"Carbtool" alternative (or: How did you balance your carbs?)

[ChrisMA]

I have a Carbtune Pro, and am trying to fine tune the idle balance on my GS1000G. I've been able to get things kinda-sorta balanced using an 8mm wrench and a long-handled screwdriver, but it's just painfully difficult for me to make fine adjustments, especially between carbs 2 and 3. I know that Suzuki used to sell a special tool for this (the "throttle bulb adjust tool"), and Morgan had the "Carbtool" (which looks like it would have been perfect). But both are out of production, the Carbtool doesn't seem to be available anywhere, and the Suzuki tool is $$$.

I figure there must be some sort of commonly available alternative which can be adapted for this. I'm envisioning a sort of long, hollow socket, open through the center for a screwdriver to run through, if that makes any sense? Any thoughts or suggestions would be very welcome before I tackle this again over the weekend!

[TxGSrider]

I used a small screwdriver and burned the crap out of my fingers, but motion pro makes a screwdriver tool with a bend that is just for that https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-08.../dp/B000UKD6YC

[ChrisMA]

And we have a winner, in less than 10 minutes!

The bent-tip screwdriver wasn't actually the tool I had in mind, but when I followed that link, it led me to this other motion pro tool: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DDH2ZY..._t2_B000UKD6YC And it even ships Prime (as opposed to, say, Partzilla speed)

Many thanks, TxGSrider!

[fastbysuzuki]

Morgan carbtune sells a similar tool to the one in your post http://www.carbtune.co.uk/carbtool.html when your are adjusting 2-3 its awkward unless you remove the screw/screws that hold the enricher/choke cable plate that sits on top of the carb and spin it out of the way that's what I do.

[allojohn]

I found the bent screwdriver unusable - probably just me lacking the skills.
You're talking about two different actions here.... tuning the carbs and vacuum sync.

[ChrisMA]

It hadn't occurred to me to remove that choke cable plate, but now that I look at it, that should open up access to that #2 screw quite nicely. Thanks for the tip, fastbysuzuki!

[ChrisMA]

Correct, I'm talking about vacuum sync, and the screw/locknut combination for syncing the butterfly valves. For the air screws, I've found an ordinary flathead screwdriver to work just fine (provided that my tank is off the bike for the sync anyway).

In any event, this site is one of the reasons I'm glad to have settled on a Suzuki. Talk about immediate response