Project Questions

[Re-Vision]

Its official, I have more projects lined up than I can hope to finish in the next year or so. What scares me the most is carburetors. I have several and do not know the condition of any except the one Rick did for me on my daily rider. These are the questions: Should I attempt to overhaul one without trying it out on my bike first? Is there anything worth learning by taking the tops off and visually inspecting for crud and sediments? Could I check 83 carbs on my 82 bike? How important is it to inspect or replace jets? What suggestions might anyone have before I open one up and start losing parts?    BDC

[Kiwi]

They are not as scary as they look !.  Just keep the parts in order as you take them apart.  I usually lay them out on a clean towel ( so it looks kind of like a parts diagram).

Just be careful with stripped screws, a few of mine were tough to loosen up.

[Night Vision]

what do you have to lose? except maybe those little accel nozzel check balls  :D crack them open and see what goodies were left behind for you... my first set had green moss in the bowls  :P sucker still ran though

I've worked on several '82 carbs and cracked open a pair of 83's before I sold them off, but there is nothing magical or overly complicated about 82 carbs.. 83 carbs? I will defer to four others

this image, along with a digital camera, helps tremendously



I plotted out that image as large as I could (near full scale) and laid out the bits on top of it...

pm me your address if you'd like a big print...


jets? cleaning them is good  ;)

[Lucky]

NV, you know that color cut away poster of the Vision? Those posters are unobtanium, but could you make the cutaway pic poster size?  Or, i saw in Wallyworld today, they will do it for 20 bucks...

[Night Vision]

you mean like the one I gave Tiger?  :D :D

if you have a digital file of one, I have access to a color plotter...

[Lucky]

sorry for the thread hijack..

would it be sharper/better than a walmart done one

[Night Vision]

it depends on the quality of the digital file... IIRCC, the poster wasn't much larger than a 22"x34"

the best way would be to take it somewhere like a blueprint place that has a full sized flatbed scanner and print it on a glossy paper... but that might be pricey

I only have matt mylar (semi clear plastic) or bond (regular printer type paper) I could give it a try

[The Prophet of Doom]

I'd like a poster too if these are made available by someone.

[Re-Vision]

I've got an 82 apart, the gaskets came off in one piece. A little gas in both carbs that looked like Brer Rabbit syrup and a rusty color on the bowls. Only messed up one screw. After I locate and remove the jets should I remove the pump before dipping everything? (Thirty minutes max right?)



Be sure and let me know what expenses you incur.   Thanks.  BDC

[Lucky]

I've got Windows searching my whole network (4 running computers) & hopefully i can find the file.  i'll post the pic for you guys & send you the file NV.

after this post i'll put anything else in off topic.
End thread hijack ;)

[QBS]

It might be too late for these tips.  Oh well.  Trashed Phillips head screws can be gripped from the side with small Vise Grip pliers to break them loose.  Take many before and during disassembly pictures with your digital camera.  Avoid attempting to remove the float at all costs unless absolutely nessessary.  Cleaning carbs in an ultra sonic cleaner is a really good idea.  Pine Sol works well as an ultra sonic cleaner.  It doesn't attack gaskets or rubber or carb floats.

[Rikugun]

If the needle/seat assembly is at all suspect, or just to have a complete and thorough job, I'd recommend replacing the assembly including the O-ring that seals the brass seat to the carb body. This of course requires removal of the float. The float pivot pin can be stubborn and there is a risk of breaking the cast mounts so be carefull. Use three hands if need be, support or "back up" the mounts, use the proper size drift and cautious taps with a smallish ball pien hammer.

[Night Vision]

I've got an 82 apart, the gaskets came off in one piece. A little gas in both carbs that looked like Brer Rabbit syrup and a rusty color on the bowls. Only messed up one screw. After I locate and remove the jets should I remove the pump before dipping everything? (Thirty minutes max right?)

NV, My address
Bobby D. Crabb
805 Lee Ct.
Azle,TX 76020

Be sure and let me know what expenses you incur.   Thanks.  BDC

just to be clear, right now I can only print the enlarged carb diagram.. I don't have a pdf of the diagram so I use the image from the website parts fiche and blow that up.... the clarity is poor, but it makes a great place to put the parts down. maybe lucky has a carb pdf that he can send me along with the cut-a-way poster

[Night Vision]

After I locate and remove the jets should I remove the pump before dipping everything? (Thirty minutes max right?)

correct, the pump does not get dipped.

There are rubber orings on the needle jet seats so those need to be removed if you are using a caustic dip.
also, the pilot screws have a tiny oring that needs to be dug out with a paper clip...

there are lots of passageways that need to be probed but you'll see the majority of them. the tiny holes below the butterflies need to be cleaned, and there is a ball and spring behind the accelerator pump that I hold back and back flush...

(disclaimer.... these are 4 year old recollections from a selective memory)

[Lucky]

I have a different way of doing it & of the tons of Vision carbs i've rebuilt, only had one break on me:

get some chan-l-locks (or other brand) & put them on the smallest setting. the jaws tend to be offset a bit.  put one behind the post with the small end of the pin, one on the pin.. the pliers will still be almost closed.  squeeze the handles together & the pin should move out, sometimes with a "Snap!"  insert a small screwdriver between the big end & it's post & pry the pin the rest of the way out. 

When you reinstall the pin, reverse the procedure but do it to the big end.  if you don't push it all the way in, then if you need to pull the pin again later you can skip the first step & pry it out with the screwdriver.

sorry, but i'd never use a drift or pin punch & hammer!

If the needle/seat assembly is at all suspect, or just to have a complete and thorough job, I'd recommend replacing the assembly including the O-ring that seals the brass seat to the carb body. This of course requires removal of the float. The float pivot pin can be stubborn and there is a risk of breaking the cast mounts so be carefull. Use three hands if need be, support or "back up" the mounts, use the proper size drift and cautious taps with a smallish ball pien hammer.

[Rikugun]

I have a different way of doing it & of the tons of Vision carbs i've rebuilt, only had one break on me:

sorry, but i'd never use a drift or pin punch & hammer!

No need to apolize to me, to each his own! Although of the tons of carbs I've done, I've never had one break.  ;)

[QBS]

One hasn't lived until one has broken the float pedistal on an '83 carb.

[Re-Vision]

My drifts were slightly too big and the next smaller was way too small. Tried Luckys' channel lock procedure and they popped out just fine. Now I'm trying to get the float valve out of one of them that has a rusty Phillips screw. I'll probably wish I had an overhaul kit before I'm through but I've got lots of spare carb parts that I inherited. Thanks for the help, I'm one of those experts that has to be retrained after my coffee break.     BDC

[Lucky]

that retainer screw can be a tough one.  the snap trick with the vice grips works if you have one small enough, or cut a slot with a dremil, or impact driver..  a shot of PBlaster helps a lot

[Tiger]

I have a different way of doing it...

sorry, but i'd never use a drift or pin punch & hammer!

:) I use an automatic centring punch. The pin pops right out, without any problems... ;)

        8).......TIGER....... 8)