Topic: how to store carbs?

[jcb550]

so I'm disassembling my '78 550k and slowly rebuilding as money slowly cooperates. I removed the carb rack, but most likely won't be putting it back on for a while. what's the best way to store it? right now I just have the rack wrapped up in a beach towel and it's in my house.

also, does it make sense to clean the carbs now? or should I wait to clean them when I'm ready to re-install them?

and what are these little rings? I unwrapped the beach towel just to take a look and I found these in the towel. no clue where they fell from :/

[70CB750]

I plastic wrapped my carburetors, mainly because we have those efing mud dubbers and they fill any hole they can find with dirt.

Before wrapping I did clean the carbs but did a rebuild right before the bike was ready for them - some year + later.

[calj737]

Fully clean and rebuild them now. Wrap in plastic as 70CB said.

[brewsky]

so I'm disassembling my '78 550k and slowly rebuilding as money slowly cooperates. I removed the carb rack, but most likely won't be putting it back on for a while. what's the best way to store it? right now I just have the rack wrapped up in a beach towel and it's in my house.

also, does it make sense to clean the carbs now? or should I wait to clean them when I'm ready to re-install them?

and what are these little rings? I unwrapped the beach towel just to take a look and I found these in the towel. no clue where they fell from :/

Looks like the idle mix screw rings and washers?

[Restoration Fan]

Although it seems obvious, it wasn't to me until Bill Benton mentioned it to me:  make sure you store them with the choke fully closed so that the slides are closed.

[RevDoc]

 As Cal & 70CB said, clean first so you don't have a lot of crud build up then you might NOT want to store them upside down. That way the rubber tip on the float needles will not be pressed into the float valve seat for months on end. Had some stick on me after I forgot about that and finally got to finish Angie.

edit: 7-16. Oops, I was in a hurry and didn't proof my own text!

[jcb550]

thanks so much for the tips everyone. another question though: is there a difference between carb cleaner in a bottle and carb cleaner in an aerosol can? and I'd hate to assume that any old carb cleaner will do the job unless I asked first if there's a certain brand/type i should be looking for?

[Muckinfuss]

Can't stress the upside down storage enough!!!!!.  The float is almost weightless in operation, but when dry, it will mess the seat and intake needles up quickly and drive you nuts as to what's wrong with your engine once you get it running.

[lrutt]

Can't stress the upside down storage enough!!!!!.  The float is almost weightless in operation, but when dry, it will mess the seat and intake needles up quickly and drive you nuts as to what's wrong with your engine once you get it running.

?? if upside down the floats will be putting constant weight on the needles. right side up the floats will settle down and leave the needles unloaded. This assumes no fuel in the float bowls.

Clean good and give everything a light coating of a light weight oil to prevent corrosion. Including the orings etc. in the mixture screws etc.

for all my old bikes I run a light mix of 2 stroke oil in my fuel all the time to keep things preserved in the carbs and petcocks, 100:1 mix basically.

Not sure what is meant on the choke comment. The choke doesn't have anything to do with the slides on this K model, it's a separate flapper isn't it?

As for cleaner, I like the dip so I can soak things thoroughly myself.

And....don't forget to clean and preserve your petcock as well.

[Muckinfuss]

yep....I knew what I meant, didn't say it.