2000 cr125 driving me nuts on the jetting. Rich!

Your pilot jet size is too big if you are at3.5 turns out with the air screw. You should be shooting for about 1.5-2 turns out on the air screw. The 32.5 sounds very lean to me.
Most likely your main is also too large due to the smoke.
Did you set your float level?
Is the float needle sealing?
Try 32:1 as that will lean it out just a bit as well. ( 35:1 is a very unusual mix.)

Paw Paw

Don't for get to change the pilot jet as it is too rich. Don't use the 32.5 as it would be too lean.

Paw Paw

Kehin airstriker! How New is your crank seal? You might be sucking some oil from your transmission of its smoking real bad. Even with stock jetting if your at sea level it shouldn't be that bad. I could understand maybe a hick or a bog. To have as much oil and smoke as your describing possible crank seal.

Lean the needle, you're not on the main as much as you think.

I'm in the same boat with a 2001 cr250. Took the Mikuni off as soon as I bought it and bought a new pwk for it through jd jetting. Having a hell of a time getting it to run decent, my issues are very similar.

Dropped the main from a 175 to a 170, changed the Blue needle to Red. Middle or 3rd clip position. Not sure how that translates to the Mikuni numbering system.

I was thinking going leaner with the pilot jet, It has a 45, bought a 42 to try.

haha! You're right!

I'm hoping I am getting closer too. The weird thing is I have a 92' with the same reeds and carb-- with the exception the 92' has the pwk stock, non jd jetting kit version. The 92' is still running rich but not bad. I can warm it up do a couple of hard rips and clean it out and it's good for quite a while until I run for a while on the single track trails at my place. then I have to "clean it out again"

The 2001 however is pretty much loaded up all the time at half to full throttle. It will eventually clean up but it gets back to being loaded up quick if your not on the pipe all the time. Spooge City. I'm going to try the leaner pilot since I have it on hand. I don't have a leaner main than the 170 that is in it currently. Maybe a clip leaner on the needle after that? Not sure, still trying to figure it all out. I've went back to an old "Spanky" post that has made me think about what I've got going on.

Post below:

Is there drool "spooge" running down your silencer at the end of a ride? Does your bike smoke at operating temperature? Do you foul plugs on a regular basis? Is your throttle-response poor and boggy?

If you answered "yes" to any, or all of these, your problem likely lies in your carburetor jetting.

The first step to jetting is setting the correct float height.

Article by: Faded
"Here are a few words and some pictures I put together to help eliminate the confusion in setting your float level. Obtaining the correct float level is of the utmost importance as it can affect all jetting circuits. THE FLOAT LEVEL IS THE FIRST STEP TO PROPERLY DIALING IN YOUR JETTING. It should be checked and/or set before you even think about swapping brass. By altering the volume of fuel in the float bowl you can vary your fuel pressure and affect your jetting. More fuel in the float bowl will create more fuel pressure and result in rich(er) running conditions and vice versa.

You’ll need to first start off by removing your carb. Be sure to clean the surrounding area to the best of your ability to avoid dirt and debris falling into your carb, or worse, your engine. After you’ve removed your carb I would suggest a thorough cleaning using carb cleaner (or equivalent) and compressed air to ensure that all jets and passageways are spotless. Avoid using wire or other tools to clean orifices of jets; it’s all too easy to alter their original designed dimensions.

After your carb is clean you can now set your float level. The picture below will allow you to become familiar with the parts that are responsible for maintaining the correct float level in your carb. There are four basic parts, the floats themselves (part of the float assembly), the float assembly tang, the fuel inlet needle valve, and the fuel inlet valve seat.


(Float assembly pivot pin not shown.)


It is always a good idea to remove the float assembly pivot pin (already shown removed) and extract the float assembly and the fuel inlet needle. The fuel inlet needle is a wearable part and over time can deteriorate. A worn fuel inlet needle can contribute to an irregular float level. Most fuel inlet needles consist of an internal spring loaded bumper (which contacts the float assembly tang) and a plastic or Viton (rubber) tip. Inspect the fuel inlet needle tip for wear and/or damage. To give you an idea, Eric Gorr recommends replacing the fuel inlet needle/seat assembly every two years. I’ve found that the average cost it around $15 for both parts.


(Fuel inlet needle shown with Viton (rubber) tip. The Viton is used to isolate the fuel inlet needle from vibration and to create a better seal against the fuel inlet valve seat.)

Now that you’ve made sure you aren’t going to have any issues from worn parts you can reinstall your needle, float assembly and float assembly pivot pin and continue on to set your float level. The float level measurement is taken from the top of the floats (when the carb is positioned upside down) to the gasket surface of the float bowl as illustrated in the next picture. You can use an open-end wrench (sized per your spec), a small metric ruler, or a float level gauge. The tolerance for your float level is usually around +/- 0.50mm.




