Author Topic: My KO was running like $hit!  (Read 1624 times)

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Offline DaveInTexas

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My KO was running like $hit!
« on: July 05, 2006, 07:12:04 PM »
"was", because it is fine now. 
See, I was in a parade yesterday (July 4th here, where we celebrate freedom from an overbearing and excessively taxing government.....wait a minute!)
anyway, the parade... about 45 mins of very slow riding (at a walk or less) on a hot day. The bike ran fine before.  Halfway through the parade it was stumbling at idle and not responding to idle.  Right after, it would stall and had no power.  Let it cool for an hour at dinner and then it rode home on the highway just fine for 1/2 hr.
Kinda mystified.  Overheated?  Obviously no air flow.  What happens when an engine is overheated, do the clearances get screwed up temporarily??  Does the fuel air mix get messed up?

Offline Bob Wessner

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Re: My KO was running like $hit!
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2006, 08:02:17 PM »
Probably not the best situation for these air-cooled engines. Next year, if I were you, I'd skip the parade.. on the bike anyway. Leave it to the liquid cooled models. I expect the oil thins quite a bit, and I'm sure the fuel/air mix at low speed was not good either.
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Offline kghost

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Re: My KO was running like $hit!
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2006, 08:39:19 PM »
Ditto what Bob said
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Offline 78_SaltLick

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Re: My KO was running like $hit!
« Reply #3 on: July 05, 2006, 09:04:06 PM »
my bike was running rich, i do know that running it for the first time in 90 degree heat in traffic sure made its symptoms a hell of alot worse. Only way i got home was to turn it off and let it cool down for an hour. I believe mine was due to air restriction from the filter, when it heats up outside the air molecules get larger as well providing my carbs with even less air flow. I wonder if your bike is running a bit rich? my fix was not to get a new air filter, it was to adjust the clip on the carb needles to adjust for the 4 into 1 exaust that was put on. Well either that or run it with no air filter at all, maybe you could try running it again in hot weather, if it acts up take off the air filter and see if that helps, if it does you might be running rich.
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Offline HondaMan

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Re: My KO was running like $hit!
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2006, 09:05:53 PM »
The K0/K1 was noted for rich-running problems like this, especially in Police work. That's one of the reasons why it was quickly abandoned in favor of the KZ1000, which idled very lean (for emission reasons), but worked out well in heavy traffic.

The K0 usually came with 120 mains and a 40 pilot jet. We often changed these to 115 mains and 38 pilot jet, right out of the crate. In Colorado, we went to 110 mains and dropped the needles 1 notch on top of that. Many owners went on to install 105 mains at this altitude, but that's pretty lean for Texas.

This bike also overheats the carbs when too hot, which tends to make today's gasolines boil in the bowls. If you plan a lot of heavy city traffic, you can try dropping the float level 1 or 2mm (go to 27 or 28mm height, upside down). If you do this, stay with the main jets you have until you try it out for a while. This will help keep the overflow from the boiling at bay, but will cause a loss of some top-end speed.

Or, like Bob said, don't drive in parades...  ;)
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Offline DaveInTexas

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Re: My KO was running like $hit!
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2006, 09:10:28 PM »
I don't quite understand 78 Saltlick... you adjusted the needle on the clip to make it run leaner? 
I figured the needle would adjust only mid to full throttle fuel mixtures
I was mostly at idle, was thinking I'd need to adjust the idle air screw, if anything.

I forgot to mention I am at 5000'msl
« Last Edit: July 05, 2006, 09:13:42 PM by DaveInTexas »

Offline kghost

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Re: My KO was running like $hit!
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2006, 09:19:09 PM »
Dave....

Its AIR cooled.

It will NOT idle forever in Texas without overheating

No matter if the idle mixture is spot on.

It needs airflow to carry away the heat
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Offline 78_SaltLick

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Re: My KO was running like $hit!
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2006, 10:00:36 PM »
Dave....

Its AIR cooled.

It will NOT idle forever in Texas without overheating

No matter if the idle mixture is spot on.

It needs airflow to carry away the heat

yeah your right.
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Offline 78_SaltLick

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Re: My KO was running like $hit!
« Reply #8 on: July 05, 2006, 10:02:22 PM »
I don't quite understand 78 Saltlick... you adjusted the needle on the clip to make it run leaner? 
I figured the needle would adjust only mid to full throttle fuel mixtures
I was mostly at idle, was thinking I'd need to adjust the idle air screw, if anything.

I forgot to mention I am at 5000'msl

yes to make it run leaner, yep you guys are right any old honda will overheat if idling too long in hot weather. Oh well im a new guy too, just trying to figure all this out, i just didnt think too hard about it i guess.
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