Compared to running with the snorkel - If you run without the snorkel, you can make more power everywhere, all the time.

Compared to running without the snorkel - If you run without the lid, you can make more power, certainly in the upper RPM ranges, all the time..

Whoever told you that the snorkel is needed for airflow at highway speeds is an idiot. There is no "ram air with snorkel at highway speeds" - there is only a large loss of power from forcing the engine to suck through it..

 

Also, you are saying "rich" and "lean" - you are, I think, actually meaning "too rich" and "too lean".. Regardless, neither is acceptable - The objective is an air/fuel ratio (AFR) for best power production without overfueling.

 

You'll get tremendously more airflow through-out the rpm range at all speeds with out the lid.

Some people are under the impression that the forward facing snorkel acts as a ram-jet of sorts. I can assure you that it has next to no effect at all - save for going 300kph perhaps.

Lid VS no lid, and Snorkel vs no snorkel is simply a preference for noise vs power.

Running without the lid (or even snorkel) will make the bike run lean. That's why Dynojet says to use the stage 2 (which is just the 128 jet) when you remove the snorkel.

Dynojet never tested the bike without the airbox lid off, so they won't advise what jets to use for that. If you follow their instructions you should be good to go (at or near sea level). You'd only really need to compensate for the altitude past 2000+ feet ASL I'd wager - even then it would be minor.

The meat and potatoes of tuning comes in when you're well outside the factory specs of the bike - MCM, lid off, Slip on, and maybe a header. Klxster went a long way to standardizing the set up and finding what was optimal at his altitude.

The problems Snowdrifter and I had are extremely rare. AFAIK, we're the only one's so far that have had it.

I noticed this:
I just want to point out that on the CVK, you only have 3 points of adjustability. 1) the main jet. It can only be changed out for a different size. There is no screwing it in or out. 2) the Pilot Jet, This also needs to be removed and replaced with a different size, but you CAN adjust it with the fuel screw on the engine side of the carb (once you drill out the cap) 3) The needle clip position. There's 5 notches on the adjustable needles. Moving the clip up sits the needle further down towards the main jet and causes the bike to run leaner (exposes less fuel + air mixture). Move the clip down raises the needle and makes things richer.

The float doesn't often need adjusting and only needs to be within a certain spec under all applications or "tunes".

This picture outlines the behavior of these three adjustable mechanisms and at which point they begin to come into play:

http://www.suzukicentral.com/forums/...guide-carb.jpg

The CVK is vacuum operated so it's more an approximation. I find that on the CVK it's better to compare the fueling curves with RPM in a given gear than throttle position. For instance, the pilot circuit is has a significant impact up to about 3000 rpm. from 3000 to 6500 the needle is where your adjustment will take place. From 7500 - redline is almost exclusively the main jet. All these components work together through the entire range, but each one will have more impact at specific spots and should be the focus of tuning.

Here's a helpful video:

 

Hey, PWJM.. Notice there is no pilot system transition ports at all in that video.. lol.. It shows 1/8th or 1/4th throttle as being fueled solely with the idle port downstream from the fuel screw and the needle.. lol.. Oh well.. it's still helpful...

 

Are you assuming the snorkel and airbox lid contribute to better air flow? As far as I know there is no forced air flow under that seat. You can't get more air flow than lid off. The only drawback is possibly more noise from the intake.

 

Don't forget about at least three other means of 'tuning' the CVK:

1. the slide spring (different spring rates will affect how easily the slide moves)
2. float level
3. different needles (different tapers and diameters at specific points on the needle)

I've also heard of people drilling the holes on the slide, and drilling out the main air jet.

 

Slid springs don't really make much difference or allow for much "tuning" in my experience - based on switching between the DJ and stock one.

Float level does nothing for performance tuning. it's in spec or it's not. Adjustment range is within 3 mm and it's more of a "working or not" kind of thing.

Different needles is an adjustment of sorts, but there's only 2 aftermarket options and they are almost identical according to the measurements we recently took. N1TC needle being every so slightly more lean.

Drilling the slide should never be performed IMO. The reason for the softer spring in the dynojet kit is to remove the need to drill the slide. To add to this, I've played with the slide hole size on my bike as well as the springs and it had next to no effect during WOT runs. I believe it was originally intended to be a throttle response mod and that may be true, but again, it's not something you really "tune" or adjust on an as-needed basis.

 

It's too bad that folks read crap about drilling stuff on their carb.. The end result of weeks (months if you're a dummy like me..) of researching in order to understand the CVK, is that you know to never drill anything - except to remove the cover over the fuel screw..

 

Alright, first off I want to thank you all for the input. Great information that I've learned from, and will further digest tomorrow when I have all day to play around. I got around to the carb today, and just my luck I couldn't get the stupid thing out of the bike. Tank, seat, fairings all came off, but I just can't figure out how to maneuver the bulky thing to get it away from the bike so I can take it apart. Took plenty of pictures so I know how things go back together, and I might see about uploading them later.

I think I've decided on running without the lid, but we'll see how bad the noise is first. Not that noise really bothers me, almost anything is better than how it sounded stock. I know there won't be any ram air effect with that snorkel, it's just too small for anything like that. Does it come apart at the lid, or is it all one big molded piece that I'll have to break to get through the lid?

Pwjm you get +2 hero points for that video. I had to watch it a couple times to read it all because it scanned through so quickly, but it was a tremendous help for me in my search for understanding.

I don't plan on drilling anything on my carb after what I've heard from Klxster, except for the cover over the fuel screw wherever that is.

 

Yep, its a snug fit but they do separate. It's just friction fit.

For getting the carb out, you want to undue the throttle cables first (or the plate that holds the cables to the carb). Loosen the spigot clamps (metal bands on the rubber boots) The carb should now twist left and right really easily.

What I usually do it push the carb all the way towards the engine. Then I can push the airbox side boot out of the way (down towards the exhaust). Rotate the carb 90 degrees and pull it straight out the top.

I'm just remembering that I also have my smog stuff removed, so that helps a bit. It's still more or less the same though. You kind of have to man handle it.