Hola,

Up here on the altiplano with the thin air and thick dust the plug on my KLR is fouling every day, necesitating roadside cleaning. A lot of dirt and sand builds up inside the well around the plug, and invariably some manages to fall into the combustion chamber during removal/re-installation. Without a source of compressed air, is there any way to clean around the plug before removal? Is a little bit of sand in there something to worry about, anyway?

Thanks,
James

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James Courtier

hi. a little bit of sand is a lot to worry about as it can scratch the bore. I used to lay my KLR on its side to remove the plug. its a long time ago (14 years!) but I guess I had to turn off the fuel and lay it on the left (?) to avoid coolant loss. can you change the jet or at least pilot mix to compensate a bit?
good luck
Rich

I had same problem. Then figured out i could just turn the engine over a couple of times with out the plug in. The dirt went.

I would definitely try adjusting the carb a turn or two.

hth

Revealing total ignorance here, but anyway, how does one adjust the carb a turn or two? Full instructions please

I asked Dual-Star if they had a high-altitude jet, and the guy on the line said that the KLR is jetted lean anyway, and apparently the carb is self-adjusting... Anyhow, they sell a lot of KLR-ware, but they don't sell them.

Thanks,
James

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James Courtier

Where are you? Do you have a shop manual? If you are anywhere near LA Paz, the Honda dealer there will do a fantastic tune up.

The pilot screw is inside the carburettor, and would need to be turned inwards to make the the fuel run leaner.

A better alternative is to put smaller jets in the carburettors. KLR shop manual has this info.

I put smaller jets in my bike and the difference on the altiplano was remarkable.

When you go back down to sea level, you have to take it really easy, though, until you change back to the stock settings. Bad things can happen.

This from the KLR faq:
http://www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html#intake

This from google - probably far too much info
http://www.racermec.org/EnduroAnswerMan1/Responses.htm

BTW, I am far from being a mechanic. Check out this list for all the help you could ever need:

DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com

Thanks Toby. I'm currently in Copacabana, Bolivia, and will be heading to Cusco tomorrow for Inti Raymi, the Inca Trail and to pick up motorcycle parts sent to the explorers club from the states. I was thinking of doubling back to get the work done at the Honda shop - you mean Walter Nosiglia's, eh?

Funnily enough, while heading south (in January) I stopped at Walter's to get a service & tyres and asked about getting a leaner jet. The mechanic thought he could, but it turned out that one wasn't available. His solution was to stick a piece of fine wire in the jet Seemed a bit hacky, so I pulled it back out, but you've gotta love the attitude...

James

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James Courtier

I had the subframe on my klr welded back together at Walter's place. They did a really good job...if i needed any work doing, i would certainly head back there.

BTW driving anti-clockwise round lake titicaca was fun. Had loads of paperwork hassles, else would recommedn that route to Peru.

Have a great time. Sitting in a mouldy corporate office in london, i find myself exceedingly jealous right now ;-)

Bien viaje

Yeah, life ain't bad here in sunny Cusco with a fiesta going on What was the story with taking the northern Bolivian-Peruvian crossing? My guidebook says that Peru doesn't recognise this as a valid border crossing, but it does look like an interesting route. I'd definitely be curious to know what's involved with the paperwork, though with a busted forkseal and an engine making bad noises, I'll have to get the bike fixed here in the sacred valley rather than go back to La Paz. Damn...

James

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James Courtier

The route round the lake is BUMPY. Don't try it with leaky fork seals. We were two up with luggage, and managed to crack the rear sub frame.

On the Bolivian side of the 'border' there is a small village / town with a customs and separate police station. the customs guy didn't know much and the police knew even less.

On the Peruvian side there's an army camp, but no barrier/checkpoint, etc. You'd be better off going into Peru and then doubling back clockwise around the lake. It's a spectacular route.

Happy travels

[This message has been edited by t0by (edited 24 June 2003).]

You need to clean your air filter. By cutting off the air it's richening the mixture causing your plug to foul.

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[This message has been edited by Glenn_M (edited 02 July 2003).]

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Glenn, Founder of:
/KLR650.NET - Your Kawasaki KLR650 Resource (16+ years and counting) ..I link 2 HU!

on a new engine i would say yes, but if yours old enough to to have a carbon build up already then i would think it wouldnt be all that dire.

on one of my trips i was half way to deadhorse (alaska) and having carb problems, pulled out the plug to check things out and tried to turn over the engine, the gush of air sent a small but very noticible piece of dirt stuff into the air, and murphys law stright into the engine. thinking of total disaster if i were to start the engine, moments later i guuy just happened to came around the corner on a bicycle, and after a chat with him (as one does) he said if the engine wasnt new it should be fine.... well i had to gamble and fixed it up and drove another 17,000+km, did have a compression check back home and everything is fine. but my engine wasnt new with something in the neighour hood of 65,000km worth of sludge in the engine. and yes its sludge, i pulled off the carb and had a good look see. 100,000km+ and counting, and to this day i never have bothered about fixings it.

I recently had an experience with something falling in the spark plug hole.

This last weekend something recently fell in, or got stuck on an exhaust valve while doing a valve clearance adjustment.

We did all the work on the bike, buttoned it back up, and went to start it, but no go, it wouldn't start.

After pulling the valve cover again, and checking the clearances, it turns out that one of the exhaust valves that was right on before with valve clearance (.007), now suddenly had tons more clearance (you could see daylight between the shim and cam).

After pulling off the cams to make sure nothing was obstructing it, we diagnosed that something was preventing the exhaust valve from closing completely.

We pulled off the exhaust, and sprayed a bunch of contact cleaner at the exhaust valves throught he exhaust port, while slowly hand cranking the engine.

Checked the valve clearance again, and it was back to the perfect .007. Button the bike back up and started perfectly.

Next time I pull the spark plug I'll be a little more careful about cleaning out the area around the spark plug before removing it.

--Terry

[This message has been edited by TerryMoto (edited 04 February 2004).]

[This message has been edited by TerryMoto (edited 06 February 2004).]

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--Terry

Hello. Just my 2 cents. Without a sparkplug, a four-stroke engine (and a 2-stroke, now that i think about it) sucks as much as it blows. You have as much of a chance as sucking dirt in as you do blowing it out! I have in my toolbox a soft squeeze bottle with a flexible tube on it that sends a good jet of air when squeezed. You could most likely find the makings of one in any market. Clean the plug before you remove it!
Good luck!

Six months later I can answer my own question, and yep, it does matter... The bike suddenly went from never burning oil to using one litre every 1,000 miles. Although Kawasaki sell a ring & piston kit for a rebore it's rather pricy, so clean the well before plug removal and forget about using a K&N filter. Nuts.

James

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James Courtier

I just found out that the best thing to do before removing the spark plug is to try and blow air up the water drain hole that is located on the head, on the right side, just below the plug. That way you get rid of most of the crap that is sitting in the pit where the plug rests.