Originally posted by canyncarvr
If you turn the kdx (pwk) carb upside down to check the float level....you'll be off a good bit. Your fuel level will end up TOO low if you don't take the pin into account.
If you didn't take the spring pin into account (this all brought on the the 'holding upside down' comment), you should recheck your float level. The measurement is taken as the float just touches the pin...not with the spring at all depressed.
CC,
As always, thanks for your input. :worship: I'm used to working on CV carbs on streetbikes, and the spring-pin is common there (I'm used to newish-sportbikes). As such, when I measure/set the float height, it's not actually with the carbs upside down. There's some degree of rotation that will put the float tang in contact with the needle pin, but without actually putting any of the float weight on the pin. This is the point at which the float height is measured.
You can use the float mold lines on the 'H' model kdx. Parallax is avoidable by keeping your line of sight perpendicular to the float body at the mold line.
How can you use these mold lines? Rather, what is the height of the mold lines from the gasket surface? I realize it's 16mm +/- 1mm from the gasket surface to the bottom of the float, but how does that translate to the proper height for the mold lines? Also, with each float being differently shaped, is the mold in the same spot on each float? IE, can you accurately use the same "mold line height" for each float? I'm not trying to be confrontational, I'm just wondering at the specs for using the mold lines. Of course, if you're just trying to set the floats "parallel" using the mold lines, that's pretty easy to do. ;)
As far a parallax, I agree with your comments. The hard part is keeping the line of sight parallel! The floats are dark, small surface (on the bottom), and it was hard for me to get good reference points for a steady measurement. I ended up turning the calipers slightly, and "sighting" along the ID measurement pawls (on the calipers) to the bottom of the float. Much like aiming a rifle using the top of the barrel. It seems to have worked great for me.
Sounds more complicated than it is. Same procedure you use to measure anything.....you can't be lookin' sidewise at it!
Sadly, I've repaired too many bikes where the owners seemed to be doing just that! Well, assuming they took any measurements at all... :flame:
I changed my '00 200 to 17mm for the express purpose of carburetal continence. It works fine 98% of the time. The other 2% is when the bike is so wonky on the stand that no reasonable float adjustment would matter.
I too went on the + side of the measurement. I've got them set at about 17 mm. They were on the 15mm side initally, so I decided to go to the other end of the acceptable range to see the difference. Working well so far!
BTW...the reason the floats were out of whack in the first place is likely due to less than required care used when replacing the fuel bowl. It's easy to tweak the float if you're not careful.
Yeah, I know. My fault. :think: I purchased the bike in Arkansas, and I live in Missouri (Lake of the Ozarks). On the way home, my buddy in Springfield, MO wanted to ride with me on my "new" bike. Of course, the KDX initially ran like crap. Pulling the carb revealed all kinds of varnish and gunk in there. It looks like the "less than 6 hours on my 2 year old bike" statement by the seller might be correct. :scream: A quickie carb clean (friend riding his bike around waiting on me) resulted in me tweaking the floats.
The bowl needs to 'swing' onto the body of the carb......kind'a like it's loosely hinged on the intake side.
Ayup. See my "some angle that puts the tang in contact with the pin, without putting pressure on it" comment above.
Thanks again!
Brandon