carbs

so the other day i was riding home and my 82 550 maxim started to sputter. I was doing about 40mph and going into a left hand curve all of a sudden the back end starts to slide out one of the scariest moments i've ever had. Finally get back under control pull over and look it over. Seems that i have oil coming out of the vent tube coming out the bottom of the air box and of course its pouring on to the rear tire. Long story short after doing some research found out that i have sticking floats and that gas was flowing into the crankcase and pushing oil up into the air box and on to the rear tire.
Now not being a mechanic and having never worked on carbs before was wondering if rebuilding /cleaning them was in my skill set? At the very least I'd have to take the carbs off to have them serviced.
So I did manage to take the carbs off, now just wondering if I want to try to tackle servicing them myself. Feeling a little skittish.

 

There are no shortcuts I'm afraid

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2908.html

Oh and do not start bike until oil has been changed!

 

Also read "in the church of clean" take no shortcuts. (do your valve clearances first!) Carbs aren't hard... just take your time.

 

dude i was like you at first but go to you tube and look up some video on it and its actually pretty simple just make sure you don't break anything and put everything back together the same way
and like the guy have said there are no sort cuts other wide you will end up doing them again

 

The FIRST time you ever do the Carbs, ...
Do them ONE at a time.

Remove the Bowl.
Study the layout.
Lift the Floats and OBSERVE hoe the Floats lift the PIN in the Valve Seat.
Make a sketch or take a pic.

Remove the Float Hinge Pin
Be Careful.
DO NOT Damage a Float Hinge PILLAR.
Set the Hinge Pin, Floats and Float Needle in the Float Bowl
:: Or use a Muffin Tin that wont be damaged by Carb Cleaner ::

Remove the MAIN Jet & Washer
Observe the Part exposed when the Washer is removed.
Remove the PILOT Jet.
Place together, (Muffin Tin, Ice Cube Tray, Shot Glass)
Remove the Float Valve Seat.
•• Exercise extreme care too NOT Damage Hinge Pillars.

Remove TOP Cover.
Note positions of Clips and Guides.
Set HAT, SPRING & DIAPHRAGM Assy where they will not get damaged.

Remove MAIN NOZZLE (a.k.a. Emulsion Tube)
• Using a long Metric Cap Screw of the same Pitch as the Main Jet, ... Screw the Capp Screw into the EXPOSED Bottom of the Center Tube and Drive it out the TOP of the Carb Body.

• Remove the Pilot Mixture Screw from its Housing. Collecting the Screw, Spring, --> Tiny Flat Washer and O-ring.

Clean the Parts and Passages.
Refer to Articles in Archive and my signature.
With the No-1 Carb disassembled, ... Clean each and every Part removed and FLUSH Arteries and Passages.

Use a Drug Store Bought "Ear Cleaning Syringe" filled with Spray Carb Cleaner shot into a clean glass to fill the Bulb and FLUSH ->> EVERY orifice and Jet.

With the Carb Body and Removed Part thoroughly Cleaned ...
Re assemble 1
Do - 2, 3, & 4

After reassembling 4 ... Continue cleaning.
Remove the Enrichment (CHOKE) Rod, Fingers and Dust Boots.
•• Center Punch a DIMPLE in the END of the ROD on the #1 Side.
DRAW or Photograph the arrangement of ALL CHOKE related Bushings and Spacers. DRAW how the CABLE ARM Mounts to the ROD.

Withdraw ROD
Collect Screws and Lifters.
REMOVE Plungers.
Clean, Polish, Lube and Replace Plungners.

Take 4 Golf Tees.
Cut the Points off FLAT.
Number them 1, 2, 3, & 4 on the Top.
Insert them into the Pilot Mix Screw Orifice and SCRIBE the DEPTH of each SCREW --> BEFORE <-- Removing them.
Use them to set the Screws at the same depth before removal.

Go slow.

 

thanks guys for all the advice, I've been going through all the post on carb cleaning so i'm pretty sure i can do it on my own. Will start tomorrow and keep you posted.

