Topic: Quality Of Keyster Jets

[750Man]

I'm replacing the jets in my 1975 CB750. I was wondering how well Keyster jets are made and how good they are preformance wise. I have heard their needles aren't anywhere close to the stock needles so I wasn't sure how their jets would be.
Thanks

[kaysystems]

Take a look at this

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=538.0

I have tried to measure the Keyster Jets & I think they are a bit larger than the Honda ones. Yes the needles are useless in my view.

As a footnote to my problems of running rich, I cleaned the baffles. If the holes are half the size they should be, the area of the holes is a quarter, creating a lot more backpressure causing a rich mixture.

David

[cben750f0]

i agree, the rebuild kits are #$%*e, i have had idle jets break off, and b4 you start with the ' you cant over tighten them' it hadnt even seated b4 it broke... was cracked through the threads..(i am a fitter and machinist by trade, so i should know).. and the bike ran like a bucket of snot with their needles... will be buying honda stuff from now on.... oh, and two of the needle and seats they sent didnt seal either.. ... put all the original stuff back in, and the bike is heaps better, buy honda stuff...peace

[kaysystems]

I had no problem with the float valves.
I only bought the Keyster kit because it had the carb top seals, that weren't there when I bought the bike.

Are all the Jets & Needles still available from Honda (especially the needle jets.

David

[Bob Wessner]

I've been following this thread on Keyster kits with interest. Last year, while trying to resurrect my '69 750, I disassembled, cleaned and rebuilt the carbs with Keyster kits. Being something of a packrat, I saved all the old carb pieces, well almost all, wouldn't you know, I am missing one damn needle. I recently had occasion to take the carbs off one more time to cure an intermittant dribble of fuel from one carb overflow. While I had them off, I pulled the needle (now Keyster) from one and compared it to the originals. Unless I am mistaken, I could see a difference in the profile with the naked eye. My question is, if I decided to go back to at least the stock needles, are they available individually? I could kick myself for losing track of one damn needle. 

[StephenB]

I used all the elements of the Keyster kit during my K1 carbs rebuilt, had no problems with sizes or fit, everything was perfect, jets, gaskets, the lot. The carbs could be sync'ed, bike is running nice, plugs have a nice tan, all settings stock, idle is ok (not perfect), so I can't complain too much, really!

Just my 2c.

Stephen

[kaysystems]

I used all the elements of the Keyster kit during my K1 carbs rebuilt, had no problems with sizes or fit, everything was perfect, jets, gaskets, the lot. The carbs could be sync'ed, bike is running nice, plugs have a nice tan, all settings stock, idle is ok (not perfect), so I can't complain too much, really!

Just my 2c.

Stephen

Interesting. I had better luck with the Honda parts. I'm not perfect though. Three dark (sometimes black) plugs with the needles in the lowest position & one perfect plug with the needle in the middle position. This is one puzzle I can't solve, unless the needle jets are worn.

David

[CB500_k2]

I used a Keyster carb rebuild kits on my CB 500 this winter. I used all the components except the gaskets for the float bowl and the top end of the carbs.  Everything went together well and after adjusting the float height the bike has run great.  Perhaps I have just been lucky. 

[Jonesy]

I'm fine with the gaskets, float valves and idle jets, but the needles don't go anywhere near the carbs.

There's a reason why I call them "Pain-In-the-Keyster" kits.....

[kghost]

Just a quick tip:

A Drill gauge is a really quick way of comparing needles. Just stick'em various numbered drill holes and compare .

[pmpski_1]

I just rebuilt my CB550 carbs with Keyster kits. I haven't had a chance to get them tuned yet so I can't report on my experience with them. You guys are scaring me though 

Brian

[Peter_from_Denmark]

Hi - I've been following this discussion with much interest, as I just bought me a Keyster set for my K2. After reading all the comments regarding Keyster, I hurried to contact David Silver Spares in UK (I live in Europe) in order to get myself a decent set of needle Jets and Jet needles + the Main jets.
The answer was, that only the mains were in stock, the rest was discontinued....

