Topic: 76' CB550F - Carb bank disassembly

[bsanorton]

Sorry, haven't got a manual yet. Is there an easy way to disassembly the carb bank to install new needles & such? I'm not quite seeing how to separate them. 

[05c50]

You need to remove the carbs as an assembly from the bike. All four together. You don't need to separate them to install jets and needles. Take the float bowls off (4) screws to replace jets. It's a little more work to replace/reposition needles

[Lumbee]

...you should be able to find a maual here...

http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=426.0

[bsanorton]

You need to remove the carbs as an assembly from the bike. All four together. You don't need to separate them to install jets and needles. Take the float bowls off (4) screws to replace jets. It's a little more work to replace/reposition needles

The carbs are off & are still together as a set. I see how to replace the jets, but how do you take the top off to remove the valve slide & replace the needle? The gagentry (?) is confusing to me.

Thanks for the links. The 'mctangen' links are not working.

[paulages]

why are you replacing the needles? chances are, they are not worn and do not need replacing.

[bsanorton]

why are you replacing the needles? chances are, they are not worn and do not need replacing.

Paulages, I was thinking the same & hoping someone might say that & save me the effort. With the clean set of carbs I received, the guy also gave me 4 complete carb rebuild kits. Maybe I'll just use those parts found that are accessed from the bowl. Do they sell replacement o-rings for the main jets separate? I could then just clean the jets & not use the carb kits. Save them for another time or my other set of carbs.   

[paulages]

i went to the servicehonda.com parts fiche, and wrote down the o-ring sizes for my carbs and several other things on my bike. went to a hydrauliic and seal specialist here in town, and bought a kazillion of everything i thought i'll ever need (for $0.01-$0.05 each). i spent the $10 minimum and got enough o-rings to rebuild about 20 sets of carbs, not to mention multiples of all the oil seals for the engine. you don't really need the kits unless your jets are REALLY trashed.

[bsanorton]

10-4. thanks for the advice, Rich

[Einyodeler]

 With the clean set of carbs I received, the guy also gave me 4 complete carb rebuild kits. Maybe I'll just use those parts found that are accessed from the bowl.     

How certain are you that they are totally clean ?

#1. Main & pilot jets
#2 Remove float pins "delicately"

[Einyodeler]

#1 Remove bolt on arm.
#2. Lift up arm

[Einyodeler]

#1 & #2. Remove 2 screws , turn needle assembly 90 deg. and lift out.

[Einyodeler]

On the older style carbs the air tube needs to be tapped out from the top.Your `76 carbs should have the main jet and tube in 1 piece

[Einyodeler]

When measuring the float heights , measure from the lip of the carb to the top of the float making sure the tang of the float is just touching the needle without compressing it.

[Einyodeler]

When you have them apart, blow compressed air through all of the little openings again and again to make sure they`re really clean.
Cause they are a PIA to take off and install 

[bsanorton]

Thanks Einyodeler, great instructions & pics. I'll post some of my pics after waking up today, just got home from working 4PM to 6:30AM.....   

[bsanorton]

Some pics of the new (used) carb bank. I also noticed my kit has 100 mains instead of the 98's in this carb bank. Which is the right main jet for a stock 76' CB550F?

[bsanorton]

carb picture 2

[bsanorton]

3rd

[bsanorton]

4th picture. How do you get in to change the fuel lines? It's cramped in there!

[paulages]

lucky you: they look pretty good. the F has 98 mains. changing those fuel lines is a real #$%*.

[bsanorton]

Thanks. What do you think of using the 100 mains from the kits I got with the carb bank? Too rich for the CB550F with the stock 4 into 1 exhaust?   

[Lumbee]

...just a suggestion on removing the float pin.  I rebuilt my set of 550 carbs this past spring and broke one of the pin posts.  I tryed to remove the pin BEFORE cleaning or soaking, and the gunk offered enough resistance to cause me to break the post.  I'd suggest soaking the bodies with the floats still entact, then removing the pin...

...I've got some before and after pics of my carbs at 550cafe.blogspot.com

[paulages]

i've seen the same thing happen twice, but have never been so "lucky" myself. the ones i saw break looked considerably worse than those do, but it's still not a bad idea to do what lumbee is suggesting.

i have a glasspack silencer on my header (more freeflowing than stock) and the 100's were still too big.