How To: Daddog Jetting Info and Videos

[2fun]

Here is jetting info and tips in words.
Please scroll down to view the jetting videos.


Dear friend:

This web site is written by a newbie to quads starting a few years ago, going through a lot of needless expense and finally learning how to make a faster running quad for not much money, and finally settling on one of the best quad ever made, the YFZ-450! This site will give the basics of jetting and repair of the 450 as we develop it.


JETTING UPDATE! 12-16-2003
YOUR HIGHEST JET on the MAIN will probably be a 175-178 mainjet Keihen series 13 jet if you have lots of mods, and if you have an aftermarket needle. If you have a stock needle, and have done many mods, you could go to 180 on the mainjet. Your pilot should be swapped out to a 45 pilot right away, as it is a better pilot, instead of the 42 if you are planning ANY MODS AT ALL.


JETTING UPDATE:5-2004
My last update on jetting here is something I want you to read: THE YAMAHA IS LEAN FROM THE FACTORY ALL THE WAY AROUND!

They had to meet California specs - and that means a barely sufficient jetting - (and more motor rebuilds most likely ) if you do any mods at all.

I would be sure and stress this point.

It is what we took 1 year to learn...

INCREASE THE PILOT and it should be a 48.

If it runs too rich, then you have to DECREASE THE NEEDLE A CLIP.

That means you MAY have to increase the main one number.

BUT, the airscrew should be around 1.5 turns out.

Then you have it jetted right!

Keep the flame going and let that information be sent everywhere, and we will have a pack of wild 450's all over the world!

RIDE ON!

Daddogrider.
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Quick trouble shooting guide

DOES YOUR 450 RUN ROUGH AT IDLE? (LEAN PILOT)

Does it not even idle unless you hold the throttle down? (LEAN PILOT)

Idle screw just won't get it idling fast enough? (LEAN PILOT)

Won't even start after the cam mod? (LEAN PILOT)

DOES IT (pop) ON RELEASE? (LEAN NEEDLE)

DOES IT HESITATE ON ACCELERATION? (LEAN NEEDLE)

DOES IT GET VERY HOT ON IDLE? (LEAN PILOT)

DOES IT GET HOT RUNNING? (LEAN SOMEWHERE)

DOES IT HESITATE AND POP AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE? (LEAN OR RICH AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE)

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I am here to tell you the YFZ-450 stock is the most plugged up quad I know about, and it STILL performs.
The pipe is like stuffing a shoe in the exhaust!
The airfilter works VERY WELL but keeps the airpressure difference very high, so they had to put in a skimpy pilot and a low mainjet, to even make it run while it is that plugged up.

Once you start unplugging, you are going to have to change everything.

The Pilot, the needle and the mainjet.

Or, you can just run it stock, but even THEN I would change the pilot to 55, needle to clip #5, and mainjet to 160 stock!
IF YOUR QUAD WILL NOT IDLE RIGHT, YOUR PILOT IS WRONG. TRY ANOTHER AND ADJUST THE NEEDLE OPPOSITE ONE CLIP. OTHERWISE, IT IS TRIAL AND ERROR, with a few tips from this and other web sites. FOR THE BEST AWESOME JETTING YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET,,, BUY THE [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] MAN, YOU CAN THEN STOP WORRYING AND JUST GO RIDING.

SO WHEN JETTING I WILL HAVE TO SAY......

START AT 162 mainjet in the jet kits, and slowly move up and maybe you can run a 170 like many people here with all the mods!

If you have many mods and are running good at 175 then I say BE HAPPY you are about maxxed out!

This also means if your motor is running good, then stay with 175 and adjust the needle clip a little up or down.

Remember, you are LEAN FROM THE FACTORY.

Also, why do we go up on the jets? Fuel ratios change when you change your air flow in the motor.

With the airbox lid off, negative pressure goes down and the fuel does not come from the pilot as well as it should, so you increase the jets a bit.

Simple trial and error jetting works.

Go UP and UP until you loose power!

Then back off.

