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Jetting a 400ex
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Posted by: 2004exrider

There's been a lot of threads about rejetting lately so i will try and help out by describing how and why to rejet. I'll leave out how to do a pilot jet because there was already a very good post about it. When ever you free up air flow in an engine it is necessary to do. Whether it is putting on an after market pipe, K&N/UNI, porting and polishing, or different piston you are going to lean out the fuel mixture in the engine and will make it run hotter and not get the full power out of it you desire that's why you need to jet it richer.

Main jet:
It is not necessary to take your carb off to replace the main jet. First turn the gas off of the carburetor, now look on the bottom of it and you'll see a 17mm cap get a socket and remove it. A little gas will pour out so keep a rag near by. Once removed, get a 6mm socket and feel around for the main jet. Remove that and put in the new jet. Once installed find a long open area (not the road) and get the quad warmed up to operating temperature. Now crack the throttle to 3/4 to full and hold it for about 5 seconds then shut it off. Once the engine has cooled down remove the spark plug and check the color of the electrode. If the jetting is right it will be a dark grey to light brown color. If it is black its way to rich go down a jet size or two, if it's white you need to keep going up on your jets until it's right.

Needle:
THis one's a little more tricky but is pretty easy to do if you have the time and patience. It will involve taking your plastics and gas tank off. You'll need a flat head and phillips screw driver, a 10mm socket and wrench, 7mm socket and an allen wrench (cant remember the size) to disassemble the quad. Once apart, look at the top of your carb there is a cover with 3 screws, gently remove these with the phillips screw driver. The honda screws are extremely soft and will strip so be easy on them. When you get the top cover off you'll see the slide inside of your carb. Take the bolt out of the arm thats holding it and then remove the 2 bolts from the slide themselves. Lift the arm up out of the way and pull the slide out. Attached to the bottom of it will be the needle, you can make it richer by lowering the clip on the needle or make it leaner by raising the clip. The needle controls 1/8 - 3/4 throttle, so to check the spark plug just hold it in that postition like you would have done to check the main jet. You may need to back the air/ fuel screw out to richen it a little bit, most of the time just back it out a 1/4 of a turn.

Posted by: Rip_Tear

I've been unsure on the Needle situation. So does it control the thottle at an 1/8-3/4 throttle and the pilot basicly just has to do with idle and start up, or is it a combination of the two?

I ask this because basicly everyone just says to put the 42 pilot in, and I didn't understand the needle part.

Thanks

(Hope this is okay for a reply)

Posted by: wilkin250r

quote:
Originally posted by Rip_Tear
I've been unsure on the Needle situation. So does it control the thottle at an 1/8-3/4 throttle and the pilot basicly just has to do with idle and start up, or is it a combination of the two?

I ask this because basicly everyone just says to put the 42 pilot in, and I didn't understand the needle part.

You can't get one thing to work perfect at all different conditions, the world just isn't that simple. One main jet can't control idle mixture, AND mid-throttle, AND full-throttle, AND sudden accelerations, AND...

So a carburetor has different circuits that operate at different times.

Your pilot jet and fuel screw determine your mixture at idle. It also has an effect at very small throttle openings, but not much.

When you open the throttle, fuel flows through your main jet and up into the airstream. However, between 1/8 and 3/4 throttle, the hole is WAY too big, and would flow WAY too much fuel by itself. This is where the needle comes in. It sits in that hole and blocks part of it.

If you look at your needle, it is tapered. It is larger at the top, and smaller at the bottom. At low throttle positions, the large part blocks that fuel hole alot, so very little fuel gets past it. This is needed because the motor is getting very little air at low throttle position. As the slide is raised, more air gets past to the motor, so it needs more fuel. The needle gets smaller and smaller, which allows more and more fuel past. This is why, when you LOWER your clip, you get more fuel, because you're bringing the needle UP.

After 3/4 throttle, the needle doesn't present much of a blockage to the flow of fuel. Now, the amount of fuel is determined by the size of the main jet.

Posted by: TravEX

Here ya go. Compliments of Wickedfinger from 3WW.com

Posted by: quad #7

sinse this is about jetting. whats a main jet adapter for? i got them in a jet it and have no idea what their for. i got 2 in the kit and their about the size of a pilot jet.

Posted by: 2004exrider

If thats a Dyno Jet kit, then that is so you can put their jets in a Keihin carb.

Jimmy

Posted by: Rider-trx_250ex

could i change the jets on my 03' 250ex using these instructions for a 400ex?

also when im changing the main jet do i just buy some jets and use the guess and check method along with the color of the electrode?

how do i determine if the pilot jet or if the needle needs changed?

thanks

Posted by: extremejrowe

i like this graph ........... actually just check out this website http://www.motocross.com/motoprof/m...01/carb101.html ............ jetting websites......
http://www.atvriders.com/articles/sparkplug.html
http://www.atvriders.com/articles/jetting.html
http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthr...threadid=216461
http://www.4strokes.com/tech/sparkplg.asp
http://www.densoiridium.com/howtoreadusedplugs.php
http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthr...threadid=218094

Posted by: roostonu

My stock needle on my 400ex dosent seem to be adjustable but Ive seen Dyno Jet needles with the grooves in them.Is there any adj. on the stock one or do you have to use the D.J. needle?

