The next stage in the rebuild of our '94 KLE is underway and I wonder if anyone can help me out with this problem?

After resetting valve clearances (not been done in 25k miles from what I could see and had tightened up) the carb were removed/cleaned and the floats and pilot needle jets replaced. Needles fitted to about the same spot they were before and the same setting for each carb. One and a half turns from touching bottom.

Carbs were then balanced using a home made manometer (ATF in a 2mtr tube) across the test points and adjusted on the linkage to be stable/level at ~1500rpm (point used as above tick-over and still on pilot?).

No adjustment was made to the pilot settings between the two carbs.

As far as I know the jets are original in the carb but the bike is fitted with a full Arrow exhaust system and an OEM replacement K&N.

Now once warm it ticks over fine (but loud!) and a run around the block it seems to pull well but it does have a lot of engine braking and the brakes are not dragging. I am used to a 3/4 cylinder lump before but the engine braking does seem high.

Put it back on the homemade balance and the carbs are still on the nail at 1500rpm but above that level the balance shifts. Is this normal? Is there a way to level this up high up the rev range?

Any suggestion gratefully received

Paul

Well I decided to 'revisit' the problem symptoms again last night.

Rocker removed and the valves were regapped a pair at a time (a pair of feeler gauges, one per valve). They were miles off, far too large, at least 100% bigger than they should be. How did I do that!? So re-gapped the valves/rebalanced carb at ~1500rpm.

Now snappy off the throttle and 'almost' like a Swiss watch on tickover. So probably the excessive engine breaking was the exhaust valves were not opening anywhere near fully preventing the exhaust gases from getting out freely? I'll get it all back together and give it a run prob at the weekend. Need to rebuild the front brake first - seal kit on it's way.

Carb balance still shifts as the revs increase though by, say, 15cm from 1500rpm to 3000rpm.