is jetting a new topic?

[midlifecrisis426]

In search I only found 200 posts regarding jetting so I guess it's a new topic.

To be more specific... my 01 426 has the uncorked stock pipe, air box cover off, wire cut. I ride at 100 -1000 ft elevation. I'm guessing that out of the 1,342,986 members here, somebody has the same basic mods, and that one or two of you with these common no frills modifications has found the right set up. Leave it stock or...?

My tool box is where I keep my sandwiches and gatorade... in other words, I'm not messing with it. Bad memories of taking apart a clock radio when I was 7. I will be passing these along to a mechanic at a kawasaki dealer... so please reply in basic, easy to understand mumbo jumbo.

Thanks everybody for making this a great board!

[Taffy]

what a strange topic title?

then you say you don't want to touch it and anyway your kwacker dealer will do the work?

don't touch it then.

Taffy

[midlifecrisis426]

Taffy... the topic title is supposed to be sarcasm... felt goofy bringing up jetting after seeing all the jetting posts in search, then clicking on new topic ... and... I've read posts in the past where some thumper talkers have gotten hostile when a newer person of very low mechanical ability - none - (thats me, I don't even know where the cams are much less have any named after me) brings up old stuff... so anyway.

Maybe I should just start taking it apart and learn some more about it myself.

For now though I've got the money to pay someone who knows more than me about bikes to make it run better (the local yam shop people are not helpful, the kwaker shop buys stuff from me so I owe them the business).

To your reply... are you saying that it won't run any better having the best possible carb set up or that the stock set up is the best possible set up.

Thanks for your help!

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: midlifecrisis426 ]

[midlifecrisis426]

...or are you saying that the kwacker dealer (misspelled it kwaker before, I hope the oats guys took no offense) wouldn't benefit from this board? If there is a better set up and he doesn't have to take educated guesses at it (I'm thinking he's probably only seen one or two 426s)he an I will both be better off. Yes, no, or am I such a mechanical bonehead that I don't realize that the proper jetting for my bike (with the common free mods)is "just not that simple".

[skthom2320]

midlife - I too could pay to have my bike jetted. Trust me. You will be much happier if you do it yourself. I adjust my pilot circuit almost every time I ride as well as throughout the day (richer in the AM, leaner in the PM). Sometimes I have to change the pilot jet, mostly a fuel screw adjustment will take care of it. It has been cool here in the Houston Area (50-70) but when it gets hot I will be leaning out the needle again.

I didn't know a pilot jet from a jet pilot before I bought this bike 6 months ago. I started monkeying with the fuel scew and pilot jet mostly because the damn thing wouldn't start at the track when it first got cold. I'd remembered seeing something on TT and just went at it with a screwdriver.

There nothing difficult or mysterious about the jetting. Not only that but you can do it all with the carb on the bike, just loosen the airboot and twist the carb around a bit to get either to the float bowl (main and pilot jets) or needle through the top. A little magnet deal will help you grab the needle out. Look through those old posts for more descriptions...

Regards,

Steve T

[WRFUN]

Midlife,

I agree you should do the MODS yourself. Start with the easy ones and as you go it will all start to come together. The Kwacker dealer that you are taking it too doesnt know any more than you..........Trust me, I have wasted my money there. Plus you need to know more about what you are riding. No question is to stupid ? if you can't find it searching... just ask. Good luck and start reading your manual.

Pete

[midlifecrisis426]

Thanks for bringing me to my senses Steve and Pete. Actually, I used to take apart my RM when I was 14 (last bike I had) and really had no problems putting it back together (the same way it came apart - backwards. duh ...)

My question comes from just the thought of messing up a $6000 bike that is running well* now, and spending time working on it when I could be doing something else, like riding it, having time with the wife and kids, etc. (*I think it's running well, starts easy, goes pop pop occasionally while coming off the throttle, and is still very much of a handfull!)

You're right... I should become more intimate with my bike (have you taken a look at that uncorked pipe after a couple of beers oh uh nevermind). If I learn to do the simple stuff, I won't have to wait 10 days for the mechanic to "get to it" for a simple repair... another bonus! I'll put some tools in the tool box... it never really made that good of a cooler anyway.

This being the first performance bike I've owned in 27 years, how do I know if needs help? Is the popping normal? Is it running to it's potential? I'm assuming the carb was set up to make the bike "right" when new, before the box off plug out wire cut. Is there anything I should be looking for after these modifications that will tell me it's not "just right"? The Yam dealer initally told me that if I do these mods I'll probably burn it up - unless I know what I'm doing ? . What was he talking about?

Another reason I don't go there anymore... they'd tell me scary stuff but then offer no explanations or solutions. "Don't do any modifications, and just bring it in if you feel somethings not right". Thank you Mr. Helper!

[AK-thumper]

My 01 WR was very similar to yours before I YZ timed it. As suggested by JD I did the following and it worked well first try.

EKP needle on 3rd clip position from top (some guys use 4th if it is too lean)

168 main jet

48 pj

100 paj

~1 turn on fuel screw, adjusted to peak idle speed

turn your idle up a bit

This is a good place to start and should be close first try, very resistant to stalling but the low end is abrupt. After you get a little "hands on" start experimenting with YZ timing, BK mod, and then taffys lean PC/skinny needle setup and see what you like best. All the info is here and it will make sense after you experiment and think about it a bit.

Cheers