Long time no see, so an update

[greg_in_london]

Hi All,

 

It's been quite a while since I posted I think because progress has been really slow with my old Venture. A few years ago I was struggling with the downpipes rusting through on the double skin - taking them off and welding them to seal the holes and getting a bit less time out of the each time. The mounting lug on the collector had broken off a couple of years before - initially the system was tight enough for it not to move, but over time it all became looser and everything moved, including those dodgy compression seals on the back pipes. I just haven't had much time and the spares are not as easy to come by over here. Although I can get stuff from the USA, it is a nightmare if breakers send the wrong part (we don't have the same protection as if we were buying from within the EU) and the postage and additional duties are horrific.

 

Either way, I faced up to buying downpipes from across the pond, but by the time they came they had to wait for me to have free time again.

With the new downpipes fitted the exhaust was blowing from everywhere though. I had to have a good look at the collector box as it needed the new lug on it and repairs to the stubs the pipes clamp onto/into. With no spares I invested in a MIG welder and stainless wire and eventually got to work.

Some time afterwards - last summer - I managed to get the exhaust fitted again, with a bit of adjustment needed because when you've adapted the joints it is never easy. When I tried to start it, the carbs just bled petrol - one of the carbs had a sticky float, but it wouldn't free when I tapped it, drained and refilled the bowl or used carb cleaner. With all of the comments about it I located and tried Seafoam. I also changed the fuel lines in case it was breaking down and losing 'bits'.

Next step of course was to take the carbs off, which I had time to do around Christmas, but one of the carb float o-rings broke and a piece fell out, so there was no choice but to order another. Of course by the time it arrived I was focused on work again.

So - this week I could finish checking the carb floats - one of them had been staying open for no obvious reason. I put them bag together and on the bike.

And - only runs on one cylinder (maybe two) at 1-1 1/2 K revs. It spins higher with a bit of easystart, so I know there is a spark. I kept it going like that, hoping that the petrol would seep through, but no luck. I did appreciate having the super-starter clutch (Thanks Squeeze) and the four brush starter with a soldered earth. The AGM batteries had died on me, so I used jump leads.

 

Right now the plan is to see whether the petrol (which still has Seafoam in it) will seep through and let the bike start as if there was nothing wrong. I can still squirt carb cleaner in through the jets and do all those 'optimistic' things, draining and refilling the carbs. Otherwise I'll have to wait until I have another whole day to take the carbs off, clean every drilling and jet and then reinstall them to see if that helps. :-(

[Marcarl]

That's quite a haul Greg, and you ain't there yet. Hopefully you can get-r-done before long.

[greg_in_london]

Finally - some success.

 

getting time with the Venture and another bike was on my Christmas list, but I was suddenly told I would have to give up the garage that it was in, which acted as something of a spur !

 

I didn't do anything too major this time, beyond making sure that the throttle slides would move. I didn't want to pull the carbs off again as my work room is currently unavailable and I didn't want to risk losing bits in the lock-up, so I basically drained as much petrol as I could, added a gallon of fresh stuff with the last of the sea foam that I bought (it doesn't seem to have worked miracles) and fitted a new AGM battery. I then hooked up jumpleads from the car so the battery would not drain (hoping that the battery would mean a stronger spark). I still had to use easy start, but the bike started and I got her to keep running. the carbs obviously still need to be balanced, but I think the issue is that the pilot jets are all clogged up. It runs, but REALLY badly.

 

Nevertheless I took the bike for an MOT - which bemused the testers who hadn't done a sidecar before - and one wasn't even sure what category it should be in. I thought the brakes poor, but because of the weight of her, the tester said the figures were the highest he had seen before the wheels locked. Despite the misfires, she passed the test. I'm not sure whether to just take her for a run occasionally to see if the carbs clear or else to schedule a time to do them again. Today though, I'm going to put the outfit in the new lock-up so I can start moving the rest of the stuff.