You won't go up usually more than 2 or three sizes before you have to come back down. Don't be afraid of going up. Going rich wont hurt the motor.

But, I would like to add, on your motors that will be right around 175 usually if you have a pipe and airbbox or filter mod..


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THIS IS AN UPDATE ADDED ON 03-22-2003

IF you are using the JD jet kit (with blue needles and red needles) your pilots will be ONE or TWO LOWER than if you use GYTR needles (LIKE YZ450 dirtbike needle or the stock needle or NCVQ NEEDLE)! So with JD kits you probably will run 45 pilots ONLY because they do all the calculations for you and you wont have to fool with pilots. They increase the low end on their needles, BECAUSE they need to.

This site is for GYTR needles and just subtract off one pilot and one or two mainjets if you use JD jet kits. You see, JD Jetting BUILT IN THIS SECRET of changing the pilots and mains into their needle so it is easier to jet initially. You should still run a 45 pilot anyway. Our new rule of thumb is; if you use the JD kit you probably will run a 45 pilot. If you use the GYTR jet kit, you should run a 48 pilot.


To try and jet your first time, you probably should take the carburetor out so it will be easier, but you can try it while on the quad if you don't mind getting on your knees with a flashlight. Be careful and absolutely disconnect the electrical cable on the right. It DOES BREAK and CRACK from rotating the carb too much, and we just replaced ours with a 180 dollar check!!
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If you are going to remove the carburetor, you should remove the throttle cable from the carb, so it doesnt just hang there.

The boys can do either needle and jets without removing the carb, but it takes special tools (ground off hex wrench short screwdriver, rounded hex nut drivers, and a little more patience). Or you can do it with regular tools if you REALLY twist the carb (be careful)!!
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TO REMOVE THE CARB:

Remove the air box rubber hose by loosening the airbox clamp a bit then pulling off the rubber hose to the carb.

Then put your hand in the carb and lift the slide.
That will rotate the fuel cable disk so that you can lift out the fuel cable and rotate it past the attachment hole, and pop it out of there with your right hand, and it pops right out. (loosen the nuts so you CAN pull it out first).


That frees the carburetor so that you COULD just rotate the carb far enough to unscrew the top and remove the needle. But, you have to get a little grabber or tweezer to pull the needle out, if you do it this way, so, just take out the carb, then you will be able to just turn over the carb and have the needle fall out by itself.


There is an easier trick to change the mainjets while they are still in the carburetor.......

Just get a 6 volt box flashlight, set it on the left footpeg/heel guard shining upwards into the bottom of the carburetor, get on your knees, and look up into the carburetor. You will see both jets easily after you rotate the bottom of the carb toward yourself.

Those are some easy tips to change the jets while not removing the carburetor.

After you remove the carburetor a few times you will be able to try it this way and will be able to change needle or jets without removing anything first.
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You will probably not be able to jet a 450 by the book, or jet two 450's perfectly the same, because no two are the same. We have two and we found this out. We have found out, it is one fire breathing machine! The airflow is very high, and changes slightly with any modification in this motor. It IS a full racing engine.
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It derives its power (only 439 cc) from EFFICIENCY and lots of airflow.

Even changing small percentages of air flow change your jetting! Temperature, winter etc all change it. You don't have to worry about it, just KNOW about it if you want peak performance.

But I am sure this winter, when some kids get PIPES, and K&N airfilters and do not JET, some may MELT DOWN THEIR MOTORS about February-March when it gets warmer out, and the cold air won't over-cool their motors anymore.

It will be sad, all the stories of how the 450 breaks down! There may be many threads saying MY QUAD JUST STOPPED RUNNING and the electric starter wont turn over! WHATS WRONG? And we will have to tell them they just seized up their engine!

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD on jetting BEFORE christmas, and warn anyone you know that is running a pipe. Drive up to them and ask them if they jetted their quad, and what the jets are! If they are off, race them, and then tell them what you are running. Beating them makes them listen. We never discuss jetting until they have been whooped, then they listen.


