carb sync tool

[Suzuki_Don]

They are not M4, they are M5 0.8 thread.

No, all bikes do not use the same, Kawasaki, for one, uses M6 adapters.

By the way, I got the "permanent" adapters from Z1 for my bike, thinking it would make the job easier. Well, it does make they sync job easier, but my bike is not yet perfectly tuned, and will hiccup occasionally while warming up. One of those hiccups spit off the rubber cap on the adapter, and I rode to work that day with a SERIOUS air leak and did not realize it. I shudder to think what could have happened if it had been an all-day ride, instead of 3 miles to work.

I tried some different rubber caps (tighter fitting), but ended up removing the adapters and going back to stock.

.

I like Steve fitted the vacuum attachments to the intake boots, but I have had no trouble with the rubber caps splitting and I have had mine on for over a 1000 miles. And it makes it so easy to check the synch. About 10 mins max. Don't even have to remove the tank, just the four rubber caps, push the rubber tubes on and start the bike and check the readings. If everything's reading ok, remove the tubes and replace the caps. If adjustments are needed then follow the Suzuki manual procedure, remove tank, etc.

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[Suzuki_Don]

I got a Carbtune Pro, the carb tool (the long screwdriver with the socket on the outside), and a Colortune for Christmas.

Only used the Carbtune Pro with the carb tool once so far but made the sync dead simple.

Yet to use the Colortune although I need to desperately...

Pete is your Carbtune Pro the 4-cyl one.

 

[Guest]

Pete is your Carbtune Pro the 4-cyl one.

Yep Don, the house mate did the smart thing and got me that one just in case I got a 4 cylinder one of these days...

 

[Suzuki_Don]

Yep Don, the house mate did the smart thing and got me that one just in case I got a 4 cylinder one of these days...

Or you could do two twins at the same time.haha

 

[Good Times]

I just recently got the carbtune and colortune. To some degree I'm glad I hacked on carb tuning and air/fuel mixtures without these tools for a six months - oh my - what a difference with the tools, it takes all the guess work out.

The colortune is actually my favorite, it's a clear spark plug that shows you the combustion flame, it's a visual way to tell if your air/fuel mixture is right. Blue is good, blueish-orange is rich, and blueish-white is lean. My plug readings were ok and my performance was decent, but fine tuning with the colortune and sync'ng with the carbtune made a noticeable difference in smoothness and off idle low rpm transitions.

There's no substitute for experience, but if you don't have that, buy a carbtune and a colortune.

I'll be buying a carbtune and colortune. :lol:

 

[Steve]

I'll be buying a carbtune and colortune. :lol:

I had the pleasure of using a Colortune a couple of years ago. First bike I checked was Simon's '77 750 with VM carbs. Saw that color change ever so nicely, I was impressed. Took it home, used it on my wife's '82 850 with CV carbs, never saw the color change. The flame sputtered, then went out, but the color never changed. Tried one more bike with CV carbs, same thing. I adjusted the screw to the leanest point where I had steady flame.

My summary? If you have the older VM carbs, the Colortune is GREAT.
If you have the newer CV carbs, the enthusiasm is a bit less.

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[TheCafeKid]

I have merc sticks too. I likes em.

 

[chedd]

i use a set of (4) vacuum gauges on my gs750,they cost?120and are real easy to use and are just about unbreakable.the colourtune sounds like a good buy!i recon i'll invest in one.

 

[1_v8_merc]

Thanks for the info and pics guys.

The problem is actually my carb-tool stems(that screw into the boots), the outside ones are too long, and they nudge against the motor too much for comfort. Maybe I'll just cut 'em down a few inches.

 

[Guest]

Or you could do two twins at the same time.haha

Hahaha true Don! Fella at work has a 500, we could share maintenance time!

 

[old_skool]

How the heck do you sync the carbs if your intakes don't even have a vacuum port?????

 

[Guest]

How the heck do you sync the carbs if your intakes don't even have a vacuum port?????

Mine aren't on the boots they're on the head...

 

[LoopGaroo]

I rode today for the first time after balancing my carbs with the CarbTune. My bike is now very quiet at stop lights, less handlebars vibrations, and the clutch rattle is down maybe 30% It even started without the choke!

