Carb cleaning adventure/questions thread!

Although seemingly trivial, this is a BIG help. (...which is why at least four of us have recommended this.)

Worse case scenario, you swap the bowl with the stripped screw with its "partner" (same side so the screws face out) and use the "unbuggered" bowl to adjust that carb too.

 

They are often part of old fashioned auto parts stores. Not chain stores. You also check Google map or the phone book for "machine shops".

 

Ya I definitely did that, seems like I'm being brushed off. Guess I could just show up with 10 bucks in hand. I simply need one screw extracted

Fitz, yea that's what I was thinking about doing. But does that mean I'll have to pull the rack every single time i check a carb and turn it upside down to drain the bowl I can't drain with a tube?

 

i'll send you a good one if you send me that one, i am a machine shop, if i can't fix that one i'll have fun watching the mill eat it

 

I took a Cylinder Head with two snapped-off Intake Manifold Cap Screws to the nearby Vocational Tech High School.

The Machine Shop Faculty head said they'd bail me out for a donation to the Departments "Expendables" Fund.

25-Bucks donated.
Perfect job.

 

You could set #1, 2, 3, and skip 4.

Then swap Bowls to do #4.

 

So I got this screw out! Went to home depot and got a #1 screw extractor. Had the 7/16 bit at home. Drilled into her, pounded the extractor into the newly created hole, but my drill didnt have enough torque to turn it.... hit it with the torch and was very patient with the drill. After about 10 minutes she turned right out!



Rick when you said to do 1, 2, and 3, then swap and do number 4. Don't you have to fill with gas with all bowls on. check say #1 with clear tubing. Then drain all the bowls, take off rack, turn rack upside down, unscrew bowl 1, make adjustments, repeat?? Or are you guys not even taking the carbs off the stand after each pass? If that's the case how on earth are you pulling the floats, adjusting, putting pin back in and checking again? upside down?

Thanks again for all the help thus far, I'm getting really close to putting these back on the bike. My lower end rebuild kit should be here tomorrow from Len.

If the bike still doesnt start when I push the button and I have to crank the throttle to get her going, I'll take a video so you guys can hear/see and maybe give me some ideas. I'm thinking its carb related cuz I can fire her right up if I give it a good bit of throttle WHILE pushing start.

 

Ahhh....see Patience has its rewards......Congrats on the extraction......successful surgery I see......now replace with allen head type & you will never have that problem again.......

Throw those right in the trash can...at least that one......

 

here was my setup for wet-setting.....no need to take off rack & turn upside down....just drain them & remove bowl.....take float off...& tweak the "tang" if necessary...reassemble , put bowl back on .....refill & measure with clear tubing against float bowl.....3mm + or - 1 mm from top of float bowl....

Take your time & do the wet-set correctly & bench sync ( since you did not break the rack, there may be no need to bench sync....check with fitz or rick on that thou )......it started before so there may be no need to bench sync....GOOD LUCK....

 

Five, thanks man. That's a pretty awesome set up man! Here's where I'm confused. So all 4 bowls are on. I fill with gas and check carb 1. I see it needs adjustment. I drain carb 1, I can't just take the bowl off right since gas is still connected? I have to drain ALL the carbs and shut off fuel somehow correct?

Also, yes it started, however, the button doesnt start the bike (that would be a dream come true) I had to push the start button while simultaneously pulling throttle pretty hard 3 or 4 times, then it would fire up. At that point I need to do 2 or 3 more throttle pulls to keep her alive. Once up and running, she'd idle really nice. Does that sound like what I'm doing now will fix that? Seriously, if it starts when I push the button I'll be so friggin happy!

Ahh, one more thing. I'm getting new float bowl gaskets from Len. Should i install those last after I do all my wet setting? With all the taking off and re installing, I think I should use the old one while I do that, no?

 

I would use the old gaskets for wet-setting....why do you have to drain all 4 bowls.....do one at a time......do carb # 1 until you are satiisfied it is correct.....measure #1....if not happy with measurement.....clamp fuel line with needle nose vice grips.....drain #1...take #1 bowl off...take float off...tweak "tang"...put #1 bowl back on.....release vice grips to refill & check level.....repeat process until satisfied.....

Move on to Carb #2.....then #3.....then #4....

