Where do I start?

[Steve]

Don't order any shims until you find out what you need.

Don't foget to look in my sig.

.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Have you had a chance to read the "mega-welcome"? You should. Really.

There are "how to" guides for all of the basic maintenance tasks on my website. Most are in PDF format so that you can save them to your computer, print them out, and reference them any time you want. Read through all of them. They will help you understand what is necessary to care for a 30 year old motorcycle.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[gallion_t]

Yes, i have read through the Mega-Welcome packet and most of the how to guides. It has provided me a lot of useful tips. Thats is actually how I learned to change all of the fluids on the bike. I will use it tonight or this weekend when I check valve clearances before ordering up shims and I will be certain to use it for the carb cleaning and O-ring replacement. Those are the two big things I have left.

[gallion_t]

One thing I did notice while reading the welcome pack is a recommendation to use oil for a desiel engine. When I changed mine I just used regular 10w-30 because that was what was marked on the cap. Is this something I should be worried about and change out or is it just now better to use the desiel engine oil and I'll be fine to wait until my next oil change?

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I'm pretty sure that your oil cap, like mine, is marked 10w40. Do not use any oil labeled "energy conserving" like a lot of 10w30 oils are. You will find links to all kinds of oil information in your "mega-welcome".


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[gallion_t]

Ok, I just got done checking my valve clearances. This is what I have

Exhaust
cylinder 1 .013mm
2 .08
3 .04
4 .09

Intake
Cylinder 1 .04
2 .05
3 .10
4 .04

I have a couple that need to be changed out. My questions is how to I tell which size shim I currently have? Being the first time doing work on it im not sure if its stock or if they have been changed before. Will it say somewhere on the shim or do I have to pull them out and measure them with calipers?

[chuck hahn]

There are laser etched thicknesses on them..but they are installed with the lettering toward the valve stem so the cams dont wear the letters off.

Your gonna have to pull the ones that are out of spec and physically measure them with calipers. Even though they are marked, doesnt mean its right because they have been worn by the cam lobes in normal operation already. ALWAYS physically measure them.

AND you NEVER EVER turn the crank with an empty bucket..NEVER!!!

[gallion_t]

Ok I tore everything apart checked the valve clearances and replaced all of the O-rings in the carbs along with new gaskets. I also noticed that the number 2 plug looked dirty while the rest were clean. I replaced the petcock. While I was working on the number 2 carb the air screw was stripped and i couldnt get it out. At least thats what i thought. when i put it back together I found out that there was aluminum plugs covering those screws. I think that is what i have because it is an aluminum color and not the standard brass color of the air screw. Before I drill it out and attempt to pull the plug how can i be sure thats what it is?

[Big T]

That should be the cap

Just take a rack, brad or small screw, center it on the cap and tap on it. That should start to deform the cap. Stick a screw in the hole you make and pull it out

It won't hurt the brass screw if you don't pound on it

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Have a look at the carb cleaning/rebuilding guides on my little website.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[gallion_t]

Ill give pulling it out a shot after work. Im pretty sure thats what it is but at the same time dont want to screw anything up if I'm wrong.

[gallion_t]

well ive tried removing it with no luck. ive tried everything mentioned below with nothing working. It seems to be a lot harder material then aluminum. Against my better judgement I went at it with a drimel tool and have removed enough material from it to where i should be hitting the top of the adjustment screw. I have no idea what to do. Are there any options left other than trying to find a new carburator? a quick search I can only find the full set. any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone for all of your help.

[rustybronco]

The cap over the idle fuel mixture screw is an aluminum plug. You will have to drill into it a little bit then screw a metal screw into it and pull upwards to remove the plug.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Are you sure you are working on the right area of the carb? The caps have been removed from the pilot screws below. Looking down from the top:

The #4 carb highlighted.



The #1 carb highlighted.



Have you looked through this "how to" guide? It shows the cap removal procedure.

Mikuni BS(CV) Carburetor Rebuild Tutorial
(Mr. Nessism)


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[gallion_t]

yes im working on the correct area. The air screw came out perfectly on the other 3 including the spring, washer and o-ring. However this one is a different story. I tried drilling the plug out and that didnt work.