Supertight squeeze for throttle cable… and slide question…

[MoonStomper]

2003 200 with Radvalve, stock 35mm Keihen…

So I finished my Fredette airbox mod the other day and combined with the cooler weather, I knew that I needed to raise my needle a few spots. After loosening the proper bands on the boots and removing my fuel line from the carb, I carefully turned the top of the carb towards me so that I could loosen the top and access the slide. As the throttle boot came into view I saw it had torn about a dime-sized hole. Great, another throttle cable to order!

In the meantime I cleaned it good with alcohol and then covered the hole with two good coats of Shoe Goo. This seemed to make a good temporary (permanent?) fix. After pulling the slide I noticed that it is showing some wear on the corners. Which reminded me of some talk here about folks swapping in a #7 slide (throttle valve) to help lean out / sharpen the bike’s idle to 3/8 throttle response.

Questions…
Is going to a 7mm slide something worth doing? I’m using Fredette’s leaner jetting with his 1173L needle, and Rev pipe. Mind you, when I mentioned this mod to Jeff Fredette he said he’d never heard of trying this. I’ve read of snowmobilers doing this mod on their machines.

How much wear on the stock slide is acceptable?
I guess I could grind the old slide down (2 mm?) to the #7 dimension and test it before ordering a replacement, but figure I’d see what the consensus is first. And, I’d like to know how long my current slide will continue to perform before I can expect issues from the chrome rubbing off.

Is there any way of making the carb fit in the frame so the throttle boot isn’t slammed up into the frame’s cross bar? Has anyone tried a plastic shield up there or some other clever trick? Modified that cross brace?
Dang that boot is thinner than a US Navy issue prophylactic!

[oldmankdx69]

IMO, the #7 slide is well worth the money. It helped clear up my idle, runout, and I had less spooge. As far as the wear on the slide, I guess you can try to clean it up and run it, but the result of not replacing it could be a hanging throttle. Believe me you don't want to experince that. I KNOW that for sure.

[MoonStomper]

After installing the #7, did you have to make any other jetting adjustments?

… and nooooo I definitely don’t want to experience a hung throttle!!!

[oldmankdx69]

You may be able to lean out a bit more. I think I did. Go through your plug check procedure and adjust as necessary. Good luck.

[cbittner72]

I switched to the number 7 slide, and to me it’s the only way to go. I’m using DEK needle on clip 3. 38 pilot and 152 main, 150 for warmer weather. I’m sea level in TX.

Carb is a tight fit no matter what… also using Rad valve.

[SS109]

Weird. I have the RAD Valve and an RB Keihin carb and haven't noticed the issue with it being too tight a fit or the boot on the cable wearing through. Do you have your cable routed properly? Does your carb top have the 45 degree angle cable guide?

[MoonStomper]

SS109, I would love to see a picture of yours. Mine has the correct cable guide and is routed properly. The exit at the top of the carb cap is aimed directly at the leading edge of the cross brace that serves as the upper shock mount.

The carb is tilted toward eleven o’clock instead of noon in the reed valve boot because it can’t be turned more vertical due to the throttle cable exit being impeded upon by the brace. Not sure that matters but I can’t see how that’s ideal.

[Slick_Nick]

SS109, I would love to see a picture of yours. Mine has the correct cable guide and is routed properly. The exit at the top of the carb cap is aimed directly at the leading edge of the cross brace that serves as the upper shock mount.

The carb is tilted toward eleven o’clock instead of noon in the reed valve boot because it can’t be turned more vertical due to the throttle cable exit being impeded upon by the brace. Not sure that matters but I can’t see how that’s ideal.

Your throttle cable routing is completely wrong. It looks like its hitting the frame like that. Route it as per the service manual.

Also, I'm not sure what you've got going on with those carb vent hoses, but the bendy brackets on the reed cage (there are two) are for the stator harness to go up and over the boot to the right side of the bike. That carb hose should go down into the bracket on the frame.

Again, this is all laid out in the service manual.

[KDXGarage]

READING IS FOR SISSIES!!

:-)

92037D on the parts diagram. Get to buyin'. :-)

[MoonStomper]

I looked carefully through my Kawasaki manual and only found an oblique reference to throttle cable routing here…

DD30230E-6AC1-43EE-AE97-C3F68C97FBD8.jpeg (93.41 KiB) Viewed 2820 times

Cyclopedia doesn’t cover routing at all. Where did you guys find a better quality manual? Mine is admittedly not ideal, and the Cyclopedia manual could better. I used to be a technical writer and have written and rewritten dozens of very technical manuals, these all are disappointing to say the least.

This pick shows a top down view of my current routing with the boot pushing up against the frame shock brace.

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This pick shows the manual recommended routing - still pressing against the brace!

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I replaced the tank with the manual recommended routing in place. Then looked again. The manual suggested routing just doesn’t work for my bike. The cable crosses my Yamaha fuel petcock switch and ducks under my fuel line.
Not gonna work. The issue remains either way that the carb ends up beneath the brace and there’s just very little room, thanks to the engineers.

