Utah Jetting Question for versatility

[jhkinzinger]

I'm new to this Forum but I did try searching for this answer unsuccessfully. I have a 99 KDX 200 w/ air box lid drilled out, FMF pipe, stock spark arrestor, ?able boyesen reeds but unsure (if not it will be soon). Carb has stock 160 main, 48 pilot in it. I plan on riding 4K to 9K altitude and down in moab as well. I'm looking for a general guideline that will give me the most versatility out of this bike w/o having to change the jets. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[hallsy]

Welcome to the forum, I haven't spent much time here but it seems like a great place for KDX info. I too have a 99 KDX 200 w/ air box lid mostly removed, FMF fatty pipe, FMF turbine core II spark arrestor, Boyesen power reeds, and Twin Air filter. We ride from 4,500' to 10,000' not much in the way of sand here, though we did go to White Wash once. We use pump premium (91 octane) mixed at 36:1, 148 main, 42 pilot, R1174 needle in clip #2, #5 slide, air screw @ 1.5 turns out. Even though our bikes, mods. and altitudes are similar your conditions (sand) might warrant a richer mixture. I'd recommend any changes made to your current settings be done in small steps (one jet size) at a time, it's far better to spend a little time and money on jets rather than alot on a seized motor!

 

[John Harris]

When I have riden at Colorado altitudes, my set up has been similar to Hallsy above, but I think you will want a 40 pilot. With warmer temperatures and higher elevations, you might even want a little leaner main--say 145. Seizures usually occur on the main jet and leaner pilots make for a happier set up. IE more power at altitude when power is way down. Sand usually warrants a richer mixture, but I have no experience with sand at altitude. Ride Safe John

 

[jhkinzinger]

Thanks, any other info/advice

That is helpful, I don't do much in the sand, mostly just trail riding in the mountains. What does everyone think of the premix? Kawasaki says 32:1 but I see all sorts of other mixtures.

 

[kingsxjt]

Versatility will cost you quite a bit of performance when trying to jet for a do all setting, that's why they come 160,48 from the factory. The guys at Kawa want to reduce warranty claims! If you want to ride extremely different altitudes i would suggest getting close on how you like your needle, clip , slide etc. at your main riding alt. and then pop in a pilot and main when you go down low. it only takes a few minutes and will keep you safe on engine. Just my .02 Oh yeah, welcome to the forum! great guys with a wealth of info in here! :cool:

 

[hallsy]

Premix?? If you do a search on premix you will probably come up with tons of info. seems everyone has a different opinion on this, here's my experience. We have owned the KDX for 4 years now, the previuos owner had done all the mods that are on the bike to this day. ON our first ride (premix 32:1) it smoked alot and covered the rear fender with oil! Thats when I started reading the threads about premix, I tried different ratios up to 50:1, I tried different oils, and repacking the silencer but nothing changed untill I started changing jets. By this time I had settled on a ratio of 40:1, the previous owner had a 155 main, with the needle in clip #3, I changed to clip #2 and worked down to a 150 main, this made improvements in the amount of smoke and the amount of oil on the silencer/fender commonly known as drool or spooge. Then I went to a 145 main and low and behold no more spooge at all, zip zero nada! I intend to go back to the manufactures recommendation of 32:1, but have been at 36:1 for the last year. I must come clean, I never ran a 148 main, I was worried you might fry your motor, the 4 times I've been to Utah (3 to Moab,1 White Wash) we rode in lots of sand, I've always heard you should run richer in the sand. As far as ratios go I think I'll stick to the manufactures specs, for me that means 32:1 for the KDX & YZ, 50:1 for the KTM. :coocoo:

 

[kingsxjt]

Hallsy you said

Then I went to a 145 main and low and behold no more spooge at all, zip zero nada! I intend to go back to the manufactures recommendation of 32:1, but have been at 36:1 for the last year. I must come clean, I never ran a 148 main, I was worried you might fry your motor,

Makes no sense? You are running a 145 main and yet were afraid to try a 148 as you might fry your motor? :coocoo:

 

[matt-itude]

I live in utah. I have a 2003 kdx 200 with a woods pipe, stock silencer, stock air filter, removed only the snorkel from the lid, vforce 3 reeds/cage, advanced the timing. I run a 148 main and 38 pilot. run same altitudes and conditions you say. have been to cherry creek several times and out on the sand dunes a couple. no probs. I changed my needle to a CEL in the #2 or #3 position (We moved and I lost my notes). very happy with how it runs at those altitudes. I run 40 to 1 with yamalube r oil. I have 4 kids so when I do get away by time I get there bikes ready and loaded, food, etc. I usually don't feel like or get around to jetting my bike. so this set up has allowed me to just ride. they tell me my pilot might be too lean but with the v force 3 I couldn't get the bike to stay idling and the air screw had almost no effect until I jetted down to the 38. the kdx has been much less finicky about altitude changes than my friends CRs and YZs.

 

[jhkinzinger]

Thanks for all the help so far. It looks like they are the stock reeds and the shop is telling me they wouldn't change them out as they look good. What do you all think of that advice? How much of a difference w/ the Boyesens make on a barely novice rider? I put a 155 MJ and 45 PJ in to start with and bought some others to go lower as well (152 and 42 I think). How does that sound for a start? Oh yeah moved the clip to the second from the top as well (stock needle). Thanks again

 

[hallsy]

Kingsxjt- I was afraid to tell jhkinzinger that I run a 145 main for fear that he might jump from his current jetting to mine, then go play on those dunes I saw at White Wash and procede to fry his motor. Now that I understand he rides in the moutains I'm ok with letting him know about the 145.

 

[matt-itude]

I know on the v force 3 it made a large response difference and a little more power too all the way from bottom to top. I wonder if you wont end up with a 150 main. work your way to it. It seems the reeds cause you to go leaner on your pilot jet but not affect your main jet nearly as much. All said my guess looking at your set up would be (with stock reeds) 150 mj and 42 pj. If you change your reeds my guess would be down 1 or 2 more sizes on the pilot and maybe 1 on the main. still work your way there. better safe than sorry.