 

It feels so good to progress one of my projects and not somebody else's :-)

 

Greg

[XV1100SE]

Giving it a good run with Seafoam in the gas will help a little. Might be some other products that do the same thing. Definitely synching the carbs will help.

Good to see you are making progress !

[Evan]

Best wishes to you Greg and good luck with your Venture in 2018.

[greg_in_london]

It's been a while since I've been able to do anything with the Venture. Moving garages took forever and then work didn't stop, though paying £36 per week for the garage is hurting.

 

Anyway - I started her up again and yesterday I took her out for a run, which was very nice. Unfortunately the hot clutch did something with air bubbles and left me without a working clutch. That was resolved by taking the master cylinder off the bars and wiggling it to ensure there were no bubbles and then bleeding the bottom with a 10mm spanner and screwdriver (as I couldn't find an 8mm.... Grrr...)

 

It may have been running a bit better, but really was probably running on three a lot of the time - when I got back I used a heat probe on the exhausts a short while after stopping. Three were at seventy something degrees C and one (front left) at forty five, so no surprises there.

 

I tried to balance the carbs while the engine was hot, holding it on the throttle, but the vacuum was not enough to register on the gauges. I haven't seen that before. It could be that the idle circuits are blocked and so the vacuum is dropping to near zero as the butterflies are opening slightly, but that sort of suggests that all the idle circuits are equally blocked, else it would try and idle for a few seconds at least and show something on the gauges. The carbs are securely on the inlet rubbers and the slides bounce away merrily.

 

The next step is to pull the carbs off and dismantle them, but I'm back to work next week and I might have to put it all to one side again, so I'm trying to think if there is something else I could try as I'm feeling that I might be missing something.

 

Oh - and finally passed 65K miles - I really haven't been putting many miles on over the past few years.

[Flyinfool]

I do not know if you have it over there but a product called Berrymans is a fuel treatment that is stronger than seafoam. Since it is harsher than Seafoam you do not want to let it sit in the system for extended period of time. Ideally empty the fuel tank and use a half bottle of Berrymans to about 1/4 tank (1 US gallon) of gas. Run that for a bit to get it thru the carbs and let sit over night, then the next day go ride it like you stole it and park it over night to soak again. Do this until this mix is used up, then fill the tank with fresh gas and some Seafoam to flush out the Berrymans. If this does not open up the carb then the only option is to do a complete off bike disassemble clean and rebuild with al new seals.

[BlueSky]

The spark plug wires love to corrode at the spark plug cap joint. Maybe unscrew the caps and cut a half inch off the plug wires and screw them back into the caps.

[Patch]

Hey Greg,

 

In one of your post you mention car battery... that answer is yes. The coils will multiply what ever the input is. So damp unused bikes can benefit from this practice. In all cases we need rpm to compress and fire, another benefit!

 

Yes the carbs should be removed and cleaned. I am not familiar with the product Flyinfool mentioned but likely he is. I use occasionally Seafoam in a 50/50 mix directly from the pump to the bowls easy enough to do!

 

I would be willing to wager that she is suffering from "stuck rings" a compression test would confirm this.

 

Another way is to remove the carbs - cup your hand over the intakes one at a time - spin the engine around 5 times. I don't have to tell you to be careful right, it is an uncomfortable position.

 

You should feel an almighty vacuum pressure drawing down and holding your palm tight to the intake port!

 

If as I suspect is the case, you may feel some but it will quickly release. If so then pretty hard to expect there to be sufficient vacuum to operate a CV carb!

 

Depending on your findings and the test type you use we can point you forward.

 

Also you may find that you get a push of air in the above explained, that should change as we progress!

 

If you choose to 50/50 mix 1st let us know and I will explain how to proceed without running the engine and likely start tackling the stuck ring at the same time.

