1997 Kawasaki Bayou 300 2x4 (klf300b) Runs Bad

[Frank Angerano]

How’s it going ? 

[JacobSlabach]

I'm working on getting the cylinder in right now.  I put everything together and realized I forgot the gasket 😰  I might work some more on it today but not sure yet...  Where all should I be using the gasket adhesive?

[Frank Angerano]

It’s not really necessary to use the gasket adhesive. And I was going to remind you to NOT forget the gasket! Sorry. 

[JacobSlabach]

Well I did get it on, just upside down lol

Thanks for all your help on this btw!  I still am not sure what to do with the head- its really dirty with buildup around the valves..  Ig I'll cross that bridge when I get there

[Frank Angerano]

Lol well let’s hope that’s your biggest mistake !  Take some pics of possible. 

Whats yiur plan with the valve seals ?

[Frank Angerano]

As far as the nasty build up goes I like to use carb cleaner or starting fluid.  Put it in a rubber bin or bucket and spray the sh** out of it.  The gunk falls right off, I use a small brush as well. 

Wipe It down good with wd-40 when you are done.  

[JacobSlabach]

So I wont need to take the head apart?  (that would be nice)  I'm thinking the rings were going bad and then the buildup just held the valves open?  I do have the top end gasket kit but if I dont need in for the head, I'd rather not take that apart and get into the valves.  I will check the clearance with the valve tool i got when its all back together.  Carb cleaner is exactly what I was going to ask about for the buildup lol  I'll make sure to get everything oiled down before it goes back together.

[Frank Angerano]

I’m not sure about the build up holding the valves open. I don’t think that would be the case.   You can check the clearance but you won’t be able to check the valve seals visually so I would think having the head off would be the most ideal time to change the seals.  It would really suck to find out your seals are bad after all this work. So I would change them.  But that’s up to you.   

 

 

[JacobSlabach]

Ok I have a diagram on kawasaki.com of the valves..  How do I do this without damaging the valves?  

[Frank Angerano]

I could sit here and explain it to you but your better off going to you tube and seeing how it’s done. It’s not hard at all and you won’t damage the valves.   Just make sure that you pot the valve back in the same hole it came from.   I mentioned in my earlier posts about getting a tool that helps you compress the valve.  You can buy one for about $15 on amazon or go to your local auto store and rent one etc.   

Clean  the valve good before you put it back in. 

 

[BAYS BEACH]

Sorry I didn't respond before you tore into the motor but I bet your fue/airl mixture screw in bottom of bowl was just off a bit sounded like original poblem was running lean this would explain the burnt metal smell the blue smoke just a lil bit and the impossible cold start problems. I had same prob with my 87 atv of my neighbors he said it hadn't ran without a bogg on top end since he got it 15 yrs ago after cleaning the carb it would start bogging at 3/4 throttle to pinned in last gear like it was running outta fuel if I continued to hold throttle it would die and be hard to start but if I let off it would go back to idle. Turned bottom air screw in to seat then back out to 1 3/4 turns it was previously out 2 1/2 turns immidiately fixed. My neighbor said this is best it's ever ran and he's had it in three different shops trying to fix it. The new carbs you buy today are cheap Chinese version of the real aluminum cast that came on it I would clean original and set properly and stay away from ethenol mixed gas only run 100% this will solve your rusted issues when storing either absolutely full tank of gas with fuel shut off and bowl drained with a lil seafoam placed in bowl and in cylinder or completely empty tank when there is room for moister to get in tank with ethenol mixed gas the ethenol pulls moister in as it seperates from the gas and settles to bottom of tank so like I said all the way filled or all the way empty is storing. I always use seafoam instead of stabil it last all year just but it in the can that you fill toys with each time getting gas and your good

 

[BAYS BEACH]

If your valve seals were bad you would've been getting smoke thru every gear when twisting the throttle not just top end 5 the gear. Blue smoke running hotter than should top end is a lean running condition to much air not enough fuel

 

[JacobSlabach]

thanks! I will definitely check to see if adjusting the air screw in helps if its still having issues when its back together.  If that was the problem, then yes that would have been nice to know before I tore it apart and spent 500+labor on it, but thanks for saying something now rather than never!👍

And it was mainly smoking(blue) if I used choke when I started it cold-  no smoke after it warmed up, just that burnt smell.

