Carbs gummed

[longislandbandit99]

Do I have to remove the carbs from the bike to do this and if so what happens when they go back on as far as synching them up or whatever.  I can tell you this much, the shop that worked on them last supposedly used some sort of parts cleaner to clean the carbs.  He mentioned something about an acid bath or whatever.  To clean out everything.  I'm starting to realize what a hugh mistake it was to have them even touch the damn thing.  They are a Suzuki dealer too.  I never learned my lesson from the last bike.

 

[Red01]

You might be able to change jets with the carbs still on, but it'd be a PIA, especially if anything gives you trouble loosening up. It's worth pulling them out so you have plenty of room to work.

[longislandbandit99]

Well crap then what is the procedure for getting them back on?  I needs me a service manual pronto!

[Red01]

Reverse of taking them off... the throttle cables will likely be a few moments of frustration, but less than trying to jet it with the carbs installed!

See the members area for a free d/l of the SM.

[longislandbandit99]

Ok so I finally found the manual for my bike.  It turns out I had it on a CD this whole time and forgot where I put it or that I had it.   Common sense------>   <---- Me

Does the piston valve ever become an issue here?  Also have any of you ever had a problem with the fuel valve on the tank?  I'm thinking ethanol could do a number on some of those rubber parts in there.  What if gas was always pouring out like when its in prime position?  Or leaking out just enough to make it run rich and flood.

Float height.  I see the measurements and specs but my question is this.  When setting the float height on a carburetor for an outboard motor, the rule of thumb is parallel to the float body when held upside down.  How exactly do most of you (Red01) do this?

[CWO4GUNNER]

[Red01]

Fuel petcock problems aren't uncommon on the 400 Bandits due to their age. A few owners of older 600/1200's have reported problems, too. Usually related to the vacuum diaphragm in the petcock. Rebuild kits are difficult to come by for any of them. Choices boil down to finding a good used petcock or a new one - either OEM replacement or something from the aftermarket like a manual Pingel unit (they have vacuum ones, too).

I followed Bill's method for adjusting my floats when I did my Stage II.

[longislandbandit99]

I'm seeing some special tools in this manual when reading about carburetor servicing.  Impact driver set for removing float chamber?  It says nothing about how to use it or when putting the screws back in, how to or not to torque them, etc.

Is it necessary to remove the throttle valve?  Why would anyone want to remove the plates in the carb body?

What parts in the diaphragm and piston unit should I and shouldn't I use carb cleaner on?

Thanks for all your help guys I'm trying to prepare myself ahead of time to be as quick and ready as possible.

[Red01]

The factory installed phillips screws are notorious for being tight. Trying to remove them with a screwdriver often results in stripping the head of the screw. An impact screwdriver is a special tool you can by in many tool departments (mine came from Sears). You hit it with a hammer. This seats the tip firmly in the screw head, transfers shock thru the screw to jar loose thread locking compound and/or corrosion and turns the screw slightly.

Since the carbs are made of soft metal, it's better to try hitting with medium blows and work your way harder until they're free than to wail on them and end up damaging something.

As long as the carb cleaner you're using says it's safe for rubber parts, you can spray it anywhere. More caustic solutions, like carb dips, require you to remove all rubber parts.

If your carbs are gummed up, it would be a good idea to remove the slides (or piston valve as the manual calls it) so you can spray cleaner down the hole the needle goes into. It is normally not necessary to remove the butterfly (throttle valve in the book) as long as it moves freely.

[longislandbandit99]

I have one of those and I can't for the life of me imagine why I would want to use an impact anything on something like a carburetor.  So what I have to try and hold the carb and tool with one hand and swing the hammer with the other?  I woudn't dare put the carbs in a vise.

[Red01]

I squeezed my carbs between my legs while kneeling on the carpeted living room floor. I let the tops of the carbs (with the tops off and slides out) rest against the floor, so my legs were basically just stabilizing the carbs while I hit them. Even though my bike was less than six months old at the time, the float bowl screws still needed persuasion with the impact driver.

[Russtang]

Another method I have used many times in the past with stubborn bolts/screws is to use a dremel tool with a cutoff wheel to carve a slot into the head.  Then you can use a standard flat blade screwdriver to remove it.

[dgc]

just to put my 2 cents in about carb cleaners...i dont know if any of you have heard about the product made by (its been awhile since i got it last, so my memory might be little off here) B&G from KS, (kansas, that is), called 45K, or K45.  anyways, the stuff was highly praised on around (heard it mentioned while doing a track day, in the bike shop, while asking a guy at NAPAs about it, he said they were out and reffered to it as a 'mechanic in a can').  
  stuff one is to dump in the fuel and then run the bike...best results after 100 miles.
here is my question, wheres the best place for someone to order carb needles.  my dealer isnt helpful at all...that is unless you're willing to hand over a month worth of pay and a bike for about a month. (so it can sit there for 29 days, and then they work on it 45min before you show up for a pickup)

[Red01]

If your dealer isn't helpful for carbs parts like needles and jets, try SUDCO.

Tucker Rocky, Parts Unlimited & Western Powersports all carry the full line of Mikuni stuff, too, but you have to be a dealer to order from them since they're middle-man distrubutors. Chances are your dealer buys from at least one of these outfits already, but if they aren't helpful, you can try another dealer, even a non-Suzuki one.

[SwampFox]

All of the work you guys did on the carbs, did it work.  I need to do the same thing to my bike and I want to know what worked and what was a pain in the A$$?