Posted by: Honda6sv

I have UNI air filter (with open aluminum air box) with FMF high flow header and powercore 4 slip on...How should i go about jetting the carb..What would be the best to use?...everything is stock except air filter and exhaust.

Posted by: Sleeper

quote:
Originally posted by roostonu
My stock needle on my 400ex dosent seem to be adjustable but Ive seen Dyno Jet needles with the grooves in them.Is there any adj. on the stock one or do you have to use the D.J. needle?

Your stock needle is adjustable. Have you removed it?

Sleeper

Posted by: Sleeper

quote:
Originally posted by Honda6sv
I have UNI air filter (with open aluminum air box) with FMF high flow header and powercore 4 slip on...How should i go about jetting the carb..What would be the best to use?...everything is stock except air filter and exhaust.

I got the parts from my local honda dealer. They buy the jets in bulk from the carb manufacturer. There's only 2 parts you need to buy (the pilot jet & an assortment of main jets). The rest is adjustable. what jets you will need depends on your altitude where you ride.
I have a similar set up except I have a cam. I ended up with a 42 pilot jet, a 162 main jet, I moved the needle clip 1 notch down and I turned out the mixture screw until it pretty much stopped popping out the exaust when I let off the throttle in gear and left the clutch engaged so the engine was slowing me. I think I'm an extra 1/2 to 3/4 turns out.

I am a little just a hair lean over all at around 850 ft but I ride most around 2000 ft elevation so I will be rechecking latter. Should be good though.

This is just a refferrance.

Edit: I am up to 168 on the main now and I think it's pretty close.
I finally got somewhere I could really wind it out and kill it (like your supposed to).

Sleeper

Posted by: Honda6sv

Well, I live it iowa
<<<<<<<<<<<<

and my stock jet is a 148, and pilot was a 38...I bumped the pilot to a 40, moved the needle down one notch, and left the main jet...Im thinking bout trying one or two sizes on the main as well...thoughts?????

Posted by: DAVE14

Ive been meaning to adjust my needle jet but havent gotten around to it it runs well & plug looks great but stumbles sometimes on its way up to high revs when you give it to her all at once I have a 42 pilot & 170 main (440) 350 foot elevation I havent seen it from the bottom where is it & can I access it easily ? pics would be great thanks

Posted by: EricCartman

I just thought I'd post my settings to help out anyone with my set-up.

2004 Honda 400ex - K&N filter, modified lid, stock exhaust with tip opened up, Sparks timing advance.

My carb: 155 Main, 42 Pilot, shim washer under the 3rd clip position of the needle.

Runs great! A lot more power than stock. Plug shows it's close to being tuned correctly. At or near sea level.

Posted by: blacklabel117

yah iv got a 400ex 05 and i just ordered a k&n air filter and it has a white brothers slip on and then i ordered a 150 and 152 main jet just to c wat one was better then i got a 40 pilot jet will those work???? and what shuld i do with the needle?

Posted by: Rip_Tear

Just leave the needle alone. If it was already jetted for the white brothers pipe you might not need to rejet. If it wasn't jetted already, I'd suggest going with the 152 to start with. Go for a quick ride, check the plug (you should get a new plug for testing purposes). If it's a nice brown color (like carboard) you are good, if it's darker (black) then move down to the 150 and test again. The needle is for fine tuning so if the plug is close but not quite right, move the needle (up for more gas, down for less). If the plug goes white (harder to tell with a new plug but the tip will usually go white) you need bigger jets. For your mods those jets should be fine.

Hope this helps, haven't done this for some time, so I hope I haven't mislead you.

Posted by: blacklabel117

hey thanks man i will try it all out when i get my parts in thanks again i will let uk how it went

Posted by: blacklabel117

ok guys so i put the 40 pilot in and left the 148 main in otherwise if i put the 150 or 152 in it was rly stumbly and crappy but the 148 is working with the 40 nd to b honest its kinda stumbly but good is that normal?

Posted by: Rip_Tear

So maybe you just need a 149 if it's better with the 148 then the 150 or 152. You could raise the needle all they way up or one notch at a time and see if it helps. (when I say raise the needle I do mean so that the needle sits higher allowing more gas to flow).

What color plug did you get? I know it's annoying to check the plug color but some times you have to. Also was it running good before you did all this to it?

Remember, white is bad, brown is good, and black is bad but better then white, for plug color. An old plug won't give you a proper reading, and even though the motor runs fine it doesn't mean it is jetted correctly.

Posted by: blacklabel117

ya man the motor was running fine i never did check the plug but wat i was confused about was that ne thing bigger than the 148 it was like studdering rly bad uk so idk man nd i will have to buy a new plug for it to check

Posted by: f4iracer

What's the best place to find a shim washer for these newer 400ex's? My needle is not adjustable.

I'm running a uni filter with a slipon and all i have right now is just a 152 main and stock pilot.

Starting it is ****ty so i'm going to put a 40 or 42 pilot in, what do u guys think?

Also, i'm gonna try a 155 main, i think it's lean since i've done the air filter mod. It was jetted pretty good with just the slipon before i put the uni in, but now i need more.