 

Patch

Edited June 5, 2018 by Patch

[greg_in_london]

Well I had a really busy early Summer with no free time followed by no work at all which allowed me to go on holiday for a month - touring through Germany, Poland and Czech, hitting music festivals and chilling in campsites by lakes and rivers in between. A beautiful way to spend August and not much different cost-wise to staying in London (except for a few days in Germany and France on the way back). That's another story though. I had a bit of work I was expecting cancelled (so a diet of bread, cheese, beans and the beer wine and vodka we brought back for a while...) and have had time to pull and clean the carbs and play with the old Venture.

 

A while back I bought one of those small jewellery ultrasound cleaners from Lidl or Aldi. I didn't expect much from it, but it seemed to do a good job of the carb parts I put in it. The emulsion tubes that I thought might be blocked were pretty clean and overall I didn't find much crud at all. The float heights looked about right as well. The pilot jet disappointed me in that I seemed to be cleaning them, but could not see even a glimmer of light through them which I thought I'd been able to do in the past. I'm now having to wear glasses though, so it's harder to be sure. They do have tiny holes through them. Using a lens the ends looked clean and I was sure I could just blow a little air through them. Having used an ultrasound cleaner, squirted them with releasing fluid and blasted them with an airline I wasn't sure what else I could do though and the three I could get out (one was too tight and I was worried I'd strip the head) all looked the same - if I'd been able to see through one I'd have persevered until all were the same. All of the carb slides moved easily, but one seemed to 'stack', so if I wiggled it it felt as if pressure was building up, though it soon released. When I took the top off there was nothing amiss and it seemed the same as the others once I put it back.

 

Either way - it starts more easily, though it still needed Easy Start. Even when not starting it felt like it 'wanted to'. I took it out for a run and that seemed to help a bit, as did refuelling with fresh petrol - I seemed to have full power above 2,000 rpm, but below that it was not happy and did not tick over. Hopefully getting the throttle stop set right and balancing the carbs will help, though they were pretty close on a bench set-up (all beginning to open at the same point).

 

The worst part was that the bite point of the clutch was getting closer to the bars again by the time I got back. Thinking it was an air problem again I did a quick bleed before putting it back in the garage and then it all went pear shaped. Pulling on the lever it would get part way back and would then feel as if it had gone 'over-centre' and pull to the bar with no resistance. I can't see anything odd with the lever, but when trying to bleed the slave cylinder the fluid tended to run back into the cylinder, rather than syphon down from the top, though the process was hard as the hot engine kept softening the pipe. I decided to leave it alone and go back this morning when it is cooler again (the lock-up garage is a few miles from where I live now) but I'm wondering whether I need to rebuild the master cylinder or maybe the slave cylinder as well. It's never been brilliant and I wonder if a non-Venture master cylinder would be an upgrade. Although air in the system has occasionally been a problem, it doesn't drain out fluid through the slave cylinder like some people have reported.

 

Any suggestions for what to check ? The return valve has been mentioned in other threads. If just cleaning it would help that would be good, but I suspect I only have a window of a few days before work starts properly again and don't have much of a budget knowing that income will be limited until November...

[Patch]

Hello Greg,

Hard to believe you knowingly reinstalled blocked pilot jets. Do you have twist ties, like what we here once used to tie off sandwich or garbage bags? If you have one then using your thumbnail strip back the green paper-rap about 25mm, use that to poke the gum out of the jets or, a single strand of copper wiring say leftover from adding a light to the sidecar.

 

For the clutch, the actuator cylinder that drives the clutch at the lower end left side of the engine should be removed and cleaned then a final rinse with DOT3. check for pitting or o-ring damage.

 

When you remove the actuator and while its soaking allow the hydraulic line to completely drain.

Does the black rubber tubing appear to be in good shat? Can you see black particulates at the bottom of the reservoir?

 

If you can I would remove the slave from the clutch reservoir then clean all with a brake cleaner or whatever you prefer to use.

If it were me, I would rebuild the slave while its out, it isn't a difficult job, kits are available.

 

After cleaning again flush all parts and lines with DOT3.

