Rebel 450 Pod Filter Install

**mtliu** · 09-22-2009, 01:52 AM

I ordered a pair of 54mm cone filters off of ebay about $20 a pair. They drop right in after ripping out the Rebel's airbox and recycle exhaust thingy.

After doing that - it ran WAY TOO LEAN. It was awful, gasping for gasoline - gasp gasp. . .

My previous experience with bikes told me to get some larger main jets. It turns out the Rebel 450 uses the same jets from my Lifan 200 (a chinese Honda knockoff). They are type Keihin 99101-393.

I ordered 125, 130, and 135 jets - they are about $3 a pair (shipping was more than all 6 jets). My thought was to put in the 130 and then switch up or down depending on what the results were.

I also got some washers to shim up the needle. I expected the pilot screws to be locked in place as all Hondas are - but to my surprise, they were not which leads me to believe that the previous owner already messed with them and installed new pilot screws.

I also found out that the exhaust has been drilled through the first baffle.

Anyways, to make a long story not so long, the 130 jets made things improve but was still a little too lean - especially at 6th gear.

I switched to 135 jets and there it was - 6th gear at 5000 rpm is 75 mph cruising on the highway.

Just as I experienced on my previous bike, the Honda airbox was mondo restrictive - it was not letting the engine rev above 6500rpm. The cone/pod filters removed this restriction and let the engine really let loose.

It turns out that the way it was set up wasn't allowing the bike to use its powerband of 6-8000rpm.

Now it can breath and it really cooks!

**trimgod_666** · 09-22-2009, 11:20 PM

cool man that saves me the trouble of trying that out myself! Thanks

**Henryinva** · 09-23-2009, 03:22 PM

Did ya end up shimming the needle, or just going to 135's?

**mtliu** · 09-23-2009, 05:40 PM

I shimmed the needle up with 2 tiny washers (each). Anymore than that and the needle retainer won't seat and I didn't want to file anything down.

The main jets are 135 and it is still a little lean, just like it comes stock. I might mess with larger jets down the road or a bigger pilot get - but for the time being it is okay.

It has also changed the nature of the vibration - it used to numb my hands after an hour or so (not as bad as my 200cc single though), but the frequency seems to have changed, so it vibrates just as instensely, but it no longer numbs my hands at all.

The mirrors shake at idle too when before they didn't - I'll fix this in another thread up the road. I can now highway ride for at least an hour without tingling in my forearms or numbing of my fingers.

**KnoXouT** · 09-10-2010, 05:12 PM

Old thread but what do you do with the hoses that all lead to the puke jug attached to the bottom of the air-box?

**BlueSteel** · 11-29-2010, 09:01 PM

You said you used "tiny" washers, mtliu...can you be a little more specific?

**Guba** · 11-30-2010, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueSteel

You said you used "tiny" washers, mtliu...can you be a little more specific?

mtliu hasen't been here since a year ago. You could send him a PM and it should trigger his email alert.

**BlueSteel** · 11-30-2010, 10:18 AM

Thanks for the tip! I'll try that.

**mtliu** · 08-13-2011, 08:16 PM

One of my pod filters crapped out today and I decided to check back - sorry for my absence guys. The shims are to move the needle up in the carb. Some bikes have a carb needle that can be moved up or down - the 450 does not, it can only be moved up with washers - and it was never meant to do that. If I remember correctly (I can't believe 2 years has gone by), I took the needle to the local hardware store (our ma and pa store is HUGE and has every single piece of hardware I could ever want) until I found one that fit. After I brought it home, I found that the adjustment was limited to 2 washers or else it wouldn't work. The washers just take up space and move the bottom of the needle upwards from its previous resting position.

The puke tube is still there and its just leading to to a clip that positions it about 8 inches pointing to the ground - much like the battery's vent tube is. Bikes used to be like this way back in the day.

**hyperioncmdr** · 08-25-2011, 04:20 PM

mt,

With one dying on you and the work to get it running smoothly, would you recommend the switch to pods on the 450?

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