I went to Pro Shop, in Stanton, Ca. yesterday afternoon and spoke with owner John Berg for over an hour.
Fortunately for me, He was done working for the day, and was just hanging around the shop, waiting for a customers RAZR to get dropped off, so we had all the time in the world to just shoot the breeze.
He seems like a straight honest guy.
I got a very good impression from him, as being a quite knowledgeable and experienced.
(and I also liked his personality too).
My quad will be visiting him in the next few days, and I'm quite confident that good things will happen.
I / We, are going to do something a little out of the usual with my dyno runs.
We are going to be doing a couple of runs with the stock OEM carb, check and adjust for premium jetting/performance, to get it all dialed in to my aftermarket exhaust/intake/ etc.,...
and running / recording all the graphs.
Then I am going to swap out that carb, with a modified 450r carb, (a popular upgrade for many 400EX riders), and we are going to do some runs, jet, tune, etc,.. to get IT, all dialed in.
At THAT point,
We are going to compare all the parameters, graphs, and results.
This is to determine,
IF,... in fact ,...the 450r carb on a 400EX, is a WORTHWHILE modification, with Justifiable, MEASUREABLE, and Verifiable, Performance improvements,...
OR,...
If it is all just hype, or Insignificant gains,
(or for that matter, ... overkill).
Alot of guys have done this mod to their 400EX's, and most claim it to be the best thing since sliced bread.
(and if it proves out to be that,... then GREAT!)
BUT,...
Of the few guys who have documented dyno runs,
It seems that they have ONLY done their runs AFTER the installation of the 450r carb. (never before, and/or BOTH).
I have not seen anybody show definative proof,
(maybe it's there, and I just haven't seen it),
With documented dyno runs,...
That the 450r carb puts out any SIGNIFICANT gains, compared to a properly jetted and tuned OEM 400EX carb,
(again,... with documented dyno runs)
This will be a "Apples to Apples" comparison, of the two different carbs,
on the same quad,
on the same dyno,
on the same day,
with the same mods.
As opposed to,
a "Apples to Oranges" CLAIM,
of one carb on one quad, ...
and the other carb on a different quad,...
with different mods, at different elevations,
with different air temps, humidity levels, fuels, etc.
Hopefully, this will be a, Proof is in the Pudding, "Shootout"...
to either Verify or Dispell,...
The notions, Reguarding how much of an improvement,
the 450r carb gives to the performance envelope,
of a modified 400EX.
The only thing I can think of, that would make this even a better, and MORE fun test,...
would be if I was to start off with my bone stock exhaust, intake, filter, airbox, and do a few runs with it in stock form, FIRST.
But Alas,...
I can only afford to buy enough dyno time,
to do the straight Carb to Carb comparisons.
(heck, I really cant AFFORD to do THAT).
This should be fun,
and I look forward to working with John.
Any suggestions that you may have,
to better this test ,
are welcomed.