help if you have put a Jet kit in a 16V GS

[reem98]

I put a jet kit in my 83 GS550ES 16V and I was wondering do I need to reuse the nylon spacers that are located in the slides. They are about .25" thick. They go on top of the needles inside the slide, and sit on the needle clip.
Thanks

[LeeGS550E]

I'm not quite sure what your jet kit consists of. I never used a kit on mine...just changed jets and shims under the needles.

But as far as I can tell from your description, what's more important than what's on top of the e-clip is what's under the e-clip. You change the height of the needle by adding washers under the clip. I think you'd be ok to leave the little nylon jobbies off of the top. I don't know why you'd want to though. The only thing it would do is change the compression of the little spring on top of there, but I don't think that would do much. Should be ok.

[t3rmin]

What is the function of the needle springiness, anyway? The needle doesn't actually contact anything in it's line of travel, does it?

[LeeGS550E]

I would think the springiness is just a safety measure...the needles can be pushed up if they come in contact with something rather than bend or break.

Just a guess, though.

[t3rmin]

...although the big spring on top of the diaphragm isn't nearly strong enough to break anything...

[LeeGS550E]

The 550 BSW's don't have that big spring anyway. Just gravity and diaphram action. If the needle were pushed off to the side for some reason when the slides were coming down and didn't land in the jet properly, I could see that little spring possibly saving it. Once again, just speculation. I'm sure someone that knows the answer is watching this and laughing.

[t3rmin]

I think it's just there to confuse, dishearten, and spark controversy. Darn you Mikuni! Darn you to heck![-(

[chef1366]

Use them. You'll never get the needle jetting right without them.

[reem98]

chef1366 you are saying I should leave the nylon spacers in ???
Thanks

[rxcrider]

Screwy little carbs - The spring (26) and flat washer (25) sit beneath the clip (24) on the needle pushing it upward. The plastic guide / thick washer (23) sits above the clip (24) and actually controls the height of the needle(27). Just running without it -assuming that the spring (26) has enough length / force to push the clip (24) against the retainer (5) - will result in a VERY rich mid-range.

[LeeGS550E]

Screwy little carbs - The spring (26) and flat washer (25) sit beneath the clip (24) on the needle pushing it upward. The plastic guide / thick washer (23) sits above the clip (24) and actually controls the height of the needle(27). Just running without it -assuming that the spring (26) has enough length / force to push the clip (24) against the retainer (5) - will result in a VERY rich mid-range.

Oops, these guys are right. I had it wrong in my mind...bad long term memory. For some reason, I was thinking the spring was on top and pushing the clip down. Listen Chef and rcxrider.

[Nicholaschase29]

the needle sits ontop of the spring, by adding small washers to the top of the needle, above the e clip you will lower the needle, the spring below the needle keeps tension on the needle, so that when you add or remove washers, it is always pushed up. it gets pushed up until the e clip gets sandwiched between the washers and the "cone" peice that is held in with the snap ring. putting washers under the needle does not effect the jetting at all.
If they supplied different needles, with different knotches for the e clip to raise or lower the needle, i would not use the stock plastic washer.

Nick

[chef1366]

Yes, use the spacer. Don't worry about spacer washers since you'll be using a dynojet needle which has different notch settings for raising or lowering the jet needle. As Dynojet says in their instructions put the spacers back on the new needle as they came off the old.