Jet Needle Adjustment - really needed for VM Carb tuning if running pods

[Guest]

So, have decided to join the forces of evil and run pod filters.

I am in the process of taking apart my carbs for cleaning and tuning. I have read that I should drop the Jet Needle by a notch, but I have run into a snag... stripped Philips heads, specifically the ones that hold my needle jets in place... I can only get to one of them... FML

So, the question I have is how important is it that the jet needle be dropped a notch if I'm going to be running pods? What happens if I don't? If it's a must, recommendations on how to get the little SOBs out?

[CrazyCloud]

As long as you go up on the main jet you shouldn't be super-duper lean on the needle, but you might still be a bit lean. If you try it without changing the needle do some mid throttle plug chops right away to make sure you're not running lean and going to burn a hole in your piston. It is important to get the needle setting right because you run on that circuit most of time when you're moving down the road.

If there is enough screw head sticking up try to put a small vice grips on it to turn it out. If not then try cutting a new slot with a dremel that you could get a screwdriver into. You could try to use a small "easy out". Worse case scenario/last resort you grind or file the head off, lift of the linkage, and put a vice grip on the stubs to turn them out. Best of luck, stripped screw heads stink

[tkent02]

Um, you probably want to raise the needle, not drop it.

[Steve]

Um, you probably want to raise the needle, not drop it.

Yep. Keep in mind that you raise the needle by moving the clip down, but you want to RAISE the needle.

.

[tkent02]

Wait a minute, you have screws holding the needle jets in place? WTF?

[chuck hahn]

He means the needles...that he has to take the linkages off the slides to get to. He said he has VM carbs.

[dpollisme]

Thanks for the feed back! Yes Jet Needles, not Needle Jets


By dropping a notch I did mean raising the needle by moving the retaining clip down a notch, poor phrasing on my part. I do appreciate the clarification though!

While I have them apart I'll do what I can to get the bastards out, I have some needle nose pliers that might reach down there. I'll also stop by the hardware store and see if they have any "easy outs" that that small... they are so tiny... buy even as I think about that, not sure how I'll get a drill bit down there...

I suppose I will need to pray to the dark gods of motorcycle repairs, anyone know of an appropriate sacrifice?

[tkent02]

Have you tried a JIS screwdriver in the appropriate size?

[dpollisme]

That could be an issue, I'll need to take a closer look once I'm back home.

[dpollisme]

I was able to coax all but one screw out. The one that I didn't, drilled the head off, then used needle nose plyers to remove the shaft. I will replace all of them with standard philips head once I'm ready to rebuild. In the mean time, I will now be able to raise the needle a notch on all of them... I'll let you know if I'm able to get things going with the pods...

[tkent02]

Use Allen head screws, then it's easy to get them out and back in again.

[8ball]

As mentioned, get a set of JIS screwdrivers. They will change your life!

http://www.themechanicstoolbox.com/hozan-4-piece-jis-phillips-screwdriver-set/

[hannibal]

+1 on JIS screwdrivers. I could not get the screws you mentioned loose. One of them was stripped pretty bad. The JIS screwdriver did the trick.

[Big T]

You did read the Pods, Pipe, Panic thread at the top of the Carb page?

We need to make that mandatory for anyone going pods

The VMs can be tuned at several levels to near or perfect settings

[dpollisme]

I sure did!

Great read, and it's the thing that tipped me to the dark side. If I had CV carbs I would have likely just gotten new boots for my air box. I'm actually now in the process of putting my carbs back together after stripping them, dipping them, and putting on new o-rings. I'm taking my sweet time, as my new main jets have yet to arrive. I've raised the pins a notch, and I'll be doing research tonight on the best starting points for the fuel and air screws... I'm open to suggestions...