Drop in jet kit to use with V&H exhaust?

[wakdady]

I finally got around to taking my carbs completely apart and it turns out i need a rebuild kit. I was about to buy the keyster kit which seems to include everything i need. Only deal is, there is a vance and hines 4-1 exhaust on ebay right now and it's local for me so i really want to buy it (no one try and out bid me, please !!!!!)

so, does factory pro have a kit that i could simply install and go without having to try different jets and such? could i get away with the keyster kit?

my setup would be the exhaust and a drop in k&n filter, retaining the stock airbox.
for those of you with both of these mods, how and what did you do to your carbs to make it run the best?

i've done a couple searches and couldnt really find what i was looking for


sorry for all the newb questions, i just really want to get this right.

[Pat Conlon]

Simple; contact Randy @ RPM and have him send you (4) #40 pilot jets and (4) adjustable Mikuni needles. No need for main jets.
Install the pilot jets and set the  new needles at the #2 clip, set your idle mixture screws 2.5 turns out, sync your carbs and call it a day.
The pilots and needles are much less $$$ from Randy than the Fact.Pro stage 1 kit.

[edit] Additionally, I suggest that you also replace your (4) emulsion tubes (also called needle jets or main nozzles part# 50H-14941-92-00) while you're in there.

HTH   Pat

[andyb]

A jet kit and a rebuild kit are two totally different things.

For rebuilding things, the o-rings you'll need and screws are listed here, and you could get those from Captain-Harley-Tire or the local hardware store.  If you need new float needles and seats or bowl gaskets, you'll have to get them from a dealer or one of the sources listed in this section.

For the jetting, yes, a Factory Pro kit will include recommendations and the parts to set things up the way you want, along with an extra set of mains if you want to try adjusting things.  DynoJet kits are similar, but the FP kits work better (imo).  Alternately, you could simply buy a set of mains, pilots, and some washers to shim the needles.  I'd suggest at least trying going up on the mains and comparing how it runs, as a $12 experiment, myself.

Why are you keeping the airbox?  The K&N is a pretty expensive piece, and the Uni pods are lovely and relatively cheapish.  You'd gain more power still, but you'd lose some bottom end, so personal preference there really.

[wakdady]

You have no idea how knowledgeable and awesome you guys are!!!

As for the airbox, I wanted to keep it because if I installed individual pods, wouldn't they get wet and get water in the engine? If not, then I would gladly get rid of it!

[SlowOldGuy]

If you want to keep the airbox, use a UNI replacement filter (~$25).

DavidR.

[Pat Conlon]

For rebuilding the carbs, along with a complete cleaning, replacement of your 4 float needle O rings is a must.
They are the most common cause of free flowing carbs.

If you're considering removing the airbox, things change. I concur with the Uni-pods, also available from RPM. Get a crankcase breather filter on the same order.
By removing your airbox, along with your 4 into1 header, you will need larger main jets. With Mikuni adjustable needles I suggest a #120 main or 122.5 main.
IMHO the need for new main jets is triggered with the removal of the oem airbox and installing the free flowing Uni-pods.
As I posted above, if you are leaving the oem airbox (even with a K&N panel filter) you can leave the main jets alone. On your 1990 FJ your stock main jet is a #110, if you wanted to go up to a 112.5 or 115 main jet it's no big deal, but again not really needed with the stock airbox.

As David has taught us over, and over, and over, 80-90% of the time on street motorcycles, we are riding on the pilots and needles, so that is the critical component to get right. The main jets kick in at WFO.

Cheers!   Pat

[wakdady]

i'm not sure what i'm going to go with. realistically, the easier the better.
but i have to do something because this is what they look like right now, and one float needle was jammed in there as well.




how much does that stock exhaust weigh in comparison to a v&H?

[andyb]

Looks pretty icky!

If you end up replacing the needle seats (they can get bent if you're heavyhanded with them, and a float needle sticking in one is due to that sometimes), make sure you get the proper ones.  There was more than one size used on the FJ through the years, depending on if it was a fuelpump equipped model or not.

[Dan Filetti]

New float bowl needles, new emulsion tubes, Dr. Raforths carb kit may set you back enough to at least consider a new set of carbs instead.  At ~$400. it's not a massive replacement cost.

just sayin.

Dan

[racerrad8]

Wakdady,
        I have all of the carb parts you need including those replacement needle & seats. I will have to say I have never seen a needle with that much wear from a bike (note the step in the rubber).

I also sell new carbs as well and can convert them to the non fuel pump version.

Randy -RPM

rpm@swaybar.com

[wakdady]

New float bowl needles, new emulsion tubes, Dr. Raforths carb kit may set you back enough to at least consider a new set of carbs instead.  At ~$400. it's not a massive replacement cost.

just sayin.

Dan

i emailed him a while back regarding the screws and o-ring kit and i never heard anything back. So that route would be out the window anyway.
Besides, if i stay stock 4 rebuild kits from Keyster would run me about $150.

[turbocamino]

Sorry for the hi-jack....but...the new carbs you mention randy..are there any up-grades done or available? or are they to stock specs.  thanks.

[TheRadBaron]

Simple; contact Randy @ RPM and have him send you (4) #40 pilot jets and (4) adjustable Mikuni needles. No need for main jets.
Install the pilot jets and set the  new needles at the #2 clip, set your idle mixture screws 2.5 turns out, sync your carbs and call it a day.

HTH   Pat

I'm getting ready to put my carbs back together with this configuration.  Before I put them together, I wanted double check what was meant by "#2 clip".  I believe that the typical Mikuni numbering goes 1-5 from leanest to richest, aka top of needle to bottom, aka 1 being the clip position that sets the needle the lowest in the needle jet and 5 positioning it in the highest.
So in this case, does #2 clip mean the second leanest setting?

[Pat Conlon]

Correct, top clip is the leanest, bottom clip is the richest.
2nd clip down from the top seems to work the best (for me) giving me the best gas mileage.

Remember, you're on the needles most of the time while street riding....

[SkyFive]

Wakdady,
I have a V&H system laying over here in the corner of the garage, it weighs about 20-25 pounds, the factory exhaust weighs about twice that much. I wanted to maintain originality and quiet so I installed the factory exhaust.
The Keyster kits are good kits, rumored to be repackaged factory parts, I installed those on my bike. If I were you I would buy from Randy (RPM) because you might need additional parts, advice or a carb sync. Randy is a good source for information and he's always willing to throw in a little extra at no additional charge, I've seen him do it several times in this forum.
I would replace the emulsion tubes and needles.