Author Topic: Hey All (Read 10030 times)

Sierra2 · « **on:** January 15, 2006, 08:43:03 AM »

New Guy here....got an ugly problem with my bandit 400. I stored it in a garage with a gravel floor for a year. Sounds OK so far except the ground under neath was REALLY wet. I didn't notice until it was time to move and I took her off the centre stand and she sank up to the axles in "quicksand". As a result my carbs were completely fouled...all the brass was green, and the jets were plugged with corrosion.

I've stripped them and cleaned them. but I don't think they'll be the same. She's a 91 and completely stock, but I've been toying with the idea of re-jetting the carbs to get rid of the second gear flat spot, but I've heard its a bad idea. While I've got it a thousand pieces anyway, can anyone offer some suggestions on jetting, or mods, or cans, or carbs that night help (and are still available)

Thanks in advance

PitterB4 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 15, 2006, 09:40:30 AM »

Check around this forum and the 400 FAQ. There's lots of info here.

I'd recommend the Factory Pro jet kit to you. I have the one with the TI needles. I'm not sure if you can run that with the stock exhaust and air filter or not. I'll bet you can. Marc at Factory Pro is a ton of help if you have questions, too.

I'd also make double and triple sure you've got all the corrosion and everything out of those carbs. It doesn't take much to screw things up.

Thief400 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 15, 2006, 01:43:19 PM »

You have a Canadian spec bike so you will NOT have to by a jet kit, raise the needles up one notch and enjoy. as for pipes and slipons they are getting harder to find but do come up one ebay from time to time. You already have 33mm carbs so you don't need that upgrade. If your bike is stock you can leave the stock 100 main in or move up to a 102.5 but i dought you will notice a differance. as for cleaning the crap out of the carbs use CRC gasket remover, spray all over let it sit on for a couple of minutes use a tooth brush to remove the toughest grime them rinse really well with hot water. Oh and wear rubber gloves. this stuff is pretty harsh on skin. your carbs will look like new inside and out.

Zhi · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2006, 02:58:50 PM »

Welcome to the site.

Sierra2 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2006, 04:13:55 PM »

Thanks for the WELCOME
I just stumbled upon this forum a couple of days ago and already "You Guys" have given me more information than any of my local bike shops have been able to drum up in a year.

I've been lucky so far. This bike has been bulletproof, I've only had to do routine maintenance stuff since I bought it new in 93. I'm seeing now that parts are getting harder and harder to get.

Thanks again :sparkplug:

magicGoose · « **Reply #5 on:** January 16, 2006, 09:09:33 AM »

Quote from: "Sierra2"

my carbs were completely fouled...all the brass was green, and the jets were plugged with corrosion.

Welcome to the board!
I'm not really clear if your carbs are corroded on the outside and just clogged with varnish on the inside, or if they are actually corroded on the INSIDE as well? If you actually have corrosion, like powdery white aluminum oxide, INSIDE your carbs, then the jets will be the least of your problems. If you just have brown varnish deposits inside, that's not too tough to deal with.
Also, just to state the obvious, you will want to make sure your coils, wires and plug caps are completely dried out from all that moisture, especially if you still have the original wires.
Regards,
Steve

Sierra2 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 16, 2006, 09:35:22 AM »

It was more like the brass of the jets, and the exposed parts of the brass screws had begun to corrode. They were turning green, and getting a green waxy build up plugging the pilot jets. (like a penny when it goes green) There was a little aluminum oxide powder as well, but not so much. When I pulled the cover off and got it into the daylight I nearly cried.
Oh well this site has at least given me hope. I'm the only Bandit owner I know and wasn't sure if it was worth trying to restore her or move on.
I moved the bike to a new (dry) spot some time ago. It always seemed to have wire trouble if I washed it too close to the wires. Yes they are stock...was this common?? Are there wire/cap kits that will solve this problem??

Thanks again in Advance!

Maniac · « **Reply #7 on:** January 16, 2006, 10:06:39 AM »

Welcome aboard, Sierra!

Sounds like your carbs are close to the condition mine were in when I bought her, minus the cacked sediment (sand) filling the float bowls. You should be able to get her running again with a little elbow grease and a lot of cleaning. You know what works good on carbs? Those cheap toothbrushes you can get at a drugstore! Just remember not to use them on your teeth after using gasoline and solovents on them.

If you can find them, small pipecleaners will work wonders on jets and passages. For the smaller ones, or if you can't find a pipecleaner, you can use a metal twisty tie with the paper covering removed (you know, they come with trash bags to tie them shut?). I suppose regular wire would work as well.

Let me guess which wires are causing you fits when wet, the one's under the seat? In particular, under the left hand sidecover? You could try pulling the connectors apart and applying lithium grease (I think thats it) around them, then reassembling. Other than that, just try not to get water up there and/or cover them with something before washing.

magicGoose · « **Reply #8 on:** January 16, 2006, 12:58:43 PM »

Another source for small wires to clean carb passages is to untwist a piece of stranded copper wire and use the individual strands.
The HT wires are a pretty common problem. The plug caps and coils each have a threaded post that the wire turns onto, sort of like a wood screw that screws down the axis of the wire. The connection can get loose or corroded and cause problems. Even if they're not loose, 5 or 10 bucks to replace the crunchy old wires with new ones is good preventative maintenance, IMO.

Sierra2 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 16, 2006, 02:58:07 PM »

Any good aftermarket wires (should I ask

) or should I try to replace them with stock stuff? Seems to me that the parts are getting harder and harder to get.

magicGoose · « **Reply #10 on:** January 16, 2006, 03:31:56 PM »

Uh,
I don't really know about brands of wire, I just went to the local bike shop with my old stuff and they had the same diameter replacement stuff by the foot.

Sierra2 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 16, 2006, 04:15:02 PM »

Oh.......Well that makes too much sense.

I'll give that a try then!

Thanks Steve

PitterB4 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 16, 2006, 04:33:13 PM »

If you search around, this has been discussed here several times. I believe the wires are 7mm. Here in the US, a 6ft roll was well under $10 for me from Dennis Kirk.

Sierra2 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 16, 2006, 10:51:53 PM »

Thanks

Sierra2 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 21, 2006, 01:43:31 AM »

So I cleaned the carbs out. A little elbow grease and the corrosion came out pretty nicely. The next step is putting them back in. Found a mouse living in my air box!

Needless to say I need a new filter. (was tempted to fire it up and suck the little bastards into the combustion chamber....but my wife used to work for the SPCA....go figure)
Anyhow....any tips on getting the carbs to fit back onto the rubber intakes?