05 RSV carb cleaning

[pilot172]

My "new to me" 05 RS Midnight Venture would not run off choke when I picked it up a month ago. After draining the old gas, new plugs and running a few tanks with seafoam through it it will now run off choke once fully warmed up. However it's still not right. Takes a long time before choke can be full off, idle is rough, can hear it missing and lacks power right off idle. Once rpm's come up a little it screams. Today I decided to pull the carbs for cleaning. Is there a write up on adjusting the floats (they all seem to be too high) and the mixture screws (they were set from 1.5 to 3.25 turns)? Also anyone have any tips on separating the carbs to make it easier to disassemble for cleaning? Thanks

[cecdoo]

My "new to me" 05 RS Midnight Venture would not run off choke when I picked it up a month ago. After draining the old gas, new plugs and running a few tanks with seafoam through it it will now run off choke once fully warmed up. However it's still not right. Takes a long time before choke can be full off, idle is rough, can hear it missing and lacks power right off idle. Once rpm's come up a little it screams. Today I decided to pull the carbs for cleaning. Is there a write up on adjusting the floats (they all seem to be too high) and the mixture screws (they were set from 1.5 to 3.25 turns)? Also anyone have any tips on separating the carbs to make it easier to disassemble for cleaning? Thanks

 

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=24246

 

Craig

[09RSTD]

I have an excellent tip that I learned the hard way. If you have never messed around with a motorcycle carburetor before DON'T DO IT unless you have an experienced helper. I thought that it would be no big deal as I had rebuild automotive carburetors before. WRONG. Smaller and much more delicate. Get someone who knows motorcycle carburetors to help with the first time. That way you have a bike that runs better than when you took them off instead of the bike never running correctly again.

[pilot172]

I have an excellent tip that I learned the hard way. If you have never messed around with a motorcycle carburetor before DON'T DO IT unless you have an experienced helper. I thought that it would be no big deal as I had rebuild automotive carburetors before. WRONG. Smaller and much more delicate. Get someone who knows motorcycle carburetors to help with the first time. That way you have a bike that runs better than when you took them off instead of the bike never running correctly again.

 

Thanks for the tip. I started working on dirt bikes when I was 14 and now have 35yrs working on all sorts. I just have not had the opportunity yet to work on the Venture carbs. I did some work on my 1st gen carbs but not a full removal and disassemble. What I like working on most is aircraft carbs.

[pilot172]

The carbs are off, disassembled and soaking in Pine-Sol. They were actually quite clean inside. Two pilot jets had just a slight residue starting to clog them up, the needle valves and seats are like new, main jets also like new, all diaphragms are good (one was not seated correctly at the grove in the cap but I'll fix that on install). I did find two things missing. One of the jet needles was missing a washer and one coasting enrichment assembly was missing the spring. So I need to locate one of those teeny tiny washers and one spring.

 

I read the write up that V7Goose did on setting the float level but I'm still not sure on exactly where on the floats to take the measurement. It looks to me that the shop manual shows the measurement being taken at about the middle of the float but every photo I've seen on here of someone taking the measurement looks like they are doing it close to the hinge. Maybe I'll just leave them alone since the needle valves and seats were installed new two years ago at a dealer and they must have set the floats at that time.

 

Hopefully my dealer will have a washer for the jet needle and a spring for the coaster enrichment assembly so I can put this baby back together tomorrow. The weather up here in NY is getting nice and I need to ride....

[BOO]

The carbs are off, disassembled and soaking in Pine-Sol. They were actually quite clean inside. Two pilot jets had just a slight residue starting to clog them up, the needle valves and seats are like new, main jets also like new, all diaphragms are good (one was not seated correctly at the grove in the cap but I'll fix that on install). I did find two things missing. One of the jet needles was missing a washer and one coasting enrichment assembly was missing the spring. So I need to locate one of those teeny tiny washers and one spring.

 

I read the write up that V7Goose did on setting the float level but I'm still not sure on exactly where on the floats to take the measurement. It looks to me that the shop manual shows the measurement being taken at about the middle of the float but every photo I've seen on here of someone taking the measurement looks like they are doing it close to the hinge. Maybe I'll just leave them alone since the needle valves and seats were installed new two years ago at a dealer and they must have set the floats at that time.

 

Hopefully my dealer will have a washer for the jet needle and a spring for the coaster enrichment assembly so I can put this baby back together tomorrow. The weather up here in NY is getting nice and I need to ride....

 

 

I would definitely set the float levels while you have the carbs off. Seems like most are off when delivered from the factory. I certainly wouldn't trust the dealer to have set the floats. You have parts missing, wonder who left them off?

I don't remember where I took the measurement from when setting the floats but I did use V7goose's write up with no problems. If you have questions about the measurement you should either PM Goose or call him, I'm sure he can tell you.

Good Luck,

BOO

[Freebird]

I agree with Boo. There is absolutely no way I would put those carbs together without setting the floats first. I have never yet heard of one that had them set correctly from the factory and I would be surprised if the dealer did them or did them right.

 

Goose did a great article and it's very easy to do.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=24246

[allwx]

Same here. I did the Goose adjustment. My fuel mileage went up about 3-4 mpg. Not only were the floats on my then-new 07 out of spec, none of them was even the same as the others. Each float was set at a different level.

[MikeM]

Hopefully my dealer will have a washer for the jet needle and a spring for the coaster enrichment assembly so I can put this baby back together tomorrow.

If you haven't found them already, I've had good luck finding the washers at Home Depot. Not sure if they would have a spring or not.