carb conversion??

[lnghrdcntryby]

Has anyone converted a K bike to Carburetors? I know there was an oilhead at the rally in Vermont that had been converted, any K's out there?


Thinking about trying it on my 85 k100 this winter and was just wondering if anyone here had tried it or not...

[jdiaz]

Luftmeister used to offer a kit. It probably wouldn't be hard to adapt an old set of 29 or 31mm smoothbores to a K model....just need to re-machine the spacers separating the carbs from one another.

[Kayseventyfive]

Hmmm..........I've got a couple of Weber 40IDA-3 carbs. One would look trick on my K75. Maybe a little big, but...................:)

Side draft would be nifty. Did Weber make a three barreled side draft carb?

[lnghrdcntryby]

Luftmeister used to offer a kit. It probably wouldn't be hard to adapt an old set of 29 or 31mm smoothbores to a K model....just need to re-machine the spacers separating the carbs from one another.

Thanks for the reply.

Do you have any other info on how the kit was set up? I searched a little hoping to come up with some info or pics from an old luftmeister ad or review but didnt come up with much... Did they use 4 downdraft carbs or something else?

Ben

[jdiaz]

I saw a converted bike at the DuQuoin national in 1992. I want to say it used sidedraft carbs, and intakes that curved 90 degrees so that the float levels were parallel to the top of the engine.

I don't know if downdrafts would work, because their intake openings would bump into the lower left-hand side of the gas tank. So then I suppose you could relocate the fuel load directly on top of the engine (with appropriate heat shielding) and run the air intake where the gas tank used to be. Could be a fun project.

[lnghrdcntryby]

I want to say it used sidedraft carbs, and intakes that curved 90 degrees so that the float levels were parallel to the top of the engine.


I thought about going this route as well.

My other idea is to make a one into four manifold and use just one carb... may depend on how long the winter is...

[41077]

I had a friend who had done this conversion, I think his conclusion was a lot of work for not much gain. No top end increase, only quicker throttle response. That's how I remember it anyway.
Scott K you out there somewhere?

[lnghrdcntryby]

I had a friend who had done this conversion, I think his conclusion was a lot of work for not much gain. No top end increase, only quicker throttle response. That's how I remember it anyway.


If you have any info about what kind of set up your friend used and problems he encountered during the project that would be great.


As far as gains from the project I'm not looking to improve power or throttle response, I just like the idea of replacing numerous complex and expensive electrical systems with a simple carb. If horsepower decreased slightly I would have no problem with that ( even though theres no reason it should decrease if the carbs are set up right).

[Kayseventyfive]

One side draft SU would be pretty simple.

[jdiaz]

As far as gains from the project I'm not looking to improve power or throttle response, I just like the idea of replacing numerous complex and expensive electrical systems with a simple carb.
My K75 is 17 years old this year. The EFI system and the transmission are the only major subsystems I've never had to mess with.

Oh, and I've never changed fork seals either. :laugh

[lnghrdcntryby]

My K75 is 17 years old this year. The EFI system and the transmission are the only major subsystems I've never had to mess with.


Those extra 4 years must make all the difference... The EFI system is where I've had a fair number of the problems on my K100. Not that Ive had alot of them its just that when they do come up they are difficult to troubleshoot and the parts that need to be replaced are expensive. The two other early K bikes I've restored have both had at least one or two EFI problems as well... Its just as these bikes get older all of the fragile parts and wiring involved with the EFI become more prone to failure.

However, Ive never touched either the transmission or fork seals on any of the three K bikes either... well other than removing the transmission entirely to work on other things. :D