Carbs are out again

[Chris Cochran]

I decided to pull the carbs again as #1 and #4 carbs are still overflowing a bit. Not much but enough. I started it and let it run enough so I can see which ones were the bad guys. I really don't mind doing this again. My learning curve has flattened out a lot. This time it only took me 30 minutes to get them out and on the table. A far cry from a what it took the first time.

This time I think I'll put back in the original jets (all cleaned, of course) and remove the ones that came in the rebuild kit. The new float valves will stay in,but I'll put all of the original "hangers" on them.

Most of today will be spent with me scrounging for scrap wood and stuff that I'll need to make a carb work-stand. It will not be pretty, but it will function. I'll get pics.

So, no frustration today, just fun. More to come as the project continues.

[Chris Cochran]

Shown are pics of my quick and easy carb work "stand". The wall shelf unit it is secured to is solidly attached to the wall. The thing has four forward rubber carb mounts attached to a section of wood that can rotate 360 degrees. Above it is a solid place for the fuel source to mount.

Just click on the pics to get them to orient correctly.

[Chris Cochran]

Ok, I have deleted my initial statement about having issues doing the actual procedure with the clear tube check. I believe I was overthinking things and have figured it out.

Carb#1 is about 5 mm below carb edge. Carb #2 is also about 5 mm below the edge of the carb. Carb #3 is about 9 mm down. And carb #4 is 6 mm down.

[ekap1200]

Ok, I have deleted my initial statement about having issues doing the actual procedure with the clear tube check. I believe I was overthinking things and have figured it out.

Carb#1 is about 5 mm below carb edge. Carb #2 is also about 5 mm below the edge of the carb. Carb #3 is about 9 mm down. And carb #4 is 6 mm down.

Do you have a manual ? 5mm is 0.197" , 0.5 is 0.019" a big difference. The tolerance is +/- 1mm which is .039".
So try to get it right at the bottom edge within a 1/32 of an inch.
Gene

[VoyKimmer]

Just got back from Florida on my 96. Carl replaced my carbs on it in less than an hour running and synced. Bike runs great now. I was having an idling problem on it. He has about 4 sets on his shelf ready to be installed. To me that’s the only way to do carbs. No hassle and a nice visit.

[Chris Cochran]

To ekap1200: I have a manual downloaded and I have a means to measure metrically.

Bending the tab juuuuust so much takes a bit of practice. Carb #3 started at 9mm down, then it rose to 3mm down. I'm going down to the garage in about an hour to see if I can bend it a smidgeon more to drop it into range.

Frankly, I'm more concerned about not screwing up the poor gasket and adjusting the cables correctly. But, it'll get done today for sure.

[Chris Cochran]

To VoyKimmer: Let's hope that Carl has them high on a shelf if you get my meaning.

[Chris Cochran]

Ok, I officially give up. I must admit that this is outside of my skillset. The fuel levels are jumping all over the place. I paid special heed to ensure that I used the exact same procedure each time so that each test would be consistent with itself.

Today I tried seven times and I'm done messing with them. Time to send them to someone to professionally do, or swap for professionally done ones, on a one for one basis. But the only thing I plan to do with these is, at most, box them up to send out, in case I can't find someone local to do them for me.

The day before yesterday (I was busy yesterday, so they remained untouched) the fuel levels read like this: (Carb / mm's)
1/5 2/5 3/9 4/6 Which looks like only carb 3 needed a minor tweak. The other three were within specifications. Good so far. I was happy.

So, today I started the day by ONLY adjusting carb 3 and here is what happened:
1/12 2/5 3/2 (I over-adjusted) 4/16 So, all on their own, carb #1 went from 5mm's to 12mm's and carb #4 went from 6mm's to 16mm's!!

Why did carbs 1 and 4 JUMP so much when they were literally not touched?

So, what I did then was to simply retest over and over, not making any adjustments, to see if they jumped around. They did:
Carb 1/ Previous day's 5mm's to today's 12 to 7 to 5 to 15 to 13. No adjustments made yet. So, for the sixth try I adjusted and it went to 6mm's . Good. BUT the next check, without touching it at all, it overflowed out the drain tube because it was so high!! At least a negative 8mm's!!
Carb 2/ Previous day's 5mm's to today's 5 to 6 to 2 to 0 to 0. No adjustments made yet. So, for the sixth try I adjusted it, and it went to 4mm's. Adjusted again yet stayed at 4mm's.
Carb 3/ Previous day's 9mm's so initially adjusted today to 2mms then went on its own to 6 to 5 to 5 to 6 (This carb seems to be ok.) Two more unadjusted tries and it went to 4 then 6. I can live with this one.
Carb 4/ Previous day's 6mm's to today's 16 to 13 to 7 to 15 to 18. No adjustment's made yet. So, for the sixth try I adjusted and it went to 2. Readjusted and it went to 8. I don't know if I just don't have the "touch" or if there are other factors messing with me.

This bike project is now on hold. I know I can clean and fiddle with the other aspects of carb rebuilding but apparently setting the fuel levels is beyond my abilities.

[Bonnie and Clyde]

Something else to consider. My First hand voyager carb rebuild experience. I rebuilt my carbs 10 months ago Jan '22 and used a cheap ebay kit. Last week after our 5,700 mile trip I was having fuel run out the over fill tube when the bike was running only. So I pulled the over flow tubes off each carb bowls to identify which ones or one was leaking. Only one was leaking again only when it was running so I guessed the float needle was fine. I pulled the carbs opened that one carb and it looked fine. I measured the float height it was spot on 17mm leaning over. I pulled the float and needle. Visually I could not see any thing. I dropped the float in a bucket of water and one side of the float sunk way down. The float was not balanced and not floating balanced. No fluid in it or cracks. So I replaced it with one of the old Japanese floats that was in the bike when I bought it. Put the carbs back in and buttoned it up. Runs perfect again. Why I didn't notice it for the last ten months I don't know and possibly it was not leaking the whole time. Because it was pretty obvious when I saw it last week. So check your floats in a bucket of water to see if they float evenly.




Now on another note taking out and reinstalling these carbs is a major pain in the rectus. I would like to see pictures or a video of someone who has this procedure down pat, take out and install them. Namely the cables on and off. Cables back on is a hair pulling experience. Also the back half of the air box with boots and springs is a mess to get set correctly boots over carbs.

[Chris Cochran]

The initial time I pulled them it took me all day, and into the next, I think. But I had never done it before and was really just "winging it" as I went along.

This time when I pulled them it took 30 minutes, tops.

Putting them BACK in may still be a pain as I remember attaching the throttle cables was awful. Frankly I'm not concerned with re-installing them as much as I am correctly adjusting the cables afterward.

I have a set of K-and-L float valves just ordered so things are on hold till they get here.