On a motorcycle, the carburetor is one of the most important engine components.
Its job is to give the motorcycle engine a proper mixture of air and fuel by regulating the airflow that draws in fuel to the engine.
This article explains “Kawasaki motorcycle Carburetor problems”…
Table of Contents
How Does The Carburetor Work?
The carburetor works using the Venturi Principle which states that air flowing through a restricted space (like a tube) airspeed increases and air pressure decreases.
When you twist the throttle, the carburetor’s main bore (Venturi) allows for greater airflow, which in turn brings more fuel to the cylinder head because of the dropping air pressure.
What Are the Symptoms Of A Kawasaki Failing Carburetor?
If your Kawasaki displays any of the following symptoms, then it’s a classic sign that the Kawasaki OEM carburetor is failing:
- Black smoke coming from the exhaust
- Reduced engine performance
- Difficulty starting your Kawasaki
- Experiencing engine overheating
Black smoke from the carburetor is caused by the engine running very rich, which is another way of saying that it is using up too much fuel too quickly.
The carburetor is drawing up this fuel and it is causing the black smoke, which certainly isn’t good for the Kawasaki emissions record.
Reduced engine performance refers to your engine not delivering the power, acceleration, or fuel-efficiency that you want or need it to.
Along with black smoke, this is one of the most noticeable signs that your Kawasaki carburetor is failing.
If you’re experiencing sluggish acceleration and filling up at the gas station more frequently than usual, then this could be the reason for it.
Difficulty starting your Kawasaki is another possible outcome of a carburetor that is failing.
Typically it’s the result of blockages and buildup in the carburetor that is upsetting the balance of fuel and air.
This balance is very important during cold starts.
If your Kawasaki has a hard start but then runs normally, it’s most likely just the cold weather or a long period of inactivity that’s the problem rather than the carburetor.
Engine overheating occurs when the fuel/air mixture is too lean.
When there’s not enough fuel coming through, the engine will work harder to try and compensate, and that’s what causes the overheating.
Are Kawasaki Carburetors More Prone To Fail Than Other Motorcycles?
While it wouldn’t be fair to say that a Kawasaki carburetor is prone to failure, it would be fair to say at least that Kawasaki carburetors are more likely to fail than those from Suzuki or Honda.
On the other hand, they are generally superior to those of KTM, as well as other brands like Harley-Davidson, Ducati, and BMW.
Kawasaki components, including the carburetor, have been shown to fail about 15 percent of the time.
That is to say, if you were to randomly select 100 Kawasaki bikes from owners around the world and ask them about carburetor problems, the odds say that only 15 maximum would report a problem, and the problem they report might not be about the carburetor.
Kawasaki as a brand is well-respected for its reliability and the quality of its OEM parts.
It’s one of the reasons that people choose Kawasaki, especially bikes like the Ninja sports bike, which has shown itself consistently as a great choice for beginner bikers.
How Long Should A Kawasaki Carburetor Last?
Interestingly, almost no producer of motorcycle components puts a true lifespan on a carburetor.
It is not listed as a wearing part, and so in theory should last for the entire lifetime of the motorcycle, perhaps even beyond.
The key to making your Kawasaki carburetor last is maintenance and cleaning.
While the overall component doesn’t wear, parts of it suffer from carbon buildup and a buildup of other contaminants.
Individual parts might break or wear down, but they can be quickly and cheaply replaced.
Therefore, if you take proper care of your Kawasaki carburetor, there’s no reason it won’t last the entire life of your Kawasaki motorcycle, which is anywhere from 65,000-75,000 on smaller models to well over 120,000 miles on the larger, more expensive models.
What Kawasaki Models Are Likely To Have Carburetor Problems?
Among the Kawasaki range, there are four models that have shown to be the most likely in the bunch to experience problems with the carburetor.
They are:
- Kawasaki Vulcan
- Kawasaki Bayou
- Kawasaki KFX
- Kawasaki Prairie
What are these issues?
The Vulcan series is known for experiencing some issues with rough idling and sometimes the fuel/air mixture running a bit rich.
