine temp peaked out around 185 degrees Celsius on way home, i was around 5 km from home so decided to pull over and klet it cool down / check plug and injectolube etc.

I had also noticed some ticking / knocking sounds throughout the whole ride, which i think are always there / have always been there even years ago, prob normal not sure ?

Took side case off to check the oil injection pump was working properly re. lineup point and adjusting in line with throttle properly which it was.

Also checked the plug, see pic below, figured it might have been a tiny bit lean so i turned air screw back in slightly so set at 1 & 1/2 turns out

Now i also just noticed in the garage that the carby is leaking slightly out of the nipple at the base of the fuel bowl, if i tap the carby bowl with my finger each time i tap another droplet of fuel comes out, any ideas what this could be ? float stuck ?, float set too high, seems to have appeared after todays longer ride at higher throttle openings etc?.

Cheers all, your advice is valuable

PS - looking to have bike at the HBBB at broadford on either sat or sunday (depends on mate with utes work arrangements) to show ppl from various forums / let them have a ride and give me feedback on anything and everything. So if your there and want to check out bike / give me some feedback after a fang let me know - 0418569006 - Simon

[JADERD]

OK - Question for all.

Filled bike up with fuel the other day 7L approx, did the ride as above.
Got home, that night and from then on leaking fuel out of overflow nipple on bottom of bowl.  Now i know my petcock doesnt fully close off when in off position, normally not a prob, but im thinking that the extra volume of fuel is forcing its way into the carby to overflow it ?

That night i whacked a hose on bottom nipple and wedged it under seat to catch / stop flow, ofcourse this backfired and just allowed the fuel to fill carby and into cylinder as would not start, spitting fuel out exhaust pipe flange and wet plug

Drained tank, removed petcock, replaced tap rubber.

Removed carby, checked carby, evidence that fuel was heaps high, bowl gasket all wet etc.  Was a fair amount of rusty crud in carby from tank as last two rides were first ones with full tank washing around inside pulling through crud.

Main jet was 80% blocked with crud - blew it out.

Put carby back on, put back in place the inline fuel filter i had on previously, with clear hose so can see if starving due to filter etc.

Put petcock back together, still leaks on off position though alot less.

New plug in, bike eventually started, as heaps of fuel still in cylinder engine i think
Took bike for ride (15km) felt really good. parked last night, checked hour or two later - zero leaking from fuel bowl nipple.

Open garage this morning - smell of fuel and constant drip from nipple

So question is can a full tank and dicky petcock force fuel into carby, needle jet seemed to seal well enough that me blowing through fuel line could not get air through unless i let need valve drop out, as if zero fuel in bowl etc, didnt have to depress the internal spring for it to stop me being able to blow through.

Or do you think it is more related to needle and seat, as in theory the needle and seat should be able to stop the flow even with fuel left on, which ppl forget and do all the time.  I will pull out, inspect etc, although im thinking it is fine as i could not make air pass when blowing on fuel line with needle only just in closed position with no pressure etc.

PS - i think i will piss of my orig cumbersome over the top petcock for a simple basic small one.

Also now thinking i will have to check my engine oil for petrol in it due to extreme flooding it had, i will take carby out / apart / check everything then test the carby overnight with tank on stand on bench and carby rigged up level etc, easier then taking in and out of bike and more petrol in oil, dont want to change the oil multiple times would rather do it once and save some cash..... bloody carby's eh.

All advice welcome, cheers all.

[JADERD]

Carby breather hose is fine, can blow / suck through it in the position it is/has been in.

Checked the oil, smells perfect, zero fuel smell at all, no change in color either etc.

Cheers

[JADERD]

Bit of an update on Kawasaki.

Now lives out side under cover while play with Suzuki.

Today I reset the point gap to check all good, set at .34mm.

Also at the time I checked the fly wheel for any movement, there is no in out movement, no left right move,ent but there is a slight ...I mean very slight amount of up down movement.  I wedged my finger in behind the fly wheel to the back plate while doing the jiggle and that appears not to move, it appears to be though not sure if possible that just the fly wheel is moving slightly ?.  I checked the Suzuki as motor on bench, that has zero movement - nil, although that engine the big end bearing is gone.

I got myself a torque wrench today as sick of borrowing father in laws and also a fly wheel pulled for re,oving the Suzuki flywheel etc.  then went to buntings and grabbed a bit of flat steel so that I can make a bracket to check the torque on the Kawasaki fly wheel nut.  The nut feels tight but it may not be the correct torque and thus could move slightly?.

Checking on google etc, loose flywheel it says bottom end gone etc bike will be hard to start and left crank seal will be gone and will blow smoke severely....bike doesn't do that at all.

Also I was home I'm Mildura recently so dad gave me a nice old c clamp and a huge 5" ish bench vice "Dawn" brand, heavy sucker weighs 25kg.  Will clean it up and most prob just keep to install in my next garage in years to come.