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Colortuning for 1st time -- any experience out there?

Gregory

Gregory

Forum Mentor
Past Site Supporter
This is my friends 821100e that I am trying to get running properly. I set the valves then now am trying to do some tuning of the carbs with the colortune. His bike was running hot so I thought it may be a lean condition.

Anyway.. I cannot find a yellow flame no matter how far I turn it out. But with the adjustment bolt turned out I get these backfires that make it sound like it is out of time.

[video]http://vid629.photobucket.com/albums/uu19/gbillingsly/SUZUKI%20Motorcycle%20Album/TechHelp%20%201982%20GS1100e/colortunenoyellow.mp4[/video]

When I turn the adjuster in ALL THE WAY IN it doesn't backfire but also burns a blue white flame.

[video]http://vid629.photobucket.com/albums/uu19/gbillingsly/SUZUKI%20Motorcycle%20Album/TechHelp%20%201982%20GS1100e/colortuneallthewayin.mp4[/video]
 
For what it's worth, My colourtune is useless on CV carbs. It could be operator error on my part so I'll subscribe to this thread.
 
When its popping put your hand on top of the carbs and youll feel what cylinder it is..it will shake as its popping in the cylinder. And by adjuster we are to assume you mean the mixture screws?? CVs are rather touchy. If your getting that flashing white blue looking flame and its popping that means that cylinder is too lean. Turn the mixture screw out about 1/8 turns at a time till the popping goes away. Thing with CVs is that there isnt an independent air screw. So your stuck with using the highest idle method For final tuning. Someone here posted a thread about using a colortune and CV carbs once. Cant remember who it was though. And get the camera shots a little more straight on to the window and a little longer film time..was hard to see with all the shaking going on.

Are you certain the rubber plugs on the pilot jets are 100% sealing? Thats where there is gonna be an effect on the fuel air mixture if there is a leak, be sure the front air jets and the air passages are super clean as well. be sure all the air jets are the same size too..yes POs swap and do the mix and match a lot. Basically if you want to richen the mixture you go up in the pilot jets for anything around 2500RPMs or lower and up with the mains for anything over 2500RPMs.

And you should be doing the colortune with the RPMs set at about 2000.
 
Colortune is usefull on a CV carbed bike as far as showing hgow its burning and then again after jets are changed. They also do change color just a tad if your going in. Ultimately the highest idle method is the most reliable way to HEAR each cylinder changing as you turn the mixture screws.
 
Ok thanks Chuck. To be honest I cant really tell much difference in color no matter what I do. The mixture bolts don't even turn that many revolutions out or in before stopping (and I don't want to force them any).

This bike is kicking my ass and am regretting telling him I would handle getting it going...what a chore. I guess I may have to take his carbs off and do everything from scratch although I really didn't want to invest that much time effort and frustrations on his bike.
 
I would also think smaller air jets in the front would richen the mixtures as well. Althouh I havent remedied this way it seems plausable...anyone have comments???
 
So nothing has been refreshed in these carbs and your trying to tune them?? Its an impossibility without knowing all the orings are perfect, the pilot jets rubber plugs are perfectly sealing, and that the carb bodies themselves are dipped and clean inside. You dont know how clogged one passage is as compared to the carb right next to it, etc etc. See what I mean ??
 
I am curious what the state of the original intake is in. I'm not a purist however should there be a need to adjust the airscrews if the bike is in original form? I'll go with chuck on the state of the oring on the jets and add the old wd40 on the intake boots for air leaks. Personally for the little trouble it is - even with the stock airbox I'd be pulling them setting them to spec and bench synching them before reinstalling. When the diaphragms packed it in I was really scratching my head.

woah, Chuck when did you get to Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain..? Last I recall it was Texas
 
Last edited:
Well it wasnt running bad before, just hot. I have changed his sprockets and chain out, fixed the brakes, tightened and repaired the clutch lug issues, and just didn't want to dig into the carbs. For one he has no money left from he gave me for parts and I am doing this free gratis...so yes I do know that the proper way is to dig into all of it but did not want to.

the reason the mixture screws weren't turning good was because even though I drilled them out, a small amount of the metal ring got left inside. I have all of them woreking now except for number 2, and it is damn near stripped now. so yes it looks like the worse case scenario is coming true. no good deed goes unpunished.
 
Drilled out???? What ...the caps over the mixture screws?? Just "how" did you drill them out? To remove the caps, you drill a very small hole in the center and be carefull not to slam the bit into the screws below. then you screw in a drywall screw and yank the caps off. if youn used a big bit and simply drilled the entire top open you probably ruined the threads...and your jammed up now.
 
And on carbs that your taking the caps off for the FIRST TIME since they were added at the factory..you seat each screw and write down each carbs setting...then set each carb back to the same setting once your done cleaning.
 
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