Can't remove inlet needle seats from CV carb

[Guest]

They are the type that just push in. Corrosion seems to have seized them in place and I haven't had any luck removing them so far. Anyone have any methods they've already came up with to deal with this?

[JTGS850GL]

Try to twist them after spraying some penetrating oil (PB Blaster) around them. I use some needle nose pliers to twist them. Once they turn freely you should be able to just pull them out. Just be careful you don't squish/distort them while doing so.

[Nessism]

I've had carbs where the needle valve seats were destroyed because I couldn't get them out. The portion of the seat that sticks up for you to grab with pliers is thin walled and will crush down if you pinch too hard. Not sure what to suggest other than PB blaster and heat, several cycles worth.

[JTGS850GL]

I usually try to grab them with the needle nose pliers straight up instead of across the top. Seems to reduce the damaging. I have has some so buggered up that they could not be reused again but not very common. The heat is a good suggestion. Direct the heat more toward the body then the seat. Don't worry too much about overheating anything as long as you've already removed the soft components like the enrichment plunger, pilot jet plug and float.

[Chaz]

They were really in there. Only a couple would even move at all with pliers. I ended up driving the tapered blade of a screwdriver into them and finally got them out like that.

[JTGS850GL]

I'm guessing that you'll have to replace the seat/valve assembly now with new ones.

[Chaz]

Yep. They were pretty corroded anyway and the needles had a little wear, so no big loss.

[gs11ezrydr]

HL138ACP.jpg These compound pliers from Snap-on provide approx.75% more clamping force then ordinary pliers for something like you are doing,also stubborn cotter pins, stuck dowel pins, you name it. If used properly they really don't squeeze things that out of round either. I have demonstrated them to several other mechanics and it was hard for them to really believe how well they actually worked. The cutter is unbelievable.

[chuck hahn]

And if you scar the bore or squish the hole out of round you have just ruined the float seats. A little oil, some heat to soften the hard oring, and a thin blade between the seat base and carb body. Twist the balde a bit to break the seal and allow oil to seep in and they come out without damage.

But first..go to the friggin store and buy yourselves a big azzed can of patience while working on 30 year old stuff.

[Chaz]

These compound pliers from Snap-on provide approx.75% more clamping force then ordinary pliers for something like you are doing,also stubborn cotter pins, stuck dowel pins, you name it. If used properly they really don't squeeze things that out of round either. I have demonstrated them to several other mechanics and it was hard for them to really believe how well they actually worked. The cutter is unbelievable.

Yeah, I need to get some of those eventually.

And if you scar the bore or squish the hole out of round you have just ruined the float seats. A little oil, some heat to soften the hard oring, and a thin blade between the seat base and carb body. Twist the balde a bit to break the seal and allow oil to seep in and they come out without damage.

But first..go to the friggin store and buy yourselves a big azzed can of patience while working on 30 year old stuff.

Not sure if this was intended as a dig at me? They were firmly corroded in place. Even if I could have extracted them without further damage it would have probably not been a great idea to reuse them (few things bother me like needle and seat issues). A few of the needles also had a ring worn into them, so they needed replacement anyway. A 6-pack of K&L replacement needles would have been $24 (IIRC) and I got four new Mikuni needle and seat assemblies for $58.40.

FWIW, this 35-year-old bike is actually the newest thing I own that is self-propelled (IIRC). Daily-driver and work truck is 1965, project car is 1968, small general-purpose tractor 1967. I've long ago learned there is a time for gentle patience and a time for not worrying about damaging stuff that wasn't reusable anyway.

Example: When I take a usable engine apart I am very careful to make sure I don't damage anything. But when I had an old 250 inline six that had filled with water years ago and busted the block + seized the pistons in the bores, what did I do to salvage the rods? Carefully avoid damaging the pistons when removing them? No. With a piece of 1" bar stock as a drift punch and a 10lb hammer, I removed them in as many pieces as they wanted to be in when they came out!

[chuck hahn]

Not a dig at anyone. People think they can grip the seats with pliers and go monkey azz crazy and the find out they have egged out the seats and the needles wont work freely. it doesnt work out well in the end to get all anxioius and just start clamping and twisting on hem. Just issuing fair warning advice.