New member, new bike, few questions...

[DC Concours]

Hi everyone,

I am new here on your forum, and new to Kawasaki Concours. I wanted to say hello, introduce myself, my bike and ask a few questions. I have been searching for answers and two forums repeatedly came up on google. They were COG and zggtr. So I joined both!

A few weeks ago I bought my 2001 Concours on a whim from an older gentleman who was getting out of riding bikes. He (the second owner) and the other owner surprising didn't ride the bike much. I bought the bike with 5700 miles!! Truly a garage queen.

Now for the bad...one of the fork seals are slightly leaky and the idle is erratic. The previous owner didn't even see the fork leak but he did notice that the idle wasn't right this season. He said he let the bike sit with gas since end of last season. He said he had started the bike a few times during the winter but obviously that wasn't enough.

I would like to take care of the idle issue first. Maybe a partially clogged jet or the carbs are out of sync. I don't quite know and would appreciate your feedback.

I have linked a few videos from earlier today for analysis (bottom of this post).  Ambient temp was 74 degs. The bike always needs some choke to initially start it no matter how warm it is outside. Subsequent starts if the engine is warm does not require choke.

The main issue is when idling and first starting to go from a stop (even when the engine is hot). Once I am over 10-15 mph the bike runs perfectly. No power band dead spots, hesitation or backfires. She just wants to go. Idling and first taking off from a stop is when I have to finesse the clutch much more than usual or I easily stall. If the engine is still cool the idle is erratic and I almost always stall when trying to go.

The first video is of a cold start and see how the idle is erratic even after 4 mins of warm up (jump to time 4:05). The second video is how the bike idles after a 30 minute ride around town and engine is warm. The third video is of me blipping the throttle just after start & warm-up and the engine stalled...common problem at idle.

If I try to increase the idle rpm with the black knob any more than it currently is, then I notice that when shifting gears the rpms don't come down when I disengage (pull) the clutch. The rpms stay or increase when I pull the clutch. So currently I think the high speed idle is at optimum here.

I have run 3 full fresh tanks of gas with snake oil (soafoam once and berryman twice) with minimum-to-no change. No visible rust or gunk in the tank. I had taken the tank off to inspect the vacuum line and they look good.

Do my carbs need a teardown, cleaning and rebuild or just a sync? Or is there another issue? Does my engine sound right?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you for reading my long post!

Link to pics and videos:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/44jhzeytyta2m1f/AACTyp_v0eeI4cNVGVLu_fLRa

[T Cro ®]

Carbs are going to need to be removed and have at the least the slow speed jets and circuits cleaned as they are tiny and once passage becomes blocked no amount of snake oil run in the gas will clear them. You can pull them yourself then decide if you want to try cleaning them yourself or have them done locally. Everyone one here will tell you to pull them yourself and send them to our guru and member here AKA Steve In Sunny Florida he offers several services and you will get your carbs back in better than new shape...

[tweeter55]

Everyone one here will tell you to pull them yourself and send them to our guru and member here AKA Steve In Sunny Florida he offers several services and you will get your carbs back in better than new shape...

+1 to T Cro's advice. Lotta bike for not a lotta money.
Also.....Welcome to 'the' forum. Plenty of advice here and let the farkling begin.

[George R. Young]

If you want to do it yourself, here's a how-to from our wiki section:
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=1419.0

[Mettler1]

  Do some reading and watch a few videos on the Concours.  You WILL be more informed on the bike.

            https://sites.google.com/site/shoodabenengineering/

  And as long as you are interested you will find parts and goodies here. Fast and great service!!

               
http://www.murphskits.com/catalog/
           

[DC Concours]

Thank you for the welcome. You all are great. I have spent the morning reading different posts and I am beginning to think mailing the carbs to the guru is a good option.

I cannot do them myself simply because I am not well versed in this. My carb experience is limited to an old lawnmower carb teardown and clean and that was a simple unit, and no one cared if I broke a decade old $50 beat up mower. But I cannot do that to my Concours!

If I could learn from someone I would do it but it is hard to find people here in this area with any kind of time or patience!