 

Once all is reassembled refill the system leaving the lower bleeder cracked open, (I use a vacuum pump for this) then bleed as usual.

 

Remember to use petrol stabilizer as your bike sits for extended periods. Also the clutch DOT3 will continue to accumulate water down at the actuator so get accustom to draining an ounce or so out. This will improve its performance also perlong part life.

 

Patch

[greg_in_london]

I must admit that I tried a few things to poke the blooming holes, including the finest needles I could find. I deliberately put the drill bit box with the 1mm bits down out of sight to stop me from being tempted. I haven't seen those bag ties for years, but yes, they would have done. I sat trying to decide if I was blowing through the jet or just imagining it until the taint of petrol made my lips tingle ! I really hope they weren't blocked and there does seem to be improvement, so fingers crossed...

 

Cleaning the slave cylinder may well help, but what puzzled me was that the lever pushed in part way and then resistance gave way. I thought maybe that funny extender piece between the level and piston was slipping somehow, but I couldn't see anything amiss. I found another job to do today, but I'll look again with a clear mind in the morning.

[Patch]

The float heights looked about right as well I assume you measured the float heights.

The pilot jet disappointed me in that I seemed to be cleaning them, but could not see even a glimmer of light through them which I thought I'd been able to do in the past You can place them over a flashlight that may help you. Yes you must see light through.

They do have tiny holes through them. Using a lens the ends looked clean and I was sure I could just blow a little air through them. When they are blocked hard it is easier to poke wire through the in flow of the jet instead of the nose. A sewing needle is not a proper tool for this, as the taper can pack instead of push through.

Having used an ultrasound cleaner, squirted them with releasing fluid and blasted them with an airline I wasn't sure what else

I could do though and the three I could get out (one was too tight and I was worried I'd strip the head) all looked the same - if I'd been able to see through one I'd have persevered until all were the same. ​Heat the jet pack/housing in a pot with soapy simmering water for about 10 minutes. You'll need a cloth to hold it while you extract this jet with a proper fitting flat driver. My Flat Screwdrivers are tune for Carbs and are only used for carbs, the blade tips are ground true and nickle plating removed at the ends to reduce slip.

If you can't for some reason remove this jet pass the wire through it while still housed in the jet body.

All of the carb slides moved easily, but one seemed to 'stack', so if I wiggled it it felt as if pressure was building up, though it soon released. When I took the top off there was nothing amiss and it seemed the same as the others once I put it back.

 

Either way - it starts more easily, though it still needed Easy Start. So fuel is only one of 4 requirements for sure, quick stats/ rotation speed, above 11 volts at coils, fuel/air, and compression.. Why would we use starting fluid, well for one Low Voltage at the Coils, second would be Choke/Enricher not working, third would be starting RPM too slow? You will need to rule on these. If you need help let us know. Then next time the carbs are off check compression and post the results, we know you have compression but how much we don't know, there is a good post on this that can and has helped improve results.

Even when not starting it felt like it 'wanted to'. I took it out for a run and that seemed to help a bit, as did refuelling with fresh petrol - I seemed to have full power above 2,000 rpm, This is because the midrange takes over, that is to say the slide needles!

but below that it was not happy and did not tick over. Hopefully getting the throttle stop set right and balancing the carbs will help, though they were pretty close on a bench set-up (all beginning to open at the same point). Until the pilot cirsuit is working there is no gain in syncing outside of the bench sync.

 

 

 

I must admit that I tried a few things to poke the blooming holes, including the finest needles These jets are available perhaps its best is just to swap them out. I'm including a link, would also change the rubber plugs and jet/pack gaskets.

 

Cleaning the slave cylinder may well help, but what puzzled me was that the lever pushed in part way and then resistance gave way. This is usually the slave cups, (I have seen them packed up bottom half's)can also be a pit in the slave housing. As mentioned I would rebuild it or replace it. I thought maybe that funny extender piece between the level and piston was slipping somehow, but I couldn't see anything amiss. ​As I recall this is just an extension no adjustment, nothing really to go wrong there. Unless you have the incorrect lever/handle. I had to fab a lever last year on the road for my buddy after a fall the picture below;)

I found another job to do today, but I'll look again with a clear mind in the morning.

