300/440/550 89' 550 running issue

[standup]

i recently picked up a 1989 kawasaki 550 that had running issues.

the problem is it will start up and run for a couple of seconds and then die and i have tried everything to fix the issue with no success.

replaced all fuel lines.
checked tank lines for cracks/splits
rebuilt carb
removed fuel selector

the rpm limiter looks to be epoxyed shut on the end that is supposed to go to the carb but fuel still flows through the return and the restrictor is still in place

fuel is going into the carb and coming out. if i put my hand over the carb while starting it will get wet with fuel.

i don't know what else to do.

 

[standup]

if i put my hand over half of the carb while starting it will start up then die 2 seconds later.

 

[Mr Bojangles]

what kind of carb are you using? It not being properly set could be causing the problem too

 

[standup]

whatever it came with stock. i think its a bn40 or 44. and i set it up according to this site.

 

[Mr Bojangles]

its easy to tell, if the outside facing the hull is round, its a BN, if its a square, its a SBN, since its a 89, I think thats when they started the 44, but I could be wrong

 

[standup]

it seems that it is a bn44

 

[Mr Bojangles]

well I am having my own carb issues at the moment, but I can say that it might be possible that your fuel pump side of the rebuild isnt working right, or your pulse line is messed up. Look at them both. Also how is your low speed screw? To get mine to idle I had to have 1.h on the low and 2 turns on the mid just to get it to start and idle

 

[standup]

i replaced the pulse line when i did the fuel lines. is there any way to test the pulse line to make sure it's working?

 

[Mr Bojangles]

I've never had to test one, but I would think you could take it off and put your finger over it to see if it was working.

 

[standup]

so i ended up switching out to a sbn44 and it was running but really rich with the needles all the way in so i went ahead and bought a rebuild kit along with a 100 low and 135 high to replace the old ones. it already had a 2.5n/s with a gold spring which says 19psi pop off so i din't touch that and not it won't even start anymore.


any ideas?

 

[Mr Bojangles]

I'm going through the same now so we can work on this together. Did you read the SBN manual? it will help alot with tunning.

http://www.pwctoday.com/attachments/f21/161916d1239295039-tuning-550-stock-carb-sbn_manual.pdf

The standard for a sbn on a 550 is the dull shiny spring, 100-110 low, and 120-130 high. So you might be off with the jetting.

 

[orangefinger]

BN carburator is horrible ditch it, use SBN 44 as you have already

Start with

1.5 N/S
95 g Spring
140 Main
120 Pilot
1.5 turn high
1.5 turns Low

I am guestimating you will have to up the main jet after inital run
2,5 N/S way to rich

PS like your green in avatar even more than mine !!!

 

[the WaTeRhAwK]

try these settings....

15/16 of a turn on the top screw

1 and 1/8 on the middle,

1 and 5/16 on the bottom (pilot)