When setting the float level be aware that the spring loaded bumper on the fuel inlet needle valve may have a tendency to compress under the weight of the float assembly which will skew your measurement. Before you obtain your measurement you’ll need to make sure that the float assembly tang just barely makes contact with the spring-loaded bumper. Sometimes it is easier to hold the carb body at a 45-degree angle to avoid compressing the spring in the fuel inlet needle.




If you find that your measurement does not match your float level spec then you can carefully bend the float assembly tang to achieve your desired measurement. Be sure to recheck your work, and if you feel confident that your float level is spot on then you can reinstall your carb and get back to riding."

END OF ARTICLE


Now that you know that you have the correct float height, you can start swapping out brass.

Words of Assurance: Jetting isn't hard and comes with practice. You're not going to mess your bike up unless you make huge changes. You WILL be able to tell if your bike is running lean enough to be in danger of seizing. So, don't worry.


Article by Spanky:

"Throttle Ranges:
Pilot Jet/air screw:0-1/4.
Needle Jet:1/4-3/4
Main Jet: 3/4-Full open

A correctly jetted carb makes a tremendous difference in the torque, midrange pull, top-end pull, and over-rev of your engine. If you have never jetted your bike correctly, you will almost certainly gain some performance at some point in the bike's power band. A cleanly jetted pilot circuit can be the difference between having to clutch the bike out of a turn or not. The needle can make all the difference in the world for the power of the machine in most situations, as it controls the throttle range that most riders spend most of their time using. A correctly sized main jet could mean the difference between being able to rev out high enough to not have to shift one more time at the end of the straight, or the power falling flat on top and requiring you to make that extra shift.

The only way to know what jetting changes you will need is by trial-and-error. No one can give you jetting specs, because every bike is different, every rider has a different style, and jetting is totally weather dependent.

Jetting is fairly simple, and is a useful skill to learn if you ride a two-stroke and want it to perform at it's best.

It's very important that you start with the pilot circuit. The reason is simple. The pilot circuit affects the entire throttle range. When you are at full throttle, the main jet is the primary fuel metering device, but the pilot is still delivering fuel as well, adding to the total amount of fuel that your engine is receiving.

Before you start to rejet your bike, you need a clean air filter, a fresh plug (actually you need several plugs to do plug-chop tests for the main jet), and fresh fuel. One important detail: Make sure the engine is in good mechanical condition. If your engine has a worn top-end, fix it first. Trying to jet a worn out engine is a waste of time. The same goes for reeds that don't seal properly, and a silencer that needs re-packing.

Before you start the jet testing, Install a fresh plug. Warm the bike completely, and shut it off.

As already stated, start with the pilot circuit. Turn the air screw all the way in, then turn it out 1.5 turns to start. Start the engine, and turn the idle screw in until you get a slightly fast idle, or hold the throttle just barely cracked, to keep the engine idling. Turn the airscrew slowly in, and then out, until you find the point where the idle is fastest. Stop there. Do not open the screw any farther, or your throttle response will be flat and mushy, and the bike may even bog. This is only the starting point, we will still have to tune the air screw for the best response.

Now is the time to determine if you have the correct pilot installed in your carb. The air screw position determines this for you, making it very simple. If your air screw is less than 1 turn from closed, you need a larger pilot jet. If it is more than 2.5 turns from closed, you need a smaller pilot jet.

Once you have determined (and installed it if it's necessary to change it) the correct pilot jet size, and tuned the air screw for the fastest idle, it's time to tune the air screw for the best throttle response. Again, make sure the bike is at full operating temperature. Set the idle back down (the bike should still idle, despite what you read in the Moto Tabloids), and ride the bike, using closed-to-1/4 throttle transitions. Turn the air screw slightly in either direction until you find the point that gives you the best response when cracking the throttle open. Most bikes are sensitive to changes as small as 1/8 of a turn.

The air screw is not a set-it-and-leave-it adjustment. You have to constantly re-adjust the air screw to compensate for changing outdoor temps and humidity. An air screw setting that is perfect in the cool morning air will likely be too rich in the heat of the mid-day.

Now, it's time to work on the needle. Mark the throttle grip at 1/4 and 3/4 openings. Ride the bike between these two marks. If the bike bogs for a second before responding to throttle, lower the clip (raising the needle) a notch at a time until the engine picks up smoothly. If the bike sputters or sounds rough when giving it throttle, raise the clip (lowering the needle) until it runs cleanly. There isn't really any way to test the needle other than by feel, but it's usually quite obvious when it's right or wrong.

