After reading several of the post I still did not see a good solution to the rich running 1500 with a power commander. I have a 2001 Drifter 1500 with Thunder big bore kit, Ross 10:1 pistons, heads ported and polished, Web camshafts, Thunder intake with K&N, Turbo-Tech clutch, Vance and Hines longshots and power commander. The bike has run great with this setup for years, but last week on my way to my regular VFD meeting, it run good for 5 miles until I got to stop lite and when I went to go when light turned green it died and sounded and felt like it was flooding out. After letting it set for a few minutes it started up ok and then did it again down the road. Next day it started right up and ran good for five miles at 80 MPH and then did the same thing. I have noticed a couple of listing with simular problems.
Big Tee
Yep ... come join our ever expanding club ;D We may not have the answers yet but we are very determined to solve this before spring. I am waiting until I scrape together at least a grand before I haul it to my new mechanic. I don't want to have any suprizes when he calls to give me the final damage report. My bike runs but will not idle. So I have major problems somewhere and I know they will not be cheap to fix. Keep checking in with us. welcome to the forum!
Big Tee
Did you have your bike advanced tuned at a dyno shop?If it would quit raining I would take mine out and see how it runs since I changed the map settings.
It was dyno'd when all the mods where done several years ago, I recently had it in to a Kawasaki dealer for a rear tire and he tried to adjust the idle. He complained about it not being a stock bike and that the power commander was putting to much fuel in the cylinders. It is one of those dealers that only want to work on stock bikes, I will have to find a better one. I have thought about getting it into a place for dyno tuning.
Big Tee
Ohhhh.. I just had that same conversation with another Kawasaki mechanic, all he did was complain about my bike not having all it's stock parts still on. The first mechanic played with my idle too! He didn't like the way it "loped", (I did and it idled fine without dying) The second mechanic said he didn't like the Cobra fuel commanders and he would throw that part away if I let him work on my bike. Sooooooo I'm not comfortable taking it anywhere at the moment. I know I'm missing out on some late season riding but I'm gonna work things out as much as I can on my own. Hey! it's not raining today!!!!!!!!!!! How 'bout where you live 1SG????
Yeah, well you can tell the pros from the wannabe's pretty quick... ie limited knowledge of non-stock bikes and aftermarket parts. Usually, they will complain about the brand/item they know the least about.
The dealers here have never seen a Drifter, One thought it was a HD( what a ID-10_T) That was for a rear tire. So I found a private shop with a Dyno. When the monsoon stops (3/4" of rain today) I'll try and ride it to his shop (30 miles away) for an advance tuning. He actually knew what the bike was doing. WOW a Mechanic that really knows about bikes.
I spent the weekend trouble shooting and test riding. First thing I found was the cable that plugs into the battery tender had been chewed by a rodent and was shorting to the frame occasionally, this explained the low batery voltage. Both of these could have had something to do with the problems as it would have affected the DFI & ECU. Next thing was my clutch was acting funny and I remembered that on the last oil change I had changed to Mobile 1 which is synthetic oil. I had also went to a heavier oil. I also may have sligthly over filled on the level. So went and got some Lucas oil 10-40 and filled to a little less than normal. I just got back from test ride and it is back to running late a scalded ape. It is still a little rich, but I can live with that. I will probably take and get it dyno's again soon.
Big Tee
Welcome to the running rich club. Mine is still running rich (getting maybe 15mpg) It idles and runs well at 75-80 in 5th. Loads up badly in town. I cleaned to plugs really well, which helped make it run a little better. I've hooked it up to the laptop and played with the settings. Now it idles and runs to where I can ride it. Weather has been cold (not a problem) but I've been riding it the last 6 days. Kawasaki mechanics are brainless. All they've done for me is take my money :'(. With the way mine runs now, I think an advance tuning will fix the rich running.
Big Tee- what is your valve trim set at. lowering the trim will make it run leaner.
I will check out the trim, also plan to get it dyno tuned.
Big Tee
Hi folks, has anyone come up with a solution or direction for a fix for the running rich issue? My 99 J1 has the same problem, both cylinders black soot which eventually fouls up. I wouldn't have thought the injectors would both fail at the same time so don't think that's the issue, it had a power commander on it previously but I removed it as it had little or no effect any ideas or advice gratefully accepted!
Seems to me I mentioned this before, but here goes again. Check the vacuum diaphragm on the fuel pressure regulator. They can leak raw fuel into the intake through the vacuum hose. Happens on cars (especially 4L Fords). The vacuum hose is now, what 23 years old? Rubber gets brittle with heat and a vacuum leak at the pressure regulator will make the system go full rich....stuff to look at when your bike is OLD!!!!!