Chem Dip?

[MJBEEZ1339]

Any info on how to go about this process would be great. How do i prep the carbs for the cleaning?(they are already off the bike) Will I still have to get the carbs rebuilit? How about syncing the carbs up with the bike?  Please post back, THANKS ALOT!

[Night Vision]

Any info on how to go about this process would be great. How do i prep the carbs for the cleaning?(they are already off the bike) Will I still have to get the carbs rebuilit? How about syncing the carbs up with the bike?  Please post back, THANKS ALOT!

Bascially:
get a gallon can of carb cleaner with the basket at an auto store...

disassemble carbs (one at a time in case you forget how they go back together) make sure all the rubber orings and such are removed...

soak the carb parts in cleaner for about a half an hour... rinse with water, blow air through all the passage ways to make sure all the passageways are clean...

put carbs back together, then sync them and fine adjust the pilot screws....

There are really more steps to the process, but it's not that hard.... and new rebuild kits have just about everything that you need, all nice and new and shiny.... right around $70 total for both carbs....

[QBS]

Read up on Luckys' site regarding carb cleaning.  There are two deadly stumbling blocks you need to avoid. 1. When removing the float pivot pins, if you don't know what you're doing, it is very very easy to break break one or both pivot pin pedistals.  Research this procedure thourghly or you'll be really sorry.  2. It isn't nessessary to remove the throttle bore butterfly to rebuild the carbs.  If you insist on doing so you'll probably play hell getting things properly aligned upon reassembly.

New topic:  Nobody tells the newbies this much anymore.  Don't know why.  Here goes.  If you don't have a Haynes manual, get one.  They're excellent.  Get Luckys' CD.  A wealth of invaluable data.  Any newbie who claims to be serious about getting his or her V back on the road and running right, but is trying to poor boy it without the Haynes and Lucky resources is BSing themselves. 

OT advice: It's bad enough to try to BS other people.  It's terrible (and expensive) to BS yourself.  In the immortal words of Brother Dave Gardner "BS not thy self".

[Aelwulf]

I've been meaning to ask this: for blowing air through things would one of those cans of compressed air used on computers work if ya don't have a compressor?

[ironb12s]

Those cans can't come close to what a compressor can put out, in terms of pressure or duration.  Check Harbor Freight there in the Springs, they have sales and mark down compressors all of the time...  Doesn't need to be large to do this job.

[h2olawyer]

Alewulf is now out enjoying the California sunshine.  But the Harbor Freight tip is still valid.

You can get an air tank, fill it someplace that has air (I hope there are still a few gas stations that have free air  ::) ).  Should be enough for the job & you can keep the tank full for tire pressure checks, etc.  Handy things to have.

H₂O

[Lucky]

Ace hardware has the kits to convert old freon tanks to air tanks..

be sure to clean your tank & add a fuel filter as well.

--Lucky

[Aelwulf]

Yep, in Santa Maria now. ::) Although there aren't any Harbor Freight stores in the Springs (think they maybe had a one-day sale once a year or something) but there's one here I was in today.  Think the cheapest they had was $90, so we'll see once things clear out of the garage some more.

[ironb12s]

Well, change your profile to reflect your current location...I've got you off of 85/87 still, very close to HF in CO Spgs.   ;)

Even if you're not in Co Spgs, H-Freight is everywhere, and they's based out of SCal.  A lot of what they sell is crap, but they do get quality merchandise from time to time.  I picked up a PCable twin tank 140PSI for $149 there 4 years ago.  And even the crap stuff will work for a time.

[Aelwulf]

Hrm, I'll check it.  Thought I'd changed it already.  Thanks.

[Night Vision]

I've been meaning to ask this: for blowing air through things would one of those cans of compressed air used on computers work if ya don't have a compressor?

black and decker air station worked for me... pumps tires up too!... no reservoir or tank to hold condensation/water

[ironb12s]

Yah, a 12V auto compressor is enough to charge an air tank, and that would work as well.  Most standalone compressors without the tank can't maintain high enough pressure to flush out the really small passages.

And oh look:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95275

This one's enough to do roofing with...

[Lucky]

i have an anchent 12v airbrush pump (really built well in the 50's) that'll probably run a 1/4" air ratchet..  gotta love real flea markets. (as opposed to the ones that selll Asian merchandise)

[Night Vision]

Yah, a 12V auto compressor is enough to charge an air tank, and that would work as well.  Most standalone compressors without the tank can't maintain high enough pressure to flush out the really small passages.

And oh look:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95275

This one's enough to do roofing with...

aww geez.... guess I should throw away my little 150psi B&D air station and get one of those and redo my carbs huh...

[h2olawyer]

I got this one on sale for about $160.  Has enough capacity to run an HVLP paint gun, too.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94667

The one I got has a black tank, though.  Not as racy, but it hides in a corner anyway.

H₂O

[pullshocks]

I happened to find a "reconditioned" compressor at sears for $65 right when I was ready to work on the carbs, so I figured it was meant to be.

I'm not saying it is as indispensable as the Dremmel Moto Tool (which never ceases to amaze me), but it's pretty handy. 

You might be able to rig a piece of tubing to a bicycle pump and have an assistant do the pumping while you hold the tube to the various openings.
Another thing that a beginner wouldn't necessarily know, that was not mentioned above, is that to get the pilot screws and needles out, you have to drill out the aluminum plugs.  The Haynes manual doesn't tell about that, and I missed it the first time through

[Lucky]

Another thing that a beginner wouldn't necessarily know, that was not mentioned above, is that to get the pilot screws and needles out, you have to drill out the aluminum plugs.  The Haynes manual doesn't tell about that, and I missed it the first time through

usualy someone has already pulled the plugs years ago, so we don't allways remember to mention it until a newbie asks. sorry 'bout that...

btw, the Haynes manual does mention that "The pilot screw, which controls the air/fuel mixture at idle, is preset at the factory and sealed off with a metal plug (so it can't be tampered with)." {chapter 4, section 8-2} but your right, it doesn't mention where the plugs are or how to remove them.

--Lucky

[ironb12s]

This is what I got for $149, but it was a Porter Cable unit, 3HP 4 Gal twin tank:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94734

Your ancient compressor will do the job with your converted LP tank just dandy...