Carb cleaning adventure/questions thread!

Hey there guys, making up this thread because I start cleaning my carbs tonight. I'm terrified of these things but with you guys here, I'm confident I can get it done!

First question, the brass (i think they're brass) slides look pretty stained, what do you guys recommend I use to clean them up? sandpaper? What grit? I bought some WD40 and some carb cleaner (valvoline)... looking forward to getting in this thing tonight and the next few nights!

I also plan on doing the clunk test, I remember rick saying scotch brite strips, I'll have to see if can pull up that thread again. I don't have a dremel.

Here she is right after pulling:

You can't see the stains on the slides in this pic, but they're there!

 

Slides are anodized aluminum, dont sand them. Forget the stain. Do the bore with scotchbrite, lightly.

 

Do you have a small torch and an impact screwdriver?

The screws on old Japanese bikes are made from metal the hardness of which is somewhere between warm butter and play-doh. They are also often stuck because of decades of dirt and corrosion. Add the Philips vs JIS issues to this.

Now that you are properly nervous, here is what to do about it: Be very careful getting screws out, use impact if you have to, and heat if it gets really bad. Be careful heating the screws that hold the "hats", there are rubber diaphragms under there, and if you cook them, they are not cheap to replace.

Once you do get them out, replace them, preferably with stainless Allen bolts. You can go the Cadillac route and get a screw kit from Chacal, or you can go the Yugo route and get them one at at time from ACE hardware, Fastenal, or some place similar.

 

I use "Needle-nosed Vice-Grips"
I get a good grip on the Head of the stuck Screw and give the Needle-nosed Lock-on's a whack with a Hammer Handle.

Throw-away rusted or bunged-up Fasteners.
INVEST in a Stainless Steel Allen TOTAL Replacement Kit.

XJ4Ever
or
Ebay

The price of a Complete Kit is a tremendous saving rather than buying the Fasteners ala carte'.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-XJ650-XJ ... 0385403305

 

Review this thread:

You will find some very helpful tips.
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... n+own.html

Also review: Church of Clean ... and... Clunk Test

 

I bought my stainless kit from that seller. I have nothing but good things to say about the seller, BUT the kits ship from France. It was close to three weeks before I got mine.

 

Yea that looks great and all but I can't wait three weeks to ride! Hopefully these screws come up and out nicely. I'll replace them the next time I do a carb clean. Season is almost up and I've barely ridden my new bike!

I don't have an impact driver, but I have sort of gotten good at using a hammer and screwdriver. Slight leftward pressure on screwdriver then I tap with a hammer/mallet, seems to work so far I think someone has been in here recently so hopefully the screws come out with ease, we shall see, I start tonight.

Rick, that article you posted, I've already read that like 10 times and printed to have next to me when I do this tonight! where can i get these scotchbrite strips? Going to "attempt" to clean carb #1 tonight. If that goes well I'll go to # 2 if time permits....

 

Oh and while I've got the carbs off the bike, I want to seal those cracked up intake boots. Someone said black RTV high temp... I went to the store yesterday and saw black rtv but nowhere did it say high temp....

What exact product am I looking for? I'd like to put a coat on per day to really seal them up.

Also, can I spray the outside of the carb rack with carb cleaner to clean up the exterior? I don't want to ruin any gaskets here.

 

I don't have an impact driver either. What worked well for me was a t-handle bit driver. It lets you really put your weight on it and apply torque more easily. Also, JIS screwdrivers or bits are the way to go but I found that "Pozidrive" bits are very similar.

 

I used a regular screwdriver. actually I used screw extractors and replaced all the screws with new ones.

 

Screw extractor aye? I'll have to go to home depot on lunch. So you just take the screws into home depot and find ones that compare?

 

yep. I felt no need to spend $ ordering JIS screwdrivers when most of the screws were rusty + questionable anyway

 

cool, I'll pull some screws and head to home depot on lunch tomorrow and buy a whole set of each...

What screws do I need besides the 4 that hold the top and the four that hold the bottom?

 

what kind of scotchbrite do I need and where can I buy it? I've never purchased scotch brite.... want to get it on my lunch break so im prepared for later.

 

do you plan on breaking the rack? as in separating the carbs ?

 

Polock, no I don't plan on breaking the rack.

 

then don't spray too much around the springs between the carbs, seals are in there.

 

And whatever you do, DON'T SUBMERGE them.

 

Cool, definitely wasn't planning on submerging them! Ok, I'll just leave the outside a little dirty as I don't need to be messing with seals.... You're talking about the springs between the carbs with the phillips type screw driven through them?

Just picked up some 800 grit wetodry sandpaper to do the bores where the piston is, going to use wd40 as lube per Rick. Also grabbed some Hi temp RTV to do the boots while the carbs are off the bike. Do I just push some out and work them into the cracks? How many coats are we talking?

 

Using Standard Tools on the Carb Fasteners is what tears them up.

Many a good rack of Carbs have been transformed into Parts Carbs because someone didn't use the right screwdriver trying to remove Pilot Mixture Screws.

A sloppy fit, ... and the "Slot-wings" move without the Screw Body.
Then they break right off and will send the Carbs under the Bench gathering dust.

Believe those who have traveled down the road of Stuck Jets.


You get ScotchBrite (Gray) Pads at TruValue.
Paint Dept / Sandpapers and Abrasives Asile.

After doing a "Fill-in Job" on Intake Manifolds, ... I do a Emery Board Festival smoothing-over the repair.

Hillbilly touch-up: Magic Marker.
Advanced: Liquid Electrical Tape.
(Don't use the "Dabber". Cut it off the cap. Use an old pencil to drip a Dime-sized drop on a 3X5 Card. Apply fresh product to Manifold using a Small Artist Brush. Apply until the product "Pulls". New Card / New Drop.
Pimp: Black Nail Polish from the SALE Rack at the Drug Store.