Looking to have my carbs rebuilt

[GooberPea]

Hey I was in your shoes this time last year. I was really intimidated by doing the carbs myself, and I had twice as many :-)

Any ONE step in that rebuild tutorial is easily doable and not so intimidating. It makes a lot more sense when you have a carb in your hand and a picture to compare it to. Don't let the fact that there are a zillion steps freak you out. Just do 1 carb at a time, 1 step at a time. Lay all the parts out nicely in order as you remove them.

Get the kit from cycle orings as suggested and an impact driver as suggested. I didn't even really know what an impact driver was. I just went to Sears and asked. Again, it makes sense when you have it in your hand and see how it works.

At least give it a try before you ship it off to someone. You can ship the pieces just as easily as the whole thing. And if you do it yourself, you'll really feel like you can tackle anything when you are done. You can do it. We are all here to help.

Just my 2 cents. Have faith!

[oldgsfan]

Ed, you mention having the right tools and that's what scares me.

I don't have a manometer so I've got no way to vaccuum sync the carbs once I'm done.

It looks like all I need is a feeler gauge (or, apparently, even a paper clip) in order to bench sync them, but some of the posts I've read on this site seem to suggest that a bench sync is not a substitute for vaccuum syncing the carbs..

So, am I out of luck? I was laid off two months ago and not really wanting to spend $100 bucks on a manometer unless I really have to.

And I don't know anyone locally who has one I can borrow.. unless there's someone on this forum in the Seattle, Wash. area who'd be willing to help.

Also, in reading the tutorial, it looks like I have to measure the float setting at some point. The manual shows a special tool for this that, when I looked, cost about $40 to buy. Is that tool necessary, or can I just use any old measuring device, like a ruler or tape measure?

Anyway, I have the carbs off the bike, replaced the intake boots, and cleaned the airbox filter (waiting for new boots for the airbox, too) but my carbs are sitting on my bench 'cause I'm not sure if I should proceed without these two speciality tools.

Any suggestions on this?

Thanks

[Larry D]

Can't help with the manometer. As far as the float heights, if you have Harbor Freight close by, they sell a digital calipers for cheap. I don't recall how much exactly, but it was less than $10.

I was going to make a template that was 22.4mm out of some scrap sheet metal, before I saw the calipers there. Your float height may not be 22.4mm....check your manual.

[mike_of_bbg]

You are going to have to have your carbs sync'd. If you plan to keep the motorcycle for any length of time and work on it yourself, you should buy a vacuum gauge set and learn to do that. That having been said, if you send your carbs to someone to have them rebuilt, you're still going to have to have them sync'd. A proper sync requires the bike. You're even supposed to sync them after adjusting valve clearances, as that will alter the airflow characteristics of each cylinder.

Some will advocate the use of special tools no doubt to set the float height. As I recall, the tutorial on BassCliff's site is using a digital caliper, and that's probably good enough. Can you get your hands on one of those? I just ordered one for $20 I think. $20 or $40, that's less than the coin you'll save by rebuilding the carbs yourself in all likelihood.

[oldgsfan]

Keep the bike?! Are you kidding. I love this bike!

That being said, I do want to get a manometer, just not right now if I can help it.

The digital calipers, yup, I think I can swing that and there is a Harbor Freight nearby.

So I can grab those. I suppose I could dip into savings to get the danged manometer, 'cause I know I need it, I guess I was just hoping to put it off until I got a job.

But the carbs are off now 'cause I was replacing my boots and I really would like to get the carbs clean. I'm sure they haven't been cleaned in at least 20 years.

Most of the stuff on my bike shows significant signs of neglect. But I still love it!

[Steve]

One step we skipped was removing the pilot jet. It's very small and apparently a real pain to get out. There's no o-ring or anything behind it, so there's no reason it would have to come out before going into the drink.

BECAUSE it's so small, it clogs easily and is the primary source of fuel for idling and low-throttle applications (probably 80-85% of most riding). This makes it the primary suspect when things go wrong. If I was only allowed to clean ONE item in the carbs, this would be it. Purely wasteful to skip this step, in my opinion.

A 4mm socket did a great job supporting the post, and dremel-ing the head off a finishing nail made a fantastic drift for removing the float pin.

I use my 6-inch Channel-lock pliers to push the pins out. Just bridge across the posts, with one jaw on the end of the pin and squeeze gently. The pin will pop out far enough to lever it out the rest of the way with side-cutters or a small screwdriver.

