Carb/jet cleaning without pulling carbs

[CaptainJoe]

Ok don't shoot the messenger but:

Looking for a way to clean carbs and ensure jets are clear without taking carbs off...

 

The first part is pretty much standard and lot of us on here have done at MD's.

 

 

Take tank and top center air box off.

 

Drain carbs, open 4 drain screws then close.

If you take fuel line off at center rear of carbs and spray full, this will effectively place cleaner in all your carbs.

let sit 30 min.

drain carbs, open drain screws. (leave open)

 

---part I would like to add---

 

Take diaphram(s) and needle slides out.

 

Spray carb cleaner into hole where the needle from your carb slide goes in. It should be your high speed jet?

Spray carb cleaner into small hole inside top of carb. It should be your pilot jet?

Spray carb cleaner into hole at the "T" sections of your carbs will be your overflows.

 

Close your drain screws.

 

Am I missing something?

 

Can anyone add or correct any assumptions I have just made?

 

V7goose , skydoc_17 , freebird, anyone...

Edited April 2, 2011 by CaptainJoe

[Guest PlaneCrazy]

I don't like cracking into carbs unless I really have too. Just my preference.

 

I had a bad gas issue before I put the bike away for winter. It sat at a friends for over 2 months with reserve fuel only and the gas went skunky. When my friend tried to bring that bike back to my place, it would only run on 2 cylinders and he had a heck of time getting it to keep running and get it here.

 

What I did was empty out all the fuel from the tank and carbs. Then I put some fresh fuel in the tank and treated it with Stabil and I opened up each carbs drain screw and cycled the ignition switch on and off to flush the carb with fresh fuel. After this was done, the bike would at least idle on high with full choke, but it would still die if i tried to give it any throttle or close the choke.

 

Next thing I did was take the fuel line off at the petcock. Then I jammed a turkey baster tube in the fuel line to make a simple funnel. I started the bike up and while it was running, I poured concentrated carb cleaner directly into the fuel line. As it was used, I kept the tube topped up. I did this for about 5 mins of running at high idle. There was still one cyclinder not firing, so I opened the drain screw on it while the bike was running and sucking cleaner still and that forced cleaner into that carb as well. Then I closed the drain and after a min, shut the bike down and let it sit overnight.

 

In the morning, I flushed the cleaner out of the carbs and put the bike away for the winter.

 

Today, I just got the bike out and I topped up the gas with 1/2 can of Sea Foam added and took the bike on the highway. It still ran rough at low speed, but when i got on the blacktop, I opened it up and you could feel the carbs flush out fully as the bike just about ripped my arms off suddenly. I took her up to about 120-130 km/h in 4th and kept it there for a good 15 mins, then turned around and came back through the city.

 

The bike is is running like a top now. No hesitation and idles nice and smooth.

[CaptainJoe]

That sounds fANTASTIC Planecrazy. YOU GOT LUCKY!

 

You got her back to normal without a major tear down. Like I believe skydoc_17 said... it's maybe a 50/50 thing.

 

Make sure you shut off your petcock after every ride. Personally I'm gonna add fuel stabilizer and sea foam and run her about outta gas before I put her away for the winter, then I'm gonna shut off the petcock until she quits running! I don't want any fuel in the carbs over the winter. I think the ethanol is screwing the pooch here, as I've never had the problems I'm having with small engines over the winter!

 

The thing that still won't be entirely clean doing it that way will be the carb diaphram and slide... but... if it's running good don't mess with it.

 

Should also sync your carbs every year... it's great for your MPG'S. Maintanience day is good for doing those if you dont have the equiptment... but i'm sure you know that...

 

 

The reason I wrote this post was if The bike doesn't start running better, Was trying for a last ditch effort to avoid tearing ones carbs apart as that is a 6-8 hour job... i can do it now blindfolded, but if you don't have to I'm with you! The least time in it the better! LOL

[Marcarl]

Ok don't shoot the messenger but:

Looking for a way to clean carbs and ensure jets are clear without taking carbs off...

 

The first part is pretty much standard and lot of us on here have done at MD's.

 

 

Take tank and top center air box off.

 

Drain carbs, open 4 drain screws then close.

If you take fuel line off at center rear of carbs and spray full, this will effectively place cleaner in all your carbs.

let sit 30 min.

drain carbs, open drain screws. (leave open)

 

---part I would like to add---

 

Take diaphram(s) and needle slides out.

 

Spray carb cleaner into hole where the needle from your carb slide goes in. It should be your high speed jet?

Spray carb cleaner into small hole inside top of carb. It should be your pilot jet?

Spray carb cleaner into hole at the "T" sections of your carbs will be your overflows.

 

Close your drain screws.

 

Am I missing something?

 

Can anyone add or correct any assumptions I have just made?

 

V7goose , skydoc_17 , freebird, anyone...

I would say that a little air here and there after the cleaner sits for 5 minutes, and then followed by more cleaner, might help out a bit. Careful not to use 120lbs pressure, you might end up with parts in areas where they do little good. Other than that, it's about what I do if and when I have a problem. Haven't had to tear them carbs apart yet,,,, but that may happen some day.

[MiCarl]

T... Personally I'm gonna add fuel stabilizer and sea foam and run her about outta gas before I put her away for the winter, ...

 

I suggest you keep the tank full. If there is air in it you can get condensation that will cause rust.

 

I'm also not sure it's a good idea to mix chemicals.

 

Personally I put Sta-bil in everything that is going to sit for more than a couple weeks. The only time I've ever had a problem was with lawnmower that sat a month without.

[CaptainJoe]

I hear what your saying Marcarl. Carb cleaning followed up with about 60 psi air would be better. Also need to check up on research v7goose did on the "carb cleaner that was bad for rubber orings" ...

 

The seafoam with fuel stabalizer won't hurt. Just doing it to clean the carbs before she is put away for the winter.

 

Although I can't testify to it... in the winter there is low humidity in the air so its normally not a problem with things rusting. I know what your saying though about rust/condensation and corrosion.

 

When flying in the hot humid summer... if someone was to put an aircraft to bed with out topping off the tanks... they was in for either an ass chewing or a no flyinn for a while situation... LOL

[dunsonaventure]

I agree, keep the tank full and put sta bil in . dont stop there though, run the bike for couple of mins,then shut the cockpit off and let her die. Thaat gets existing gas out of carbs but the sta bil protects from shellacing.

[BigBear]

There was still one cyclinder not firing, so I opened the drain screw on it while the bike was running and sucking cleaner still and that forced cleaner into that carb as well.

 

How could you tell that one cylinder wasn't firing?

[kj5ix]

Cold pipe is how I found which one wasn't.