[JacobSlabach]

And I could peg it as much as I wanted and it didnt choke out or cough--  it just died when stopped after pushing it in 4th and 5th.

[JacobSlabach]

On 11/26/2018 at 6:13 PM, Frank Angerano said:

Sorry for the brief post I was at work. The needle is located in the slide.  Pull the small V shaped clip that holds the needle inside the rubber/plastic slide The needle will come out when you turn it upside down.   

That needle should have a round e clip and small grooves as well.   It’s self explanatory at that point.  Just need to figure out where to set it and remember where it was before you pull the clip off.  

Let me know if you see that.  

As for the top end the symptoms you are having what sounds like the typical dead top end problems.  

This is caused by either beating the sh** out of the bike by over reving or pushing the bike to hard in the wrong gear. For instance going up a hill in a higher gearing.  Over time these things will hurt the engine. That’s my guess as to what’s going on. 

Have you ordered the parts ? 

 

after thinking about it, I did run it pretty hard- I thought these things were bulletproof... lol  when I visited my friend in AL, he clocked me going 45mph on it behind his truck-  I thought that was slow, because he could get his stock sportsman with a jacked up carb to 70mph (no joke).......untill one of my friends told me that a manual quad wasn't supposed to be able to go that fast.😎

Edited December 4, 2018 by slabach

[Frank Angerano]

It should be a little quicker then 45.  I have a feeling when you get it all back together it will run better and quicker then that.  

As for the blue smoke 💨 I would think the seals and rings will take care of that.  You CANT fix low compression with an adjustment on the carburetor!!!!  

So hopefully you make some progress and get it back together and ready to roll before some snow comes down! 

 

[JacobSlabach]

good point..

[JacobSlabach]

yeah I dont know how the 2wd would do in snow though...

 

[Frank Angerano]

Don’t be fooled my two wheel drive quads have always done good in the snow as long as they have the right tires on the bike. I use a good almost like a paddle tread on the rear and good knobby fronts for turning.   

I also have the same set up on my daughters recon you can see pics on one of my previous posts.  I just wrapped up  about three or four weeks ago and they did great upstate in the snow.  Don’t get me wrong I love the 4x4 but if you have a 2x4 then the tires are everything! 

[JacobSlabach]

yea I got 25" bighorn style tires on it so It works pretty good- I wont spin unless I beach it..

[Frank Angerano]

Have you gotten any more work done on the bike ? 

[JacobSlabach]

I'm working on it tomorrow.  I'm gonna try to find a valve compressor today.

[Frank Angerano]

Gotcha.  

 

[JacobSlabach]

got the valve compressor.  So I just take the valves out and replace the seals and the put them back in?  Anything else?  Any extra tips?

[Frank Angerano]

 

Yes, review the video one more time and be aware that the small clips that hold the valve in they can fly off if your not seated correctly.  They are impossible to find once they take flight ! Lol so be mindful of them not falling out when you are removing/reinstalling etc.   

Check  the valves for any obvious bends or damage  

Make sure you re install the valve back in the same location it came from. 

Clean out the port and valve itself of any carbon buildup before putting it back and grease the valve stem as well when sliding it back in.  

The old seal pops off and new new on pushed right back on.   

You got this! 

[JacobSlabach]

Ok- here goes nothin..  lol

[JacobSlabach]

So, I'm having trouble getting the tool into the hole because the valves are so far down..  help?

[Frank Angerano]

That head has to be separated 

There is a top end to that head. The head should separate from the lower part.  

[JacobSlabach]

I looked for a crack that would hint at a separation but I dont see anywhere that could come apart...

[06kfx440]

The adjuster nut has to be taken off. With the valve stem remover. They come out from the piston side. At least that's the one I used.

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