Okay,
So I definitely need the new carbs;
After calling a store and being talked to like a was a complete retard for mentioning solenoids on my carbs (apparently they don't exist and all ZX series bikes have the same carbs..... silly me, how did I not know?)
I called a dealer and asked for someone smart, who actually knows things about carbs. And because they seem to have this magical computer of knowledge about hidden parts no one else can find.

Since the bike was a CA model, my carbs are the CA spec, which has solenoids as an additional gas/air flow regulator to be *extra* eco-friendly. I can rig them to be in a constant OFF or constant ON state- right now they're completely shut off... that explains the awful running even after warm-up..

I completely had no idea californians were such A-holes that they were require such in depth regulated differences. wth...
The jettings are bassackwards, and the pilot jet is a different shape. yay me.
Satan's beloved state; Cali: 12.5, 140
Standard: 35, ? (smaller than 140, I think he said 75)

So... new Carbs it is.

 

ok, so i think you said that you are using you "old" carbs?? i must have missed that detail before, but after a second read i remembered this. when i bought the 2001 engine for my bike, it had a set of carbs on it. however, i didn't buy the carbs that were on it due to some extra wiring on them. (thinking it may have been a "california model" like yours) anyway, i went ahead and used my "older 1997" carb-set too. after getting engine in the frame and everything connected- i gave it a crank. now, because the ignition differences it wouldn't so much as "cough". so, once i had that problem "fixed" i tried again. this timeit coughed a bit and fired up but just wouldn't quite run right. like it was sucking air or something. after further inspection, and this is the part i had forgotten about, i noticed that the 2001 intakes are actually shorter than the 1997 intakes. by something like 1/2'' !!! where that might seem to be beneficial as far as performance and other things go- this won't work at all with the 1997 frame. this is why: the older frame has the coils mounted inside the frame right up under the tank right ? the shorter manifolds were causing the carbs to hit the "coil mounts" (for lack of proper terminology) so the carbs wouldn't fully "seat" into the intake manifold. this was causing a major air-leak on every cylinder!! once i replaced the manifolds with my "older 1997" manifolds- carbs fit snug into the intakes and didn't hit the coils. i then gave her a crank and she right up, and ran quite smooth actually. i know she's not jetted quite right, but considering all that- she does run very,very well. as far as my tail lights, turn signals and such- mine all work flawlessly. i really haven't had a single other problem with the bike. so, maybe give a look there a little closer. that might be your miss.

 

It came with it's original intake boots- I couldn't get them off the engine (and neither could the salvage yard apparently) to use my old ones since they were nicer, so I had to leave them on...

Okay so I measured them, and the '00 manifold boots are exactly 1" in length, the 99's boots are 1 1/2"
so... it's got the right boots on. My carbs should be here today or tomorrow- I'll post when I put them on and see if that did anything
Prayin' for a lot.. not expectin' much

 

I am SO freakin excited I am about to pee my pants

New carbs came in, and new gauge cluster-
She purrs like a kitten!

Had a problem in the beginning, the carbs didnt want to fit into the boots, so I had to take a heat lamp and set it out for a few hours and then take a mallet to the back end to help wedge it into the manifold (actually I had to do this a couple times...)
so much for those metal "securing" binders on those things... I'm never taking that carb off again..if i even could

Gauges work flawlessly and look nicer too
The only problem is the changed the mounting studs spacing- so I have to drill a new hole just above the bottom stud-hole on the bracket for it to fit.

Rear Blinkers both work now when hooked up, but the headlight and front blinkers still dont...
However the gauge cluster DOES register the front blinkers as working and blinking, but they aren't currently functioning even when hooked up since they're tied into the headlight wiring...

It doesn't register the high beam icon as even being "on" when I switch it from low- not sure if thats from the light itself not being attached through the wiring right now or if it's a new problem...

 

ok, so i had to re-join under my email address because i had forgotten my password and when trying to recover it.... email address to send to isnt recognized. so this is "prohiway" or should i say the old "prohiway" and i DO have some finished pics of that zx6r. ill post them now, on a side note i went out and bought myself a 96 zx9r (the girlfriend wasnt real happy) and that build is just started. also started and finished a pocketbike while ive been away. seems to have come out nice. thoughts, comments always welcome...

 

i have pics of the finished bike in my photo album here.

 

What did you do to the cbi rotor part to make it work am having the same issue