I scraped the hell out of my hands and cursed many times getting those adapter and allen bolts in & out of the vacuum ports. I ended up just taking the whole rack out to save some skin. I went ahead and ordered the brass adapters from Z1 to hopefully make it easier next time around.

After I got everything set up, the balancing part was very easy. It maybe took 10 minutes; I guess my bench synch was pretty close.

 

[old_skool]

How the heck do you sync the carbs if your intakes don't even have a vacuum port?????

yeah, so are mine, little differences between bikes faked me out for a sec.

 

[86Gs1150]

Thanks everyone I ordered the carbtune and got the brass adapters ordered direct took only a week to get.

 

[Koff]

Thanks for all this info.

Ordered the carbtune and colortune and adapaters and the hex tool and should be set once it all gets to me.

 

[JimmyR]

I just synched (sunk?) my carbs with a cheapy Emco 4 gauge meter thing. In my manual it says that when using the Suzuki carb tuner have the outside two cylinders slightly higher than the inside two. So I had to pretty much guess how to set them. I set the outside two cylinders just slightly higher, but who knows if it's the right amount?

So I got them where I felt they should be, took everything apart again to remove the brass probe bits and replace the plug screws. There was no way I was going to be able to replace the plug screws without taking off the carbies again. What a PITA! I discovered that my bike was pretty close to being in synch anyway. I did set all of the meters the same as recommended.

Problem is that the bike doesn't run any better now, in fact it won't start right now! It is a very hot day here today so I am hoping that by letting it cool down for a bit it will start again.

BTW what is "highest idle" carb tuning? I did notice that when I adjusted the screw on carb 4 the revs went up, but then when I set it according to the meter it went down again. I'm starting to despair of my tech skills on this bike! I have set the tappets correctly, the timing is spot on, I have stripped down the carbies at least three times to clean them incredibly thoroughly and make sure all the screws and jets are right, have a brand new petcock, new fuel and vacuum lines, done everything I can think of and sometimes it runs beautifully then the next day runs like a dog.

I am getting really sick of it. :-(

 

[Guest]

I just synched (sunk?) my carbs with a cheapy Emco 4 gauge meter thing. In my manual it says that when using the Suzuki carb tuner have the outside two cylinders slightly higher than the inside two. So I had to pretty much guess how to set them. I set the outside two cylinders just slightly higher, but who knows if it's the right amount?

So I got them where I felt they should be, took everything apart again to remove the brass probe bits and replace the plug screws. There was no way I was going to be able to replace the plug screws without taking off the carbies again. What a PITA! I discovered that my bike was pretty close to being in synch anyway. I did set all of the meters the same as recommended.

Problem is that the bike doesn't run any better now, in fact it won't start right now! It is a very hot day here today so I am hoping that by letting it cool down for a bit it will start again.

BTW what is "highest idle" carb tuning? I did notice that when I adjusted the screw on carb 4 the revs went up, but then when I set it according to the meter it went down again. I'm starting to despair of my tech skills on this bike! I have set the tappets correctly, the timing is spot on, I have stripped down the carbies at least three times to clean them incredibly thoroughly and make sure all the screws and jets are right, have a brand new petcock, new fuel and vacuum lines, done everything I can think of and sometimes it runs beautifully then the next day runs like a dog.

I am getting really sick of it. :-(

Mate that sounds like a real bugger! Glad I've just go the two cylinders now

Highest idle is about getting mixture right as opposed to the sync. Sync is for getting the carbs balanced to each other, whereas the mixture is about getting the AFR right.

One will have an effect on the other, but I think you're better off sync'ing first, then doing the mixture, then checking sync again.

I found with the Carbtune that I had to turn the idle way down low to get a good reading...

 

[JimmyR]

AFR? And which are the "idle mixture screws" that I read about on the highest idle page? Are they the pilot screws?

Thanks BTW! I think I have worked out why my bike was so sluggish after carb synching today - I suspect that the revving was too slow to recharge the battery. So the battery is on the charger again tonight.

 

[Guest]

AFR--Air-Fuel-Ratio