Topic: Carb Questions

[djinn23]

Hello All

I am really novice at this. It is my first bike and I have seen it run but never owned it while running. It sat in my yard for a few years.

I began ripping it apart this weekend. In doing so I took the carbs out. One was wet and the others were dry.

I have read not to use sandpaper, steel wool, or other abrasive tools to clean this out. I have doused all of the carbs in carb cleaner.

People I personally ask all recommend sandpaper, steel wool, or other abrasive tools to clean these and I do not know how to proceed.

Below are Pix. I am hoping you guys can tell me if one or all of these are shot:

Bowls:


Worst Bowl:

Carb bottoms:





Chokes:





Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[medic09]

Far better voices than mine will speak up soon, I'm sure.  But....

Any carbs I've worked on that sat for 'a few years' (Amals and Keihins) get totally torn down.  Everything that can be safely soaked in a bucket of carb cleaner, goes in until tomorrow.  I use Gunk 3 qt carb cleaner that comes with the little basket in it.  The bodies and bowls go in the bucket.  Small metal parts go in the basket.  They sit at least morning to evening.  DO NOT put rubber or plastic parts in there.  Make sure you've found all the hidden little o-rings before you throw stuff in.  IF you can get Yamaha carb cleaner, that is safe for the rubber parts as well.  The nearest Yamaha dealer to me couldn't order it last time I tried (about 2 years ago).

All small orifices should be mechanically cleaned as well.  You can use a commercial carb wire cleaner or simply a small guitar string.  Be gentle, but thorough with those little holes.

If you do a search here, you'll find MANY threads about carb cleaning.  They are all worth reading for all the great bits of info.  One of our members had good luck soaking carbs in Simple Green, IIRC.  Haven't tried it myself.

What kind of bike?  What carbs?

Good luck!

[djinn23]

Thanks for your reply.

I have been reading all weekend on this topic and find that those who appear to be most well versed reccomend no scrubbing anything

I have read of the wire in the jets, and seen people saying not to do that too. . .luck of the internet draw i guess.


This is a 1977 honda CB550. I believe it is an F.

I read a couple of postings on how to determine what carbs you have and there are suppose to be some sort of identification associated with it. I looked and havent found the Carb Identification at this point. I have not taken them off the rail. If it helps I can post my frame and Vin. Neither perfectly matched the info under the restore section of this site. . .which is why I think it is an F.

Will the white crusties come off in the bath? I read that crusties like this are the kiss of death to a carb (which is actually what prompted my posting)

The carb pictured below is the one I am most concerned with. Of the four carbs, this was wet after sitting for years. Good seals. . .maybe. Most of those years it was under a tarp and I would suspect that after that time there is no way it could be water.

I think the part circled below is the jet. All the others came out naturally. This guy does not with considerable force and after spraying it down. It appears that this is not metal either as it does not stick to my magna bowl where the other screws are.



My Carb experience is limited to ripping my lawnmower apart a couple of times.

I have a small ultrasonic cleaner at the house and just bought a gallon of concentrated Simple Green. I suppose I will start there. I will search for simple green and see if I cannot find the posting you are referring to.

I know the questions seem like i posted without searching, but I feel my case is the oposite, I read too much and it all ended up contradicting!!

Thanks a lot for your reply.

J

[76CB5WI]

Oh boy I just did this your one carb is pretty bad.
Take the Gunk parts cleaner..the can and basket? Apply some cleaner to the brass jets.
Get them soaking.. and then buy the K&l rebuild kits on ebay about 15 each- 60 for the set of 4.
The jets will come out if you grab and turn with a channel lock on the jet.
The kit contains jets and orings and gaskets as well as float valves and bowl gaskets.
Plan on replacing everything.
The Float height is 22mm-(76 cb5 keihin a87) from float to bowl gasket surface.
Measure the float height with the carbs sideways so the valves are just touching the float assembly by gravity.
Use some spray stick..3m on the bowl gaskets to tack them in place when you reassemble or youllhave a hell of a time..I crushed one gasket by not having it seated properly.
Also go to true value and get new orings for your bowl drain screws. Size them carefully.

You have in each carb.
Slow jet the tall brass cylinder
Main
and
Needle jet.
The kit will have new needles as well have fun taking the top slides apart..
Just pop the covers..dont dissassemble the whole bank.
Get a plastic organizer for all the parts and keep each carb seperated, although the kit replaces just about every jet and seal.


Have fun..its very therapeutic.

C-WI

[djinn23]

Thanks for the assistance!!

Your postings have been very helpful.

I do have some questions/comments related to the last posting:
- I am assuming I need to find the carb type prior to buying the rebuild kit. . .but I have been having a hard time finding K&l rebuild kits that are for my year and bike at all (on ebay or otherwise). I will email a major Ebay seller once I can ID which carbs I have. The prices I have seen are no where near 15 per carb. The Stealership wants 30 per carb.
- I get your message: no scrubbing anything and soaking is the key. I am picking up hte gunk basket today and will start the soaking today. I will let you know how it goes.
- Related to the following statement:

Just pop the covers..dont dissassemble the whole bank.

I dont have my pictures here but I think you are suggesting to remove the cover on the top of the carbs but not to take the innards apart, just soak them assembled. Can you please confirm? The "whole bank" you refer to. . .are you suggesting to not remove the carbs from the Carb rail but rather to soak them with the rail?

[djinn23]

Hi all

I am an idiot!!

Please ignore much of my last post as i realized that this is much more complicated than my lawnmower  .

I got into one of them last night. I got to the throttle body on the first carb and am on the brink of stripping one of the screws that will permit me to remove the needle. from the FSM:



I am going to buy some more drivers in hopes that mine were too mangled to get the job done. I fear stripping that puppy will be the death of my efforts.

Thanks for all your help and I hope I can pull this off. . .literally and figuratively.

[76CB5WI]

This part is tricky, You actually need a bigger phillips head driver than your probably using.
A small one wont turn the screw out..try a standard.
But first..go to the hardware store and get a butane torch small handheld unit.
Apply a little soak to the screws for a day or so then heat the screw from the bottom of the slide slightlly enought to hopefully loosen it.
Try the bigger screw driver , those screws will accept it..suprisingly.
I got my kits from sportingforless.com

C