Carb recommendations for my RD400F project bike

[old-too-smoker]

Everyone has convinced me not to use the original 2VO carbs, they are unworthy, so they will be on ebay soon.  I have a new set of VM32 round slides, I dont want to use them as I want stock 400CDE type performance, these will be on ebay soon. Also have a set of corroded 400E oem carbs, that need new bodies as the old ones are badly corroded. So my question to you smokers, should I go with a new set of VM28's or go with TM28 flat slides? Do they take the same jetting? Are the needles, needle jets , pilots, and mains the same? Or do they take a different series of parts?

[m in sc]

tm28s can be a pain as the neck is smaller. chuck has a fix for them though.

however, im partial to the pwks. (wont go into that)

however, the vm32's are your best bet since you already have them.

your performance will be limited by your exhaust and porting.  the 32s wont turn it into anything 'racy' on their own.

i had a 400 motored 350, basically stock porting somebody (po) jammed vm34s on way back in the day, it was a tractor, ran great. had some low level chambers but was rock solid.

[Alain2]

VM28-TM28; same jets.

Since you already have the VM32s, I would say that VM32>VM28>TM28.

[pdxjim]

I posed a similar question on Norbo's forum, and the resounding response was: PWK28.

I found genuine Keihins for right around $100 each brand new.   They will need about $50 in jets to get dialed in tho.

I haven't had a chance to run them yet but everyone I asked claimed fantastic low and mid-range response and that they're way easier and more forgiving to tune than VM and TM Mikunis.

Tuners in the UK are using them on builds up to 70+ hp, so they must flow pretty good up top too.

Obviously you've got some good reasons to go with Mikunis but there are other options out there too

[old-too-smoker]

Thanks for that guys. I have heard good things about PWK's but have no experience with them, was hoping not to spend too much time dialing in a different set of carbs. With 28's I already have a good starting point. If I use the 32's do I need to find new carb boots that fit them? I found a bigger  Y boot with a new K&N that fits them, it has an adaptor if I decide to use 28mm

[85RZwade]

I am in a similar situation of wanting to use the best of what I have on hand, and I would go with the VMs. That being said, my Honda mechanic friend swears by Keihins and doesn't even like to work with Mikunis because of the difference in tuning ease. Also, the PWK on my KTM200 was super easy to tune and has always worked very well. There's a thread somewhere about Jim's competition to find the least expensive PWK28s available.

[pdxjim]

http://www.2strokeworld.net/forum/index.php?topic=628.0

Still $106 each at Partzilla.com

https://www.partzilla.com/product/kawasaki/15003-1643

[Oil Burner]

I like em! Gonna be doing some reading on them as I've been thinking about upgrading to a new set of carbs. Only thing about mikunis, is that most people run them so they can help get you close on jetting.

[m in sc]

good starting point with pwks: jjh needle, 42 pilot, 155 main. just fyi

[pdxjim]

good starting point with pwks: jjh needle, 42 pilot, 155 main. just fyi

Yup! 

That's with foam pod filters and aftermarket pipes.

The kx100 PWK28s I linked to come with: NAPF needle, 45 pilot and 135 main

[85RZwade]

Dammit. Completely by accident, I've just about talked myself into spending $$ I don't have on a set of those Kawasaki PWKs. Should probably wait and see how much attention my crank, cylinders and head need. Be strong, grasshopper!