Mikes keihin carb kit

[irristeve]

how do you think 32mm pwk will work on my 750 rephase presntly running old vm 34s never seem to be able to get them spot on I think it depends on what phase the moon is in would love to try some just waiting for my Pamco to arrive so i can ditch the points will only be running std. coils for time being

 

[Goldy]

I've been chasing my tail for the past three years trying to get the carbs sorted out on my old 650...the left carb works perfectly, but the right side just won't play. Anyhow, I was thinking of fitting a pair of Amals to it when I came across the replacement carbs Mike's sells. One of these kits arrived today (Jan 10th), looks like a well thought out set up...however, I don't think I will tease myself by installing it just yet...it's too damn cold and snowy to ride, might as well wait 'till spring is a little nearer...I wish I lived in Arizona.
When the weather warms up enough to install them and test ride, I'll report back.

Well, it's been over six months since I got the kit and I finally decided to fit it this afternoon. Everything seemed to go quite well...if I wanted to be picky I could say that it wouldn't have hurt for the manifold bolts to be 1/4" longer and it might have been nice if the pilot air screw was on the outboard side of the right carburetor...but like I said I'm being really picky. Bike started up right away, set the idle and did a vacuum synch. I could tell it was running rich just off idle, so dropped the jet needles a notch, put the tank back on and headed out for a short ride in the rain (been raining here almost daily since April). Anyhow, so far so good, it seems to run perfectly... if it ever stops raining, I'll get it out for a longer ride and see what happens, but so far I am pleasantly impressed...

 

[Goldy]

Well, let the bells ring out and the banners fly...the sun has finally made a tentative appearance around these soggy parts of the planet. After spending all my spare time fiddling around with these carbs this week, I regret to say that my first impressions have been dashed. I tried every combination possible to try to get the carbs to work perfectly and although I could get them to work fairly well, perfection was not in the cards (low load seems to cause a lot of trouble with them). By this time I had gotten the old Mikuni CV units working very well anyway and decided to put them back on instead of spending every free minute fiddling around with the new keihins. Since we have had so little in the way of good weather around here this year, I thought my time would be better spent enjoying the bike instead of fiddling around with it....maybe later on this fall or next year I will have the curiosity/ intestinal fortitude to go at it again, but for now, it's the most expensive set of air filters I have ever purchased.

 

[grizld1]

As Pete kindly pointed out to me lately, those carbs are no longer listed as Keihins, but as "XS Performance PWK." I don't know if it's because the new owners at Mike's found out that they're knockoffs and decided to change the listing in the interest of truth in advertising or whether Keihin enforced their trademark rights, but those carbies are now conclusively identified as Brand X, Manufacturer Unknown.

 

[TXA Phoenix]

I have a 74 650TXA and I am planning on buying the Mikes keihin carb kit for. Does this kit affect the way the side covers attach? Does anyone have a picture of their bike with the covers attached on a similiar type model?

 

[Travis]

grizld1, the page also says Made in Taiwan... was that on there before?

 

[grizld1]

Maybe, I didn't notice. Anyway, that means they're not out of the Indian factory that produces the PWK knockoffs for JRC. When those are good they're pretty good, when they're bad they can sometimes be improved with Keihin internals, and when they're really bad they're crusher feed; when you get one with defective fuel and air passages, the best brass in the world won't fix the grief, and you don't know if the carb body is viable until you've bought the brass. Craps, anyone? Or Chinese roulette?

 

[pamcopete]

grizld1,

Stick to the subject. Travis says that they are made in Taiwan.

 

[pamcopete]

I have a 74 650TXA and I am planning on buying the Mikes keihin carb kit for. Does this kit affect the way the side covers attach? Does anyone have a picture of their bike with the covers attached on a similiar type model?

Here is a picture of my installation on a '81/H. Not the same as a '74, but perhaps it gives you an idea:

 

[XS650_Bobber]

I was thinking in buy a kit, I just notice that MADE IN TAIWAN... Know I am thinking... But for that price I can find something better and tested...

What about the parts for this kit???

 

[watson]

Pamcopete, I don't mean to be daft, but if the carbs have no mechanical connection, how are the throttles and chokes linked? Mine is a stock '83 Special and I'm considering switching to these carbs.

thanks, watson

 

[pamcopete]

watson,

The throttle cable is split into two cables in a junction box, one for each carb. The chokes, which are actually enrichers, similar to the "chokes" on the stock carbs, are separate. There is no linkage between them, but I connected the vacuum barbs together with a hose so you only have to operate one of the "chokes" to start the engine.

 

[grizld1]

Hey, Pete, the name that country goes by isn't "Republic of Taiwan." It's the Republic of China. Same folks, same ethics, different politics.

 

[watson]

Thanks Pete.

 

[hutch08]

I finally got my throttle cable issues solved... sort of.

After combining the original Mikes cable and one from MMM for vm34's.. It works, and actually has some adjustment at each end. Except its a little sloppy where the cable guide goes into the throttle housing... Never ends

My question is, i have read most of the threads on these carbs, but is there an actual in depth explanatory write-up on how to set these carbs up... the correct way.

Ie: setting the cable freeplay at the carbs, how to adjust the slides accordingly, setting the slides so they lift the same time, how to set the idle correctly and where to start it at, setting the fuel/air mixture screw.

I'm running Ardcores top fools pipes(short and open) with torque cones. Along with the supplied Pod filters. Sitting around 2000ft. What jetting, needle clip position, combination is recommended?

Thanks!

 

[Wally]

Hi Mrriggs
So at the end of your Keihin adventures what carb set up did you end up with like what idle jet, what main jet & so on.
I'm shore it would be a great asset to everyone all to hear what you ended up with?

 

[TXA Phoenix]

Thanks for posting the picture and your input. My bikes original Mikuni BS 38's are approximately 114 mm from front to back. I don't know the front to back dimension of the Mikes keihin carb but it appears shorter. However, with the 36 mm in length aluminum carb spacers which are a part of the Mikes keihin carb kit, the carb assembly is put too far back for the covers to fit around the carburators where they are designed to. I believe a solution would be to cut the aluminum spacers to an appropriate length but I don't know how adversely that would affect the performance of the carburators since the spacers are described as an essential component of the Keihin XS PWK 32 Flatside carb kit.

 

[mrriggs]

Hi Mrriggs
So at the end of your Keihin adventures what carb set up did you end up with like what idle jet, what main jet & so on.
I'm shore it would be a great asset to everyone all to hear what you ended up with?

Right now I'm at #40 slow jet, #125 main, JJS needle with clip in #4 slot, air screws 1-1/4 turns out.

If you haven't read it yet, there is another thread that shows all I've done to these carbs. http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6592

 

[sick nick]

I am just installing these carbs. I noticed the silver adjusting screws on the side of the carbs bottom out on the tension spring before they seat in the carb body. I dont think that should be--- are those screws the air mixture screws?

Does anyone know whare to get longer carb mounting screws? the screws shipped with the carbs only catch a few threads. they should be a bit longer that is scary---

Any help would be appreciated, thanks--

 

[pamcopete]

sick nick,

Those screws adjust the height of the slides for idle speed. If you turn them in as far as you describe, the engine will start with very high revs, so back them out and start over, watch the slide move up as the screw comes in contact with the slide. Initial adjustment is to just barely raise the slides and set them so they are equal to each other. Do this with slack in the cables.

I have found screws like that at my local Home Depot back in those drawers in the screw and nut department.