Topic: CB550 Carb Issue

[TwoTired]

Do you have a chapter 19 in your manual?

[daredevilsadvocate]

pd's?

<<< totally new to all of this..sorry if that's a stupid question..lol

~dd

[the technological J]

sorry i deleted my previous statment but that shoulld be the the letters on the side of the carbs identifying them... i had a heck of a time figuring it out and it was my online research that brought me to this wicked site

sorry if that's a stupid question..lol

~dd

if u look at my post count most were stupid questions

[daredevilsadvocate]

o ok...gotcha!!  ...yes they are pd's...

[quidger]

Okay, I've come full circle since I started this thread a month ago.
First time that I took the carbs off and re-installed them I put the floats in upside down.
So I took them off and re-installed them and the bike ran but had some major idling issue. I did not pull the slow jets and clean them the first time I had the carbs off. You guys told me that it is a must. So I pulled the carbs again and pulled the slow jets and cleaned everything thoroughly.
I put them on the bike last night and turned on the fuel and gas ran out of all four overflows like crazy.
I know it has something to do with the floats but I'm not sure what.
When I put the carbs back together I thought that there was something different about the way the floats spang back when I pushed down on the float. I was sure that the floats and the float valves were put in right but obviously not.
Here is the best I can describe....it seemed to me that the floats set level in the bowl when you turn the carbs upside down and then when you flip the carburetor over the floats release and go down. This time when I put the floats in they did not set level in the bowl when the carbs were upside down but it was like the float valve spring was holding them open and there was alot of tension.
Where did I go wrong this time.
If nothing else, I'm getting really good a wrestling the carbs on and off of the bike.
Please help bail me out again.

[Laminar]

Okay, I've come full circle since I started this thread a month ago.
First time that I took the carbs off and re-installed them I put the floats in upside down.
So I took them off and re-installed them and the bike ran but had some major idling issue. I did not pull the slow jets and clean them the first time I had the carbs off. You guys told me that it is a must. So I pulled the carbs again and pulled the slow jets and cleaned everything thoroughly.
I put them on the bike last night and turned on the fuel and gas ran out of all four overflows like crazy.
I know it has something to do with the floats but I'm not sure what.
When I put the carbs back together I thought that there was something different about the way the floats spang back when I pushed down on the float. I was sure that the floats and the float valves were put in right but obviously not.
Here is the best I can describe....it seemed to me that the floats set level in the bowl when you turn the carbs upside down and then when you flip the carburetor over the floats release and go down. This time when I put the floats in they did not set level in the bowl when the carbs were upside down but it was like the float valve spring was holding them open and there was alot of tension.
Where did I go wrong this time.
If nothing else, I'm getting really good a wrestling the carbs on and off of the bike.
Please help bail me out again.

If at all possible, take pictures of what you're doing, so that if something doesn't work, you can show us what you did and we can rip it apart give you advice.

[daredevilsadvocate]

When I took my float bowls off...the floats were hanging down at about a 4 o clock angle (if using a clock as a reference)....maybe they are in upside down...or the float needles are in backwards....just some thoughts..I am in no way an expert....keep us up to date...

cheers,

~dd

[ev0lve]

Non-expert and coffee deprived this morning so apologies if this is redundant. I didn't read anywhere that you did the measurement and setting of the float heights (not sure what your setting would be for the 550).

Sorry again if I missed it but that might account for the overflow.

[quidger]

I will take them off again and see what's what.

But I think it may have something to do with the way I put the float valves with the little spring things in. Is there only one way that they will go in or is it possible to put them in backwards?

Start rippin' - I can take it!

[Laminar]

I will take them off again and see what's what.

But I think it may have something to do with the way I put the float valves with the little spring things in. Is there only one way that they will go in or is it possible to put them in backwards?

Start rippin' - I can take it!

It's possible to put them in backwards. The solid tapered end goes into the carb. The end with the spring is meant to push against the float.

[quidger]

I'm not sure how I could be such an idiot. But I'm sure that's what I must have done.

I recently bought the '78 CB550 that I'm talking about here and a '75 CB550 that I'm also trying to get running and between the two bikes I've taken the carbs off 5 times.