So we do you guys by your original jets and needles 


TIA

Peter
Keep the revs up ....

[057 adnoh]

  I am in the final stages of restoring a 1969 ko I purchased the same aftermarket kit
and found the needles looked odd. I also had some leaks from the carbs. I reinstalled the honda needle and seats and cured the leak.If I can give some advise to anyone, it would be to throw away the original plug caps, I just replaced all four of mine and the bike runs much better I checked the resistance on the caps, I had.and two caps would only give a reading if I pushed the screw in pin to the side, NFG!!!

[kaysystems]

The Honda Neede Jet Set, that I assume is a needle & jet is 16012-300-004, and may be available from some dealers.

David

[Terry in Australia]

I've no doubt that the Honda items are the best quality, but I've used Keyster kits on several Suzuki's (GS750/1000) with no problems, I don't have any keyster kits to look at now, but I thought they were made in Japan, so assumed that they were of reasonable quality?

I bought an aftermarket rebuild kit from Partsnmore (I think) I can't remember the brand, but am pretty sure they were a US brand, they work very well, and the bike (my K3) starts first kick. Now all I have to do is fix that pesky leaking petcock. Cheers, Terry.

[cben750f0]

sorry, but i have had nothin but trouble with the kyster kits, from the day they were used, i had two leaking carbs, black as black plugs, hesitation, missing, and just plain pain... have replaced everything back to original,..  and the bike is totally different, the only reason i changed them was i thought,if i am fixing everything else why not do the carbs up while i am at it...should have just felt them alone..peace

[Terry in Australia]

Well there you go mate, what works for some, doesn't work for others. I guess the quality must vary from kit to kit, or maybe it's just their honda kits, as I said I've done several sets for Suzuki Mikuni VM series carbs, and they've been fine. Cheers, Terry.

[Tim.]

All I know is the needle set from Honda was nearly $40 / carb.  Just needles.  The entire Keyster kit is $20 per carb.

I just had 4 Keyster kits put into my CB550F (1976 - one-year only slow and main jet config of 38 and 98 if I recall correctly) and will let everyone know how they run once we get the new pistons in and begin breaking in the 30 year old beast for the 2nd time in it's life.

[lowmileage]

  Newie here.  I put Keyster kits in my 750 '75 K5 a coupla of wks ago and after reading these posts am hoping for the best.  The bike was sitting since '83 and I guess I didn't do such a good job of draining all the gas.  Varnish, but it cleaned up good and thought, since they were available at a good price (partsnmore) that I'd be better off putting the new parts in rather than cleaning the old.  But then I didn't know of some quality issues.  Hope to do the "fire-up" next weekend and will post then about any carb issues.

[Chris Liston]

I had my carbs rebuilt last year with Keyster kit.  No problems at all.  Bike runs great.

[cben750f0]

just another word on the kits i was using, replaced the slide needles with the original ones, the  needles had been in the bike for about 10k km.. when i put the needles side by side, the stock needle taper finishes a good 1/8th of an inch B4 the keyster,this would explain why the ol girl was running so rich.. and another thing when they were out, they were badly worn around the top were they exit the slides.. wouldnt have thought that would o happened in 10k km?...NEway, it seems that may be their problem is quality control, cos some ppl have never had a problem with them, but others do... just a thought..peace

[Bob Wessner]

Well, since I had another golden opportunity to go back into the carbs (my other post re: 26mm float height), thought I would take the time to try and do some Keyster vs. stock comparisons. I don't have anything that I can measure the slow jet with, but I used someone's suggestion about using a drill bit gauge for the high speed needles. I gently dropped each in the first three smallest gauge holes then measured what protruded out to the top of the needle/clip end.

                                    Keyster                        Stock
_________________________________________________
1/16 or 1.59mm               48mm                        50mm
5/64 or 1.98mm               38mm                        39mm
3/32 or 2.38mm               14mm                        14mm

Seems to suggest a more slender tip extending further up than stock which would support the running slightly richer than stock needles, how far up the throttle range this would encompass, not sure.