Hi to all. I am new to this forum but have spent a lot of time on the other one. I am posting this thread on the 250s model even though I have a 300. I am trying to install a Bill Blue TM33/34mm carb on my 1999 klx300. When putting the gas tank on the bike it hits the top of the carb. I read that other users state the tank drops right on and some say that the tank need a shim at the rear to raise it a bit. For mine to clear the shim would be at least a half inch thick and could not get the front tank mounting bolts to go in. Also it puts pressure on the stabilizer post mounted to the steering head. My question is to those who have installed this carb how did you resolve this issue ?
Would the TM36-68 be a better option as far as carb size ? I have the Bill Blue 331 kit installed. I really want to make this happen but do not want to alter the fitment process too much and have reliability issues with any of the affected parts down the road.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

07 with TM33/34... fits without problems.

Does your carb use the two throttle cables? Mine has one.

 

Yeah, I don't know how much different the 300R is at the gas tank fuel sump area compared to the stock KLX250S. If I understand correctly, the 300 has a little more fuel than the 1.9 gal in the 250, and the tank is plastic. It's a good bet there's some difference, but I'm not sure how much. I installed a TM36-68 on my '06 250S with an Acerbis tank. That tank has a huge sump, and I had to grind the throttle wheel at the return cable hole quite a bit...actually basically cut that part of the wheel off. Now, the 36 has the throttle wheel on the opposite side of the carb from the 33/34 if I recall, but the problem could be the same. You don't need a return pull cable anyway. The TM36-68 is every bit as easy to install as Bill's modded 34 carb.

 

I have a 2006 KLX250S and the Bill Blue modified TM33/34 Pumper is plug n play with no fitment issues. That being said, you have a KLX300; aren't the gas tank on those larger than the ones on the KLX250S?

EDIT: LOL Alfred E Neuman just posted the exact same thing a few minutes before me.

 

I appreciate the replies. Based on my service manual a 300 has a 2.6 gallon tank. That would explain the clearance issues I am having. What is confusing to me is other 300 owners have stated that they installed the TM 33/34 with hardly any problems. I think my next question is should I opt to go with the TM 36-68. Bill says they are taller but he grinds the wheel so if it mounts about the same as the smaller carb I wonder what clearance issues I would be dealing with. Brewster said he put a .25 spacer under the rear of the tank. I did not look at the clearance on the bottom with the smaller carb when I was trying to install it. Since I have the 331 kit I would think running the larger of the two would work. My real desire is to have a good performing carb for slow pulling in the mountains. Once again thanks for the replies and keep them coming.

 

kawboy, the TM36-68 is about as plug-and-play as you can get. Grinding or cutting off that part of the throttle wheel for bigger gas tanks isn't hard to do at all. That wheel rides on a shaft, and you can remove it to have full access to cutting/grinding that return cable part of the throttle wheel. I removed the wheel on my TM36 and chocked it up in a vise with wooden teeth. Between a dremel tool and my bench grinder, I removed the necessary material easily.

On how big a carb you can run on the KLX, I think you can run the 36 even on a 250S with no issue as long as the airbox and exhaust are modded like most of us do. With a 300cc or bigger cylinder, I think it's a no-brainer on performance enhancement. I absolutely love this carb on my 250S with a 300 cylinder. Power delivery was improved all the way through the powerband. It responds and accelerates so much better, and even WFO throttle screams. It also lugs down better at low rpm than the CV, which surprised me. And...fuel mileage was not affected and maybe even enhanced a bit.

 

Did you use the stock throttle pull cable and eliminate the return cable ?

 

Yes, I used the stock pull cable and removed the return cable. I just plugged the open return hole in the throttle housing with a rubber plug. I had enough pull cable housing slack to use the stock cable in the stock position. However, I found that by flipping the throttle housing 180 degrees to where the cable exits from the bottom, it yields more slack and keeps the cable on an even lower profile to perhaps help with branch snagging. This method would allow you to use the stock cable on higher bars and/or risers, though I don't know just how far you could go with this slack. My Acerbis tank requires that you have some decent cable/housing slack.

 

Sad to say I had to abandon my effort to install the aftermarket carb on my bike. It would have taken at least a 5/8" spacer to raise the rear of the tank to allow the carb to clear. The interesting thing is while communicating with Bill Blue he had sold a couple of the same carb to other 300 owners who installed them by adding only a 1/4" spacer at the rear of the tank. He called them and they told him the sump on their tanks were concave upward where mine is perfectly straight across. Bottom line is no aftermarket carb. Not sure where to go from here.