By Tom "991medic1" Myhre
Items I used:
- DAJ kit #DJ-107 (OR DJ-107A, see below) [Pic--Dial-A-Jet.jpg]
- Helm service manual
- 3/8" drive ratchet
- 6-inch 3/8" drive extension
- 8mm socket
- 10mm socket
- 12mm socket
- 3/8" drive torque wrench
- Long Philips screwdriver
- Standard screwdriver
- Sharpie pen
- Scissors/snips (to cut tubing)
- Pliers (to compress hose clamps)
- Rags
- Drill*
- 1/8" drill bit*
- Hammer*
- Razor blade*
- 3 feet of 1/4" i.d. fuel line*
- DAJ snorkel kit (two required)*
- Plastic zip-ties*
- LOTS of patience!!!!
(NOTE: items marked with a * are optional, required only if you
install just as I did.)
I also installed a K&N air filter (#HA-1187) at the time of DAJ
installation. The DAJ requires a lean condition to function
properly, and although I was probably already running slightly
lean, I decided to add this anyway.
I purchased DAJ kit #DJ-107 from
Wing-Things. The
DAJ website lists the kit number as DJ-107A for our bikes. I
researched this a bit and found two separate threads on the Delphi
forums regarding this discrepancy:
The DJ-107 worked fine for me. If you have any questions, by
all accounts Lonn at Thunder Products is an excellent source of
info. Everything I've read about interaction with him is positive;
he is apparently more than willing to take the time to answer any
questions.
The DJ-107 kit comes with the following items: Installation and
Tuning manual, DAJ information sheet, Thunder Products Performance
sticker (woo-hoo!), a ~28" length of blue/green fuel tubing, two
(left and right) DAJ bodies with brass fuel delivery tubes, two
zip-ties for mounting (which I didn't use), a cutting tool, two
screws for attaching the DAJ bodies to the zip-ties (or existing
metal clamps, as I did), and two float bowl drain adapters. The
instructions are not bike-specific (although they do have special
notes for installing on a Ninja 1000R, GSXR 750/1100, and V-Max).
Some of the information seems geared toward snowmobiles, which is
not surprising, since they sell a lot of snowmobile kits, too.
Three websites you may want to visit before attempting
installation:
http://www.sa750.com/daj/daj.htm
Small page, but good justification for mounting to the metal
clamps instead of using the zip-ties. This installation was on a
750 ACE.
http://home.attbi.com/~ubu/Spirit_World/projects-done/daj/index.htm
Installation of DAJ and Snorkel kit on a Spirit 1100.
http://home.insightbb.com/~kpmh1/Z-DAJ-Install.htm
Installation on a Spirit (I think it's an 1100).
Many thanks to the creators of these sites, they were most
helpful.
INSTALLATION:
NOTE: I decided to mount the DAJ bodies to the metal band clamps
which hold the air connecting tube to the carbs, instead of using
the supplied plastic zip-ties. I went this way for two reasons:
#1--for a more secure mounting, and #2--so the end of the brass
fuel delivery tube would be in the center of the air connecting
tubes which feed into the carbs (if you mount them to the wall of
the tube with the zip ties, the ends of the brass fuel delivery
tubes go past the center of the air tubes). I haven't heard of
anyone having poor performance because they mounted it with the
supplied zip ties. It just seemed to make sense to me that the
ends of the delivery tubes should be in the center of the air
tubes and as close to the carbs as possible, considering they work
(at least partially) off of vacuum and air flow/velocity.
Step 1: Remove the seat (10mm/12mm sockets, if you have a stock
seat) and gas tank (8mm/12mm sockets and two fuel tubes). I turned
off the fuel valve and ran the bike for a minute to empty fuel
from the fuel line, so it wouldn't spill all over when I
disconnected it. Carefully place these aside, somewhere out of the
way (especially the tank).
Step 2: Remove the crankcase breather storage tank--the white
plastic tank just above the carbs--(10mm socket, two breather
tubes) and set aside. Now you have clear access to the air
connecting tube you're going to mount the DAJ bodies to.
