"cut the spring, bored crank vent, drilled slide"

I do not have these mods on my bike so I have no idea how they will affect driveability after the #132 + needle raise + lid removal. I did the spring and the slide on our KLX300R so I am aware of the results - more responsiveness to throttle inputs..

 

I think the little washer spacers go on TOP of the needle to keep it from bouncing around in the plastic holder.

 

Right-o, spacers on top of the needle although I'm not sure they would have any effect on securing the needle.Seemed to me they change the slide position relative to the needle but do they affect needle position in the jet at all? When I assembled that I thought the spacers would push the needle deeper in the main jet - leaner positioning.

So is the notch selected the only thing determining needle position in the main jet or do the spacers alter that? If so, then why not just leave out the spacers and selected a higher or lower notch accordingly? I'm sure someone has the answer on this one.

 

What I recall is that other KLX riders have left them out, or put them on the other side of the clip, and the needle would not ride tight in the plastic holder. They'd have lean or rich surging problems. I don't think they affect needle position in the slide provided they are on top of the needle. Under the clip and they would. Some have put an extra spacer under the clip to get finer needle adjustment.

 

Gotcha. Figured they served a purpose or DJ wouldn't include them. No slot or spacer choices to make on the CT110 I just refurbed for a friend - just install or uninstall!

I think for now I'll leave my setup as-is until I can get out in the hills for a real test at the altitudes I will generally ride. With the lid on and the KDX snorkel in it seems to function pretty well at Seattle altitude (basically sea level). Gets the wheel off the ground in first no problem at 2.5 turns out and seems to pull well through the middle. Have not had it at WOT for any distance in town - have to get out and do that! I'll adjust with the tach when I'm at hunting camp (2000-6000+) and pop off the lid to compensate for altitude as an experiment. I always have to re-tune my saws for altitude, may as well mess with the bike too now that I have it (good way to spend the midday lull along with dropping trees). Looks like a lot of guys who ride higher have good success with a 128 main and different lid/filter combos.

Maybe I'll buy 3 or 4 more carbs and set them up differently so it's just a carb swap instead of pulling parts - be nice if the Kawasaki engineers made the access easier.

Thanks for the patience and input, guys. Not always easy being the FNG.

 

Someone has to be!

And another will be along shortly to take your place.

 

Way it is on my chainsaw forums, CT forums, Yamaha forums, welding forums, woodworking forums, archery and hunting forums, international trade forums...and so on. And I've got variable tenure on all of them. Damn nice that we have access to all these communities of folks with common interests and experience. Imagine trying to go around to everyone's shops and ranges and garages to have these conversations.

 

International trade? Great, something else to add to my reading. ☺

 

Just leave the shrouds and side covers off while doing test rides close to home. Don't reattached the petcock with the 2 bolts when doing jetting; I just run some elec wire thru the petcock holes and tie it off in a bow for a test in case the tank has to come off again. I also have a small ebay mower gas tank due any day now to strap to the my frame instead of the Kaw tank for easier tuning without removing a ton of stuff.

You can get away with not having the air box boot clamps on while testing as well.

Carb swap is just as much work as pulling the carb to change jetting isn't it?

 

Most everywhere you read abut slide mods, someone points out that cutting coils off of a spring increases its rate.. What if you cut the spring and then stretch what's left back to the original length? Would the spring rate decrease? I don't think it would; the spring rate's built into the wire isn't it?

I measured 1.375" of preload on my CV carb's stock spring btw.