If you were a newbie and didn't know, wouldn't you want others to warn you? I WOULD!
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WHAT IS WITH ALL THE JETTING FOR THE 450?

Ummmm.........
it is a race bike with lots of power.

If you want a bike you just BUY AND RIDE in death valley and pikes peak, go buy a honda 400ex. They are VERY STABLE, VERY HARDY, RUN GOOD, and put out way way less power! You don't really have to jet them, cause if you do they still will be pretty slow, so what is the difference? They are great for families and kids learning to ride and wheely.

I am still surprised at Yamahas decision to put out this FULL BORE RACE ENGINE to the general public! Didn't they know they would get lots of complaints about running poorly? Evidently not, they guessed, and guessed right, that the enormous power output would set off any complaints.! Yamaha is very wise!


So what happens we get lots of beginner newbies (LIKE MYSELF!) who have overheating, popping etc, but we are HAPPY! HAPPY! HAPPY!

So the only option we have, if you don't like the way it runs, just rejet it and improve it yourself! It is a race quad! Learn to be a racer! Learn to jet!


Yamaha put in a carb that you don't even have to remove to rejet! Now that is thoughtful! So my advice is this; learn to jet young man/woman, and you will be happier.

We went through many trials and money to learn the few little things we know, and so I put all our two teaspoons of BEGINNERS knowledge that I know on this jetting site. And I hope to update as needed. (FREE)

Our only goal is to make all 450s everywhere run perfectly, beat all other quads, and not melt down. That is not too much to ask is it? Think of all the HAPPY riders instead of SAD REBUILDING riders!

I can give you safe jetting that will run anywhere and run pretty good, but YOU will have to do it! My screwdriver doesn't reach through the computer screen!

I will, on this site, give you a GOOD PLACE TO START! SOON you will be BETTER THAN ME at JETTING YOUR QUAD! NO man can jet your quad like you can. It isn't possible. You couldn't afford someone to spend a month jetting your quad, because that is what it takes to perfect it. I am not advising you to ignore the guidelines in the Yamaha book. You may use them, and you will meet all strict lean Yamaha california requirements!(yes, you could). But I will tell you Yamaha tried REAL HARD to get the California green sticker! SO you KNOW stock jetting is junk for drags.

For the BEGINNER who wants to JET ONE TIME and FORGET ALL ABOUT this subject here is the key:

45 pilot (biggest in the gytr jet kit for the YFZ450) airscrew 2 turns out, mainjet 165 (Biggest in the Yamaha jet kit), and needle clip stock #4.
This is my advice to anyone buying a 450 right off the shelf.
If you remove the baffle and the airbox lid, then put the needle on #5 clip.

IF YOU BUY A PIPE then get a 170 mainjet, at least usually unless you are at altitude of several thousand feet..

THAT IS ALL YOU HAVE TO KNOW! Popping, crackling and a little hesitation, is not much problem. It won't hurt anything, and your tail pipe will glow RED! It is cool at night! Don't melt your pants. This won't cost you any money except a 6 dollar pilot and a 4 dollar mainjet. Order from BOB 1-800-487-3236 or from your local yamaha dealer. BOB is a yamaha dealer that believes in the cam mod and other options, and knows about jetting. If you just want to get the GYTR JET KIT you get a needle also. Put this needle on #3 clip.
Another great JET KIT is the James Dean jet kit and it has two extra racing needles like a blue needle and a red needle. Plus, you can go all through his papers and stuff and read a lot, but don't get confused. Remember, for your quad, your jetting will be unique.

Go to [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] or [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] to ask about jetting they have guides there. There are some good people there who can help in difficult cases.


The cost of the GYTR jet kit is high but it is a simple way to get appropriate jets for a stock 450 if you just want to remove baffle and air box lid and ROCK!

Once you do pipes, airfilter, and cam mod, you will be many jet sizes above that kit. For just DO IT ONCE AND FORGET IT FOREVER, and if you never plan to modify the cam timing, then the GYTR kit (yamaha stock parts kit) is fine, order it from BOB 1-800-487-3236 if your local Yamaha dealer does not have it.


