KDXRIDER.NET

There has been a ton of good info posted here over the years, particularly on the 200. It seems that 220 owners have been content to do less, or just RB it and call things good (no problem with that!).
While my 200 with RB'd airstriker had been excellent, I'd like to try a few more needle options with my 220's 33mm carb, as the throttle response is very good, and it revs out well with the PC2 and 607 reeds (once the main jet is correctly sized).

I've run the CEL needle, and the DEL briefly. Although the taper on the CEL seems to be a perfect match for the 220 pulling hard at all throttle positions at the 2'nd clip pos, idle and deceleration seem both rich and lean at the same time.

So 220 owners, please share what needles you've tried and liked! Maybe a leaner straight diameter with "C" or "D" taper? Or maybe JD's needles? Or has the CEL worked well for you.

I have tried both the CEL & DEL in my 220 a good few years ago now & just could not jet it right despite changing the pilot, main & various clip positions etc etc. ( i personally don't think its suited to the 220 but works on the 200 )
At the time I was running a FMF woods pipe, modded air box & boyesen rad valve.. .I must of played around with the jetting for a couple of days before changing back to the OE 220 needle ( which is half a clip richer than the OE 200s ) & installing the 35mm carb off the 200.....result !
My opinion to all 220 owners ....stick a 35mm carb on with the 220 needle ( or get your OE 33mm bored out )

Thanks CW220 for the recommendation. Yes, I have tried a 35mm carb with the 220 needle (I tried that based on reading I think it was one of your posts). And yes, I definately liked the added mid and upper range, and might go that route one day, or maybe RB. In fairness I could have spent more time dialing the pilot circuit, but decided to work with the better throttle response of the 33mm carb (for now).

Consider the modern day "king of the woods" (arguably) 300 Beta is fueled by a relatively tiny 36mm carb and putting out close to 50 HP. With all their trials background one of the areas that they really seemed to have perfected is the low to mid carburation. And I don't find the 220 upper rpm range all that lacking with the right pipe and main jet, it's really very close to my 200 with woods pipe.

you said the idle seemed both rich and lean and then asked for info on needles which don't affect idle. what? please make sense

I didn't really go into much detail, because the purpose of my post isn't "please diagnose for me" - I'm more interested in other 220 owners sharing their experience with various needles, particularly the less common ones, and particularly in the 33mm carb. Make sense?

If your wondering what I don't like about the needle, as I already stated the taper feels about perfect. In fact just about everything about the cel feels great. Where I think it can be improved is at idle and very small throttle openings, as the straight diameter of the needle just seems to be too small, requiring an overly lean pilot jet to compensate.

LIke I said, it's not the needle you need to change.
The most important thing for when you are just beginning to open the throttle is the slide cutaway. More cutaway makes it leaner and less cutaway makes it richer. You can lessen the cutaway with JBweld, and increase it by grinding away the slide or drilling holes. I have a hole drilled in mine now which is my preference in case I need to reverse the procedure later by filling in the hole. But you have to start with the idle mixture set the way you want it because the idle mixture affects the mixture during the beginning slide opening.

Agreed that would be of similar benefit to a larger straight diameter, although modifying a slide is something I haven't tried before. A little more work than a needle change, or more expensive, depending on the route taken. (I may try that as an additional measure if I don't find needle perfection).
Any idea what diameter bit would equate to a 1 step leaner slide? I guess start small and incrementally go larger with tests? It would be nice though for future reference to know exactly what slide was installed. Thanks for the suggestion.

Why don't you send the carb to RB? BTW, have you checked the float height?

I tried a leaner slide when I was messing with the cel/del needles in my 220 & again I couldn't still get it to jet right, it gave the bike a lean bog that I couldn't cure even when changing jets etc ,all it did was have a knock on effect with something else. I know that RB mods your slide cutaway & also does some work on the jet block too, I believe that the different porting on the 220 has something to do with why the cel/del doesn't work as well as it does on the 200, the engineers at Kawasaki must have done their homework else why does the 220 needle differ from that of the 200.

Yes float level is fine.

A lean bog with the leaner slide? Can you remember what slide you used? Interesting that the 220 isn't quite right with the c and d taper. I find the "C" to be very close, and definately a stronger/ more responsive pull throughout, with the exception of right off idle.

Has anyone tried the JD needles in the 220? I've found a couple of good reports here for 200s with his needles, but someone must have tried them on a 220. I think the leaner one of his needles is supposedly very close to the CEN, but with a triple taper.