RiderForums.com - Kawasaki Motorcycle Forum banner

Pulling the carbs

26K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  EA6BMECH 
#1 ·
Any tricks or tips pulling the carbs out of a ZRX1200? Which side do they come out easiest?

I'm going up 2 sizes on the main jets and pulling out the plugs on the pilot screws.

Thanks for the advice,

Mel
 
#2 ·
First time it's a bit difficult, but if I could cope with that, everyone can! Second time I did it, it took 15 minutes.

Here are the detailed instructions from a ZRXOA member:
(note: most difficult task for me was to reinstall the spring clamp on the airbox boot of n.2 cylinder)

Note: right and left refer to the bike as it is while sitting on it.

1. Remove Seat.

2. Remove fuel tank.

3. Remove the airbox side covers. Take out the 10mm bolts on top and slide the covers off the clips.

4. Unhook the throttle cable at the handle bar. Remove the 2 phillips screws in the switch housing and pull the back off. Don't let the front housing fall off. The first cable you can see on the back side of the throttle tube is the "open" cable. Its cable housing will have a curved fitting on it. Put a piece of tape on it and mark it "O". Pay careful attention to how the throttle assembly "looks" when it's together. Now take the front housing off and remove the cables from the throttle tube.

5. Unhook the choke cable at the carbs. On the right side of the bike, the choke cable is attached to the choke bar on the front of the carbs. Push the choke bar to the left to take the tension off the cable and remove the cable end from the fitting. There should be enough slack to do this without removing the cable housing retainer clip.

6. Remove the carbs. There are 2 vent lines going back from between the outer and inner carbs on both sides. Pull the lines off, set them aside. Remove the 2 vacuum lines on the outer carbs. Loosen the clamps on the intake boots (engine side) with the phillips. Use the slotted driver to CAREFULLY roll back the spring clamps on the airbox boots. Unplug the wire harness for the K-TRIC system. It is now battle time. Using a rocking motion, slide the carb bank back out of the intake boots and out the left side of the bike. When it is about halfway out, figure out which cable pulls the throttle open, and tag it. Now unhook both throttle cables. Pull the carbs the rest of the way out. Stuff clean shop towels into the intake boots as a precaution against debris.

...

16. It's now battle time again, in reverse. Roll the air box boots back over themselves, and make sure they are rotated properly, and the edges are seated on the airbox. They have a notch in the lip which mates to the rim of the hole in the airbox, and they can be dislodged during the violence of carb removal. Some like to tape the boots back, and slide the tape out after the carbs are in. In this case you will need some duct tape.

Check to make sure the intake boot clamps are positioned properly (they also have mating notches), and aren't bent. I bent 2 of mine getting the carbs out. If they're bent, take them off and "re-round" them with the pliers.

PULL THE RAGS OUT OF THE INTAKE.

Slide the carbs in halfway, and reinstall the throttle cables, making sure the cables go on the way they came off. Make sure the curved housing ends stay oriented toward the front or the housing will be damaged. Mine got twisted, costing me new cables. Slide the carbs in the rest of the way, make sure they are fully seated in the intake boots, and tighten the intake clamps. Straighten the throttle cables as the carbs go in. Rehook the choke cable, the choke cable housing retainer fitting should be attached with one of the top screws of the carbs. Replug the K-TRIC harness

Remove the tape (if used) and roll the airbox boots over the carbs. The springs can be replaced pretty easily with a screwdriver and rolling them from underneath with your fingers. If this is difficult, a special hooked tool is available.


17. Replace the 2 vent hoses on the plastic fittings between the inner and outer carbs. Replace the airbox side covers.


18. Reinstall the throttle cable and switch housing at the handle bar. This can be tricky, just pay attention to how it comes apart, and put it back together the same way.


19. Replace the fuel tank, make sure to replug the sending unit harness (the gas gauge is so accurate, you know) , both right side vents, and the petcock vent. Bolt the tank down. Take the plug off the fuel outlet and reinstall the fuel line and slide the hose clamp back. Replace the seat. Put the petcock on PRIME, wait 1 minute. Put the petcock to ON, fire the bike.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the advice! Looks straight forward. When I lubed the throttle cables last month I came across the twistgrip glitch... really got me cussing! I used to get my Bandit carbs out by just realeasing the bottom end of the cables. Maybe I can do that, might take a couple of beers to psych it out.

I've fitted a Two Brothers slip one. The butt meter tells me to go 1 size up on the main jets ( I figured out that the middle and outsides are different) and add one standard shim to each needle. While I'm at it I will drill out the pilot blanks. I think that will give me enough extra fuel.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top