COLORTUNE/CARBTUNE Review

[earlfor]

Take a stiff short length of fuel hose, slip it over the end of the adapter.
That will allow you to start the thread screwing it in. Once you have it turned in a couple turns with the "hose holder", pull the holder off and use a small slotted screwdriver to finish seating the adapter. (my adapters have cast slots in the end for this purpose) the benefit of the fiber filled adapters is that unlike the brass ones, they do not require being fully seated and compressing an "O" ring to seal. Just turn them down until they feel snug....not tight. They also dont burn your fingers.

E.

Nah, I'm sure your right earl. They just look like plastic to me. But they gotta be something beefier to hold up to the heat, right?

My point was they are a b*tch to get in there on a hot motor. There's room for improvement in the design.

 

[Chris Daniel]

I bought my CarbTune about a year ago, and love it. The little adapters will give you a bit of a fight, but it gets easier after a couple of times doing it. I have synced every one of my buddies bikes with it and it works great. It is nice not having to worry about sucking mercury into the engine when you blip the throttle.

The only goof I had with it is I let one of the hoses touch the exhaust pipe and melted it, so I had to get a new piece of tubing, but no real problem.

I do need to get one of the colortunes, just havent gotten around to it yet.

Anyway, just another great testament to these great little tools.

 

[Nightmare]

My neighbor bought a colour tune plug for his shop, ran it through the cylinders in my bike and everything looked good on the idle/off-idle circuit (wow... guess i really CAN set the mix screws properly).

Other than plug chops or O2 sensors, is there anyway of seeing the cylinder while actually riding the bike (mostly for 1/3+ throttle and under load conditions)

 

[Guest]

Other than plug chops or O2 sensors, is there anyway of seeing the cylinder while actually riding the bike (mostly for 1/3+ throttle and under load conditions)

The only way I see to do that would be on a dyno. But they say in the instructions not to run the engine under load while using the plug.

 

[Guest]

I finally got to play with the new toys. I'm VERY impressed with the Carbtune. Nice steady readings, no bounce, no mercury, no moisture.... awesome! Certainly the most accurate carb tool made! Here's a small clip... check out how nice and smooth the readings are:

 

[cberkeley]

Hmmm ....that's realy a nice instrument to have. Would make a nice addition to my GS toolkit, but these days every extra penny is going into my "Buy that 2004 Vulcan 1600 Classic" fund.

 

[Greg B]

I just used my new Carbtune yesterday. But for some reason I wasn't getting a reading with the tool right side up. So, I hung it upside down and was able to use it that way. Not sure if it was the right thing to do. However, unless there is something drastically wrong engine wise, unlikely, just rebuilt, and it seems to run well. Still breaking it in though. Next I'll hook up the Colortune and play with the mixture.
Greg B.

 

[Phil D]

The colortunes are available stateside from several different sources; I bought mine from Eastwood (www.eastwoodco.com) some time ago. Their price is comparable to the Brits and you don't have to wait for it to cross the pond.

 

[Tom MLC]

I just used my new Carbtune yesterday. But for some reason I wasn't getting a reading with the tool right side up. So, I hung it upside down and was able to use it that way. Not sure if it was the right thing to do. However, unless there is something drastically wrong engine wise, unlikely, just rebuilt, and it seems to run well. Still breaking it in though. Next I'll hook up the Colortune and play with the mixture.
Greg B.

Can't imagine why you don't get a reading right side up. Maybe your engine doesn't suck. It blows! :shock:

Good luck with the COLORTUNE. I'm hearing mixed reviews about how well it works. On my GS1000 & GS1100 the color change was significant when adjusting the mixture screws. On Ken's GS1150 the color change was more subtle.

 

[Red Rocket GS1100]

Turning green with envy

Turning green with envy

I dont know if I would even know how to use these tools but I am having a real urge to buy.
Get ready for the wifie to roll her eyes at me again! He bike needs the tuning more than mine. SO that is how I am gonna sell it to her.
Unless there is someone close to Springfield MA with these tools? I would gladly pay any reasonable price.

 

[Greg B]

I'm not sure if it has to do with the fact I running 33MM smoothies instead of CVs.
Greg B.

 

[Guest]

I'm not sure if it has to do with the fact I running 33MM smoothies instead of CVs.
Greg B.

No, it shouldn't matter. You shouldn't have to turn it upside down!:shock: Something's not right. Try sucking on each tube to see if you can get a reading. If no reading, suck on the barbs. If the tool checks out to be ok, your synch adjusters may need to be "centered" so that you have equal adjustment in and out.

Let us know what you find.

 

[Greg B]

I'll try that. However, IIRC, the #3 carb is the master, i.e. not adjustable. Could it be that my dampers are too long? I cut the short damper tube into four equal lengths, and installed them 10cm from the ends as per the instructions.
Greg B.

 

[Guest]

I'll try that. However, IIRC, the #3 carb is the master, i.e. not adjustable. Could it be that my dampers are too long? I cut the short damper tube into four equal lengths, and installed them 10cm from the ends as per the instructions.
Greg B.

I believe on all the VM carbs each carb is independently adjustable. At least that is how it is with the VM26's, 28's, and 29's.

Did you try sucking on the tubes?

 

[Greg B]

Yes, I did. And the tool responded as it should. So I'm really at a loss as to what's going on. Hooked it back up and same results. No reading unless I turn it upside down.
As for the carbs, if I take the covers off, #s 1,2,& 4 have an adjuster screw with a locknut. #3 carb doesn't, just a nonadjustable linkage. Unless I can pivot the entire linkage on the shaft. But if I do that, it will raise the entire slide up.
Also I just hooked up my Colortune, and I'm having a heck of a time getting that right too. Seems I'm getting a weak spark on #4, but if I switch wires around it doesn't seem to follow the wire. I'm sure my coils are good, new Dynas, plus new wires and plugs. Honestly it was running better before I switched out the coils.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Oh well, I'll just keep at it until I get it right.
Just for info, its got a 1229 displacement, GSXR cams, timed at, if I remember right, 106 intake, 105 exhaust. 33mm Mikuni's, 30 pilots, 137.5 mains, needles at middle groove. Oh, slides are 1.50.
Greg B.

 

[Guest]

I've never messed with 33's. I would post in the tech section...someone will help you.

 

[scotschult]

I saw this earlier today on the Carbtune website. I wouldn't think it would apply to a GS, but hey, who knows. A starting place, if nothing else?

The manometer must be used vertically for a scale starting at 8cmHg (centimetres of mercury. 1 inch=2.5cm 1cm=0.4inches) and going to 42cmHg. Most bikes have readings higher than 8cmHg, but some bikes such as R-series BMWs and two strokes can have readings lower than this.
To get a reading below 8cmHg remove the plastic cable clip from the top cap and insert it in the bottom cap. Hang the Carbtune II upside-down. Ignore the scale figures. Zero will now be around 17cmHg on the scale but the full width red graduations will still be 2cmHg.