 

You can get the special carby screwdriver here

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... rt=75.html

See also

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=29695.html

 

Here's what a Mikuni looks like inside; this should help: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=31061.html

You'll need to get your valve clearances in spec before being able to do your final carb adjustments.

Be sure to accurately "wet-set" your float levels when you're reassembling.

 

For the Pilot FUEL Jets and Mixture Screws,, ... you need to have Screwdrivers with Tip that FIT the SLOTS on those JETS --> Perfectly.

You want the Turning Torque to be applied to the whole JET.
NOT just the Wings.
IF, ... there is Space for the Wings to move too; they will give leaving the JET Body behind.
A tight-fitting Screwdriver Tip is vitally important.
ESPECIALLY on the Jets which are recessed down Tunnel Openings.

 

take pictures before you take everything apart, and as you are taking it apart!

 

well i took apart carb no1 tonight wasn't all that hard
I gotta say that doing your home work and reading almost every post i could find helped.
Fitz your post of those pic's of the mikuni was a great help and Rick your post as well.
I found that the inerds werern't varnished or gummed up at all.The floats weren't sticking at all. I'll have to see if theres's a hole in one. So I'm gonna clean all parts and put them in muffin tins then carry on with no2.
Keep you all posted.

 

FLUSH the Passages.
Hold the Emulsion Tube up to light. Look through the holes.

These Syringes ... a.k.a. 'Lil Baby Snot Suckers ... come in 2 sizes.

The Large one Flushes:
Pilot Passages
Air Passages
Slips over Enrichment Circuit Siphon Tube.

The Small one:
Holds a Carb Cleaning Red Tube in its snout.
Lubes Screws and Throttle Shafts
Enters Lower Pilot Passage.

 

well took them all apart keeping all parts separated and labled. Cleaned all the parts and reassembled no1. Gotta say that there wasn't much of any thing in any of them at all varnish or gum. Haven't taken the enrichment parts apart yet and not expecting any differant, which is making me wonder maybe i didn't need to do this and if so what was the cause of the blow back? Pitcock?

 

NO. All a petcock problem will do is "enable" a stuck float to cause other issues.

Pay particular attention to the FLOAT VALVE NEEDLES and the FLOAT VALVE SEATS. Be sure the tips of the float valves are in good shape, and make sure the valve seats are clean; polish them with some polish on a q-tip.

Make sure the float needles move smoothly up and down with the floats; and carefully wet-set your float levels.

Oil puking out the breather (unless you over-filled it) is a direct result of a FLOAT problem, the petcock only helps "reveal" it.

Take heart, you would have had to do this anyway. What shape are tiny o-rings on the mixture screws in? And be sure to check the bottoms of the enrichment plungers, inspect the rubber seals imbedded in them. An enrichment plunger not doing its job can contribute to your problem (as could bad o-rings on the float valve bodies.)

 

ok things have been a little hectic here lately with my daughters graduation and starting a new job at Finning Canada so i haven't had time to work on the carbs, not to mention the shitty weather. But i do have one question. I've read that i should punch a dimple on the end of the enrichment rod on the no1 side but after looking at it on the no1 side there's a lever for the choke cable and it fits onto the rod by being squared off, so why do i need to punch it? The square end is always gonna be no1.
Thoughts?

 

On Rods that are Remote Comtrolled, ... the "Reassembly" can be confusing.

With a Dimple punched on one end; less so.

Most Enrichment Rods should be refinished.
Chucked into a Electric Drill and Sanded to a shining new finish.

The reassembly process can be confusing.
A Drawing or Photo is a must.
Lessening the confusion by marking the Part make it easier to I.D. how it goes back together.

Especially, if you move the parts about while cleaning and straightening-out individual components.

It's just a time saver.
A permanent mark.
Magic Marker and Sharpie marks disappear during cleaning.

 

Hey, looks like Rick is back!

Glad to see you.

Dave Fox

 

I wish I was a hundred-percent.
No such luck.
I didn't want to spend Father's Day in the Hospital.

They told me to spend 15 - 20 minutes online.
That gives me a shot at writing one or two replies.

 

Thanks Rick, we all miss you.