Also, the mixture screw plug had been taken off, and there were dyno jet stickers on my fairings, so he clearly installed a dyno jet kit. Problem is, who knows which one, what parts he used and if he did it correctly.

 

OK, I feel ya.. You can order anything except the needle from DynoJet - they won't sell needles separately..

So here's the deal - I'm attaching a couple of links to a couple of my past threads - https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...s-fixes-43146/

https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...urments-43117/

Now, your not gonna understand everything in the "carb issues" thread, but you'll get an idea of how much "damage" you can do to your riding enjoyment if you muck up a carb setup - but more importantly, how to check for a drilled slide.. Use the other thread to identify your needle - I feel sure you'll find that it's the #228 from the 2152 kit..


So lets assume your lift hole is standard and that you have the 228 DJ needle.. Call DJ, get a slide spring, couple of extra needle washers, and the DJ140 main jet and your done! Done "on-the-cheap"!

 

All that'd be left to do is to screw up everything while attempting to install the new "stuff", lol.. This ain't rocket surgery, but it also ain't for trained monkeys.. You do it right or you suffer the consequences.. For instance, if you only saw one washer on your needle, your PO didn't have the "right stuff" to do a DJ kit install..

Gotta go get redy, I get to go outside today..

 

Man, you are just a wealth of information.. Those threads are gold! Thank you so much, I appreciate it large. For me to order Bill Blue's carb and bore kit, with the US to CDN exchange rate and shipping, I might as well buy a different bike.

I'm off to the garage to take a look at things. By the looks of your pictures, I do have the dyno needle. Just need to measure to ensure it's from the same kit.

One last thing.. What is the different between the e clip and the washers? What function does the e clip serve that the washers dont?

 

Ok.. So my needle is almost certainly the 228. And he actually did have both washers and the clip installed.. The washers fell out when I pulled it apart and all I saw was the clip. Luckily I saw the washers sitting on the bench.

I'm going to assume the spring is also from the kit, since the main jet and needle is from that kit. How important is it to use the DJ spring, in case for some reason this is not the DJ spring? My spring is 3.36 inches when not compressed or stretched, by the way

 

A new spring from DJ is cheap, and a guarantee that your bike will be fueled correctly...

I assume you've determined the use of the clip on the needle by now.... You are obviously very new to this stuff - but you CAN do this if you take the time to "study up" in here and are very methodical and careful when performing the work.. For instance, an example of being careful is using a correctly sized slot screwdriver to remove-n-install the main jets so that you don't damage them... You only have to do this carb setup once - so get every detail right..

BTW, I assume the bike runs perfectly fine.. This is not troubleshooting, this is performance tuning - DJ140/2N will not "fix" a malfunctioning carb..

 

No the bike ran fine before. It's just weak as ****.

I did happen to use too small of a screwdriver to take out the pilot jet, it pushed the metal of the slot a tiny bit on the jet but I'm sure it's fine. I will ensure the new main I get stays in pristine condition by using the correct screwdriver.

If I can get just the spring without having to "spring" for a $75 kit, I will get the spring to be sure. But odds are it is the DJ spring already.

Yes, I am definitely new to all of this. I had never ridden a motorcycle before August, let alone repaired them. I will take extra care to properly clean out the carb body and ensure the diaphragm is in good shape before I reassemble everything. I agree the carb job seems like a very delicate one, and from what I've researched, it is the single most effective mod, coupled with exhaust. 90% of my gains are going to be from doing this job right.

 

So I appreciate your help big time

 

Remember, get the spring, 2 needle washers, and a DJ140 main jet... I know your spring is probably ok, but you will only have to do this once with a new spring - more than once if your spring isn't "kosher" and creates all manner of fueling troubles..

I'll try to remember noobie mistakes for you, that aren't in the thread..

1. The float/needle/seat is somewhat delicate - Anytime the carb bowl is off, mishandling or even setting the carb down wrongly can bend the float, altering the fuel level that the carb runs with. So don't do that..

2. Don't spray carb cleaner on the butterfly valve return spring. There is a seal under/inside that spring for the butterfly shaft that can become damaged - when it starts "leaking", it's "game over" until it's replaced..

3. Keep a clean work environment - you see how tiny the aeration holes are on the pilot jet and needle jet so don't allow debris to get into the interior workings of the carb -which could cause clogging..

 

I just took that needle part off the float so it wouldn't bend when it was out, hopefully it's OK. I read somewhere 17mm from the bottom of the bowl is the proper distance for it to function correctly?