Steve in FL seems to be the man. I have seen a couple of his youtube videos and I only wish he was closer!

[gPink]

Fed X makes him your next door neighbor.

[Summit670]

For your forks, inspect them real good for rock dings or scratches from something stuck in seals and then the fork moving up and down.

Use Motion Pro fork seal wipers or make your own out of a plastic water bottle.  Gently insert and go all the way around the fork to help remove and debris (dead bugs) that may be keeping the seal from sealing.   I put masking tape on the plastic wiper to get a little more "cleaning" action.  I've used this method on my dirt bike and concours, with success.

[bozosoku]

I am also a newbie that picked up a Concours a few weeks ago with almost the same issue you had.  It was sitting in someone's backyard for over a year unloved and was stone dead.  Brought it home and the carb was gummed up so bad that all holes  in the  jets were clogged, spent a day  cleaning them  and it fired right up, it ran well for a while but then the idle started to become erratic.  Turns out the new gas melted some of the hidden gum away and clogged the pilot jet again.   That tiny hole in the pilot jet makes all the difference.   Cleaned it a second time and now all is good.   Granted it is not my first carb work but if you are patience enough it is not hard to do.   Just dont force or drop anything.   I'd love to have them professionally cleaned but I can't  wait for it to turn around and miss ride time.

On the fork seal I used the 35 mm film trick and it actually worked.   No more leaks.  Hardest part was to find the darn  film. 

So far I love the bike, not the fastest or  best handling, but it does everything really well and very comfortable,  I am glad I have it.  Enjoy.

[Furbo]

DC,

Love your comic books! Welcome to the zoo. Be Advised - all the advice here is FREE...caveat emptor...

I worked as a wrench in a Kwak shop, Ive cleaned hundreds of carbs.....if I weren't  stationed overseas Id definitely send MY Carbs to SISF!! 'Cause I just donwanna do it! So. yeah - do that. SISF will tell you the same I think - go ahead and replace the needles in the carbs, they tend to deteriorate with age and these are 15yrs old. They're cheap.

As to the fork seal. This can be a beyat@!# as you have to get the hex bolt out from the bottom and it can spin inside - not the greatest design. You can make a tool to slide down in the fork - or I've had 100% great luck using an air impact driver - pops it right out every time. Lets face it the oil in there is crap now, the seals can be bought at the bearing house for a couple $$ ea. Go ahead and replace both, put in fresh oil, and if you wanna make spring mods, Nows the time and Murph is your buddy. While youve got the forks apart - I reccommend some fork gaitors to ensure you dont have to do the job again in a year or so.

This sounds major - but if youve got the tools, its an afternoons work....unlkess you tend to drink while you work - then it might take two afternoons.

[DC Concours]

Everybody is telling me to send my carbs to Steve and I have only been on here for less than 2 days! I was hoping after a few hundred miles of riding around town the jets would blow clean themselves!

I have contacted Steve and so sending the carbs to him is my plan. I could attempt cleaning them myself (from all the posts I have read) but I know Steve can do a much better job than I and the modifications included in the carb service require the carbs to be sent to him anyway. So why not...

My left fork seal is leaking. A little early for it having such low miles but I do understand rubber breaks down after a decade and a half. Before I change them (which will need to happen eventually and I want heavier oil since they damp too easily) I will try the seal wiping trick as recommended by summit and bozo. I did notice very light vertical scratches on the leaky fork shaft so maybe there was an intrusion. How deep do I have to go to try clean it?

[bozosoku]

Light scratches  are common, even non leaking fork may have scratches.  The fork seal is about 10mm thick, you dont need to let the film goes much deeper  than that.

[2fast]

You might want to try this technique first.

How to Clean Motorcycle Fork Seals

[DC Concours]

Great video. I will have to do this soon. I will see if I can find something around the house flexible like the cheap plastic from water bottles as recommended by summit670.

[Jet86]

yup i cut my own fork seal cleaner from a plastic bottle and it worked for me.

