Finally going into the carbs

John Luttrell · March 05, 2010, 08:05:56 AM

Ok guys, I've finally gotten moved up to Waldron Arkansas and finding the time to go into my carbs and clean the bad gas out of them. I'm going to shim the needles while I'm in there and I have a question before I do it.

I'm running jardine drags on it and the bike has no lean surge at all; it does however have a slight lean popping in the exhaust when I let off the gas. So I was thinking that two shims under each needle would take care of this? Anyone think I should just add one shim or am I on the right path with two?

roboto65 · March 05, 2010, 10:10:31 AM

I would think you could do 2 shims with those pipes but 1 would suffice about 3 maybe 3 and 1/4 turns out on the pilot screws 108 on the main jets..

John Luttrell · March 05, 2010, 01:21:14 PM

Thanks for the info Allen.

John Luttrell · March 25, 2010, 09:24:53 PM

Well, she is back on the road and running better than ever. Cleaned the carbs that were gummed up as well as the entire fuel system, added a shim under each needle and adjusted the screws to three turns. I also took it in to have a new chain and sprockets installed, since the chain was about worn slap out. I had a one tooth smaller front sprocket installed as well; she is very peppy now.

hootmon · March 25, 2010, 11:20:28 PM

Yeah, going to a 15 will make her jump off the line better, that's for sure..
Can you tell us how fast you are going in 5th gear at 4000 RPM???

How about a better photo shot of those driving lights??

LIMagna · March 26, 2010, 07:04:02 AM

John,

I've got a similar setup (well, the Jardine drags anyway). I'm also running the stock air filter. My bike has the Factory Pro jet kit (w/105 mains and adjustable needles with snap ring in second slot on top of the stock shim, which is the recommended initial setting from Factory Pro). Engine runs great but I do have some decel/downshift popping which seems to vary with outside temperature (worse when it's hot better to nonexistent when it's cool) . I'm in the middle of a carb overhaul as I have noticed a little gas leaking on occasion (twice in six months I've owned the bike) and thought I might have a stuck/sticking float valve and/or bad float bowl gasket. I think the previous owner had suspected the same thing as he gave me a brand new set of float valves when I picked up the bike. I'm waiting on a set of 42 slow jets ... figured I would give them a try since I've got the carbs off. I've also got a set of 108 mains which came with the Factory pro kit but figured since it seemed to run very well with the 105's that I wouldn't change them. Anyway, to get to the point, I'm just wondering what you ended up with on your bike?

Safe riding,

Charlie

John Luttrell · March 26, 2010, 08:53:02 AM

Quote from: LIMagna on March 26, 2010, 07:04:02 AM
John,

I've got a similar setup (well, the Jardine drags anyway). I'm also running the stock air filter. My bike has the Factory Pro jet kit (w/105 mains and adjustable needles with snap ring in second slot on top of the stock shim, which is the recommended initial setting from Factory Pro). Engine runs great but I do have some decel/downshift popping which seems to vary with outside temperature (worse when it's hot better to nonexistent when it's cool) . I'm in the middle of a carb overhaul as I have noticed a little gas leaking on occasion (twice in six months I've owned the bike) and thought I might have a stuck/sticking float valve and/or bad float bowl gasket. I think the previous owner had suspected the same thing as he gave me a brand new set of float valves when I picked up the bike. I'm waiting on a set of 42 slow jets ... figured I would give them a try since I've got the carbs off. I've also got a set of 108 mains which came with the Factory pro kit but figured since it seemed to run very well with the 105's that I wouldn't change them. Anyway, to get to the point, I'm just wondering what you ended up with on your bike?

Safe riding,

Charlie

Charlie, I'm running the stock jets with one shim added under each needle; I too installed new floats while I was in there. The popping on decel is completely gone; bare in mind I haven't rode it in hot weather yet either, but it runs better with this combination than it ever has. My bike never suffered from the lean surge that so many speak of and the only thing I was going for with the shims was to get rid of the popping on decel.

John Luttrell · March 26, 2010, 08:55:17 AM

Quote from: hootmon on March 25, 2010, 11:20:28 PM
Yeah, going to a 15 will make her jump off the line better, that's for sure..
Can you tell us how fast you are going in 5th gear at 4000 RPM???

How about a better photo shot of those driving lights??

Here is a link for my driving lights installation http://redneckdrifter.bravehost.com/lights.html

In 5th gear, I'm doing 48 MPH at 4000 RPMs.

LIMagna · March 26, 2010, 09:11:53 AM

Quote from: John Luttrell on March 26, 2010, 08:53:02 AM

Charlie, I'm running the stock jets with one shim added under each needle; I too installed new floats while I was in there. The popping on decel is completely gone; bare in mind I haven't rode it in hot weather yet either, but it runs better with this combination than it ever has. My bike never suffered from the lean surge that so many speak of and the only thing I was going for with the shims was to get rid of the popping on decel.

Thanks John. I suppose I could move the snap ring on the needles one notch down but I think I'm just going to try the 42 slow jets for now to see if it makes any difference. I've also readjusted the idle mixture screws to a consistent state (all the same at 3 turns out ... there were some that were out over four turns) and I'll see about setting them via the "idle drop" method at some point in the near future. From what I've seen here, I think I can get at the needles without pulling the carbs so I can always fiddle with those later if I feel like it.