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KZ650 carbs vs. GS550 (79)

  • Thread starter Thread starter bexabarr
  • Start date Start date
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bexabarr

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I have a friend with a set of KZ650 carbs that look exactly like my 79 GS550 carbs. What are the differences (jets etc..) between these? He has an extra set, and is willing to sell them to me. (actually they are not 100% identical, the throttle is in between cabs 2 & 3 on the KZ and on mine it is between 3 & 4). Thanks.
 
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and if they don't fit... what other gs or other bike model carbs could I interchange them with... so I have more choices when searching for carbs. Thanks again.
 
They will likely fit since the KZ and GS models share the same carb and pipe spacing. You'll probably have to do some jetting though.
 
yeah I know... I just bought them for $20 and are in great condition... if anything I can just re-sell them. Can't I just buy a gs550 carb kit and replace everything? I won't have the carbs until next week to see the obvious differences. What are some of the problems that you guys foresee me having?
 
If the carb bodies are identical you can just use the same size jets as your GS carbs.
 
I've been doing a bit of research on the KZ650 carbs (I still don't have them here) and found this...

[img=http://images4.pictiger.com/thumbs/86/b4153ef1f936a29bc2f1394a79bed586.th.jpg]

It appears that the 78 carbs were in fact the same as my 79 gs550 vm22ss carbs, but the 79's were vm24ss.

I know that the carbs that I got are one of the two years... not sure which, and I don't think the owner knows either.

What are the difference between the vm22's and vm24's?

Thanks!
 
I think you will find that the KZ650 VM24s are easier to tune than ANY Suzuki carburetor. They will have either a pilot fuel mixture screw or an air screw but not both. They also have a choke lever and center throttle. Whenever making a swap like this, check www.kawasaki.com in the owners info there is a parts diagram where you can look at the carburetor PARTS and determine the original jetting. Kawasaki jetted slightly richer than Suzuki, in general, so if you run pods/aftermarket pipes, base jetting changes on the original jetting for the assembly and not someone's recommendation of what worked in their bike as the internals from one VM24 assembly to the next will be different. The VM24 varied from #92.5 main jets up to #102.5 main jets depending on the internal parts.

The main thing you will have to worry about is your old intake manifolds and airbox fittings accomodating the slightly larger Kaw VM24 outside diameters. I don't believe Kawasaki ever fitted VM22s to any KZ650. They were all VM24; some with accelerator pumps and some without. They used about 20 different configurations.
 
Wow thanks... I checked out the KZ webpage. My main jets are # 80, so I would have to replace those and then maybe?? raise the the main needle jets one notche to make it leaner and go from there.

By the way, I have a bone stock 79 Gs550l, with the origional air box and filter.

Thanks.
 
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