 

Now back to cleaning the carbs: when the jet/housing/body/pack is removed you see the porting below it, each port must be cleaned with carb cleaner then blown out and, you need to be able to see the pressurized fluid pass through and exiting into the barrel!!! This includes the air jets and the enricher!!! Link below is for the 1200 but the plan is the same.

 

http://www.venturers.org/Tech_Library/?action=article&cat_id=001010&id=366

 

http://www.carburettorshop.com/index.html

[greg_in_london]

Thanks for a detailed answer.

 

Float height - I measured the fuel level some time ago and recall it had been right (though the manual says 14mm in one place and 16mm in another..), but I'd brought them back from the garage and couldn't easily do a check with the fuel pump running. I had a recollection that the float height should be 19mm and that I'd followed a thread suggestion on reducing fuel consumption and set it at 20mm, which is what they were at. Looking back through threads the only concrete reference I could find to float heights was that the float by the cutaway should be level with the bulge in the jet block, which was the case.

 

The jet - I expected to see light, but couldn't. I've had it drummed into me over the years to keep wires and drill bits away from jets and not to scratch them, but in this case I couldn't find anything small enough. I convinced myself there was space for air to pass through and was worried that if I didn't get them back on I wouldn't have another chance until Christmas (it's been off the road for a long time). I thought about ordering new jets, but suspected I couldn't afford them. I just checked and in the USA they're just over $5 each, but here they're £27 !!! (over $30) - that's ridiculous.

 

The battery is fairly new (AGM) and fully charged. The starter has the four brushes and the better earth conversion so it spins nicely. I've a compression tester somewhere if I can find it (I had to move both flat and garage recently and can't find anything) and will check the results if I can.

 

Either way, there was an improvement over how the carbs were before and that's something for me to work on. What is soul destroying is the clutch problem. On Friday I managed to get the slave cylinder off as well as the master cylinder and I've dismantled and cleaned both. Apart from a tear in the slave dust cover everything seemed to be in good condition. There may be been something blocking the small jet in the master cylinder, but now I've cleaned it I can't tell. The next thing would be to buy kits to refurbish both slave and master cylinders, but am reluctant to spend money without having found the problem as I hate the thought that I'll get the bits, rebuild it and then still have no clutch. Having said that - I can't think of anything that might not be working !

[Patch]

Thanks for a detailed answer.

 

Float height - I measured the fuel level some time ago and recall it had been right (though the manual says 14mm in one place and 16mm in another..), but I'd brought them back from the garage and couldn't easily do a check with the fuel pump running. I had a recollection that the float height should be 19mm and that I'd followed a thread suggestion on reducing fuel consumption and set it at 20mm, which is what they were at. Looking back through threads the only concrete reference I could find to float heights was that the float by the cutaway should be level with the bulge in the jet block, which was the case.

 

The jet - I expected to see light, but couldn't. .I've had it drummed into me over the years to keep wires and drill bits away from jets and not to scratch them, but in this case I couldn't find anything small enough I convinced myself there was space for air to pass through and was worried that if I didn't get them back on I wouldn't have another chance until Christmas (it's been off the road for a long time). I thought about ordering new jets, but suspected I couldn't afford them. I just checked and in the USA they're just over $5 each, but here they're £27 !!! (over $30) - that's ridiculous.

 

The battery is fairly new (AGM) and fully charged. The starter has the four brushes and the better earth conversion so it spins nicely. I've a compression tester somewhere if I can find it (I had to move both flat and garage recently and can't find anything) and will check the results if I can.

