Can pilot jet be removed....?

[Rocketjock]

While the carbs are on the bike? By a small screwdriver or whatever? My Ivan's Stage 1 only came whith mains and needles and rough running up to 3 grand is bugging me. So I want to try the next up pilots.

[Blade]

What are you air fuel screws set at? Also did you sync the carbs? How about the floats, are they set right?

[Red01]

I suppose you could if your tools will fit in there. Gets pretty tight between the carb & alternator.

[CWO4GUNNER]

The only time I have ever had to replace a pilot jet which controls a very small portion of the throttle circuit (1st 1/4) is when you are at run out on adjustment I.E. cant get lean enough or rich enough and require a size change. I have never experienced rough running as a result of pilot jet problems only lean fast idling or inability to idle.

[Rocketjock]

Screw is out to 4 turns. Now, don't freak out. I know a lot of guys around here talk about a 2.5 turn setting. But, I guess that changed with the 06 B12 because the factory setting was 3.5. Says so in my shop manual and when I drilled out the plug, I turned them in to find out for myself. The bike has a 2Bros. and an Ivan's stage 1 kit. His instructions were for between 3.5 and 4 turns with the clips on center position. Tried 3.5 and worked my way up to 4. Definately ran the best there. He also sent along a set of shims that I installed for a better improvement yet. But workin better at 4 turns and beyond tells me that those pilots just aren't big enough. I'm going to change the 15s up for a set of 17.5s or 20s. Bike shops are back open tomorrow. But it is the first 1/4 throttle, up to 3 grand that I still get a bit of roughness and misfire. I sinced the carbs with my 100 buck cheapo dial set but I am wondering enough now about them to order up a digital sinc this Friday at the shop. There seems to be more vibration than there used to be.

[JamieK]

Rocketjock, your symptoms sound much like the issue I was having with mine, though you have needle clips and I have shims, might I suggest returning the screws to 3.5 turns and raising the needles...at my altitude I'm running with the screws at 3.75 turns. The other benefit is you can raise the needles with the carbs in. Just my amateur .02 (but it worked for me)

[Rocketjock]

Sounds like a plan. How many shims are you using? If I do that I guess I would discard the shim and move the needle to the next position. I am at sea level here.

[JamieK]

I have 6 shims, that's up two from the baseline. With that setup I have just a little soot in the pipe and am getting 56mpg (highway)...again I was having a miserable time with a part open throttle and it was most noticeable between 3-4.5K. Since adding the two shims the bottom end jerkiness has smoothed out and throttle response is crisp.

[Rocketjock]

Well, thanks again for that Dread. Today I changed the needles to the position below middle and reset the screws at 3.5. Better but not perfect so I opened them to 3.75. Perfect!. 3 grand stutter gone. Still a little buzzing coming thru to my feet but hopefully Fridays' digital sinc will fix that. I have to say, tho, that when I (carefully) removed the carb tops one of them little o ring rascals either got away from me or was never there. I was lookin close and saw nothing go anywhere. So, who knows. Gremlins, maybe. But it's there now and may have had something to do with the situation all along. I'll never know.

[JamieK]

Awesome!! Hey I'm going to be out in Vic (on the bike) June 21-25...we should try to hook up while I'm there

[Rocketjock]

Yep, throwin the cheapy sync gauges out with the trash. One carb was way outta sync. Dread. PM me when your around. Love to go for a ride with you.