Topic: Stupid question about rebuilding/cleaning carbs

[climbingaz]

I apologize in advance for my ignorance.  I did a seach but couldn't find a definitive answer.  I just bought a '78 750 that had been sitting in the guys backyard for the past 15 years.  Needless to say, the carbs need to be cleaned!!

My question is I'm not sure if I need to just clean them up real good and replace the gaskets or do I need to go all out and replace all the jets, needles, adjustment screws, etc.?  I ordered 4 oem gasket sets from Hondaman, but now I'm second guessing my purchase....thinking I should have got an entire rebuild kit.

Whatcha think?

[robe0531]

you can always clean the jets i use a little wire brush and some guitar string to clean my if they are real bad works well

[Johnie]

I apologize in advance for my ignorance.  I did a seach but couldn't find a definitive answer.  I just bought a '78 750 that had been sitting in the guys backyard for the past 15 years.  Needless to say, the carbs need to be cleaned!!

My question is I'm not sure if I need to just clean them up real good and replace the gaskets or do I need to go all out and replace all the jets, needles, adjustment screws, etc.?  I ordered 4 oem gasket sets from Hondaman, but now I'm second guessing my purchase....thinking I should have got an entire rebuild kit.

Whatcha think?

Pretty hard for us to decide what is best for your bike when we can not see it.  Makes a big difference if they were sitting with fuel in the tank and carbs or not.  My 1970 was sitting for 17 years in a garage with no fuel in them.  I was lucky.  Many times guys try the "clean them up" method and end up rebuilding anyway.  If you can afford the kits I would go that route as then you know where it stands.  Sort of like the wheel bearings in my bikes...I had no idea what they were like so I changed them out.  Now I know where it stands.  Let us know how you come out and welcome to the boards.

[Gordon]

Stick with the stock jets and other brass bits unless there is obvious damage to them.  Sitting in gas/varnish/other crap for a long time doesn't damage them, just gets them really dirty.  Clean them up and they'll be good as new. 

[modzsquad]

No question is stupid!  I just got my bike out of the garage after 18yrs. (1977  Cb750 F) It still had fuel in carbs, cleaned them, didn't have to replace the seals or the jets.  Hardest part of the whole process was getting the carb assembly off of the bike.  Cleaning them was a breeze.