The Bayou and the KFX share some common carburetor issues, but mostly to do with hard starts, especially cold starts.
When the air/fuel mixture runs even a little bit lean before a cold start, the carburetor can struggle.
The Prairie ATV quad bike/ATV carburetor is argued by some to have too small a main jet, which some users find they need to switch out for a larger one to improve on performance.
This is disputed by other owners, however.
As for the Kawasaki motorcycle carburetor problems, they are almost all linked to buildups over time and lack of cleaning and care.
The fundamental parts and components of the carburetor are sound, but when it’s not maintained then the chance of failure increases.
What Are The Possible Causes Of A Kawasaki Failing Carburetor?
First of all, Kawasaki carburetors are perhaps more sensitive than others to a lack of proper maintenance attention and cleaning.
When they are neglected, problems within them become more pronounced faster.
Cleaning and maintenance should therefore be taken as the primary line of defense against Kawasaki carburetor problems.
Among the individual components within the carburetor, some are more prone to failure than others, generally speaking.
At least, if they do go wrong they create serious problems faster.
For example, a defective charcoal canister purge control valve can cause fuel vapors to leak back into the carburetor.
Worn rings and cylinders are other component problems that can cause issues in the Kawasaki carburetor.
Other possibilities include vacuum leaks, worn throttle shafts, blocked jets, and even bad gasoline.
Sometimes gasoline contains either too much water or too much ethanol and that can create problems within the carburetor.
What Are The Possible Solutions Of A Kawasaki Failing Carburetor?
The best solution to virtually any problem with your Kawasaki carburetor is to remove it from the bike and clean it up.
Some are tempted to purchase a new aftermarket carburetor to replace the OEM Kawasaki one, but this isn’t necessary.
The most likely culprit of all those described above is a lack of cleaning and maintenance.
While the carburetor doesn’t naturally wear or break like some other components, it certainly does suffer from buildups of various contaminants that need to be regularly cleaned and removed to allow the airflow to be optimized and the carburetor to work properly.
Other solutions include the replacement of various smaller parts like the rings and shafts that are housed within the carburetor unit.
The good news is that these parts for Kawasaki carburetors are abundantly available and easy and cheap to acquire.
You could also get it done at a Kawasaki repair shop or dealership service center.
In the majority of cases, removing, cleaning, and partially rebuilding (in most serious cases) the Kawasaki carburetor is the best solution.
It will be effective and help to save money.
A new carburetor should only be purchased when some irreparable or absolute damage has been brought to the carburetor unit.
Can A Kawasaki Motorcycle Run With A Failing Carburetor?
If your carburetor is failing, your Kawasaki will likely still run but at a much-reduced performance level, which in itself might present problems of safety.
If the carburetor fails absolutely, then your bike will not run because it won’t be able to get the air/fuel mixture to the engine.
If you detect symptoms of a struggling or failing carburetor, the best thing to do is bring your bike directly to a repair shop or drive it directly home where you can conduct some repairs and maintenance yourself.
Does Cleaning The Kawasaki Carburetor Prevent Failing?
Yes, in fact, cleaning is the very best thing you can do to prevent ultimate carburetor failure.
Learning to clean your carburetor is one of the most useful skills you can learn as a Kawasaki motorcycle owner.
Can I Clean It Myself?
Yes, you can. The easiest way to clean it is to remove it carefully from the bike and then clean it using compressed air and a DIY cleaning kit.
Removing it means you can place it in a well-lit and spacious work area, which makes cleaning much more convenient.
Can I Use WD40 To Clean It?
Yes, in fact, it’s one of the most effective tools you can have in your arsenal.
Because it has the attachable precision straw, it allows you to get the cleaning fluid into the most intricate of space, which is handy on the carburetor which contains many small shafts and other spaces.
Can I Clean It Without Removing It?
Yes, you can clean the carburetor without removing it from the bike, but it’s tricky.
It is, however, a better idea to try cleaning without removal if you are not confident about your ability to successfully remove and reinstall the carburetor unit.
If you have sufficient light and enough space to work in and perhaps the ability to reposition the bike to a convenient angle, then cleaning without removing is certainly possible.
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