0D92F977-18E7-470D-AAF1-0C7177251254.jpeg (118.37 KiB) Viewed 2820 times

The bendy brackets are doing the job okay. The vent hose goes to the same place, just via the front of the carb. I like it better because it tucks in away from the grabby brush and tree limbs my bike gets blasted through on some of our course diversions at the hare scrambles here in Virginia! The shorter petcock fits nice and snug against the tank where it is out of the way of being torqued or hooked when I drop the bike and slide down a steep brushy mountain side.

[KDXGarage]

Remember that the OEM manual is for Kawasaki paid mechanics, not the beginner / intermediate wrench slinger. :-)

[Slick_Nick]

Look in the "cable, hose and wire routing" section I believe in the appendix. It's supposed to go in front of the petcock. That's the reason the factory one sits lower, so the throttle can fit above it.

You are missing brackets on your carburetor that hold the vent hoses.

As for the wire brackets, use them how you want I guess, but as you bounce along the trail make sure that stator harness doesn't hit your exhaust or it'll melt and leave you stranded.

[Slick_Nick]

Looking at it again, that damn petcock is causing you all sorts of grief here. Remember anything that touches on a dirt bike will wear through quickly. There's lots of vibration, bumps, and grit to provide abrasion. You're either going to wear a hole in your fuel line or the throttle cable. Neither is good.

Look for a stock replacement, they can be rebuilt.

[John_S]

I bought one of those Yamaha petcocks because my stock one was beyond repair and I wanted it up closer to the tank to make taking the carb cap off easier. That side exit fuel line is terrible for our bikes. I had it mounted about 5 minutes and took it right back off. I don't need reserve so I bought an OEM KX 85 petcock with the straight down exit. Turns out the carb cap was easier with the stock one than it is with the petcock up against the tank. At least it is with the 4 vent air striker. I hate when you do a mod that doesn't turn out how you think it will. I still used the stock routing and it runs right above the petcock lever and is not a problem.

In your case, an OEM petcock would solve most of what you're dealing with.

[Slick_Nick]

I bought one of those Yamaha petcocks because my stock one was beyond repair and I wanted it up closer to the tank to make taking the carb cap off easier. That side exit fuel line is terrible for our bikes. I had it mounted about 5 minutes and took it right back off. I don't need reserve so I bought an OEM KX 85 petcock with the straight down exit. Turns out the carb cap was easier with the stock one than it is with the petcock up against the tank. At least it is with the 4 vent air striker. I hate when you do a mod that doesn't turn out how you think it will. I still used the stock routing and it runs right above the petcock lever and is not a problem.

In your case, an OEM petcock would solve most of what you're dealing with.

I've found that it's pretty easy to get the carb cap off by just rotating it in the boots, but at that point might as well just pop it out completely. I've never tried to remove (nor have I had the need to) the cap while the carb is still clamped down in the boots.

[John_S]

I forgot to say by rotating it in the boots. I thought that was a given. Yes...then the cap is easy to remove/replace for quick needle swaps or clip height adjustments.

[Slick_Nick]

I find the PWK on the KDX (even an airstriker) is quite easy to remove for servicing. Some of my other bikes, like the FCR carb in my KXF's for example, require complete subframe and airbox removal to get the carb out, although jetting changes are still possible in-situ through the bowl plug.

My RM125 was quite easy as well, lots of room to work.

[Slick_Nick]

... The shorter petcock fits nice and snug against the tank where it is out of the way of being torqued or hooked when I drop the bike and slide down a steep brushy mountain side.

The petcock doesn't fit nicely at all. It is causing you all sorts of fitment issues. Your throttle cable is something you really don't want to mess with, if it gets jammed up, or caught on that petcock, it could stick wide open and lead to an injury.

As someone who's had my share of spills on the left side in all sorts of terrain, I can tell you that you're overreacting to the perceived danger to your petcock. I've never seen or heard of one breaking.

As for the boot hitting the frame, that's not to be blamed on Kawasaki, you're running an aftermarket intake boot that pushes it too close to the frame. The VForce 3 kit I have uses the stock boot, so there are no fitment issues.

[MoonStomper]

Looking at your pretty, clean and green machine (old silver paint isn’t as photogenic) I can see that indeed the Boyeson Radvalve Boot pushes the carb backwards about a half inch thus parking the carb under the brace. I’ve examined my cable routing both ways and am satisfied that it is not touching or rubbing my fuel line or the frame, and is actually straighter. Throttle operation is very smooth and friction free. My fuel line has a clear path to the carb, albeit probably even easier because of the non-oem boot. I have rotated the carb in the boots to pull the slide out and it’s easy enough. The vent hoses may get new holders and rerouted when I get fresh hoses again. The stator cable is not touching anything hot.

I need to snag a better quality manual.

[Slick_Nick]

I was only trying to help you out with your original question, which was why your throttle cable was so bound up. There’s a few reasons, namely it’s not able to be routed properly with that goofy petcock. It’s your bike, do what you want, but I’ve learned over the years that generally speaking, the bike manufacturer puts hundreds of hours into R&D for most every component, for a reason. Not that certain components can’t be improved upon, but in this case it looks as though that’s a bit of a step backwards, both for safety and ease of service. Not that you need to turn the petcock much, but having to move a throttle cable out of the way to do so seems a little counter intuitive to me.