Step 3: Carefully remove the brass fuel delivery tubes from the
DAJ bodies (standard screwdriver). Remember, the DAJ bodies are
plastic, so be careful. Set the fuel delivery tubes aside. There
is a 'left' and a 'right' DAJ body. What this means is the nipple
for attaching the fuel line protrudes from either the left or
right side, so they are not identical. Find a place on the metal
band where there's room for the DAJ body to mount and be at the
correct angle. The nipple must be angled up at ~45 degrees from
level to prevent siphoning (see Fig. 6 on p. 8 of the DAJ
installation instructions). If you're installing the Snorkel kits,
leave room for them as well. This was a time-consuming step for
me. Make sure the crankcase breather storage tank will still fit
back in its place, if you mount a DAJ body below it (as I did).
Think about your hose routing as well. Once you think you know
where you want them, make a mark on the metal bands with a black
Sharpie pen about where the hole for the mounting screw will go.
Step 4: Loosen the three metal band clamps (long Philips
screwdriver) holding the air connecting tube to the carbs/frame.
The air connecting tube can be disassembled into two pieces (via a
4th metal band clamp); I left it as one. Remove it from the bike.
Make sure no debris gets in the open carbs. Remove the two bands
you marked with the Sharpie. They bend easily, so be careful. Note
they have tabs that fit in to recessed areas on the connecting
tube, so they must go back in one way. You may want to do one at a
time to keep from getting them mixed up (I don't know if they're
identical or not).
Step 5: Drill holes in the metal bands (drill, 1/8" drill bit)
for the mounting screws at the positions you marked. I used a
vise-grip to clamp the band to a chunk of 2 X 4 for this. Don't
worry if the bands get a little deformed, you can carefully bend
them back. You will also need to flatten the raised edge of the
metal bands in the area where the DAJ bodies will mount. I used a
hammer to pound them flat; only the width of the DAJ body needs to
be flattened. Use the supplied screws to mount the DAJ bodies to
the bands, making sure to mount the correct body to the correct
band (they're not the same, remember?). Place the metal bands back
on the connecting tube, and note where the DAJ bodies meet the
rubber. Remove the bands again, and use a razor blade to remove
some of the raised rubber so the DAJ bodies will rest flush
against the rubber when mounted. Replace the bands/DAJ bodies onto
the rubber tube again, and make sure they're positioned as you
planned.
Step 6: Place the sharp end of the supplied cutting tool
through the hole in the DAJ body where the brass fuel delivery
tube will go. Make sure it is perpendicular to the rubber tube,
and cut a hole in the tube with a twisting/pressure motion. The
rubber is tougher than I thought it would be (or the tool wasn't
as sharp as it could be), so this took a little while. I wore a
glove on my hand to protect it from the blunt end of the cutting
tool. Once you penetrate the rubber, remove the little rubber plug
from the cutting tool end and repeat this for the other DAJ body.
Step 7: Replace the brass fuel delivery tubes (standard
screwdriver). Do not overtighten!! When done, the installed DAJ
bodies should resemble the positions pictured on the ACE 750
installation website (http://www.sa750.com/daj/750jets1.jpg
and
http://www.sa750.com/daj/750jets2.jpg), although the rubber
tube is different on the ACE. (I didn't take any pictures of the
installed DAJ bodies with the rubber tube off the Sabre.) You can
see that mounting them this way places the DAJ bodies securely and
the ends of the fuel delivery tubes are in the center of the air
tubes, right outside the carbs.
Step 8: Before replacing the air connecting tube, you may want
to set your DAJ to their initial settings while you have clear
access to them. Since I'm running aftermarket pipes and a K&N
filter, I went one setting rich of the center position. You have
to loosen the brass fuel delivery tube one turn before rotating
the dial, as it acts as a lockdown screw. Make sure the small
plastic tab (called a "ratchet spur" in the instructions) at the
bottom of the dial is engaged into it's notch before tightening
the screw down again. Mine didn't 'click' into place, I just had
to eyeball it and make sure it was in there.
Step 9: Replace the air connecting tube, and make sure the
metal band clamps are securely tightened. The whole assembly
should be firmly mounted. Are the DAJ bodies angled properly?
Step 10: Remove the float bowl drain screws (standard
screwdriver). Be prepared with a rag, as fuel will run out. Insert
the supplied adapters (you can fit a socket onto them, I forget
the size) and gently tighten--do not over tighten!!
Step 11: This was another time-consuming step. Determine
how/where you're going to run your fuel lines. Make sure you
follow the instructions regarding making an "anti-siphon loop."