 

Ahh, gotcha, I'll be using my actual yamaha tank since I have nothing else. That has an off switch

So this is all done essentially upside down then? I'll have to get good at pulling that pin from a completely different angle! I know that float needle has to go straight in. Its gonna be a juggling act keeping that needle on the tang and inserting it "upwards" into its valve seat! Looking forward to getting this part out of the way too.

Any thoughts on the start button issue, think it's carb related?

 

Once carbs are back on bike, if bench sync is in order, full choke will open the starter enrichment circuits ( you know...your 10 ft spray that you achieve ) & hitting the start button should fire the bike up....you may have to throttle it once maybe.....

 

You are wet-setting these "off the bike"....Is that correct ? Just checking ???

LOL....

You are actually wet-setting them they way the carbs are when they are on the bike.....

When wet-setting carbs, have them at a level that is comfortable for you, shoulder level or higher so you are not constantly bending over to unscrew bowls & re-attaching them....

just make sure tank is higher than carbs so fuel flows.....

a pair of needle nose vice grips are handy for fuel shutoff...but your petcock valve should work.....

Have fun.....

 

The enrichment circuits were spotless already, that's what worries me...

Lol and yes, wet setting will be done off the bike I got all my PVC today to build my rack stand

 

Take a pic of your PVC stand when complete....curious how it turns out....keep in mind......all you need is 2 "junk intake manifold boots" and 2 x 4 in the future.....& a vise.....

Just an idea to keep in mind.....

 

Five, I don't have the intake boots, nor do I have a vise... That's why I went the PVC route. I do like your setup a lot, but I just don't have the required items! I'll take a pic of it when its done. There's a thread floating around here that shows pics of exactly what I'm going to attempt to create.

 

OK, I built this pvc stand from the link given to me earlier. The 1 1/4" pvc won't hold the carbs up at all! I only have about an inch from the intake heads to the solid carb body, and these fit very loosely... any ideas on how to get these to stay up on the stands? I really need to wet set and the pvc stand is the only option I have available right now.

Thanks!

 

finishing your cleaning, a nice sync, and tuning will fix that right up....

AND/OR

you still have slightly clogged enrichment circuit passages

once your carbs are cleaned and bench sync'ed.... that's your starting point for tuning. Don't expect it to run perfectly right now. You're jumping the gun....

I found it easier to do all 4 at once. Do whatever works for you bro. There's no right or wrong way on this one, just preference. You are making this harder than it is..... It's like asking what are the perfect pizza toppings, you're gonna get 1000 different answers. You have a manual + haynes. They tell you procedures not to deviate from....

Also, just a tip, on the float bowl screws, only use 2 screws on a diagonal while wet-setting... makes it one hell of a lot easier

 

True Milliken. I think I like that idea, doing all 4 at once. I can't get this damn rack to stay in the pvc stand I just made.... How are you guys getting this thing to stay put?

 

NOR did you snag yourself a WorkMate, or you would have a "functional vise" as well as a table of sorts to work on. PLUS you'd have a way to "mount" a 2X4...

Anyway, it takes a lot less messing around draining/filling if you measure all 4, then go in and make your adjustments to the ones that need it.

 

Fitz, I looked at the workmates. You said yours is the older one. From everything I've read I've seen nothing but horrible reviews. People who had the old one say the new one is simply garbage... I guess I can still take a chance on it...

Even if I was able to mount a 2x4, I'd have no way to mount the carbs to it. I think I'll measure all 4 carbs at once and just drain the ones that need it and have another go at it. Seems like it would be the best way to go about it...

 

My WorkMate is like 40 some-odd years old; and if used ONLY as intended, they're only so-so so I can understand some bad reviews.

However, if "misused" adapted and/or abused (as I have) it has (and continues to) serve me well.

As a matter of fact, there are a number of pics of me using it as a table, a vise and an "anvil" in my rear wheel bearing how-to: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=35134.html

 

Fitz, that's a hell of a post! OK, I think I'll just order one and do the rest of this stuff on my balcony. This back and forth stuff is driving me absolutely insane! I saw the table in that write-up, sold!

 

Tomorrow, its wet set time. If needing to do an adjustment, you take the bowl off while the carb is still "vised"... do you have to pull the pin and take the float out when bending the tang? Then everything including the needle has to be put back in 'inverted'? Any tricks on how to NOT mess up these float needles when putting them in and taking them out repeatedly?

 

You CAN take the bowl off with the rack still "mounted" but it's often easier to access the innards if it's laying upside down on the bench.

