Topic: 550 carb rack ? 74 K0

[my name is nobody]

http://shop.westernhonda.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=2450214&category=Motorcycles&make=Honda&year=1974&fveh=131063

Link arm set A and B (nos 8 and 13) They connect to the needle plates. Would anyone who has had their carb rack taken apart know if these assemblies will (mistakenly) interchange between their positions and still fit/work? They
Are evidently left and right handed. I will need to verify if mine are wrong, it just looked strange last time the carbs were down to drop the needles, something seemed out of order. Long story, but I have a drivability glitch that I can't get rid of. I've made many changes, and have improved the drivability a lot, but still a noticeable 'glitch" i'll call it. Weird mixture
control behavior. My question is, specifically, could the parts mentioned above be put in backwards, needle plates installed 180 degrees out etc..and if so, the engine give symptoms similar to a throttle valve problem?
Has anyone seen this before? Reachin out of the box a little,.. This may be my fault and I know better...

[BomberMann650]

Well the slide bodies have an index notch.  They won't go down the bores if its backwards.
The lifting/actuating arm does have to align with the rod so the set screw can go together.
Chances are, if you can turn the throttle and all slides move without binding, that's not where your problem is.

I'm a bit confused still.  Could you describe the problems you've been having with more detail?

[my name is nobody]

Like a lot of others, iv'e been chasing a rich condition under certain throttle conditions, now narrowed down
to about 1/3 throttle. After many different attempts to eliminate the symptoms, incl. moving the needles
down a notch, the problem is mostly eliminated, but at the expense of terrible cold starts and warm up.
After all this I started looking for obvious visual abnormalities and found........
This carb rack was dis assembled and cleaned for smooth operation A LONG time ago, but not many miles, and its possible the hanger assys. were mistakenly re assembled in a mixed fashion. I'll try to get pics, just
wondered if the lifters would fit and still work in opposite side carbs, causing the throttle sliders to lift
in a way that might affect proper needle operation. The ball socket joints look like there is enough clearance
designed into them where they would fit and work. IIRC, I had them dissembled far enough to have possibly made this error. Top levers may be installed on incorrect lifters or needle plates installed 180 degrees out.
Will post a pic of errors if I've made any.

[Bankerdanny]

Like a lot of others, iv'e been chasing a rich condition under certain throttle conditions, now narrowed down
to about 1/3 throttle. After many different attempts to eliminate the symptoms, incl. moving the needles
down a notch, the problem is mostly eliminated, but at the expense of terrible cold starts and warm up.

The needle position should have no impact on starting and almost no impact on warm up. It seems more likely that the cause of those problems is that you aren't using the choke properly.

[BomberMann650]

To add to what bankerdanny said.
Double check your idle mixture screw.  I've rebuilt my 550 with size 42 slow jets and with the screw 1 turn out - the idle is great.

I had an issue before with an improperly aligned choke plate wanting to flutter during warm ups.  Is that a symptom of yours?

[my name is nobody]

Lowering the needles was for plug fouling and drivability issues Choke has been more affected by ams adjstments ive made trying to tune the drivability issue out. Plugs were burning off blackness last I saw.
Running at normal temps have improved, but the irregular glitch still happens but not as severe or often.
new plugs wouldn't hurt either. mix xcrew is at 1-1/2 out. Conventional wisdom tells me that incorrectly
installed throttle lifters by themselves shouldn't cause any drivability issues, but three of the 4 carbs
had components installed in the wrong places. Throttles still worked on all carbs, but There has to be a reason why they should be in order or the factory wouldn't have put them in a certain order. Will post if any
changes happen for the better. Don't want to beat it to death, its just an abnormal detail I found while investigating..

[BomberMann650]

This issue might be better explained with pictures and video.

Driveability issues and glitches are (unfortunately) not a very clear descriptor.