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Post by kdebruijn on May 1, 2011 16:08:42 GMT -6
Hiya all, I just registered about 5mins. ago, but something told me it would be nice to introduce myself before I started posting and asking questions. Well about me: My name is Kevin, I'm 24 years old and I live in Holland (Europe) and I just recently bought (in december 2010) a Kawa 454 LTD from a colleague of mine, who imported the bike from the US back in 1991. The bike stood still for the past 6 to 7 years in a garage, so at least the weather didn't do much damage to it, but it still needed a lot of work. Just recently I started working on it and almost everything is refreshed what needed refreshing such as: - New engine oil + filter - New fork seals and covers - New lightbulbs everywhere - I repainted and polished some parts which were rusty or corroded - 2 new tires - Front brakes disasembled, cleaned and reasembled - New brake oil in the front - New drums for the rear brakes - Fresh gasoline - Fresh cooling liquid - Removed the carbs, took 'm apart, cleaned them and fitted them back on the bike - Cleaned the air filter and elements - Removed those narrowing tubes from the airbox The whole idea was to keep it as original as possible.. Well guess that's about it.. so here are some pics from the bike from when I got it, to it's current state (hope my imagehosting website works for this site)    This was what needed some attention: Rust:  Discolored cap:  Rust on the gauges:  And some rust on the carbs:  Next I began to disasemble the front forks for seal replacement.. and now the forks are out of the way I started the paintjob on the rust:  And I started some polishing on the steering clamp.. or how the heck that thing is called  Anyways.. before and after:   Oh yeah... forgot.. don't have pictures in his current state.. I think I'll make those in the next couple of days.. But I've got a bonus picture of my rear drum brakes, and what time will do with them if you don't use your bike for a long period of time............  Well.. that's it for now... tomorrow I need to work on the bike some more cause it runs like crap... So expect some questions in the nearby future! Greetz! |
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Post by eaglerider on May 1, 2011 16:39:18 GMT -6
Valve adjustment......These engines love a good valve adjustment...makes a bunch of difference.
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Post by joeswhite on May 1, 2011 16:49:16 GMT -6
First off: Welcome!
You are definitely going to have a fun time fixing that bike up. Your work so far does look good. How many miles are on the bike? (I'm having a hard time reading the first digit on the odometer).
Keep updates coming, i love watching bikes being cleaned up and rebuilt
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Post by kdebruijn on May 1, 2011 17:05:19 GMT -6
there are 34604.1 miles on the odometer.. And I drove about 70miles on it myself, but I don't know how accurate that is cause I found that the cable of the speedometer was disconnected from the gauge when I bought it... So could be a lot more.. And regarding the valve adjustment: I was planning to do that, but first I need to figure out which connection goes were on the carbs.. It's been messed up somehow.. Cause on the left side it's for the fuel and vacuum, but what about the right carb? Which hose is supposed to be connected on that side? When I bought it the hose on the right side of the tank was connected to the carburetor, but that didn't seem right to me cause cause that's for the tank ventilation.. And under the tank on the frame there's a vacuum valve of some sort, which is connected to the ventilation on the cylinderhead, but the vacuum hose what's supposed to be connected to it is just gone.... So I plugged a new hose onto the valve but where do I connect the other end to... That's my puzzle for now Hope I explained it right......  Ah, you know what.. tomorrow I'll start a new thread about this problem and I'll take some pics which go with the story so it would be a lot easier to understand.. |
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Post by Blaine on May 1, 2011 17:50:33 GMT -6
Cause on the left side it's for the fuel and vacuum, but what about the right carb? Which hose is supposed to be connected on that side? When I bought it the hose on the right side of the tank was connected to the carburetor, but that didn't seem right to me cause cause that's for the tank ventilation.. And under the tank on the frame there's a vacuum valve of some sort, which is connected to the ventilation on the cylinderhead, but the vacuum hose what's supposed to be connected to it is just gone.... So I plugged a new hose onto the valve but where do I connect the other end to... Welcome.Most of us grt rid of all the system going to the heads, and block it off at the head.The Canadian models come from the factory with it already blocked off.Your right about the tank ventilation.The vacuum on the right side carb can be blocked off,or teed into the vacuum line to the petcock.   |
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Post by kdebruijn on May 1, 2011 18:10:48 GMT -6