I'm learning, albeit the hard way! You guys think I'm annoying now, wait til I get to the motor!

Thanks for the input.

[Laminar]

I'm not sure how I could be such an idiot. But I'm sure that's what I must have done.

I recently bought the '78 CB550 that I'm talking about here and a '75 CB550 that I'm also trying to get running and between the two bikes I've taken the carbs off 5 times.

I'm learning, albeit the hard way! You guys think I'm annoying now, wait til I get to the motor!

Thanks for the input.

If you're not pulling the motor apart, it's a piece of cake compared to carbs. Set your point gap, valve clearances, check compression, check spark, check timing, change oil, done.

[quidger]

Laminar, you're not really banned as it says by your name, are you? Is that a joke or what?

You've been one of the most helpful guys on the forum to me. Plus you're form Iowa...you gotta be a good guy.

Takin' carbs off again one more time tonight. May send pics if I'm not sure that I'm getting it right this time

Thanks.

[Laminar]

Laminar, you're not really banned as it says by your name, are you? Is that a joke or what?

You've been one of the most helpful guys on the forum to me. Plus you're form Iowa...you gotta be a good guy.

Takin' carbs off again one more time tonight. May send pics if I'm not sure that I'm getting it right this time

Thanks.

Not really banned. After you take them off a time or two it goes a bit quicker. Not to mention, you really want to get everything right before you put them back on for fear of having to tear everything apart again.

[TwoTired]

Takin' carbs off again one more time tonight. May send pics if I'm not sure that I'm getting it right this time

You have learned that removing the rear band clamps completely, eases the removal/installation procedure, right?
...and removing the air filter box mount bolts.

The 78 rear rubber couplers are unobtainium.  Tear one and you've created another headache.

[Laminar]

Takin' carbs off again one more time tonight. May send pics if I'm not sure that I'm getting it right this time

You have learned that removing the rear band clamps completely, eases the removal/installation procedure, right?
...and removing the air filter box mount bolts.

The 78 rear rubber couplers are unobtainium.  Tear one and you've created another headache.

I have an easy solution to all of those problems...just get pods!

Running away...

[robdrobd]

Do you have a chapter 19 in your manual?

Is that chapter about how to declare bankruptcy after blowing all of our money on these bikes?! 

[quidger]

I'll continue my battle with the stock airbox and couplers. I've gotten fairly adept at removing and re-installing the carbs. So far I haven't torn any of the couplers on either the '75 or '78. Knock on wood.

Someday I may go the pod route but from what I understand it would involve re-jetting and other issues to get the bike to run properly.

I remove the bands and the airbox completely when I take the carbs out. And when I reinstall I completely seat the #2 & #3 couplers into the air box before I install the carbs. They are a beast to try to fit into the airbox holes when the carbs are on. #1 & #4 are no problem.

[daredevilsadvocate]

I may have to go that route as seeing I have a cracked (somewhat) rubber boot on the carb to the airbox on numero uno!...so I'm sure its been discussed here and someone can point me in the right direction....If I do switch to pods..(which I'm dreading)...where is the best info on the setup (parts needed) and steps necessary to do so...?  Thanks!

~dd

[Laminar]

I may have to go that route as seeing I have a cracked (somewhat) rubber boot on the carb to the airbox on numero uno!...so I'm sure its been discussed here and someone can point me in the right direction....If I do switch to pods..(which I'm dreading)...where is the best info on the setup (parts needed) and steps necessary to do so...?  Thanks!

~dd

All you need for pods are tools to tear out your current airbox/filter and a screwdriver to tighten the pods onto your carbs. If you have a 550, you need shorter than normal pods to fit the frame rails. There's a good sized thread around somewhere listing appropriately-sized pods. Do some searching, and you'll find recommendations on jetting based on exhaust and intake filter setup.

Some people don't like pods as they're often a headache to get running correctly and there's often little to no performance gain, but they (arguably) look cooler and they make the carbs tons easier to take on and off.

[quidger]

I'm not into easy. I like the way the bandaids look on my knuckles.