Topic: EMGO pod filters hack

[Tracksnblades1]

That’s awesome. This seems like a trick to keep in the back pocket if you occasionally cruise up to high altitude

🤔🤔🤔

Most carb engines I know set up for 0-450 sea level altitude are screaming for no air filter at all half way up to pikes peak… I guess if you got your emigs  all taped up for a bandaid at sea level elevations you could remove it as the elevation goes up…?

I think  Mike’s own practice mentioned is a better solution. Proper jetting.. I don’t see how a engine with a restricted intake providing the proper air/fuel mixture at 3500 rpm cruise can provide the same ideal air fuel at any rpm and load above that…

[Tracksnblades1]

They did not work at all on my gs1100 4 valve motor with a different set of 29 smoothbore carbs though! Even with the baffles removed.

That didn't work on the CB125 I restored, either.
Happily, someone in Thailand still makes [good] knockoff airboxes (or did, in 2012 when I did this bike) for the bike, so it got all new hardware and puttered perfectly into the sunset.

and that cb125 probably made more power than a cb550 with half plugged off crappy Emgo filters!

Exactly…👍

The pods selling point is “More Airflow “…
Are no OEM(style) anir filter available for the 550s..?

Are barametric dampers next for the restricted intakes..? 🤪

[HondaMan]

I've spent considerable time changing elevations (with my 750) and haven't run into significant troubles, ever. On those trips when I've planned on spending lots of time above 8000 feet altitude I will turn in the idle screws slightly (about 1/8 turn) while I'm there. When I drop back down to the more-average out-West altitude (around 3500-ish feet) I'll back it back out again, but that's about all it's ever needed.

I do remember when we (6 of us on Hondas and one on a Kawi 500 triple) rode together on Mount Evans to 14,260 feet in heavy traffic, not getting past 2nd gear the whole trip to the top for cars in the way. The Kawi, once shut off at the top, wouldn't start. Three of us pushed it almost 1/4 mile back down the mountain before it started, which also nearly killed us all with the smoke and lack of oxygen! The Hondas didn't have any troubles, though. One was a 350 twin, the rest were all Fours of one kind or another, circa 1975.

[bryanj]

550 airfilters are available but even better is do away with the recirc system and fit a 500 one

[Tracksnblades1]

I've spent considerable time changing elevations (with my 750) and haven't run into significant troubles, ever. On those trips when I've planned on spending lots of time above 8000 feet altitude I will turn in the idle screws slightly (about 1/8 turn) while I'm there. When I drop back down to the more-average out-West altitude (around 3500-ish feet) I'll back it back out again, but that's about all it's ever needed.

I do remember when we (6 of us on Hondas and one on a Kawi 500 triple) rode together on Mount Evans to 14,260 feet in heavy traffic, not getting past 2nd gear the whole trip to the top for cars in the way. The Kawi, once shut off at the top, wouldn't start. Three of us pushed it almost 1/4 mile back down the mountain before it started, which also nearly killed us all with the smoke and lack of oxygen! The Hondas didn't have any troubles, though. One was a 350 twin, the rest were all Fours of one kind or another, circa 1975.

You 3 must’ve been in  Stud Muffin shape to exert that kind of energy pushing a motorcycle a1/4 mile @ 14,250 feet without passing out.. Back when I visited pikes peak I was 11 years old. Raced my sister to the pay binoculars. Sister was 13, see dropped within a 100’, out cold.. I thought she was faking because I was ahead, until I dropped shortly afterwards to the ground also. I remember my dad saying you can’t do that crap up here, there not enough air pressure up here for that.The FFA used to mandate pressurized cabins at 12,000 ft. That’s where a lot of people can’t tolerate it..

I’m guessing the old Kawasaki was jetted a little fatter than your Hondas…? Your Honda must’ve been factory lean jetted. When I 1st visited pikes peak, carburetor days, there was a parking lot around 8,000ft and turbo charged diesel buses would take you on up to the peak. If I remember correctly, where the paved road met the upper gravel part. Several cars didn’t make it to the parking lot. Our car was a later model unleaded fuel carburetor that had the egr, catalytic converter, evaporative recovery, air pump, etc. it was one of the first of the leaner running ones from the factory. It made it to the 8,000ft parking lot with no problems..

The joys of fuel injection, now you can drive all the way..and I’m not going to try to race to the pay binoculars..🤪

[PeWe]

I have used pods on my K6 with 3 different carbs.
1. Mikuni  Smoothbore VM29. Only issue was floats causing too rich idle plus the too soft cracking rubber carb boots. Small conical non K&N pods. Maybe as Emgo pods.
(K&N pods look much better inside)

First tour to Austria, alps down to Yugoslavia with VM29. Cracking boots was my worries.

2. Changed back to stock K6 carbs and pods. Same small conical non K&N pods. Got the base jetting from a guy running  a similar setup.

I did not notice any issues I could address the carbs. Long tours in heavy rain all day long plus over the alps and back down to sea level.

Almost 30 years later....
3. Smoothbores back again after the rack was cut and welded together, now using CB750 stock boots.
Now bigger oval K&N pods.
I wasted a long time getting jetting correct. Bike had new Dyna-S  ignition with Dynatek graphite leads.

One of the new leads had intermittent function so one cylinder got minor misfires now and then. No bangs, more like wrong jets.

4. I could identify the crappy leads when problem continued with Mikuni TMR32 carbs. New HT copper leads fixed it.
Big oval K&N pods.

Now I got "pods problems". The carbs have adaptors for pods or velocity stacks.
My setup for pods. Mikuni TMR adaptor have a faulty design. It does not include filtered air to pilot air jet. Those open jets got dirt inside which took a while (years) to realize and make filter for them.

The jetting for pilot system changed constantly due to the dirt it sucked in.
That affect cruising in legal speeds.
(Yoshimura  modified version of this carb have better pod adaptor, it cover PAJ)

The carbs with pods have a stick-out to handle when washing the bike when parked on side stand.
Carb 4 pod will get water inside if not covered when water flows from the tank when cleaning the bike.

If water enter, take off pod and let water out and dry before start of the engine

Water inside TMR carb a pain to remove. A 70km ride will not help. Idle and low speed ok, needle area not ok.
I had to blow the carb with carb cleaner and compressed air. Thru main jet and removed fuel screw hole.
This has happened one time only.

I have ridden a little in heavy rain without problem. Legs helps to cover.

I look forward to ride my bikes.
First rides with a big dose of fuel additive to clean the fuel system. It did a huge improvement last fall on my K6 with TMR32.
Cleaned the pilot circuit making it run richer after 150km,  had to decrease fuel screws over 1/4 turn  during the ride.
 I later reduced pilot jet one size, 27.5 to 25.

That will be my procedure each spring at first 150-200km or longer ride.

I have many rides on dyno with the TMR32 carbs. Nothing that pods have caused.
I usually cruise in lower speeds.

Carbs are now very well jetted, no hesitations or flat spots. Last adjustment the forgotten acc pump duration screw that was at max.