Remember I/we do not have information pertaining to top performance lidless setups with the CVK on a 351. I am postulating from general knowledge of CVK operation and knowledge from stockbore lidless setups.. You guys running lidless setups on your big bores are "blazing the trail" for everyone else..
So while I certainly abide by "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" , and you are reporting great fueling performance/power levels everywhere, but comparing your bike, as it runs now, to a shimmed stock needle, to a DNO352 @1N would be very useful..Do you think you could tell if another needle runs your bike even stronger than it runs now?

With the impressive results yall have already posted, we will certainly eventually have Dyno Chart data to help us finalize the fueling recipe..

 

I'd definitely like to give different needles a try. The stock one would most definitely take down the mid range. The question is, will it lean it down too far? Only one way to find out. I'd also like to try the DNO352 needle. Maybe I'll call them up at dynojet and beg. Last time I talked to them, the guy was awesome. Are there any other needle series that fit our carbs?

I just watched the video of the guy with the smoke. My bike is doing that exact same thing. It smokes some on the feel as well.

 

I don't know what vid you are talking about..

When it comes to testing needles, all you have is your dynobutt. So you have to have a good "feel" for your power delivery now before you can assess other needles. After that, no worries as the needles are sooo different that you will know which one you like most..
There is no reason to fear the shimmed stock needle - if you want to "head off" any possible loss of top end, put in a DJ150 at the same time..

For a given needle and clip setting, going up or down on the main jet will richen or lean the entire fueling curve from off idle to redline..

As to other needles that can be used - I have not had any luck with that subject.

 

The video is in a thread on page 3 of this forum (using a mobile). I think that the smoke is related to the needle and mid range fueling. It smells really gassy. My neighbor seems to think the same. He restores old Norton's with Amal carbs so he's very versed in fueling issues. I wish I could find more hours in the day so I could make the journey to get it on the dyno.

 

Well I don't know how a massive overfueling could be happening - unless something is wrong, like a float stuck open etc etc... BUT, lets give you and your neighbor the benefit of the doubt - in the event that your CVK is behaving normally - no issues - yet is massively overfueling the midrange, you will immediately notice a big jump in midrange power delivery with the shimmed stock needle.

 

Boy, that is one good reason to go with Keihin brass! Seems like crock when you cannot buy what is needed by the part. Figure out the conversion values to Keihin then be able to get whatever is needed from Jets R Us or even a Kawasaki dealer.


FWIW, I got a small plastic pocket bike fuel tank, some fuel line, and an in-line petcock to make a tank for carb balancing on the street bike and for jetting on the single. This is it, under $10. On Amazon $18. Briggs-Stratton petcock for $5.70.






Gas line from the hardware store and some wire in the holes or a temp mount using the two ears on the tank.