That actually answers my question I think.. gotta try that one tomorrow. Thanks! Didn't try that one yet.. My thought was.. the connection is on the carburetor so you must use it.. But... if you block those hoses off at the head... then you have no ventilation for the engine? Maybe I'll put an T-piece instead of that vacuum valve.. |
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Post by Blaine on May 1, 2011 19:24:19 GMT -6
But... if you block those hoses off at the head... then you have no ventilation for the engine? The crankcase ventilation is in front of the starter,it is connected to the bottom of air-box by the s-hose.If you ever put pod filters on, you just put a crankcase filter on insted of the air-box.  |
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Post by kdebruijn on May 2, 2011 7:49:13 GMT -6
ah ok I get it.. But I've tried blocking off the vacuum connection on the right carb.. but now it doesn't even start..? I've tried starting for so long the battery even died on me, so I'm recharging it right now. (And yes, the battery is brand new!) While before I just pushed the button and it fired right up.. only thing I did was disconnect that vacuum valve underneath the tank, and blocked off the vacuum on the right carb... The fuel is working fine, you can see it running down into the carbs.. I know cause I put a transparent hose on it. This thing is a real mystery for me.. In theory it should work but I guess there's still something I missed...  But then the question is.... what?? |
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Post by TheBrown57 on May 2, 2011 10:54:21 GMT -6
Welcome and here is my 2 cents on what might help Here is a decent pic of the carbs and explanation  I blocked off the right side (sitting on the bike) an it ran alot better for me but everyones bikes different Also here is my thread for when I switched to Pod Filters has alot of pictures an insight might help ltd454.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=2586Hope this helps and good luck |
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Post by tinlizzie37 on May 2, 2011 12:40:50 GMT -6
Hi KD, Welcome to the forum. I had the pleasure of visiting you Country back in 1975, before you were born. Check out the posting before yours and see what I mentioned to Fred. Good luck with your project, these are fine bikes to tear around with. Bob
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Post by kdebruijn on May 2, 2011 13:27:39 GMT -6
Yeah it helps! But I checked how I connected mine and they're mounted just the same as on the picture.. Well at least I tried a testrun today.. didn't start.. I tried it couple of hours later and it would start, but I didn't do a testrun.. and when I wanted to do it eventually it didn't start again.. But when the bike started, it didn't really run smooth in idle.. really unregular, and backfired a couple of times.. even some of the neighbors came outside and asked what those louds bangs were So my no. 1 thing on my to-do list is valve adjustment & check the ignition timing.. And thanks for the link, didn't find that one when I searched for it. |
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Post by Blaine on May 2, 2011 14:11:05 GMT -6
1 thing on my to-do list is valve adjustment & check the ignition timing. Ignition timing is set by the ignition box and is not adjustable.  |
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Post by eaglerider on May 2, 2011 16:55:44 GMT -6
And also by the cam chain & cam sprockets....but in the engine's life if dis-assembled and re-assembled properly, that part does not change.
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Post by kdebruijn on May 2, 2011 17:04:25 GMT -6
Oh ok, I thought the ignition worked with old fashioned contact points... Well... serves me the trouble of doing it |
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Post by eaglerider on May 2, 2011 21:41:20 GMT -6
Electronic ignition.
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Post by kdebruijn on May 3, 2011 13:14:46 GMT -6
Alrighty! Today I adjusted the valve's... and I really think it was neccesary... cause they were way to tight.. Inlet was around 0.10 Exhause was around 0.13 I adjusted them as follows: Inlet: 0.15 Exhaust: 0.20 It didn't fire right up... cuz I think I kinda drowned it by using the choke and to much gas.. But when it did fire up it ran better than before.. little less nervous sort of speak.. So tomorrow I'll try a test drive.. cause the battery was still charging, so I let it charge over night and see what the next morning brings me! Oh yeah, by the way before I forget That long screw underneath the carbs, does it adjust only the idle RPM or does it control the fuel supply trough the carbs? Because both my spark plugs were wet and black.. it gets too much fuel I suspect.. |
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Post by kdebruijn on May 3, 2011 13:16:22 GMT -6
Oh.. I also tried to take some pictures from my little handywork on the bike.. but the moment I opened the camera function on my BlackBerry.. my phone kinda died on me  soooo...... To be continued.. |
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Post by eaglerider on May 3, 2011 13:34:13 GMT -6
U could have set the valves a little higher...I use the higher value listed in the manual. Yes that knob u spoke of is the idle speed adjustment...has nothing to do with the air/fuel mixture.