 

Either way, there was an improvement over how the carbs were before and that's something for me to work on. What is soul destroying is the clutch problem. On Friday I managed to get the slave cylinder off as well as the master cylinder and I've dismantled and cleaned both. Apart from a tear in the slave dust cover everything seemed to be in good condition. There may be been something blocking the small jet in the master cylinder, but now I've cleaned it I can't tell. The next thing would be to buy kits to refurbish both slave and master cylinders, but am reluctant to spend money without having found the problem as I hate the thought that I'll get the bits, rebuild it and then still have no clutch. Having said that - I can't think of anything that might not be working !

 

Time to start playing a string instrument set the carbs to what the book says. floats have to work at the complete throttle range.

 

Each time you clean a port you must use pressure to ensure the passage is clean/not restricted!

 

I bet you can find those jets locally, give it a try

[BlueSky]

This is what I used to clean out the holes in the jets and emulsion tubes. I just try to careful not to damage the jets.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/13-Welding-Tip-Cleaner-with-Stainless-Steel-Reamers-4-Welder-Soldering/311413289559?hash=item4881adb257:g:e~IAAOSwhCBbV8BK

[uhfradarwill]

Smooth clutch handles are for sissys. I like the allen wrench/vise grip combo.

A real mans clutch lol

[greg_in_london]

Unfortunately the 'proper' way of checking the fuel level is to check it on the bike with the engine running and with the mid-cover off and the clutch bits off I don't want to start her up. I don't really want to take the carbs off before putting the clutch system back together - one thing at a time I'll know I'll get on with, but too many things at once and it becomes a project that gets left forever. I ordered a set of those welder cleaners though.

 

I have found somewhere in the UK that does the pilot jets for £5 each, so I may invest in those once I check the engine numbers to be sure which model I have - my manual covers different markets with different jetting and I should have written down exactly what I have a long time ago. Or rather I should have kept it - years ago I had a long running thread collating as much information on carb setups and what mpg people were getting.

 

Oops - just looking for that mpg post I found a thread ten years ago when I was talking about a rebuild. It sorted itself out then, but it does look like the kit is justified now... https://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?27144-Clutch-lever-actuating-pin-(between-lever-and-master-cylinder)

 

I found the mpg one - the table that we kept updating doesn't show properly anymore: https://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?20950-What-gas-mileage-do-you-get/page11 At least I can see that I wrote down what model I have (XVZ12DL - 41V-000125)

 

Right now I keep looking at the clutch bits trying to work out what is/was wrong. I'm going to order the kits though and keep polishing the (already smooth) slave cylinder bore:

Edited September 17, 2018 by greg_in_london

[greg_in_london]

The kits arrived yesterday and so I've rebuilt both slave and master cylinder. Work is starting again today, but hopefully I'll make time to get to the garage and put them back on. Then I'll be able to see if the carbs are continuing to improve or if I need to do a better job on them (the nozzle cleaners were also due yesterday or today, though I'll have to see if they go small enough).

[Patch]

Yes the clutch handle was a carry-on moment. I happened to carry some quick epoxy and fuel hose clamps never know when a fellow rider needs a fellow riders helping hand. I posted a short essay on that trip in the watering hole.

 

Regarding jets: reasons they can be hard to clean are often heat related, why heat, it hardens the varnish. Another is backfiring (in the original term past intake valves) this is when we find blackened jet ports.

As gas degrades we get this varnishing potential. Water in the blows, this too is a problem when a bike sits and or is started for a few minutes only not allowing the engine to reach operating temperatures. Crud from the bowl gets carried off through to the jets and sits not flushed out by fresh gas. This is the easy blockage to clean.

 

If there is ant glimmer of light then chemical treatments have a chance at working to clear a jet.

If not then we need to poke through or replace. I recommend stock jetting till a problem is confirmed; and is why I recommend checking and comparing, verses not knowingly reassembling an existing problem!

 

The use of torch tip cleaners is not a recommended approach. The barbed hardened wire is designed to cut - you do not want to enlarge or reshape the jet port!!! Tip cleaning is just to keep the production going, the tips are easily replaced on a torch not so on a carb

 

I have used lacquer thinner on the odd time but soak time for a jet can be lengthy, it also explosive.

