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Need Some Basic CV Carb Advice Please

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chuckster
  • Start date Start date
C

Chuckster

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I could really use some help with my carbs. I have looked over the "carb clean & repair pictorial" on the homepage in preparation of trying to get my carbs running right on my 1981 GS550T. Somebody really did a good job with that. And I have read everything I can find about CV carbs in general just to try to help myself as much as I can. But you can only read so much right? Sooner or later I have to do it. I currently have four carb rebuild kits which came with my bike that I haven't used yet. I know some of you don't have nice things to say about these kits, but I'm just telling what I have. My biggest apprehension is seperating the carbs in trying to refresh them. I'm not real nervous about replacing the jets and all, but I don't have the tools or experience to "sync" them after they are all put back together. I know this won't be cleaning them to the nth degree which they probably need, but can I clean them and replace the jets, etc. without separating them and at least get it running again? I don't want to seperate them and wish I hadn't. I let it sit for about six months while I was replacing a lot of things on it and now it will crank, but only with the choke all the way out and it shuts down as soon as you put it back down some. It's running real lean and heats up quick. From what I've read, it sounds like at least the pilot circuit needs some help. I haven't tried to back out the mixture screws yet to see if I can at least get it to stay running. Before I started working on it, I was riding it with the choke just barely out. Thanks for any suggestions.

-Chuck
 
Did you use the kits? What jet's did you use? Did you dip the carb bodies?
 
I've used the K&L float needle and seats with success. Don't use the kits jets. Dip the mikuni jets. Get a gallon of Berrymans.
Get a impact driver for the phillip screws on the carb rack.
Print out the carb cleaning series and ask lots of questions.

If you plan on using the stock float needle and seat don't dip the nedle. It's not all metal.

It's pretty cut and dry and not as complicated as the six months of fear you've created.
 
People try abbreviated carb cleanups all the time. It's generally not harmful, but it usually doesn't help much either.

As for installing the rebuild kit parts, I'm among those who don't recommend it. You have carb problems. You could soon have MORE carb problems. Why not solve the ones you have before introducing unknowns into the equation?

A few shots with spray cleaner might just do the job.
 
Rebuilding the carbs is not a hard job at all. Take them off the bike and shoot a bunch of photos showing various angles so you can have a reminder of how the various parts fit together.

There are tubes connecting the carbs together. When I rebuilt the carbs on my 550T, the o-rings on the interconect tubes crumbled as soon as I touched them.

While you have the carbs off make sure to replace the rubber carb boot o-rings - it's foolhardy to pull the carbs without doing the o-rings at the same time.

If you have any more specific questions post a thread here or PM me. I've been through those exact carbs. Oh, and you are going to need a o-ring kit from Robert - cycleorings.com. Stand up guy.

Good luck.
 
Nessism said:
Rebuilding the carbs is not a hard job at all. Take them off the bike and shoot a bunch of photos showing various angles so you can have a reminder of how the various parts fit together.

There are tubes connecting the carbs together. When I rebuilt the carbs on my 550T, the o-rings on the interconect tubes crumbled as soon as I touched them.

While you have the carbs off make sure to replace the rubber carb boot o-rings - it's foolhardy to pull the carbs without doing the o-rings at the same time.

If you have any more specific questions post a thread here or PM me. I've been through those exact carbs. Oh, and you are going to need a o-ring kit from Robert - cycleorings.com. Stand up guy.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Nessism,
Thanks for the tip on the orings. I will order a set (as well as the ones for the boots). When I get ready to tackle this, I may ask you some questions if you don't mind. That's a really nice GS550T you have for sale. Too bad you're in CA or I would just buy yours! :-D I've really grown fond of this model.
 
Just to chime in, my last carb in the dip as I write this. I took my time and over the course of the week and a half, took apart each carb, dipped parts and body and replaced o-rings. After the 2nd one you'll know exaclty what to do without the guide. I did run into minor issues here and there such as mixture screw cap removal, ect. Came to the boards here as was walked through everything. Get an impact driver, dip and possibly a dremel tool for when the driver won't work. You'll be set
 
Doing the carbs is not that bad. I agree you should go all the way and dip the bodies. There's likely crud in the different passages. If you don't have an air compressor you can buy cans of air for blowing everything out. Don't forget the spray carb cleaner.
Synching the carbs isn't that hard but the tools can be a little pricey if you only have the one bike. If you have to, pay someone to do it. It really is the finial step and makes big difference.

Thanks,
 
spindle said:
Synching the carbs isn't that hard but the tools can be a little pricey if you only have the one bike. If you have to, pay someone to do it. It really is the final step and makes big difference.
Click to expand...
It has been a long time since I had carb synched by a shop, but it would not surprise me that they would charge 1 to 1 1/2 hours of labor to do it (even though it doesn't take that long). At current labor rates, that would be $100-125. You can get the better Motion Pro tool from Z1 for $85 or the Morgan CarbTune (factory direct only) for $110 ($124 with the highly-recommended carrying case). This means that you will pay about the same for the tools as the shop will charge you, but this is a job that will be done more than once in the life of your bike. You will still have the tools and the shop will be happy to charge you more than once.


.
 
to continue with the synching question, a bench syncy should get the bike running and like steve said, instead of buying the person to do it buy the tool, you will eventually do it again and it will end up saving you money, and giving you the satisfaction of learning something new. Its really pretty easy to do you just ahve to jump in.

good luck

nick
 
The easy way to sync the carbs well enough to get it running again, without any special tools, with the carbs off the bike:

get some safety wire, the thinnest stuff you can get
stick it down the carb body, through the throttle
close the throttles so that they all drag on a piece of safety wire at the same time


is it perfect? no. is it good enough to get the bike running? yes.
 
You guys about have me believing I can do this! :-D Thanks for the encouragement. I will definately be having some more questions as I go along, but I'm gonna give it a go. I gotta order an o-ring kit and I'll be ready to start. I'll be updating y'all. Thanks again.
 
Hey, I forgot to ask. Do you guys prop your gas tank up (near the seat end) while you are working on the carbs or do you just drain it and take it off?
 
take it off. I left gas in it. Bring your carbs home to a clean place to work, FYI, the guide calls for using an egg carton to hold small parts. I made the mistake of taking my firt carb apart, with gas residue still fresh in the carb, and putting the many tiny parts in the styrofoam carton, and leaving it there overnight. MISTAKE. the small parts stuck to the styrofoam. the styrofoam melted onto the parts because of the gas. Make sure you dip those parts as well!!
 
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