Once you've determined how you're going to run it, cut the
supplied fuel tube to the proper length (scissors/snips). You want
the shortest run possible, while still complying with the
anti-siphon requirements. Also, if you plan to cover your plastic
fuel line with a rubber one to protect it (1/4" i.d. fuel line),
allow some extra length, as you will not be able to bend the
tubing as tightly as you can without the cover. Cut the rubber
fuel line to length and run the plastic fuel line inside it. Leave
some length of plastic fuel line exposed, so it's easier to push
it onto the nipples. Push the plastic fuel line onto the float
bowl drain adapters and the DAJ bodies, running the line between
them like you planned. Make sure there are no kinks near the
nipples or elsewhere. I made sure the plastic fuel line was
covered with the rubber line closer to the engine, leaving some
exposed near the DAJ bodies.
Step 12: Attach the Snorkel kits, and run their tubing/filters
to the desired location. Secure the tubing with zip-ties. (My
Snorkel kits have not yet arrived, so I have yet to do this step.)
Step 13: Replace the crankcase breather storage tank (10mm
socket/two breather tubes). Replace the fuel tank (8mm/12mm
socket, two fuel tubes), and torque bolts to specs (front fuel
tank bolt: 12 N-m/1.2 kgf-m/9 lb-ft; rear fuel tank bolt: 26
N-m/2.7 kgf-m/20 lb-ft). Replace seat (10mm/12mm sockets, for
stock seat).
Step 14: Turn fuel valve back to "On" position, start her up,
and go for a test ride.
Step 15: Smile at the improved performance! Repeat.
Here
are some pics of the completed DAJ installation on my Sabre:
You
can see I mounted the left DAJ on the air tube below the
crankcase breather storage tank. The nipple is angled at ~45
degrees from level, and the blue/green fuel tube is mostly
covered by the rubber fuel line. You can also see a white
zip-tie on the right air tube. This is holding the other fuel
tube at the correct angle (without it, the right side fuel line
would kink, see next pic).
In
this pic you can see how much of the blue/green fuel line I left
exposed. This is because with the rubber line installed, it
couldn't make the turn to the DAJ body. You can see the white
zip-tie again.
Here
you can see the fuel line (rubber tubing with white lettering,
between the cylinders), and how I have it run from the right
float bowl drain adapter to the DAJ body.
Here's
how the left side is run.
To be honest with you, I don't know if I completely buy into
the whole "acoustical wave/reversionary pulse" side of the DAJ
functioning. However, skeptical as I was, the darn thing works. I
have Cobra Deluxe Slashcut pipes, and before that I had stock
pipes I had performed the hole saw "bafflectomy" on. With both
sets of pipes, I had off-idle loss of power and flat spots in the
powerband compared to stock. Was running stock jetting and filter.
Now, the bike pulls strongly through the powerband past 100 mph.
The off-idle hesitation is still there, but much less pronounced.
I think a #45 slow jet might help that, if I ever decide I want to
tear into my carbs.
I'm sure it's not the arm-pulling power you can get from
rejetting, but it is a noticeable improvement. Much smoother. As
far as mileage goes, I used to get quite consistently 142 miles
per tank before switching to reserve. Didn't seem to matter
whether I had my 21" Memphis fats on or not, I could just about
count on the bike starting to cough at 142. Finished my first tank
with the DAJ, and got 140 miles before switching to reserve (came
to just over 42 mpg), and I wasn't exactly riding conservatively
(couldn't help it!!). Had a couple of 100+ mph "test runs" on that
tank, and a fair amount of throttle "blipping". So, while DAJ's
claims of improved mileage haven't come true, it certainly didn't
decrease noticeably either. If I ride more conservatively, I can
probably improve those numbers (but what fun is that?).
One last thing, DAJ states this about reading your plugs: "When
Dial-A-Jet is installed and properly tuned, the spark plugs will
be a very light color due to combustion efficiency. Remember, it
is unburned fuel that colors the plugs." Included in the
installation instructions is a guide to reading plugs, and other
information regarding tuning the DAJ properly.
Time will tell, but all in all, I am happy with this product at
this point. If you have any questions or require further
clarification, e-mail me at
tmyhre29@hotmail.com.
Good luck!
