Topic: 75 CB550 Four Carb removal from engine

[ironrod60]

I have been unable to find a removal procedure through a search. I have looked at the manuals also and they show no procedure. Can anyone help me find it? Maybe it is just so simple that with a little common sense it can be removed? 

Wes

[theslayedsaint]

There should just be a band clamp that is connect to the carb holders ( round rubber pipe looking that goes from the carbs to the engine) unscrew the clamp and pull like hell until they come off. Really easy just takes some muscle.
if you can't get them unscrewed you always can cut the carb holder off! but remember there not cheap to replace.

[riverfever]

I think the hardest part of the job is removing that air box assembly. Once that is out of the way then I loosen the clamps like slayedsaint said and then I use a ratchet strap wrapped around the set of carbs and let it do the work of gently pulling the rack out of those hardened boots. Easier on the knuckles.

[strynboen]

i newer take the airbox off...i just heat the small konektions tubes,,vith a heat gun...and push them back inside the airbox...then there are space to pull back the kaburators...but heat the rubber to manifoll also..so it easy can be taken aut...turn the back of carb bank dovn..and pull back

[Peterengland]

Don't remove the airbox there is no need, I just use a ratchet strap from the rear wheel around the front of the airbox and then as you tighten it the airbox moves back about 1" which is enough room to then remove the carbs easily.

[Duanob]

I can remove and install a bank of carbs in an hour all while sleeping!

Remove the filter and box. Remove the clamps from the venturi rubbers and remove or push them inside the venturi box. Remove the throttle cables. Remove the vent hose from the cam cover. Remove the 8 nuts/washers that hold the intakes and pull the entire assemble back away from the engine and tilt down and pull out sideways. I could've removed them in the time it took me to type this. 

[ironrod60]

I strapped the airbox back and removed the carbs. I'll try to reinstall them by removing the airbox as the last member suggested.

Thanks everyone!

[ironrod60]

Well, again I can't find a procedure I am looking for. I am assuming to clean the carbs I need to separate them all? The slides work fine and I'm tempted to just put the new rebuild kit in and see what happens. Do I need to separate them?

[strynboen]

no,,, dont vaste time seperate them...only if the neddels have to be adjusted...for kleaning just bottom off

[fmctm1sw]

Well, again I can't find a procedure I am looking for. I am assuming to clean the carbs I need to separate them all? The slides work fine and I'm tempted to just put the new rebuild kit in and see what happens. Do I need to separate them?

There's a "strip the rack" crowd here and a "leave it assembled" crowd.  It's not quite as divisive as oil threads.  If you're not experienced, you may want to let them be.  Or, pick up a spare carb rack and learn on that one....

[Davidov]

Don't remove the airbox there is no need, I just use a ratchet strap from the rear wheel around the front of the airbox and then as you tighten it the airbox moves back about 1" which is enough room to then remove the carbs easily.

Brilliant!

[ironrod60]

Thanks everyone for your advice! I decided to leave them together and just rebuild whatever I could do by just taking the bowls off. The slides worked so I didn't bother with the needle valves. An interesting issue with the K&L kit I used (18-2422) came up....the hole in side the air mixture screw is larger on the original than on the new one. Should I use the new one or stick with the old one?

[TwoTired]

I'm pretty sure the old ones worked well when new and clean.  I can't imagine they would wear with simply the air flow they regulate.  Corrosion is another matter.

If you are changing the carbs's set up or tuning, a different size metering device will add to the proper mixture hunt.

Is changing the air screw for the carb's benefit, or yours?  Indicators/conditions to the contrary, I'd use the old ones.

[strynboen]

vhen ve made frederiks karbs..ve dont use the new mix schrevs..they did not fit in the karbs..the o rings vas also vrong..so ve used some parts ,as the flots valve and gasket and small o rings...but endet vith a lot of unused parts,,vaste of money and doubbel work

[ironrod60]

@ TwoTired....I agree. I'll just stick with the originals. Thanks.

@ strynboen...how did you get a picture of my workbench?! ;-)

[strynboen]

they looks the same world over...mess and dirt...

[billingstitan]

no,,, dont vaste time seperate them...only if the neddels have to be adjusted...

You don't even have to take the carbs off the bike to adjust the needles, much less separate them ... just fyi.

[ironrod60]

Well, I'll be putting the carbs back on in a few days. I already changed the motor oil and filter. Are the trans gears lubricated with the engine oil? Do I need to replace the fork and brake fluid? This bike has been sitting since 1984. And I have seen reference to which plug I should use. Any suggestions?

[Adam_F]

Well, I'll be putting the carbs back on in a few days. I already changed the motor oil and filter. Are the trans gears lubricated with the engine oil? Do I need to replace the fork and brake fluid? This bike has been sitting since 1984. And I have seen reference to which plug I should use. Any suggestions?

Definitely take a look at your front brake. Are the hoses cracked at all? If so replace them w stainless steel lines. There's a very good chance you'll need to rebuild the whole thing (replacing piston seal, cleaning, lubing, bleeding, etc). If your brake lever feels spongy at all you can start by bleeding the lines. If this helps and the pads don't stick at all you might be good to go. But your brakes are pretty important and not to be overlooked

[strynboen]

 with the breake fluid oil....for a short test drive only.