Just get the GYTR kit, install the biggest pilot and mainjet and put the gytr clip on #3. You'll beat most stock 450's and some Banshees with that setup. The JD jet kit or ordering bigger jets individually from bob or your local dealer is best for top performance. Or if you get better make your own needles and jets, but that is advanced and I won't cover that here. You can also get triple rate needles from JD that go beyond what Yamaha offers, but this takes advanced jetting skills. This is for those who want to win.
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If you just buy the GYTR JET KIT, and put in the 45 pilot and the 165 mainjet, you can run that with airfilter on or off, baffle in or out, pismo, glamis and colorado

You probably won't melt your motor. It will backfire only occasionally, and you can have fun and forever forget about jetting, popping up and down hills and running pretty fast. When people ask you why its backfiring, just tell them "Cause of all the extra power!" and drive off. If they tell you YOUR RUNNING LEAN AND WILL MELT YOUR MOTOR, just tell them you already jetted and you are pretty safe.

When your ready to maximize your power, visit first [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] or [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] that is where the jetters hang out. Then start sneaking up on the jets until you run very well.
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The first change is alway a bigger mainjet, then one up on the needle clip, then a bigger mainjet again. When you think you have it right, you need to take out your spark plug and put in a new one. Check the old one and see what color the INSULATOR is. This tells you if you are jetted safely. If there is a LOT OF WHITE or chalk color on the insulator, then you are runniing too hot and too lean.

If the insulator looks BLACK and a PENCIL LEAD LIKE COLOR you are too rich and need to go down a main jet, and try again. Or drop the needle one clip position (raise the clip one notch). CHANGE ONLY ONE THING AT A TIME. IF you have the cam mod you should run pilot 48.
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NEVER go below a PILOT OF 45! for any reason.
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NEVER go below a mainjet of 165 for any reason. NEVER put your needle clip below #4 for any reason on the STOCK NEEDLE!

CLIP 4 means the fourth clip counting from the big fat end. The closest notch to the big fat end is clip # 1. This is danger zone! Clip #2 is also danger zone! And clip #3 is danger zone!
If you do any mods, clip #4 is safe for simple mods.
So is clip 5 and 6.
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Looking at the plug, you will see that a good plug is light brown.

If you have white on the insulator, you are too lean. That means your jet numbers are a little bit low, so put in one bigger one. Either go up a mainjet, or go RICHER on the needle position (Move the clip down one position). DO NOT JUST KEEP PUTTING IN BIGGER AND BIGGER MAINJETS! the rule of thumb is FIRST put in one mainjet, THEN GO UP ON THE NEEDLE TO #4 then go u 1-2 more mainjets. then go up to #5 on the needle then go up 1 mainjet, then go up to #6 then go up 1-2 mainjets. Don't just go up only on mainjets, you'll get way out of balance.

AFTER GOING UP TWO CLIPS ON THE NEEDLE YOU MUST GO UP ON THE PILOT BY ONE or you will get hesitation. IF IT WILL NOT START then go down on the pilot by one.
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The 450 Runs hot from the factory, and the spark plug is chalk white from stock jetting! (this was written in July 2003 when the bike came with needle clip on #3)! They have since read the data out here and have gone to #4 clip.You need to increse the needle and the mainjet right away. When you buy the quad, change the needle to clip #4, the pilot to 45, and the mainjet to 162 from the factory.

By going one number clip up on the needle and at least a 165 mainjet, gets it into NORMAL range! Also the pilot needs to be a 45. You can leave the 45 pilot forever until you have problems with hesitation, then increase your pilot.
When you accelerate and it hesitates, go to a 48 pilot.
With lots of mods and porting, you need a 50 pilot.
WITH THE APPROPRIATE NEEDLE, YOU NEVER HAVE TO GO OVER A 50 PILOT! If they jetted your quad with a 60 pilot, they just didn't change the needle like they should have. You dont have to go over 50 pilot.
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STOCK NEEDLE is good for simple mods. GYTR needle NCVQ is good for cam mod and hot pipes and everything you can clamp on.
For porting, the NCVP needle on clip #3 ROCKS! Those are the only three needles you will ever need unless you bore it out to a 500 or try to run alcohol.


