Cleaning carbs...need some input

[Steve]

Normally they are on top of the outlet of the carb, but I think on your 450, they were laid over on their sides.
Still at the top of the outlet of the carb, but pointing sideways.

This shows the general location, but it will be parallel to the throttle shaft and the "choke" rod.

It may also be under an aluminum plug that was installed at the factory. The plug may or may not have a small hole in the center.
If there is not a hole, drill a small hole, insert a drywall screw and remove the plug.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

KROOOZN, put up some pictures of your carbs from different angles so we can see if we can spot the mixture screws for you.

Your carbs are certainly different from the others used in that year. There is no tower for the mixture screw to sit in.

 

[Krooozn]

I'll try to get some pictures tonight of the carbs....I did locate what I am assuming are the factory plugs that were mentioned earlier....but on one of the carbs that stupid plug is hidden behind one of the 90 degree fuel inlet elbows....don't have any idea just how to go about removing that elbow so that I can try to get at the darn plug.....:-k

I am in hopes that maybe the orings are ok....as everything else in the carbs that are rubber/plastic seem to have survived the dip....as the chemical dip that I used was about 4 years old and had no odor to it, so I am in hopes also that it was very weak.....and when I did dismantle the float bowl and the upper diaphram area of the carbs, there was zero sludge/crap in either location.....and my slides looked bright and shiny too...so maybe...just maybe my carbs aren't in that bad a shape after all....the bike only has 4,000 orig miles on it.....

I know the correct thing would be to dismantle the entire carb system and replace those o-rings....but almost worth the gamble to me to leave things as they are and see what I get when I try to fire the bike off....it is easy enough to pull them back off if need be.....anyway.....I know you guys are getting tired of my carb woes......and I'm getting kind of tired of it myself....

Thanx for all the help and if push comes to shove I'll send them to chef1366 to have him clean/refurbish them.....just don't have the extra money right now to invest into the carbs.....

Anita

 

[Guest]

After 10 days & 43 posts if you're still not convinced the carbs need to be completely taken apart, dipped, and all the o-rings replaced, then we give up...

Good luck

 

[Krooozn]

Ok....there is no real reason for the sarcasm....I am not doubting what all of you are telling me, I understand completely that the carbs need to be taken apart, they need to be dipped, they need the o-rings replaced....I get it.....what I am not getting is why some people feel the need to slam someone who is trying to learn this stuff, but doesn't have the financial means to completely follow their every last direction....I want to take the carbs apart, I want to soak them, I want to replace the o-rings, I want to make them look like new...but here's the reality of the whole thing.....I don't have the freakin' money!!!! I can't afford to pay someone to rebuild/clean these for me....I can't afford to buy the o-rings right now.....and I certainly can't afford the chem-dip to soak them.....that is why I was in hopes of just trying them as they are......but as of right now....no one on this forum will hear me mention these stupid carbs again....I am done with posting about them, I am done with talking about them and I am certainly done with the sarcasm.....

So let's just pretend that this thread never happened.....I won't ask anything else about the carbs and I'll go this on my own......hikermikem made it quite clear to me that you all are tired of trying to help me.....because it appears that I am not listening.......well believe it or not....I hear the advice......and it is appreciated.....just not in a position to do anything about it right now.....so I am officially on my own now with my carbs....

Thanx again for all of your help and support......but I don't want any of you to feel like I am not listening to what you bring to the table.....

Anita:-#

 

[Guest]

......hikermikem made it quite clear to me that you all are tired of trying to help me.....because it appears that I am not listening.......well believe it or not....I hear the advice......and it is appreciated.....just not in a position to do anything about it right now.....so I am officially on my own now with my carbs....Anita:-#

I was not speaking for anyone else on this forum, just me... and I was not trying to be sarcastic. I wasn't trying to offend you.

There has been a truck load of good advice offered here, but I understand that you aren't in a position to act on it. Of course you can try & use your carbs "as is," but it's the collective opinion here that's a waste of time. However, perhaps you will have good results; I hope so...

Good luck to you. Please ping us again when you have the resources you need to get your bike running well.

 

[Guest]

o Rings

o Rings

I have a quick question... How much do the o rings cost? How much do the gaskets cost? Maybe not knowing how cheap parts these parts are is holding things up... Someone post the prices so everyone can see. Just a thought...

 

[Don-lo]

Kroozn,

Sorry that some people on here seem to be inflexible, since it doesn't really need to be that way. For your situation, the best solution would probably be to post your location and see if someone can come and help you the first time through. That person would need to be a flexible person who understood that you are not doing a deep pockets restoration.