[Stasch]

I was hoping after a few hundred miles of riding around town the jets would blow clean themselves

The passages most likely to be the culprit are also the smallest.  They can be blocked off completely by something very small, preventing any amount of fuel flow that might otherwise carry a cleaner / additive through there to help clean them out with use.

You COULD do the cleaning yourself.  If you haven't done this before (or even if you have!) you risk the likelihood of finding out it still isn't fixed AFTER you do the reinstall.  Not a fun scenario.

If you want them done right, a carb spa trip to Florida is the answer. 

Added bonus:

1) jetting to improve drivability and performance over OEM

2) overflow tubes to protect from potential hydrolock

Shipping cost is minimal.  ~$15 flat rate USPS to get them down there.

[dboogie2288]

Everybody is telling me to send my carbs to Steve and I have only been on here for less than 2 days! I was hoping after a few hundred miles of riding around town the jets would blow clean themselves!
[/b]

Hey man, i know its been a few days, but yeah...THIS ^^^^^^^

I'm bad to my bikes sometimes, my 86 rarely got winterized. Put a bunch of seafoam in it, premium fuel for a few tanks, and ride it like you stole it. I know a lot of people like to say yank the carbs but I've never gone to that extent, and I've let fuel sit in it for up to a year and a half. (i ignored my 86 for a long time when my kid was born, DONT JUDGE ME!!! haha)

[DC Concours]

Sure, I just thought why not try some "magic in a can", especially since some people have had success with it. I never quite believed in snake oil but again for a couple of bucks... wouldn't be a big deal. I know it helped my lawnmower enough to use it till I eventually tore it down and cleaned it manually! But a mower carb is a far cry from my Concours' and my know-how is limited to clean my Concours' carbs. At least not without some hand-holding!

From my mower experience, seeing the crud I know seafoam is just a shot in the dark, I was hoping my idle jets are lightly/partially clogged and the cleaner may break it free. Afterall my bike does idle and run at low speeds...just not perfectly. I could run my bike as-it but I rather not. I spoke to Steve and he was nice enough to explain that fuel doesn't blow through the pilot jets to break the crud free. No forced injection.

And riding it like I stole it wouldn't help me since my clog is in pilot/idle circuit. Only active when idling or riding slowly at takeoff.

Anyway, I kindda knew my carbs would eventually need some manual cleaning and until recently just didn't know about Steve and the fact that one can mail carbs to someone to fix. My buddy knows a mechanic here that could clean my carbs, but when I have some time to take them off and send them to Steve. He is a carb master amongst other things. Already spoke to him about it all.

You might consider Steve next time your carbs are clogged. He comes recommended here and on COG for his carb and other work.

[sgilbert14]

Welcome and enjoy the bike.

Carb work - trust me from my own experience, send them to Steve down in Florida. He does one amazing job and stands by his work. Save my butt royally with my bike.

Everything else, just ask away and you will always get the help here. I picked up my 92 two years ago and have had nothing but great and honest advice from the forum members.

[DC Concours]

An update:

As recommended by many on this board I recently sent my carbs to Steve. I quickly received the cleaned carbs back and recently reinstalled them. I have to say people were not joking when they say the carbs come back newer than before.

My carbs are working well. My previous hesitations and stalls are gone. Steve feels my carbs are idling better than many other bikes even though my carbs are not yet vacuumed synced (just bench synced by Steve).

My idle bounces just a bit +/- 50 rpms. Not knowing the characteristics of this bike and having bought the bike with clogged carbs I have no idea what perfect running carbs sound like. I just learned that a dead-on idle is not a characteristic of this bike with the stock cams.

If anyone has a video on a well tuned engine, running clean and synced carbs please link me to it so I have something to compare to after syncing my carbs.

Finally, I must say I am quite impressed with Steve's work. Even the way he packages his finished carbs. At first I never knew one could even mail carbs out for repairs, and I was frankly a little gun shy about sending my carbs to an unknown entity in FL. But I am glad that I did. Steve lives up to his reputation.

Post cleaned carbs video:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pr2miki1xekhn7z/after-cleaning-carbs.3gp