Last is the main jet. The main jet affects from 1/2 to full throttle. The easiest way to test it is to do a throttle-chop test. With the bike fully warmed up, find a long straight, and install a fresh plug. Start the engine, and do a full-throttle run down the straight, through all gears. As soon as the bike tops out, pull the clutch in, and kill the engine, coasting to a stop. Remove the plug, and look deep down inside the threads, at the base of the insulator. If it is white or gray, the main is too lean. If it is dark brown or black, the main is too rich. The correct color is a medium-dark mocha brown or tan.

Once you have a little bit of experience with jetting changes, and you start to learn the difference in feel between "rich" and "lean", you'll begin to learn, just from the sound of the exhaust and the feel of the power, not only if the bike is running rich or lean, but even which one of the carb circuits is the culprit.

Keep in mind, even though this article is intended primarily for two-strokes, four-strokes also need proper jetting to perform right, although they are not quite as fussy as their oil-burning cousins. The only real difference in the two is with the pilot circuit. Two-strokes have an air screw that you screw in to make the jetting richer, and screw out to make the jetting leaner. Four-strokes, on the other hand, have a fuel adjustment screw that you screw in to make the jetting leaner, and out to make it richer."

END OF ARTICLE

NOTE:
REMOVING (leaning) oil from the GAS/OIL mixture makes your AIR/FUEL mixture RICHER, effectively making your engine run RICHER (more smoking/spooge) . If you remove oil from your premix mixture, you have more gas in a specific amount of fuel. Making the mixture that really matters, the air/fuel mixture, richer. Do not fix jetting issues by changing your premix ratio.

If you guys like this little article, it would be nice if we could get this stickied in all of the two-stroke forums, to avoid the same questions being asked over and over again.

I hope this helps.


Looks like it's time for a little pre-mix 101. I don't usually get into ratio discussions, because mix ratios are like religions to most people, and they tend to be closed-minded and hard-headed on the subject, but I'll put in my $.02 here anyway.

Anyone that believes that spooge and plug fouling are caused by too much oil in the mix is flat out wrong. If you know how to jet, you can run any amount of oil you choose, and have absolutely zero spooge.

There is a prevailing myth that less oil is better. This simply isn't the case. While there isn't a magic "one-size-fits-all" mix ratio, and it is possible to use too much oil for your conditions, generally speaking, more oil is better, within certain limitations.

When an engine is jetted too rich, the excess fuel leeches heat from the combustion process, causing the combustion chamber temperatures to be too low to effectively burn the oil, or even completely burn all of the fuel. The result is spooge and deposits. The spooge is nothing more than unburned fuel and oil passing out the exhaust.

If you have a spooge problem, you have a jetting problem. You don't get rid of the spooge by reducing the oil, you get rid of it by fixing the jetting. Correct jetting will produce an air/fuel ratio of about 14:1, which will produce combustion temperatures in the 6000F range and exhaust temperatures in the 1200F range. This will provide sufficient heat to consume the premix oil.

The same goes for plug fouling. Rich jetting does two things. First, it promotes incomplete combustion of the fuel and the oil due to reduced combustion temperatures. The incomplete combustion of the fuel and oil promotes deposit formation inside the engine. Second, rich jetting reduces the combustion temperatures, which in turn reduces the engines ability to burn off deposits. Combine increased deposit formation with reduced ability to burn off those deposits, and what do you get? Spooge and plug fouling.

You don't choose a mix ratio based on "spooge" or plug fouling, you choose the ratio based on the amount of oil your engine needs to provide sufficient protection and adequate ring seal. The common misconception is that mix ratios are "one-size-fits-all", when in fact nothing could be farther from the truth.The amount of oil that is correct for one rider on his bike may not be enough oil for another rider/bike, or it may be too much oil. It all depends on engine displacement, riding style, and how hard you push the engine. A trail rider on a 500 that never reams the bike out is probably fine on a diet of 50:1, where a super-fast up-and-coming young future pro that screams an 85 'till the dogs howl the entire time he's on the track might not get a full day of racing out of an engine on less than 30:1. Your engine's oil needs are determined by displacement, rev range, and the loads you put on your engine.

When you shut your engine down and let it sit, much of the oil drains down into the crankcase and forms a puddle in the bottom. The depth of this puddle is your indicator of whether you are running the correct amount of oil for your engine's needs. Ideally, you want this puddle to be between 1/8 and 1/4 inch. If it's less, you need more oil in your mix. If it's more, you are running more oil than you need for your conditions.

