ZX9 running like crap

[336LJ]

Okay so I went out on the weekend for a bit of a strap on the faithful old steed - gave it a bit of a squirt down a nice big long straight and at FIRST - I thought it was the sound of a motard infront of me, but realised further along the bike seemed to only be running on 3 cyl. it was cutting in and out - if you open the throttle right up it seemed to come good again, it was a real pain in the ass though trying to get into the corners and have just a little bit of load on the engine cause it would cut in and out, now its total rat shit and its almost as if its running on stale fuel.
I took some vid - heaps of shit blowing back out the carbs
http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff78/H8_RICE/?action=view&current=VIDEO0028.mp4
at first I thought it might be from the clutch cover I have on there now, and all the oil up in the air box perhaps a plug was fouled or something - but checked them all and its all fine. no hoses were undone of the carbs or anything, has me fucked!anyone got any idea what it might be?

[TurboKat]

It will either be blocked pilot jets or fucked plugs or a combination of both, NGK plugs are absolute crap since they've been being made in China & will foul with the slightest hint of richness (running the bike too long on the choke will do it) & Kawasaki fitment Keihin CVKs are reknowned for blocking the pilots with gunk & fuel varnish.

[Redmohawk]

Yep ^^^^^ cleaned my carbs just last fri due to this very fact, have to pull it apart all over again as I must have missed clearing one of the pilot channels and its reblocked itself. Teach me to leave a bike with fuel sitting in it a little to long.

[336LJ]

I was gonna say it just started running like it had a stinky ass batch of stale fuel through it - I thought perhaps with all the oil I found in the air box from the clutch cover I have on there, it may have fouled a plug or 2. Gonna drain the carbies tomoro perhaps and spray the mcshit out of them with clean r carb or something.. no idea what I'm doing but I'll most likely get a whole bunch of burny shit in my eyes!

[rod185651]

The oil is getting into your airbox from the cam breather, shouldn't affect the carbies though.

Was it raining when you were riding the 9? Mine would suck the rain into the airbox from where I removed the air duct tubes from the air box and get into the carbs. I used to add methylated spirits to the fuel to clean out any water in the carbs.

[Redmohawk]

Big while sheet , flat table pull em apart one at a time pay attention and set it out in a way that reminds you how to reassembal if you havent done it before. Pay close attention to how many turns (try to be exact) when removing Idle circuit screw.

A can of carb cleaner with a cap that has a hole to fit a fine straw into it (like a RP7/penatreen top) use carb cleaner to blast out passages once jet and screw are removed. Remove main jet, Idle jet, idle screw, float and neadle, pay attention to how it goes together and reassemable once all is clean. Use some compressed air to blow out if you can before wiping and reassemballing. Move on to next carb.

Main thing is relax and have some fun. And use the correct sized screwdrivers so you don't fuck all your screws and jets !