..but often the brakes goes hard after short time.
..so a klean up of the marster and caliber must be done..so dont just thange the fluid..at first test drive...but take the time for a

a total kleaning up..and lube the mowing parts..at the rigtt places...vith the right lube..are importment...
it are only a few parts to bay..a new piston(are often pitted) and the sqvare o ring..and seal....then the caliber can be total as new..often are the marster ok..if it not leakes.(.and paint bubbels up)...but still take it apart and klean all up

the forks oil got rotten and ...and kondens vater mix up...can corode the steel parts....often are nev seals a must...but use search..there are good info on this

[Deltarider]

You don't even have to take the carbs off the bike to adjust the needles, much less separate them ... just fyi.

+1 I can't see why one would want to separate the carbs from eachother. There's a risk to get tiny little parts missing that you can't order anymore. Just don't. There's also so much rising and lowering of needles in this forum that I come to suspect it. You have to bear in mind that graphs that show what range is controlled by what are in the first place theoretical. I mean adjusting the airscrews and changing the main jets is much easier to do and also have an overall influence. Don't be too fixed on these graphs.

[ironrod60]

@ strynboen......what cleaning fluid should I use to clean out the brake system? Any automotive brake cleaner? I will definitely rebuild the master and slave cylinders. I'll get a kit from ebay.

@ Deltarider....Looking at the carbs and taking the advice from y'all, I see no reason to separate the carbs unless the rubber tubes between them are compromised. Mine are fine.

I was given advice about how to brake when riding. When I was a young whippersnapper I was told to never use the from brake. I have recently been advised to use 75% front brake and 25% rear brake. Is this sound advise?

Thanks so much everyone! I know these question have been answered in the past, but for some reason my searches don't give me results that answer my questions! 

[Deltarider]

I was given advice about how to brake when riding. When I was a young whippersnapper I was told to never use the from brake.

That has been a very strange advice. Forget it.There are some occasions you'd better not use the front brake (see under) but in general the front brake is your main stopper. Logic, it is the most effective of the two as all the reaction builds up there. Some riders don't even bother to use their rear brake unless they really have to.

I have recently been advised to use 75% front brake and 25% rear brake. Is this sound advise?

Moto Guzzi has an integral combined braking system, 70% front, 30% rear. That's good. 75/25 is fine.
Here is a good technique. Avoid at all times to brake fully at once. Therefore ride defensively.
First you apply the frontbrake mildly. As soon as the pads grab the rotor you can brake firmly and even very hard (experienced riders can make the rotor sing). Just before you come to a complete stop, ease up on the lever. If not you'll run the risk to lock the front wheel in the last meter and you'll land flat on your face especially when there is some sand or gravel. Right after you've applied the front brake or simultanously, you start 'fill in' braking with the rear.
Important. Don't brake the front brake when in a curve. Very dangerous. As a rule of thumb steering and braking don't go together. You should have braked before the turn. Here is an exercise to teach you what will happen when you brake and steer at the same time. Walk with your bike, turn a little, just a little left or right and then brake hard with the front brake. Interesting experience, isn't it? You'll be glad you didn't practice this whilst riding.
Always have your eyes fixed on the end of the curve and your brain will automatically instruct your body to choose the right heeling angle. Amazing that is. If you don't believe me, try one time looking at halfway the curve and you will experience that you'll heel right for going right till halfway the curve and then there you will need a steering correction. Amazing.
Going downhill on a dirtroad with rubble, only use the rearbrake because the frontwheel may lock and slip rightaway. When on a dirt road or in terrain or when you accidentally have manoevred yourself beside the road, get up and stand on your footpegs for better control. Try not to brake when you accidentally are beside the road but roll out.
Sincerely hope for you guys that one day motorcycle licenses are not handed out like some sort of civil right but that authorities will demand you did a thorough training. I got my license without but after some very narrow escapes I've followed some sort of motorcyclecop training. In the training we did all kinds of acrobatic stunts and ever since my bike is like a part of my body. Luckily the situation has changed here and one hase to be well trained before you can do the test for a licence. This has saved many, many lives.

[Bankerdanny]

If the bowls are really gummed up I like to separate the carbs so I can soak them individually for half an hour or so in carb dip.

Putting the carbs back on is (in my opinion) harder than taking them off. Heat is your friend here, along with some lithium grease or petroleum jelly.

I heat the rubbers that connect the carbs to the manifolds with a hair drier (you want warm, not melted, which is a risk with heat guns) and use a thin smear of lithium grease or PJ on the inside of the rubber. Heating the rubber makes a huge difference, especially if you are reusing 40 year old rubber.

[ironrod60]

@ Bankerdanny....I'll try the hair dryer with PJ trick.

@ Deltarider.....that makes a lot of sense and I will definitely take your advise.

@ Anyone.....Any suggestions on the brake cleaner I should use?