Air Screw O ring

[Anonymous]

Carb cleaning - air screw o ring.
On my 81 GS550T my air screw has been adjusted and plugged at the request of the EPA, effectively denying me access to that part shown in the carb clean up series at http://www.thegsresources.com/images...%20removed.jpg My question is this - If I were to soak the carb body in a carb cleaning dip, wouldn't this allow the o ring in the air screw assembly to be exposed to the cleaner and crumble? Any work arounds other than drilling out the plug? Don't want to have a rubbery mess in there after I dip the bodies...

Thanks!

[SqDancerLynn1]

to properly clean the carbs you need to drill out the plug, It's not dificult just go slow and the plugs will come right out. Then check how many turns out the screws are set before you remove them so you can reset them after cleaning. I assume that you have purchased an O ring kit. if not do a forum search All of the O rings should be replaced

[Anonymous]

Ok - can somwonw tell me a good procedure to drill those out so that I don't damage the screw underneath the plug??? Thanks

[Jeff Tate]

Just use a very small bit and and very little pressure. The plug shouldn't be resting right on top of the screw (mine weren't). Once the bit goes in a little, maybe 1/16 of an inch you should be able to use a little pressure to gently pry them out. I had the same concerns, but was surprised at how easily they came out. Just don't think you you have bear down like drilling out a rivet.

[first timer]

yes drill out the plugs and and remove the pilot screws, before you clean, the settings for your bike is turn the pilot screw out 3.5 time just like the manuel sez and ta da back to orginal. (thanks for the help last night)

-innnsane

[Anonymous]

count the 1/2 turns

You will need to count the # of turns each screw takes to bottom out. I counted the # of 1/2 turns. 3 of my carbs were the same. A little more than (3) 1/2 turns and they bottomed out. My #3 carb was (6) 1/2 turns till it bottomed out. When I re-instaled them I just bottomed them out and then backed them into the original settings by counting the # of 1/2 turns it took to bottom them out in the first place.

Im sure thats what everyone else has done I just felt it needed to be explained in full.

Those plugs will usually get stuck on the end of the drill bit before you drill all the way through. once they bind up with the drill bit they will start to spin. Then you can pull them out. If you drill through the plug you have a few mm before you hit the screw. Just move up to the next size drill bit or use a Sheet metal screw on the stuborn ones.

[chuckycheese]

Drills

Mine were somewhat difficult to drill out but I have a couple of tips. First of all, if you use a variable speed drill, it will be easier. Also, after I drilled through the plugs, I had to use an "easy out" on a couple of them which worked fairly well. After I rebuilt the carbs, I found that it ran a little lean at the original settings so I backed all 4 of them out about another 1/2 to 3/4 turns and my bike runs GREAT!!! Good luck.

[chuckycheese]

Drills

Mine were somewhat difficult to drill out but I have a couple of tips. First of all, if you use a variable speed drill, it will be easier. Also, after I drilled through the plugs, I had to use an "easy out" on a couple of them which worked fairly well. After I rebuilt the carbs, I found that it ran a little lean at the original settings so I backed all 4 of them out about another 1/2 to 3/4 turns and my bike runs GREAT!!! Good luck.

[chuckycheese]

Drills

Mine were somewhat difficult to drill out but I have a couple of tips. First of all, if you use a variable speed drill, it will be easier. Also, after I drilled through the plugs, I had to use an "easy out" on a couple of them which worked fairly well. After I rebuilt the carbs, I found that it ran a little lean at the original settings so I backed all 4 of them out about another 1/2 to 3/4 turns and my bike runs GREAT!!! Good luck.

[chuckycheese]

Drills

Mine were somewhat difficult to drill out but I have a couple of tips. First of all, if you use a variable speed drill, it will be easier. Also, after I drilled through the plugs, I had to use an "easy out" on a couple of them which worked fairly well. After I rebuilt the carbs, I found that it ran a little lean at the original settings so I backed all 4 of them out about another 1/2 to 3/4 turns and my bike runs GREAT!!! Good luck.

[chuckycheese]

Drills

Mine were somewhat difficult to drill out but I have a couple of tips. First of all, if you use a variable speed drill, it will be easier. Also, after I drilled through the plugs, I had to use an "easy out" on a couple of them which worked fairly well. After I rebuilt the carbs, I found that it ran a little lean at the original settings so I backed all 4 of them out about another 1/2 to 3/4 turns and my bike runs GREAT!!! Good luck.

[chuckycheese]

Drills

Mine were somewhat difficult to drill out but I have a couple of tips. First of all, if you use a variable speed drill, it will be easier. Also, after I drilled through the plugs, I had to use an "easy out" on a couple of them which worked fairly well. After I rebuilt the carbs, I found that it ran a little lean at the original settings so I backed all 4 of them out about another 1/2 to 3/4 turns and my bike runs GREAT!!! Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Air screws

1981 GS550T

Got the plugs out no problem, but now one of the air screws is stuck, frozen, no movement. Soaked the carb body in carb dip for 24 hours, still nothing. Going to let it sit over night with liquid wrench in the hole, to see if that helps. Have very gently hit the screwdriver in the notch to see if that would loosen it enough to let the carb cleaner and or liquid wrench soak in. No luck yet. Any ideas? Any one got a carb body to sell? Number 2 as you as you sit on the bike, counting from left to right