 

I assume you didn't literally polish out the honing for the clutch housings, but rather checked for pitting or fine parallel scratches and shiny spots. Don't to flush the parts with dot3

[greg_in_london]

I'm seeing a familiar pattern emerging again - if I can't get things done when I get the chance, it all starts to drag out for another year. I'm trying not to let that happen and have gone and collected the carbs again. (That's worrying - I'm talking about collecting them rather than taking them off the bike - kind of suggesting it's something I'm happy to keep on doing.)

 

I've checked the diameters of the smallest nozzle cleaner (now listed as for carb cleaning on EBay !) and according to my old micrometer the smallest is 0.40 mm (0.38 on the advert). 3A fuse wire is smaller at 0.17mm, but not stiff enough to poke through.

 

I really have no idea what the size of the hole should be for a 37.5 jet (wouldn't it be nice if it was 0.375mm, but I think the numbers are based on flow rather than diameter - am I wrong ?), but the nozzle cleaner doesn't fit.

 

Right now I have a jet sitting and soaking in degreasant. I'm thinking of just buying new ones - there's just part of me convinced I just need to clean these and they'll be fine.

[Marcarl]

I'm seeing a familiar pattern emerging again - if I can't get things done when I get the chance, it all starts to drag out for another year. I'm trying not to let that happen and have gone and collected the carbs again. (That's worrying - I'm talking about collecting them rather than taking them off the bike - kind of suggesting it's something I'm happy to keep on doing.)

 

I've checked the diameters of the smallest nozzle cleaner (now listed as for carb cleaning on EBay !) and according to my old micrometer the smallest is 0.40 mm (0.38 on the advert). 3A fuse wire is smaller at 0.17mm, but not stiff enough to poke through.

 

I really have no idea what the size of the hole should be for a 37.5 jet (wouldn't it be nice if it was 0.375mm, but I think the numbers are based on flow rather than diameter - am I wrong ?), but the nozzle cleaner doesn't fit.

 

Right now I have a jet sitting and soaking in degreasant. I'm thinking of just buying new ones - there's just part of me convinced I just need to clean these and they'll be fine.

 

Maybe this will help. You'll need to go down a bit to see the bit sizes chart.

https://affordablegokarts.com/pages/how-to-drill-the-main-jets

[videoarizona]

Greg,

 

Go to the local music store or ring up a friend who plays guitar. You want to borrow or buy an high "E" string. It will be a fine metal wire.

I use that on my carbs and works great....Cost should be really low.

 

Your clutch parts look clean. If you are still having problems, I would replace all the crush washers at every junction and check out the line ends to make sure they don't have crud on them or are pitted. You must have an air leak in a junction or a line somewhere. The slave and the master both "look" pretty good.

[Patch]

Look Bro, this isn't a piano;)

 

Click on this link below. Do you have have anything like these or access to?

https://www.mscdirect.com/industrialtools/weiler-brass-brushes.html

 

Take the nose of the jet and bush it into the brass brush several times. You only need a small hole which can and will allow your cleaning chem to pass through, soften and clear the port. Place a cup of water in a frying pan add 2 tablespoons of Mr.Clean or what ever and simmer with a lid over top. If this doesn't clear the port then toss it, the carbon from too many cold short starts is too hard and not worth the effort.

[greg_in_london]

Thanks - the clutch seemed to be working fine now, though I didn't do many miles before deciding I had to play with the carbs again.

 

Never mind a guitar - I play the fiddle and have old strings lying around. I suppose I might have thought of it eventually, but I'm glad you suggested it first.

 

And the brass brushes - I have some somewhere and was planning to root them out, but thanks for saying it - it's a spur to get me moving. The short strands are much stiffer than the fuse wire. I'm hoping they are nearly as thin. I'll measure them anyway so they are a reference for others.