First impressions

[kdennan]

Day one: A little cool, so jetting had to be figured out and really had a time of it for a while. Right away I felt a dramatic improvement in handling and fit. The power on the other hand had me a little miffed. It felt great on flats where the middle rpm's would kick the powerband in and the front end barely saw the ground. On the steeps I had to fan the clutch like a motocross weenie on a 125 (sorry all you weenies) The bike finally had enough and started to blow steam, literally. I let her cool down and tinkered with the jetting a little more. I got a small improvement but it was getting dark so we headed home.
Day two: Warmer and sunny. I threw the air box lid back on, put the Fredette Torque ring in, refilled the radiators and bled the system. Fresh plug and rejetted too. Impression: It felt better, but I did'nt ride the same place so I did'nt get a chance to see how it liked the real hills. I could sense, though that it would still be a little cheesy as I really find myself fanning just to get rolling on even the flatest of terrain.
Overall impression: I love the improvements to the suspension, ride quality and fitment, but I want the bottom pull that the stock bike had back! It is awesome once the powerband kicks in but I have doubts concerning the bottom. It's muddy. What do you fellas think? FMF torque reeds? 110 rear tire instead of the gigantic 120? Gnarly woods pipe instead of the Desert? If you say woods, I am going to cry. Then I will ask if anyone wants to trade a woods for my desert pipe.
Thanks.
BTW: Sorry, no pictures yet as I spent too much time fiddling with the bike.

[canyncarvr]

First impression of...what? The Wiseco you put in?

42 pilot, R1173L needle in the 3rd postition from the top, 148 main and the air screw at 1.5 turns out.
Elevations are roughly 1,500' to 3,500' above sea level.
Temps at this time are in the 40's
Since I have only been running at 1/2 throttle max. for short periods of time (actually, I would'nt even say half) for the top end break-in, I pulled the plug and it is kind of a snickers brown. Not cardboard tan.
Tried fiddling with the air screw and really did not notice any changes in idle. Just found that throttle response seemed to be fine at 1.5 out.

Is that about where you're at, now? Well, you put in a 145, right?

No reason you can't run a 120 tire.

You are comparing to the stock pipe, then? You reckon the difference to be the pipe?

No reason a rev pipe on a 220 won't work on the bottom. A rev pipe works fine on the bottom on my bike..and that's a 200.

Where's the needle? Still on 3? Ever try 2? Ever try a sharper º needle..say a 'C' or 'D'?

re: 'fanning just to get rolling on even the flatest of terrain'

That's wrong. You pop the clutch on a 220 with a 12TCSS and you're going to be on your fanny most immediately.

Hey! Did you happen to put your reed block in upside down?

That would do it!!

It only fits one way.

I don't recall a KIPS discussion on your bike. Is it right? Checked it?

Something is wrong (I repeat myself often, don't worry about it.I repeat myself often, don't worry about it.)

You're opposite most 220 riders...they like the bottom, but think the top end is the weeny area.


You'll find it.

What about that reed block?

[kdennan]

When I refer to the service manual I see a picture on pg. 2-18 of a hand holding a reed block with the little notchy on the top. Directly below it the drawing shows it on the bottom. It shows the notchy on the bottom before that on 2-2 and again on 4-2 (exploded view of the top end) I put my notchy facing down like the drawings and assumed that the hand on 2-18 was not showing me the right way. I put every thing in that came stock plus the little, flat bars that came with the reeds. (Boyesen instructions said to use them)
As far as I know the KIPS should be working fine. It was tough-as-hell the break it free when I removed it. I did hold the shaft with a wrench and I did note that it was LH thread. When I put it back together I could only see one way of doing it because of the handy little eye hole on the shaft lever that fits onto the advancer shaft. I remember that it looked just like the picture on 4-7 when I put it on.
I have the 145 main in and the 42 pilot and the needle is at the 2nd position right now, but I checked the plug and it is a schosche on the lean side so I was going to move it back to the 3rd. I had asked Jeff about throwing in a "C" or "D" and his response was to leave it stock.
The gearing is 13-50
I wouldn't say that I have even had a chance to see if the top is weeny due to the tight woods and really slimey conditions. (we just lost the snows last week)
I will say this: The Pirelli's (MT 32 rear and 44 front) hook up like no other!!!
I love them!!!
I was just wondering about the pipe. I know from Canadian Daves site and from everyone including Jeff that they say the Desert is the pipe for the 220, that the woods pipe is fine if your a beginner rider. You can call me a beginner if you choose but I would not go there unless you ride with me first.
My thing is with this is that it seems to have lost the ability to just start out and go when your on a steep, muddy, snowy, et all patch of ground. I thought that with everything I have done that it would be that and whole lot more.

[m0rie]

Most likely a 40 pilot and a C or D taper needle are what you need to wake up your bike and get it moving on the bottom. Jeff recommends most of his jetting specs to be very much on the safe side and can be changed up quite a bit to suite the person riding the bike.

[Colorado Mike]

Like CC said, sumpin's way wrong. My 220 is a tractor, and there is no reason to rev it high cuz there's nobody home upstairs. I can't remember the last time I stalled the thing.

I guess I missed something, cuz I don't get the "Day one" reference.. sounds like you changed something, so day one of what?

