Posts
159
Joined
8/28/2015
Location
FL
US
Getting my new TC next WE and looking for some feedback on jetting.
I've been reading the ones on the KTM but looking at a sea level/high humidity spec. (I'm in Central FL)
I'll run stock exhaust and 96 ethanol free/Klotz R50 at 40:1
Can't wait to get back on a smoker!
I've been reading the ones on the KTM but looking at a sea level/high humidity spec. (I'm in Central FL)
I'll run stock exhaust and 96 ethanol free/Klotz R50 at 40:1
Can't wait to get back on a smoker!
I just got mine yesterday, and dealer suggested 40-1 instead of the 60-1,,for lubrication ,,,I know if I go 40-1 that'll lean the stock jetting without changing brass. Maybe a quick easy jetting solution?
They have 3 customers with the same bike who are just fine with the stock jetting. He did mention that woods riders on TE models do have a few complains but nothing real bad
Just reading the number of posts on Ktmtalk or KTM UK is mind blowing (76+ pages??)
Some swear by the Lectron, other the JD Jetting kit, and some just use stock jets/needle and call it a day
I guess I'll start from there before touching anything.
I read something also about some issues with the reeds not sealing properly.
Came across this Youtube channel last night and the guys seems honest and knowing what he is doing
He has a few good videos on the 17 engine setup (TE models)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGNP35wT5Rg
Deetsmx, can you post some pics of your airbox mod?
The Shop
A lot of people dropped the needle to the second position and increased the main jet to 450 (stock is 440).. but...and a big but.. some of them tested their bikes at higher elevations like 1000ft or higher (so they needed to go leaner) and they were testing on hotter conditions 80-95° as we are right now in fl ( i tested last weekend between 65-80°) Also... remember most of our tracks are mid pack, soft, and sand tracks which also affect our jetting. ( if it is too sandy, you need to go a little richer on the main and maybe the AS or pilot.)
Anyway... your manual will tell you based on temp and altitude the recommended setting that IMO... is very close to be good. The main jet is a lititle lean so be aware on that. Ok... so since I'm a little heavy and ride Sandy tracks... this is my current setting... sea level, 40:1, pump gas, intermedia and soft terrain. (Stock in parenthesis)
Main 460 (440)
Pilot 42.5
Neddle 43-73
Pos 3
A/S 2 (1.5 when temps are 60-80 and 2 when 80-100)
I am not 100% if this is the best jetting for our conditions but my bIke is running pretry good and spark plug rea ding are almost perfect. I only have a few hours on it and need to try different combos... like dropping Neddle to second position but Going in on the a/s to compensate. I hope this helps. Sorry if I might not be accurate with the manual numbers... I am at the office and don't have the manual with me. Keep me posted if you find a good jetting please. enjoy the new ride.
i guess we might have came across each other. I usually ride at Pax
I'm 200 lb, 49 y/o vet C on a very good day.... So I might be able to get away with the stock main
I will run 40:1 with non ethanol gas.
Riv187, let us know after you do some brass/needle testing
The slide mod, seems a step in the right direction but I'm not crazy about this manual filing.
I have access to some machine shop and if I do the mod this will end up done on a milling machine.
I understand you got the TC too. Post some feedback once you get some seat time!
Nothing to do with jetting,,,but I was amazed at how the fork pressure jumped from 142 at beginning to 162lbs after 4 short sessions. Either I'll need to bleed it every ride,,,,or figure out how to hook my nitrogen bottle fitting to fork top fitting that's tucked under handle bar,,and fill it with nitrogen.
I really enjoyed riding it,,,it really is light,,and jumps well. Little stiff for my 150lbs,,but with a spring swap &some time on it I'll get it really plush.
So you did not mess with the slide , yet seems the stock setup was in the ballpark .
I'm not fast so I might be able to keep the stock main jet.
What kind of fuel/premix and ratio did you have for this first ride?
I'd like to use fuel from the pump but i really think it has way more ethanol than they advertise. I had YZ250 and 250SX and regardless of jetting, the plug reading was always bad until i switched to race fuel (outlaw) with octane close to pump but no ethanol. Jetting then became easier , more consistant.
At my weight , I'm pretty sure I'll need a stiffer shock spring .
I plan to tighten the squish band to .040 and probably cut a air opening in box when I get more time on it and can better use the power. That may require jetting tweaking..
Truly a wonderful bike.
After (too) many hours reading about JD jetting, Lectron, airbox mods, leaking reeds, i believe it's time to stop overthinking this.
I'll go through the break-in period and adjust from what I see/feel.
I can't wait to hear that sweet sound of a 250...
I ran the premix that the dealer put and almost went through full tank today.