To begin jetting, put in a 45 pilot no matter what. Move your needle to clip #4 and then start increasing mainjets.


Your airscrew/fuelscrew should start at 1.5 turns. That means turn it all the way clockwise till closed, or all the way rotated clockwise, then open 360 degrees (1 full turn ) counterclockwise, and another 1/2 turn counterclockwise. This is called opening it 1.5 turns.

AFTER YOU ARE DONE JETTING then fiddle with your airscrew/fuelscrew. The fuelscrew on the YAMAHA is a pain! You have to take off the carb to adjust it! There is a company called ZIPTYE racing that makes a little extension that replaces the airscrew! This is an awesome product. Buy one at 1-760-244-7028 and tell them DADDOG sent you. (I don't get kickbacks, nor do I even know them, but I would like to see their face when everyone starts telling them that! LOL)


NOW START INCREASING the MAINJET by one each day you ride. Ride it a while, and see how it feels and race a few quads. If you do worse, then go back and drop the mainjet by one. YOU ARE CHECKING THE TOP END ONLY when you do this. WHEN YOU GO YOUR FASTEST, you have the mainjet right, and that is where you sit till you buy some more mods. You need to rejet and test and redo this when you buy another mod, and each time you can get more power. AND MORE SPEED!


IF YOU SEE BLACK on the tail pipe, you have to go back down a jet size (like from 170 to 168 main jet).

There will be ONE JET COMBINATION that makes you HAUL like a SCALDED DOG! Your job is to find it, it exists!

NEVER GO UNDER 160 mainjet and you probably will never need to go over 180 mainjet. In fact, you should be right around 165-170 on the mainjet give or take 5. These are the ones I would buy: 168,170,172,175,178 mainjets. Thats like 25 dollars.
To go cheaper, go 165,170,175,180 and get in the ballpark for 15 bucks.


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BEFORE you race a 450, ask them what their jet sizes are and you will be able to tell pretty well, if they will be faster than you. Also look at their tailpipe. If black soot is hanging out, they say they jetted 185, and they are smoking, you can beat them!

A properly jetted quad will rev QUICK! If they rev REAL FAST and QUICK they got it jetted right! Watch out! A quad jetted well does not pop pop popple on deceleration.
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When you go to another area you will rejet if you want to run the best, or you may just ignore jetting and have fun popping and backfiring occasionally, and having a great time.
As long as you are above a 165 main and clip #4 stock needle you shouldn't meltdown.


HAVE FUN RIDING AND RUN FAST!!!





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JETTING VIDEOS


All the videos are step by step.

This is as easy as it gets. Step by step on how to remove the carburetor and EVERYTHING! Then view the videos showing you how to put it all back!

Reader, if I teach you nothing better than to jet right, that will be the greatest improvement to performance you can learn! Every modification needs jetting to perfection or you are wasting potential power.

Teaching you how to properly jet a YFZ-450 is like teaching an eskimo how to fish. It is the key to every other thing that will come after. Do not be afraid any more of trying to jet, that you can't do it , or that you are going to ruin something. Follow instructions and you won't ruin anythig.

You should not ruin anything if you follow these videos! Jetting is a necessary skill for the new quad owner! Please, it is number one. Our happiest letters were always: "I beat EVERYONE at my track, and it cost me 12 dollars!" Letters like that make it all worth while.

Video #1 teaches you how to remove the carburetor safely without breaking anything, to get ready to jet correctly.

Video #2 shows you how to jet a carburetor, open the top, remove the needle, change the clip, put back needle and close the top without breaking anything.

Video #3 shows how to open the bottom safely, remove the main jet, replace the main-jet, remove the pilot, replace the pilot, and close the bottom.

Video #4 shows you how to safely and easily replace the carburetor and get the quad ready to run.

Video #5 Shows you how to jet the fast fast dog way