Topic: What else can come out of the carbs?

[btripp]

csendker,

  It is, shall we say, a work still in progress......


  -Ben

[csendker]

Update:

The main jets, slow jets, air screws & springs have all come out - thanks TT for the tips.  The main jets are stamped "K-100", I forgot to look at the slow jet #.  The manifolds are off. All is taking a good bath.

The float valve seats are in there real tight; I stopped in fear of trashing them while pulling. The needles & anything from the top side are also still in there. We'll see if a good soak doesn't loosen things up some more.

Back to my original question: I know the float valve seats still have to come out, and know what to do.  The needles come out too, but isn't the clip holding it in?  And don't you get to that from the top?  What about the throttle slide valve stuff?  What else should I pull out for a full tear-down?

I noticed the rebuild kits are for the individual carbs only, and I haven't found any gaskets or o-rings or whatever for racking them together yet.  Admittedly, I haven't looked real hard either, so for now, they stay as a rack.

I also found the "Honda Motorcycle Carburetion" manual in the Carb FAQ's.  Lots 'o good reading there.

[ElCheapo]

float valve

I'd skip the purple stuff.  Its corrosive to metals like aluminum - not sure what it would do to carb bodies.  The Yamaha cleaner can be used very effectively a number of ways including diluted with water and heated to a boil.

When you clean carbs, separate them from the rack and remove anything that isn't metal.

I use the purple stuff all the time. Not rough on carb bodies unless you dunk'em and die somewhere. Whats more they don't piss off the wife when you clean them in the nice warm house because it does not stink. 

[csendker]

Update:

All off: float bowls, floats & pins, float valve needles & seats, main jets, slow jets, air adjustment screws & springs, top covers.  Only 3 of 4 float bowl drain plugs came out so far.

Everything has been soaking for a while; pieces in straight Y-carb cleaner (rotate one carb guts at a time for two days each) and body in diluted (50-50 water, the store only had a couple of bottles) Y-carb cleaner for many days.  I scrub everything occassionally with an old toothbrush.  I must say, it's not as squeaky-clean as I expected.

Back to the original question: what else can come off these things?  The slide throttles still look grungy (see pics), and I've yet to locate the needles.  Does this stuff come out the top?

[csendker]

And...what else can be used to clean the bodies.  I read that steel wool isn't good on aluminum, but the toothbrush isn't stiff enough to get whatever crud is coating the bodies.

[Gordon]

The slides along with the needles all come out the top of the carbs.  That discoloration on the carb bodies is aluminum oxidation.  The only way I know of to remove it completely is either dipping in very strong parts cleaner, which will dissolve any rubber parts, or buffing/polishing.  Both of which would require separating the carbs.  I guess the question is just how badly do you want them to look nice?  The float bowls can be cleaned and polished easily, which will go a long way to making the entire rack look better overall. 

[csendker]

There's two nuts on top of each carb, both held in place with bent metal tabs to keep them from shaking loose.  I assume these get removed and everything gets yanked (carefully) from above?  Should I be wary of anything else popping out? Springs? Little itty-bitty pieces-parts?

And I would be happy with all of the bowls and the two outboard sides looking good.  If someone wants to stick there head under the hood for a closer examination, go right ahead.

Most of the screws are crappy.  Any recommendations for replacement hardware that won't twist-out?  Hex? Stainless?

[Gordon]

You only need to remove one of the two bolts on each of the throttle arms, the one that attaches the arm to the throttle slide.  Once you've done that, rotate the arms all the way up and you can pop the ball joint out of the slide shaft.  And, yes, there are small parts that may pop out with it.  A small cylindrical piece of metal, and a spring that both live inside the throttle slide shaft.  Make sure to take note of how they fit in there so you can put them back the same way.  Do one carb at a time so you have a frame of reference if you forget. 

Down inside the slides are two tiny screws that hold the shaft and needles in place.  They are not easy to get to, but a very small phillips screwdriver is what you need.  But if you think that's hard, wait until you have to put them back in!  If you don't need to adjust the needle clip position, this step really isn't necessary.  Just soak the whole assembly as is. 

[CB750R]

I've replaced much of the tiny crappy phillips screws on my carbs with stainless allen head screws. they look great but be warned the torque you can generate on a stainless allen head bolt will strip your aluminum carbs to shreads if your not carefull!!  The previous knumbskull who owned my bike had pre-stripped about 1/3 of the holes with just the phillips screws!!

[csendker]

Thanks.  Any tricks to bending the tabs out of the way?  I tried a small screwdriver and a pair of neelde-nose, but it's not coming easy and I don't want to mash anything.  I suspect it's just a matter of effort, but if there's a trick...

[CB750R]

I Have 77F  carbs without the tabs so I can't help ya there. 

[TwoTired]

Thanks.  Any tricks to bending the tabs out of the way?  I tried a small screwdriver and a pair of neelde-nose, but it's not coming easy and I don't want to mash anything.  I suspect it's just a matter of effort, but if there's a trick...

The only trick with the tabs is to not over bend them.  I use a medium screwdriver and the heel of my hand and only bend them enough to get the six point socket on them.  The tabs will break off with repeated bending.  And, the more extreme the bends are, the faster a crack will develop.
Cheers,

[csendker]

Well, I successfully got the first nut off (slide shaft).  Unfortunately, I found out it's not a nut, but a cap.  And whatever it was that was inside it is now somewhere in the depths of the carb.  I think it was the small cylindrical 'thing' and spring that gordon noted.  I can see something like it, but it doesn't want to come out.  Thought this stuff was inside the slide, not under the cap (because I thought it was a nut, not a cap; bummer). I tried to pull the whole slide out, but I can't get the ball all the way out of the socket.  I'm not sure if it's being impeded by the 'stuff' inside or what.  Should the ball pop out easily or does it take some force?  Should I take off the upper bolt off to disengage the ball or does it stay in place? Hmmmm.