Very impressed with the bike!
Chassis was set at stock specs and I have no complains. I might need a stiffer spring for my extra tonnage but the bike felt balanced.
Ergos are awesome for me and for the first time won't have to change the bar bend.
Super light feel (well coming from a 15 FC450 that's no surprise...)
Jetting needs work, no doubt. It was not unrideable but far way from clean.
Down low super rich, then there's a bog until it start to pull cleaner and rather strong (keep in mind 50 y/o vet C on a good day)
I decided to give a shot at the JD jetting kit and installed it tonight.
The plug looked rather dark, not the nice brown/chocolate I want to see.
I'm confident I'll get this sorted out. Quite frankly if I could increase my speed/skills, i think stock would not be that far off.
I looked at the PV adjuster as I was wrapping up and noticed the adjuster was rather pushed down. More than 4 threads visible. I'll check in the manual if there's a base setting.
Overall after this first ride I'm very impressed.
The Magura hydro clutch feels even smoother than the Brembo on the 450.
What impressed me was the traction. I had a few YZ 250 (06 and 10) and a 13 KTM SX,
It seems to me the TC put the power to the ground way more efficiently. Can't tell for now if it's the chassis, new engine or a bit of everything but the bike has a bit of this increased traction that you find on 4 stroke.
Oh, the counterbalance shaft does work. While it never bothered me on the KTM, the TC has very minimum vibrations.
Bike was drooling oil like crazy from the silencer, smoking more than "normal" even on a lean jetting setup.
Plus it was just not running crisp and clean. Not my first rodeo with a 250 smoker and I never struggled that much to jet them.
I'm not a pro mechanic by all means but I really started to wonder about the reeds.
Been reading about some leaking and some breaking.
In fact the dealership I got mine from e-mailed me as out of the 3 he sold before mine, they just got one swallowing the reeds.
Met a guy today on a 17 SX , stock settings and his was just running fine.
After a frustrating ride today, came back home, cleaned the bike and get into surgery mode.
Intake flange was coated with oil, gasket soaked.. and the best part the reeds cage.
Like that all the way around
I ordered the ktmandhusky reeds as I don't want the OEM crap.
Hopefully like others they'll seal without sanding the cage. (I'm not pumped on a backyard fix on a brand new bike)
Boyesen or Vforce will be next but seems late December and I expect them to be on backorder very quickly.
It's a bummer but at least i know why and what to do because that bike is still awesome overall.
From what i found it just seems very loose manufacturing process. It's a hit or miss,
Some have already 40 hours and sealing is tight, others like me leak or worse break at 5, 10 hours, pretty random.
Reeds are definitely on the small side, not a lot of overlap on the cages sealing areas (which are "just" concave.)
New reeds are coming in today but if the gaps are still visible, I might consider sanding the cage.
I've seen some other who were good to go with the K&H reeds and no sanding but the gaps on mine seem pretty big
Geez...
Installed the K&H reeds and put stock jetting back. I wanted to have a baseline same as delivered again.
Night and day !!!
No more bog or lean/rich condition
It was still too rich (expected from stock settings anyway) but I knew it was finally cured.
Re-installed JD kit and it's been awesome since!!!.
Bike rips, maybe could use some fine tuning if I'm picky but after few years on FI 450 I need to realize that even a well jetted carb can't be delivering power like these modern thumpers.
I put 2 hours and absolutely love the way the engine runs.
This is how it was supposed to be !!!!
Plug reading is pretty good (tad on rich side which is what I always favor not being an A rider)
A good friend rode my bike with the crappy reeds and was also puzzled by how bad it was running.
He took the bike after the fix and I had to stop him... Same track/same weather conditions/same everything but these reeds..
Dealer got a new reeds cage from Husqy who seems not to care much: He inspected it before shipping to me (they didn't bother) and the gaps were as bad as on mine...back to them to see what they plan (let me make a prediction..)
Saw a post on ktm talk where one had his bike sitting at dealer for a month now, waiting on KTM to do something...
90 pages about jetting nightmares on UK forum. More pics also of leaky cages or even broken reeds..
And Jeff Slavens who was a bit sarcastic about the reeds issue (no big deal, anyway plastic molding will warp.etc..) just posted a video of him ready to test the Pre-prod V Force reeds cage...
Sad thing is that obviously KTM does not push it to address this and with all the buzz around their FI two strokes being tested now in some races, they are moving forward no matter what.
Which would be ok if they would not let behind people who splurged some large amount of cash on a bike running like crap.
I don't remember that amount of fuss on some technical issue for something as basic a jetting a 250 smoker
Runs better and jetting from stock is perfect.
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