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Post by kdebruijn on May 3, 2011 15:28:43 GMT -6
Ok, that explains why the idle is about 5000 RPM haha Gotta turn it down a bit I think But about the valves, I only had the option 0.15 or 0.20 Those feelers each go up 0.5 at a time in my set... so 0.10 - 0.15 - 0.20 -0.25 etc. etc. Oh yeah I remined I uploaded a (very) short video of my 454 the day I cleaned the carbs an tried to start it for the 1st time. It's without the airbox.. It's taken with my BlackBerry, so don't expect a 1080p full Porky Pig video come to think of it.. it actually ran better with the airbox off as you can hear.. |
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Post by Blaine on May 3, 2011 17:39:01 GMT -6
Oh yeah I remined I uploaded a (very) short video of my 454 the day I cleaned the carbs an tried to start it for the 1st time. It's without the airbox.. In your video it looks like the boots & air box are both in place.  |
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Post by kdebruijn on May 3, 2011 17:52:37 GMT -6
Oh yeah right..... this was before the carb cleaning  the first day I got it home from winter storage... |
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Post by eaglerider on May 3, 2011 19:05:09 GMT -6
Did u use metric gauges to adjust ur valves? If u used sae (gauges measured in thousands), u did wrong, and the valves are not adjusted right.
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Post by kdebruijn on May 4, 2011 11:10:59 GMT -6
The bike started and ran fine fine yesterday.. didn't even had to choke or put some gas on it to make it run.. unlike before.
And the gauges I used are measured in 0.10 millimeters etc.
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Post by eaglerider on May 4, 2011 12:24:28 GMT -6
;D Just wanted to be sure...good. Some have mistakenly used SAE gauges.
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Post by kdebruijn on May 4, 2011 15:20:25 GMT -6
Don't even know if they sell those in my country haha everything here is metric. That's also why I'm glad there's a km indication under the mph indicator on the speedometer. Cause on some roads here your maximum speed limit is 80kph, and that's around 50mph.. So I must be sure to check the right one because 80mph is around 130kph.. and that's not good because that's 50kph too fast and it can cost me my drivers license.. I'm constantly double checking if I look at the right meter haha |
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Post by eaglerider on May 4, 2011 16:53:58 GMT -6
Don't blame ya....don't wanna get on the wrong side of the policia!! and when I made the SAE gauge post, I forgot u were in Holland...sorry 'bout that!! LOL Gotta watch those "senior moments!!!
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Post by kdebruijn on May 4, 2011 19:10:05 GMT -6
A doesn't mind.. keeps the thread alive I guess haha ;D At least you're helpfull ;D |
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Post by kdebruijn on May 5, 2011 8:57:57 GMT -6
Ok.. tried a little testrun today.. and I've got to say... it runs like sh*t
At least it keeps running on idle, but that's all there is too it.. when you try to rev up the rpm it just holds back like crazy..
I think I'm gonna bring it to my local dealer to see if they can find what the heck's wrong with that thing..
Oh and here's a little video of my idle rpm.. and i'm not touching the gashandle at all
Thing's I've done:
- Airbox cleaned
- Carbs cleaned
- Fresh fuel
- A bottle of engine cleaner in the tank (2 tanks back so it's not that stuff)
- Valve's adjusted
I'm kinda out of ideas.. Are the carbs clogged up again or something because it just can't rev up... it just keeps holding back.. stuttering and making that stupid "prrrrrrr" sound when you try to give it a little gas..
I've worked a couple of years in a motorcycle shop as a mechanic, and usually the thing's I've already done now should've helped..
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Post by Blaine on May 5, 2011 12:07:13 GMT -6
Did you check to make sure you have good fuel flow to the carbs.Make sure that the clear vent hose is not restricted or in the path of the intake. |
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Post by eaglerider on May 5, 2011 12:14:26 GMT -6
Have u checked the slide diaphrams in the top of the carbs? Sounds kinda like the slides are not working properly.
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But then the question is.... what??
soooo......
the first day I got it home from winter storage...