You DO NOT have to pull the pin and remove the float, etc., every time you adjust. The amount of "bending" on the tang is very very minimal; think "tweak" or "nudge" rather than "bend." You can make the adjustment without tearing it all apart.

Another tip for wet-setting: Don't go by your first fill "readings" when making an adjustment. Fill, drain, refill, drain, refill each bowl...then "read" the level. You'll get much more accurate readings if you "cycle" the float/needle a few times first.

 

Thanks for the tips Fitz. I'll attempt to do this with the rack still mounted so I can work on one float at a time and not have to drain them all, then take the rack out of the vise, etc.... Can I re use the gas from all of this if I get a gas container to drain in to? I don't see why not, but just want to make sure!

 

So I couldn't justify another 15 bucks for a one time use gas can. I have no use for one. I plan on using a glass jar and just putting the gas back into my tank after every drain.... should be good to go that way... AND I won't be out of gas come time to put the carbs back on

 

She runs, she runs!!

Today was a rough day. Wet setting is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I spent 5 hours and didn't accomplish much actually. I managed to break a retaining clip on my float needle, so hopefully that won't get seized for a while lol. No matter how much i moved that tang I got barely any fuel movement. the levels are close, not perfect, but close enough. Then I went to remove the gaskets, they were seized. Or someone glued them in. That took FOREVER! I couldn't get all of the gasket material off, but I got a good amount of it off and the new seals seem to work just fine.

After that I did a bench sync then went downstairs to the bike to put the carbs back in. what a PITA!! Then it started pouring, I covered up the bike quickly and waited it out. after the storm I finished installing the carbs and installed new fuel line and an inline fuel filter. I think I need to fix that up a bit as it goes up a little before it goes back down.... Not sure how that's gonna effect fuel intake.. we'll see.

So after it was all said and done, I turned the petcock to "on" and let the carbs fill up... I pushed start... nothing!! was very worried. Battery must have needed a wake up or something. Pushed start again, it tried to crank but couldnt start.... figured I needed to wait for more gas to hit the float bowls... waited another minute, pushed the button, it turned but wouldn't go, finally i just gave it throttle while pushing start and it came to life.

Went for a spin aroudn the block, came back to my parking spot and realized that choke had been on the whole time, when i turned off the choke at idle, it died immediately. I figured the idle knob on the carbs needed tending to.

Started up in choke and adjusted the knob until it was revving pretty good, killed choke and it was idling right around 1300.... I'll need to tweak that tomorrow or during the coming work week. went for another ride, 50mph winds right now so it was a short ride lol. Came back and shut her off. Then just for fun, i wanted to see if I could push start and not touch the throttle.... and it worked!!

I can now push the start button and the bike fires right up!!

Thanks for all your help everyone. This has been one hell of a project. I feel really good about my work and I couldn't have done any of this without this website!

THANK YOU!

 

You're getting close.

With the bike fully warmed up, back the idle down to 1150. You should need the "choke" for cold-starting.

And I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you're far from finished. The process has just begun, and you've accomplished the first OF MANY milestones.

Now we talk brakes. And you're still gonna need to do a vacuum sync.

 

Wow...what a great post...12 days of a bunch of people offering advice, tools and parts to help a new member out. This is what this forum is all about and for everybody involved, bravo, job well done. Kleraudio, you now owe your knowledge and experiences to the forum when another new member asks for advice....perpetuation of knowledge....

 

Fitz I know there is more to be done, let me bask in this victory for a few days

Yep, brakes are next on the agenda along with a vac sync. I've got my SS lines, need to get the mc and caliper rebuild kit. Afraid those SS lines aren't gonna fit when I put on new bars though..

Bruce, thank you man. I owe it all to this place! I'll be here when another new member asks questions, that's for sure!

 

This is indeed a great example of why I love this site. Kudos everyone.

 

Kudos indeed!!

I took her out for a hundred mile run today. Got into the twisties in the mountains. So fun!!

Would my mpg have increased dramatically because of the carb rebuild? I did the usual 80 miles and went to fill up. Normally that'll cost me 8-9 bucks (premium @ ~~3.69 a gallon) I did 80 miles today and filled her up, 4.50!! Would my gas mileage have increased because of the job I just performed? That would be awesome!

 

before seems kind of low but after seems really high. maybe check those numbers again.
i get about 34 to about 66, you should work for GM

 

Lol it wasn't empty when I filled up that's the point!

Usually after 80 miles I need 9 bucks (almost 3 gallons) this time I needed half that.