With that said, to have that amount of residual oil in the crankcase at 50:1 (a ratio made popular by magazines and oil bottles), you can't be riding very hard, or your bike is jetted richer than necessary simply to deliver enough oil. I arrived at 32:1 for my bike with my riding style because that is the amount that gives me the proper amount of residual build-up. Small-bore engines require greater oil concentrations than larger engines to achieve the proper amount of residual build-up, because they rev higher and have higher intake velocities. Along the same lines, someone that pushes the engine harder, and keeps the revs higher, also needs to use higher oil concentrations to achieve the proper residual build-up.

When I was much younger and a lot faster, 32:1 wasn't enough oil for my conditions. I needed 26:1 to have enough oil.

To understand why the mix ratio is so important, you have to understand what happens to the oil in your fuel when it goes into the engine. While the oil is still suspended in the liquid gasoline, it can not lubricate anything. It has about as much lubricity at that point as straight gasoline. When the gasoline enters the engine, it evaporates, dropping the oil out of suspension. Now that the oil is free, it can lubricate the engine. The oil mist is distributed throughout the engine by the spinning crankshaft and the moving air currents to coat all the internal surfaces.

People believe that the oil just rushes right through a two-stroke along with the fuel, but that just isn't so. It can take 90 minutes or more for the oil migration through a two-stroke to result in a complete oil exchange on a slow trail ride, and even as much as 5 minutes for a full-throttle 20 minute moto.

The oil eventually makes it into the combustion chamber, where it is either burned, or passes out the exhaust. If the combustion chamber temps are too low, such as in an engine that is jetted too rich, the oil doesn't burn completely. Instead, some of it hardens into deposits in the combustion chamber, on the piston, and on the power valve assembly. The rest becomes the dreaded "spooge". The key to all of this working in harmony is to jet the bike lean enough to achieve a high enough combustion chamber temperature to burn the oil, but also still be able to supply enough oil to protect the engine. If you use enough oil, you can jet the bike at it's optimum without starving the engine of oil, and have excellent power, with minimal deposits and spooge. At 50:1 in a small-bore engine, you simply can't jet very lean without risking a seized engine due to oil starvation.

Starting lines all over America are filled with bikes running anything from 100:1 with Amsoil to 20:1 with the cheapest weedeater oil they can find, and most of these bikes survive to play another day. That doesn't mean their methods are correct.

One small point. No one ever broke an engine by using too much oil.

Now we come to the issue of ring seal. Simply put, the rings alone can not effectively seal the cylinder. They also need oil to provide a complete seal against the bore surface. And up to a point, more oil will provide a better seal.

I have run Dyno tests on this subject, as a school project in Tech School. We used a Dynojet dynamometer, and used a fresh, broken in top-end for each test. We used specially calibrated jets to ensure the fuel flow was identical with each different ratio, and warmed the engine at 3000 rpm for 3 minutes before each run. Our tests were performed in the rpm range of 2500 to 9000 rpm, with the power peak of our test bike (an '86 YZ 250) occuring at 8750 rpm. We tested at 76 degrees F, at 65% relative humidity. We started at 10:1, and went to 100:1. Our results showed that a two-stroke engine makes its best power at 18:1. Any more oil than that, and the engine ran poorly, because we didn't have any jets rich enough to compensate for that much oil in the fuel. The power loss from 18:1 to 32:1 was approximately 2 percent. The loss from 18:1 to 50:1 was nearly 9 percent. On a modern 250, that can be as much as 4 horsepower. The loss from 18:1 to 100:1 was nearly 18 percent. The reason for the difference in output is simple. More oil provides a better seal between the ring and the cylinder wall.

Now, I realize that 18:1 is impractical unless you ride your engine all-out, keeping it pinned at all times. But running reasonable ratios no less than 32:1 will produce more power, and give your engine better protection, thus making it perform better for longer.

The bottom line? Choose a mix ratio that is adequate for your needs, and jet accordingly. You don't fix plug fouling and spooge by adjusting your mix ratio.

This is an interesting read that also supports my "more oil is better" claim.

http://www.bridgesto....oilpremix6.pdf

And this is a good article as well:

http://www.maximausa....summer2001.pdf

Any headway with the CR?

Got the pilot switched out this weekend from 45 to 42. You know, you always hear people talking about how awesome the 01' and the aluminum frames are, but you never hear how horrid they are to work on. On my 92' you loosen two screws on each side of the carb and turn it up for the float side, or down for the cable side. Takes minutes to tweak. On the 01' it's down to the frame every time. Then 45 minutes trying to get the air boot on the carb. Big pain the A$S!

Pilot 42
Main 170
2 Turns out
Clip 3

Still a bit rich, but better than before

about 600 ft above seal level
Current weather, 70-80F