 

[Guest]

Words on the internet can be taken the wrong way.
Sorry funds are a problem.

 

[old_chopper]

If you're near me I have a once used can of carb dip and would be more than happy to let you use it. I would also help you do the job if you want. Helping each other out is what the biking community is all about. I'm near Tulsa, OK.

 

[Larry D]

I have a quick question... How much do the o rings cost? How much do the gaskets cost? Maybe not knowing how cheap parts these parts are is holding things up... Someone post the prices so everyone can see. Just a thought...

http://www.cycleorings.com/

 

[Krooozn]

All....first I want to apologize for the rant I went on yesterday.....I guess I was just having one of those days and took what hikermikem said the wrong way.....anyway....it was my bad.....secondly I will be looking into getting a set of o-rings for my bike when I get paid this week....they aren't that expensive so I should be able to swing it....and then I can get them into the carbs......and hopefully get my bike running...I have yet to hear it! I also wanted to say that I had no idea that these bikes were as air sensitive as they appear to be.....I wanted to replace my seat down the road, but have been reading where the seat design was done to more or less funnel the air into the box...so I am afraid of altering the seat configuration....so thinking about just cutting the seat height down a little.....anyway...so much to think about and so much to do...I want to be riding my bike come spring and it's right around the corner.....

By the way...I am on the Eastcoast of Virginia......in the Hampton Roads/Tidewater area......

Thanx again for all the help and support...you guys never gave up on me and that speaks a lot for this forum.....and last but not least.....Hikermikem....I am sorry for the misunderstanding on my end...please accept my sincere apology....I am truly sorry

Anita

 

[Larry D]

I lived in Virginia Beach near Lynnhaven Mall for 10 years from 85-95. I was in the US Navy then.

I really miss it when it's cold and wintery here.......

No worries. Most of us have pretty thick skin and can certainly understand the frustration that come with bringing an old bike back to life. There is a tried and true method which we try our best to get across to new folks. Sometimes it comes across as harsh, not intentional though.

Good Luck !!!

 

[Guest]

Hikermikem....I am sorry for the misunderstanding on my end

No worries, it's all good... we want you to have a well running & dependable bike too!!

 

[spyug]

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time of it but if you read my recent 'book" on resurrecting a long dormant engine, you'll see that we all can have these issues. You also can see how helpful and supportive we all want to be. There must be some members close to you that could swing by to help even. I'd love to shoot down as my best buddy ( ex Canadian sailorman) lives in Norfolk and I love the place. Unfortunately your border guys see me as an undesireable and won't let me in again.

I'll do what I can here none the less.

They've beaten you up about takening the carbs apart and dipping them so I'll leave that alone. Robert is the best source for o-rings but you might be able to find them locally at any good local automotive store. They are only pennies. Just make sure they are rated for gas as they are made from different materials that may not stand up.

The big things with carbs, once you clean them is to get them synchronized. There is a "bench" synch which is covered off in the tutorials and is basically the initial setting of the carbs when reassembled and a "dynamic" synch which is tuning one carb to the other when on the bike and engine running. To get that right you will need to use a manometer which is basically 2 (or 4) columns of fluid ( or some light weight metal rods) in clear tubes which rise and fall to engine vacuum. The tubes are connected to the vacuum ports on your carb boots ( i believe...check your manual). As the engine runs, the idea is to adjust the carbs so the columns of fluid stay level. Then you know your carbs are "synchronized" and will work the same on each cylinder.

You can buy commercial manometers but good ones are around $100. You can makeone that works well for less than $5. I still have the first one I made 6 years ago. Do an internet search for home made manometer or words like that. There are several types out there. You can use different fluids in these and I would advise you to use ATF as the red colour is easy to see, it is the right viscosity and if it gets sucked into the engine (it likely will happen the first time you fire up) it won't hurt anything.

The other thing about bike engines is that they won't function properly unless the intake boots from the carb to head are airtight and the carbs have proper airtight connections to the airbox or pods if fitted. I'm not sure of the intake boots on yours but if they are screwed to the head , they will have big o-rings that seal them. These o-rings break down and should be replaced as well. They will be in Roberts kit so another good reason to deal with him.

Now this seems like a lot of work but trust me you can do it. The first time might be a bit daunting and take you some time to do but go at it in steps...abit at a time. Get those carbs squeaky clean first.

Keep us informed.

We're pulling for you and yes we have thick skin so you're allowed to beak off once in awhile.

Good luck learning something new.

cheers,
Spyug