Cleaning Emulsion Tubes, pilot jets

I have my XJ550 Mikuni bottom end carb parts soaking in a jar that has about a 1/2" of Gumout carb and choke spray in it, and has a lid on (4 jars!).
If my emulsion tubes don't clean up are there any tricks I can use? 3 are not that bad, 1 has black deposits on most of it. This one worries me!
Only a couple hours has passed and they have cleaned up quite a bit, but they also have a long way to go.
My pilot jets are also plugged.... any suggestions for getting them cleared? Copper safety wire is way to big for this little passage....

 

electric guitar strings

 

Usually compressed air will do the trick.

The orifices in those pilot jets are very small. If you deform them trying to poke out with a wire you'll have a tuning nightmare. They're cheap - if they don't clean with a soak and compressed air I replace them.

 

You can use a stiff nylon bristle plucked from a parts-cleaning brush; it can't possibly scratch the inside of the jet, and they're usually strong enough to punch through.

I clamp 'em in a hemostat. Also good for the micro-hole in the bottom of your master cylinder.

 

OK, I'll see what I can do about those pilot jets.
My emulsion tubes did't clean up much more over night. I'm thinking of dropping the tube will the black deposits on it into a container with "Iron-out" in it just to see if that will remove the black, I assume it is some form of rust...

 

Pilot jets unplugged!!! Yay!!!!

 

Makes a big difference, doesn't it! I just went through my carbs for what I hope is the last time. Pulled them off and cleaned up all 4 pilot jets double checked the mixture screws that the gaskets were good.

Congrats your mission is accomplished.

 

Emulsion Tubes:

I have a Cap Screw that threads into the Bottom.
I chuck them in my Drill.
Spin them holding ScotchBrite to the Tube.
Once shined, ...
Mothers polished.
Ports all Probed with a Cleaning Wire.
Center of Tube scrubbed with 3 Pipe Cleaners twisted together.



(Shop for Pipe Cleaners at a "Crafting Store" ... They have bundles of Extra-long ones that you can just fold-over twice.

Pilot Jets:

Attach a Small Diameter length of Heat Shrink to a Carb Red Tube.
Shrink the one end on the Tube.
Leave the Other End unheated and open.
Fits into Enrichment Well.
Over Siphon Tube.
Insert Mikuni Pilots
Flush-out Passages

 

That is some awesome help RickCoMatic. I'm going to see what I can do with those tubes tonight. These carbs have a long long way to go, they are really gummed up, but at least the diaphrams are ok, along with the carb bodies and bowls. The heat shrink is another awesome tip that should at least keep some of that carb cleaner out of my face.
I'm not there yet... but I'm thinking I should probably adjust float levels using the washer fluid before I put the guts back into the carbs.. right? Any tips on what to use for a fluid reservoir/shutoff valve?

 

Use fuel or mineral spirits; washer fluid can throw you off.

I "borrow" the fuel tank from my kid's minibike, with its shutoff valve and hose...

 

Rickomatic... your process on the emulsion tubes works awesome. Mine look like new except I need to get the insides cleaned out with pipe cleaners.

Since I am into the carbs and my jets are gummed up I was thinking now is the time to re-jet. I am all stock except for a 4 into 1 Mac exhaust, and the plugs had beeen running on the lean side. Do I only need to get the main and pilot jet, or do I also need to get the pilot air bleed as well???

I am at sea level...
my 112.5 main jet would go +2 to 114.5 (not + 4 per formula "additional changes" mis- match condition)
my 35 pilot jet would go + 1 tp 36 (formula calculation closer to go up 1)
Does this sound right?

 

Ahhh, and the plot thickens...
my choices for ordering are the stock 112.5 or 115 main jet.
my choices for ordering the pilot are stock 35 or 37.5

Hmmm, maybe leave the jets alone??? Or 35/115???? Help

 

Bump them up!

Then, tune 'em up.

The Pilot Jet you'll be able to Adjust.
The Main will give you just a bit more Fuel.
If you are a distance rider, ... it's good.
If you are a BIG rider, ... it helps.

IF you don't like the results you get.
Put the old ones back in.

 

Haha! I have nothing to compare to because the bike was sluggish and hesitated horribly! It's all understandable now seeing how I found plugged pilot jet passages and emulsion tubes. The formula calls for a 114.5 so going to a 115 main should be fairly close. My real concern was the 37.5, but you would know better than I if it would work, you bring up a good point about leaning it up.
Do I need the air jets too?
Does it look like I did the calculation correctly? (+2 instead of +4) I'm new to this, but excited about it! Can't wait to get this thing running correctl.

 

Don't get ahead of yourself.

Get the Carbs Cleaned.
POLISH the Diaphragm Piston Bores.
Tune it up.
Make it go good.

Ck. w/ "OldBikerDude"

He had his Carbs Cleaned and race Prepped.
His 550 is greased lightning.

 

I don't need the air jets then? Does my jet selection look reasonable?

I won't be cutting any corners, in fact if I get it back together by the 4th of July I will be lucky. I still hhave to tackle the valves too!

I will check with oldbikerdude tonight (heck... that should be my name!)

 

Be sure to get the valves in spec BEFORE you try to sync or tune the carbs.