Carb slide sticks

[Ilanidrac]

Sorry for the really late reply lol.

Yea, i don't understand how it's even possible to bend this thing, but this one and one other are bend to hell. I almost can't believe I didnt notice it before.

So big questions is...where can I get some replacements? I will need at least two, but I can't seem to find anything online.

Any part numbers I can use or ideas?

[Big T]

I'd check the Parts for Sale

Then Sudco

There's some other carb part houses also

[nickr234]

well i got some, but i don't know if they are for the 550... the ones i have are for the 750 and i know they are the same as the ones is the 850 and 1000, but the 550 i'm not for sure. if you want i'll just send you a few for free. you'll need to clean them because they will have a little varnish and gunk on them, and if you bike runs too rich then you won't be out anything.

[Ilanidrac]

i wound up finding some replacement, and the carbs no longer stick! That was totally the problem.

However, the bike will only rev with choke, and letting it idle it will die after about a minute of running.

The carbs were all soaked for 24 hrs, the air box is on, its stock jetting, new o-ring kit, new intake o-rings, etc. it feels like it may not be getting enough fuel?

Any idea on what I can try to get it going?

[Steve]

Where are all your adjustments?

The pilot FUEL screw, the one on the bottom, should be about 3/4 turn out from lightly seated (assuming stock airbox and exhaust).

The pilot AIR screw, the one on the side, should be about double that, or 1 1/2 turns.

The idle speed screw should obviously be in far enough to keep it running.

When the bike is warmed up, synchronize the carbs and tweak the air screws for highest idle speed.

.

[Ilanidrac]

I adjusted the jets as you had suggested, but it's acting pretty much the same. I'm getting confused now.

The bike has great compression. Only thing I can think of is it's just not getting enough fuel. On choke the bike seems to run normal, but once off choke it won't rev at all.

I'm thinking maybe the petcock isn't letting enough fuel through?

Any more ideas?

[Ilanidrac]

Well, I took a look at the petcock, and there is PLENTY of fuel getting down.

As a recap, here is a list of what was done so far:

-Center two carb slides were sticking
...-Replaced bent up needle jets
......-No longer stick
......-RESOLVED
-Bike only runs properly with choke, idle off choke for about 15 seconds
-Pulled apart carbs and soaked for 7 days
-Ensured all passageways were clear
...-Ensured all jets we not clogged
......-All jets are stock
-Air box is stock
-New o-ring kit for the carbs
-New intake o-rings
-New float gaskets
-Stock jetting
-Set air/fuel jets properly
-Checked compression
...-Great compression
-Checked fuel flow from petcock
...-Plenty of fuel gets by
...-The petcock looks like it was broken, ad previous owner bypassed it with an in-line valve
-Bike is being tested with the airbox connected
-Tested spark plugs
...-Spark is great on all 4
-Point are clean and adjusted
...-They also look brand new
-Advance appears to be working normally

It really seems like that since the bike runs on choke, that there is not enough fuel getting to the engine. Really strapped for ideas, as I want to avoid having to replace the carb rack.

[Ilanidrac]

Ok. The only think i realize that I didn't do yet, was adjust the valves. So I took the thing apart to check the clearances....and I can't even describe how way off they all were.

So now begs the question...where can i get the Shims and the tool to actually adjust them? Followup: Would the valves cause symptoms that I am showing?

Thanks for any help.

[Steve]

Ok. The only think i realize that I didn't do yet, was adjust the valves. So I took the thing apart to check the clearances....and I can't even describe how way off they all were.

So now begs the question...where can i get the Shims and the tool to actually adjust them? Followup: Would the valves cause symptoms that I am showing?

Thanks for any help.

It appears that all 11 of your posts have been in this thread and BassCliff has not had the opportunity to give you his official Mega-Welcome, so click on the link I just gave you and start reading. In there, you will find many suggestions for vendors and tools. There is a great tutorial that will supplement a service manual that you should have. If you don't have one, get one off BassCliff's site. You will also learn that you don't need to buy a special tool to adjust your valves, other than a good set of feeler gauges.

You can also look for a post from some guy named "Steve" and take advantage of the offer in his sig, it might help you a bit with your valve adjustment.

From what I have seen of your posts, mis-adjusted valves would not cause those problems. What would cause them is a blockage in the pilot circuit of one or more of your carbs. When you had your pilot fuel screws out, did they have nice sharp points? If not, one of those points might be stuck, blocking the fuel that you need.

.

[Ilanidrac]

It appears that all 11 of your posts have been in this thread and BassCliff has not had the opportunity to give you his official Mega-Welcome, so click on the link I just gave you and start reading. In there, you will find many suggestions for vendors and tools. There is a great tutorial that will supplement a service manual that you should have. If you don't have one, get one off BassCliff's site. You will also learn that you don't need to buy a special tool to adjust your valves, other than a good set of feeler gauges.

You can also look for a post from some guy named "Steve" and take advantage of the offer in his sig, it might help you a bit with your valve adjustment.

From what I have seen of your posts, mis-adjusted valves would not cause those problems. What would cause them is a blockage in the pilot circuit of one or more of your carbs. When you had your pilot fuel screws out, did they have nice sharp points? If not, one of those points might be stuck, blocking the fuel that you need.

.

That could be it. All the times I had these things apart, i had not noticed anything like that since I wasn't looking for it. If this is the case, would there be a way to free up the passageway, or some easy way to test if it does have a good blockage like that? I won't be able to rip the carbs apart until next weekend, but I will be definitely giving this a check.

I will email you about that valve guide! They definitely need an adjustment, whether or not they are the cause of this issue.

[cowboyup3371]

The only way to free them up is to properly tear them down, dip each carb for 24 hours, and put back together with new orings.

Get Nessism's carb rebuild tutorial and follow it closely.

[Ilanidrac]

The only way to free them up is to properly tear them down, dip each carb for 24 hours, and put back together with new orings.

Get Nessism's carb rebuild tutorial and follow it closely.

I've done this a few times already. I don't think these carbs could be any cleaner lol. New o-rings and float gaskets as well.

[chuck hahn]

Take some 000 steel wool and scrub the towers the slides go in...there may be some slight burrs. Also roll the slides on a flat piece real clean glass. Look for anything that may be out of the ordinary such as burring..or maybe abit out of round from being dropped. Maybe swap the slides to another carb too. One may fit better than the other in a different body??

[Steve]

That could be it. All the times I had these things apart, i had not noticed anything like that since I wasn't looking for it. If this is the case, would there be a way to free up the passageway, or some easy way to test if it does have a good blockage like that? I won't be able to rip the carbs apart until next weekend, but I will be definitely giving this a check.

You might be able to feel the tips just barely poking into the carb throat. If you can feel them, remove the screw from the outside, then use the round shank of a Phillips screwdriver to roll across the tip in the carb throat, you might break it free.

.

[Ilanidrac]

Take some 000 steel wool and scrub the towers the slides go in...there may be some slight burrs. Also roll the slides on a flat piece real clean glass. Look for anything that may be out of the ordinary such as burring..or maybe abit out of round from being dropped. Maybe swap the slides to another carb too. One may fit better than the other in a different body??

The slides themselves no longer stick. It turned out that the needle jet that the needle sits into on two of the carbs were bent up pretty bad. I got some replacements, and the slides act good as new!

Only problem I have now is the running issues. Will only run and idle on choke, and and throttle at all kills the bike.