We're using Gunk dip b/c Advance Auto didn't have Berryman's. NOW I find out that AutoZone carries it! We're dipping parts for 48 hours per someone's suggestion here.

I have used Gunk dip and found no difference except the smell. It cleans the same as Berryman's.

Not sure where you saw the reference to a 48-hour dip, most of us suggest a 24-hour dip, rather than the 15-30 minutes suggested on the can.

.

[Larry D]

Another option is building your own manometer. Search...there's a thread (or two) for it. I had considered it, but was lucky enough to have another member closeby who had one.

[oldgsfan]

Thanks for that suggestion. And I should apologize to the OP for hijacking this thread. I got carried away but I guess that was kinda rude.

Sorry guys.

[mike_of_bbg]

yeah, I was just thinking on my way home. You've got a twin so 30 ft. of clear tubing and a little 2-cycle oil = manometer!

[rustybronco]

You don't need any special tools to bench sync the carbs, you can do it by eye.
hold them up to a strong light, then turn the idle stop screw until you see a sliver of light on #3 coming through and adjust the 4, 2 and 1 to match. open and shut the throttle plates and make sure it stays the same way.
if you are accurate at doing this, it will get you close.

don't forget to adjust the idle fuel mixture screws when you get it running.

The bike sat for quite awhile before I got it and as far as I know, it need to have the carbs rebuilt/cleaned. I'm mechanically knowledgable enough to take the carbs off the bike, but I'm not comfortable enough to redo my own carbs.

***edit*** just 2 carbs to o/haul? Chicken Sh!@!

[journerr]

I'm in the number of folks who can not imagine taking carbs off, cleaning them, putting them back together & synch'ing them.
This group is great, it offers all kinds of unwaivering support, but even yet, Nope, No way, Not me.
For those like me, it sure would be nice to have a list of contacts who are willing to do it for hire, or to actually be physically present & demonstrate how to do it.
I am fortunate - a bike shop an hour away is willing to work on my bike and just did the stator, R/R (already dead), battery, carbs apart & cleaned, synch'd, oil & filter change (tho I do that myself normally), new caps & Plug etc
But not everyone can work on their own bike or has someone that will work on their bike, for a reasonable rate.

[BassCliff]

I don't have a manometer so I've got no way to vaccuum sync the carbs once I'm done.

Any suggestions on this?

Hi,

There's plenty of information both in this forum and on the internet about making your own manometer. For 2 carbs it's really a snap. Cost should be really low, less than $10.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[mike_of_bbg]

BECAUSE it's so small, it clogs easily and is the primary source of fuel for idling and low-throttle applications (probably 80-85% of most riding). This makes it the primary suspect when things go wrong. If I was only allowed to clean ONE item in the carbs, this would be it. Purely wasteful to skip this step, in my opinion.

Point taken.

I have used Gunk dip and found no difference except the smell. It cleans the same as Berryman's. Not sure where you saw the reference to a 48-hour dip, most of us suggest a 24-hour dip, rather than the 15-30 minutes suggested on the can. .

AFAIK, the extra time won't hurt it. I did see a post where someone fairly experienced recommended the extra time with Gunk, and it's not costing us anything - though I'm not sure it helps at all. Maybe I should pull the current throttle body out (on about 24 hours now) as a frame of reference. Seems to me I check the fuel galleys on the first one after 24 hours and they were still a bit cruddy - squeaky clean after 48 hours. He's not going to re-assemble for another two weeks while he waits for parts and tools. The 20 mins suggestion does seem a bit on the ridiculously low side.

I'd think some agitation would be more helpful than the extra time. The gunk is a bit more viscous than I was expecting. Never gotten to use Berryman's so I have no personal frame of reference. Of those expressing a preference, it seems to fall on Berryman's pretty unanimously.

So at this point I'm working off of some opinions. And you know what they say about opinions...

[RogueZuki]

I've decided to get the O-rings (still need to order, probably tomorrow) and take the carbs down to Cali with me when we go and visit family. My father-in-law is a mechanic and has all the tools and know how. He's already agreed to help me so I'll just pick up some dip while we're down there, unless the man has some sitting around already. I just now need to look up how to clean the valves, I'm sure those will need it too.

[RogueZuki]

I totally forgot to ask, the piston looking things on the inside, between the airbox intake and the intake boots, are those to have alternating heights? Mine are both down and only move up and down when I move them.