Topic: !$#@@% Minor Vent

[Bob Wessner]

Well, actually it is my own procrastination  Finished draining the float bowls etc. for winter storage. Usually don't have problems. Unscrew them and let the screws/washers and fuel drop into a small tin then fish them out. Putting the screws and washers back in on the inboard carbs is usually something of a struggle with big hands. Had been meaning (here's the procrastination part) to get a small screw driver with the two prongs at the tip to hold small screws until they are started. Well, I didn't get it, but tried screwing them in as usual. Dropped the #2 set, screw bounced one way, washer another. Found the screw easy enough, washer.. couldn't find it save my life. Looked all over on top of the engine case, got on my knees with a drop light all over the garage floor, no dice. Gave up and went in to watch the Mich.-Ohio State game (second mistake of the day  ).

Went back out today, fished my small flex mirror out of the toolbox and sure enough that da_n washer had fallen into a small recess in the top rear of the engine case. Too small to get a finger in and the space between it and the airbox was tight. I was not about to remove the airbox.  Had to use the mirror and fish around with a paper clip for 5 minutes to retrieve it.

P.S. Went to Stadium Hardware and picked up the aforementioned screwdriver with the clips. Might have to change my vote for the one change I would make to SOHC/4's, like get rid of these flaming screw, nut, washer eating recesses. 

[skamania19]

I've had good luck with this: I stick a strong magnet under the area I'm working on so anything that falls either lands on or gets sucked into the magnet. Sometimes there's no practical place to put the magnet but other times it's really saved me.

[Bob Wessner]

Unfortunately in this case, the screw is brass and the washer is aluminum  Good thought for other situations though, thanks.

[Sam Green Racing]

Change screw and washer for steel ones

Sam.

[ProTeal55]

Couldn't you just turn off the petcock while the bike
is running , and let it die to empty out the float bowls ?

That would get all the gas outta the carbs, correct ?
I hear allot of people do that for pro-longed storage.....

[Jonesy]

Unfortunately in this case, the screw is brass and the washer is aluminum Good thought for other situations though, thanks.

Bob... which screws were you removing? The drains on the bottom of the bowls should have rubber o-rings on them (which usually stay united with the drain screw), and I thought they were hollow so you just had to loosen them to drain the fuel. (this might be another K0 oddity, so I might be wrong) If you have to take them all the way out they could be plugged up. On mine, the aluminum washers go on the vacuum sync ports.

I just let it run for a bit with the petcock closed, then pop the bowls off and dump them out. I also spray a dab of carb cleaner in there to clean out any fine sediment that may have snuck past the filters.

[Bob Wessner]

Honest, I was just venting, but;

According the the parts list, the screws are backed with "plain washers, 6mm." When I thought I had lost the thing for good, considered a neoprene sub. or something. Yes, they will drain if you just unscrew them a little bit, but drain faster if you drop the screw out.. but not necessarily into engine crevices or on garage floors  . Vacuum screws also backed with plain alum. washers, though I have managed to lose one of them and have a fiber sub on one. I don't really like taking the bowls off unnecessarily, trying to keep the gasket seal as is and undisturbed.

[TwoTired]

Couldn't you just turn off the petcock while the bike
is running , and let it die to empty out the float bowls ?

That would get all the gas outta the carbs, correct ?
I hear allot of people do that for pro-longed storage.....

Nope.  It only gets out some of the gas.  The slow jets and main jets feed from different heights inside the float bowls.  The slow jets feed from a higher level and unless you are keeping the RPM at mid throttle to run off the mains, the slows starve first and the engine dies with the bowls about half full of fuel.
That evaporates over the winter months, leaving a residue, and next spring you have gummy carbs.  New fuel may or may not flush them clear again.

Cheers,

[Bob Wessner]

It woild have been hard to swallow letting it idle for the amount of time it would take anyway. I got more use out of the drained fuel by dumping it into the lawnmower. 

[Jonesy]

Might have to change my vote for the one change I would make to SOHC/4's, like get rid of these flaming screw, nut, washer eating recesses.

I think that's an inherent design feature of all Japanese engines. My first car was a Toyota and I swear you could toss a nut or bolt anywhere in that engine compartment and it would not hit the ground underneath the car!

[DammitDan]

I dropped the tensioner adjuster screw down inside the case...  it went AROUND the towel that was stuffed down in the camchain hole, and somehow made its way to the front of the bike under the crankshaft.  I just about took the bike out back and shot it after the 2nd day.  Literally.  I had the 12 gague ready and everything.  I still wonder to this day what a slug or 2 would have done to that aluminum head.

Finally fished it out blind with a severly bent magnetic telescoping thingamajig 3 days later from crankcase drain (on the right underside of the bike).  It was the only place I hadn't looked cause I didn't know it was there!  Oil pan was off in a corner, bike was lying on its side, couldn't hear it rattling or see with anywhere with a mirror.  UGH!  I learned my lesson that day 

[Terry in Australia]

Hey Dan, why shoot the bike when you cocked it up? Now if you said that you thought about turning that shotty on yourself, well fair enough mate, you deserved it! Just jokes mate, put that gun down now matey, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.