1985 Kawasaki Bayou 185 struggling to run.

[MonkOFox]

I have an '85 KLF185 and it will start and it will idle with choke on and eventually fully open once warmed up. But when I give it gas to go it struggles bad and kind of jumps and is jerky. It's not smoking at all. I have a pinky sized hole in the exhaust, but it's been there. I have noticed that my fuel pump is clicking a lot more than it used to.

Someone said maybe it was my ignition coil, but I would think it wouldn't idle or stay running that long if that was the case. I mean it has to be getting some gas or it wouldn't run at all.

Any thoughts?

[SteveCZ28]

me personally, id get that hole in the exhaust fixed.
and being as you say it runs with the choke on, but takes some finess to keep it running with choke off, i would clean the carb.

[MonkOFox]

Yeah it will eventually idle fine once it is warmed up, was that way when I got it. I don't have much luck with those carbs once I pull them apart and start cleaning and stuff. My fuel pump would always click, but it would slowly stop once under pressure I guess. But lately it's constantly clicking pretty fast, like this: 200 BPM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgk8AfY1u40)

[MonkOFox]

If I have another exhaust leak other than the one in the tail pipe, like where the header meets the head, will that make it run "jerky" like that? I'm going to post a vid.

[SteveCZ28]

a dirty carb will cause it to be jerky, and inconsistent. start there

[MonkOFox]

http://www.sportsmanstuff.com/VIDEO0006.3gp

You can't really hear the struggling that good once I start backing it up, but you can hear the clicking at the end after it dies.

[MonkOFox]

K I'll do that.

[MonkOFox]

So I cleaned the carb and it's still doing the same thing. It was dirty as all get out for sure. It's smoking white smoke real bad. But maybe it's flooding or something? It's not black smoke. Not sure what it could be.

[MonkOFox]

I rode it around and it seemed to clear up a bit. I think now it's the hole in the muffler that is making it sputter now. Going to replace the copper gasket by the manifold and get that hole patched up. I have an oil level looking glass on the side of the motor. The oil is in range when the engine is cold, is it normal for there to be no oil visible in the looking glass when it's running?

[SteveCZ28]

where exactly is this hole in the exhaust?
as far as oil, yes it will be difficult to read via the sight glass while running as the oil is being circulated through the motor.

not sure what white smoke would be on a air cooled machine. possible the headgasket might be messed up?

[MonkOFox]

It may just be because it's cold (the motor and outside). Once I got it warmed up (drove it around lightly for ~10 min.) it wasn't smoking at all and didn't smell funny. The hole is in the muffler, on the underside, probably 5 inches or so from the real muffler hole.

I lost my friggin' screws that hold the airbox lid down.... After jimmying with the carb and air filter it seems to be doing good. Now all I have is the lame jerky back pressure from the muffler now.
I think it may have another leak somewhere further up the muffler/exhaust head because when first starting it up, it will smoke towards the front of the bike. Probably going to take it off so I can inspect it better.

Thanks for the help.

[MonkOFox]

Also, when I was removing the carburetor, I noticed that the boot that goes from the airbox to the carb was completely loose. I've never checked before so maybe it shook lose since I bought it and made it start acting up by letting in too much air? Not sure. Going to get the muffler stuff in check and will post results.

Thanks again!

[MonkOFox]

Okay, so got home cranked it up and it's doing the same thing. I guess it's down the the fuel pump and ignition coil...

[MonkOFox]

Okay, so I've:

1. Cleaned the carb.
2. Checked the air filter.
3. Put the carb back on (fastened down the intake boot good too).
4. has spark.
5. fuel pump is shooting out gas.

It's still jumping and jerking and I don't think the exhaust has anything to do with that.

I'm at a loss.

[86125m]

Your top end might need to be rebuilt. the white smoke untill the engine warms up is a sighn that you need new rings.

[MIK6]

Make yourself a IV bottle.. get a line fastened to the bottom of a bottle..
I think I used a cleaned out chalk (for construction) bottle the 1st time, put a fuel line on it, make a strap, hang it from the bars and run fresh gas to carb (after draining carb). This will eliminate fuel pump, tank vent, old fuel, water in gas.. ect..
I use mine for 1st startups on new rebuilds ect..

If you ever get to the point you give up on it save the rear hubs!!! There are always T3 guys looking for them.. tecate splines w 4/110 bolt pattern.. LOL
they free up honda rims for us T3 guys.. lmao

[MonkOFox]

Dang, was hoping that is not what it was.

[cochran]

I will buy your rear hubs if you are parting it.

[MonkOFox]

I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully I can sell it for 300 OBO.