The only time I ever had a bike do what you say is when somebody put a dinky piston in an over-bored cylinder. The bike had no low end, and ran decent at very high rpm.

Connecting the KIPS linkage up correctly has a little to do with the whole system working, but not all of it. Search on KIPS and see how you can make sure the valves are moving properly. I don't want to type that crap again, but even if the KIPS was broken (and a lot are that owners think are fine), I don't think it would cause you to have to fan the clutch to get going. Heck, CC blew a valve out into his pipe and I don't remember him saying he had to buy a lot more clutches to ride like that.

My bike is almost annoyingly ballsy at low rpm now. If I get tired, I get into situations where I hit the gas a little too much, and I end up doing the Hi-ho Silver routine . Did I mention something is wrong with your bike?

Uh, yer piston is facing the right direction...right?

[kdennan]

One other thing of note. I was having a hard time with the pilot testing. The bike hangs a higher idle for a moment or two and then drops on to the idle adjuster.
Whats up with that? Too lean? Going to a 40 sounds risky if that's what's happening. If I order a "C" or "D", what are the complete part #'s I'm looking for?
Thanks for all of your help.

[kdennan]

Yes, the arrow to the front. STD size Wiseco piston.
Day one was with the airbox lid removed and minus the torque ring. The snorkel has never been in the airbox.

[Colorado Mike]

usually if it won't idle down right away, something is making it lean (assuming your throttle linkage is spiffy). your jets aren't out of line though, and that's not the only thing that can make it lean. Could be an air leak or the float level is low.

[Indawoods]

Sounds like you may have an air leak causing it to go lean.


Try this for the out-of-the-hole response.... Raise your needle one position. Mine was doing the same thing til I tried that and BOOM... that was the ticket. But find out why your lean first.....

[kdennan]

I really wanted to get a minute today and raise the needle back to the 3rd position. As I said for day two; It got better when I put the airbox lid back on and added the torque ring. I think I have done everything I can to prevent air leaks. I actually bought Fredette's set-up video and followed all of his helpful hints on setting up a new bike. I did not use Goop like he did however in sealing the airbox, but this stuff called Seal-All. Basically, an all-purpose contact adhesive and sealant. Unless that stuff ate a hole somewhere I can't see, I would have to say that she's tight.

[Indawoods]

Then... I would jump up a pilot or main. Me being me... I would start with the pilot.
Seems that I always get the most fine tuning milage out of the needle and pilot. My main is pretty dead on I think.

[kdennan]

Thanks Inda. I'll try to get some free time tomorrow to give it another go.
I'll let you know.

[m0rie]

Another thing to consider is that a hanging idle when the bike is cold means just about diddle. Its not uncommon to have the pilot too lean when the bike cold and perfect when its warmed up. Just use the kill switch to modulate the idle until it idles down.

[kdennan]

It does it when it's warm too. I think I had the 45 in there and she really bogged. It might have been cold at that point. Anyway, I'll start over tomorrow if work is'nt too killer. I guess it's kinda tough considering I did everything at once, making it hard to pinpoint where she is having trouble. That's me.... Both feet first!

[Indawoods]

Mine was doing that too until raising the needle one notch. It's funny how that made all those little querky things disappear.

[canyncarvr]

re: ' I put my notchy facing down like the drawings and assumed that the hand on 2-18 was not showing me the right way. '

I don't know that is right or not. I've not used the OEM cage in so long I don't remember WHAT it looks like...I don't know offhand what a 'notchy' is, either.

There is a tab on the thing that points some direction other than you would think. Belay that. I may be thinking of the DF2 in that case. Seems IT was upside down.

I have my OEM reed cage at home. I'll take a look.

Best that you do, too. You can take your carb out of the boots (will take you 15 seconds with the OEM carb), look into the cylinder. If you see a lot of white phenolic that doesn't match up with the downstream boot flange, it's in backwards.

This is from BuyKawi:



Note how there is more material to the right side than the left? THAT is what you're looking for. Put it in the way the diagram indicates.

Please say, 'Yes I checked it.'

Thanks.

[fuzzy]

You can use a spray bottle filled with water to help find an air leak. It's going to be in the carb or motor if it's there, and when it sucks water you'll know. An air leak in the airbox won't cause this drastic of an issue.

[canyncarvr]

Back to the KIPS, too...

Most common symptom of a 'bad' KIPS? No bottom end.

As already said...the way it's connected doesn't say much of anything about whether it works or not.

Does it work?

How did you verify that?

Want a list?

Also again...the KDX220 doesn't run as yours does. I don't think you could jet it poorly enough to run the way it does...and be able to start the thing.

Or, you'd be fouling plugs every mile.

On the bright side...when you find out what the problem is..and fix it...you will be VERY happy with the result!!

woods OR desert

Get started...one foot (thing) at a time this time!!

[Indawoods]

I went back and re-read your first post and to me..... it sounds like the KIPS is working fine. If you get a midband hit and the wheel hardly stays on the ground then that sound like when the KIPS rounds the corner she's opening up.

Sound more like a airscrew adjustment is needed. She could be jetted lean but if she's not getting any air in the mix from the start.... there goes your bottomend. I may be wrong (and often am) but I don't think so.

[fuzzy]

Couldn't his KIPS be stuck open? That would create a no bottom, lightswitch transition condition...