A lesson learned.

[groundshock]

Youngins- listen, and learn.

No matter how good a job you think you did, no matter what else might be wrong, no matter how much you swear up and down that they're not the issue, no matter how good you sprayed, scraped, and blew 'em, no matter WHAT-

If you didn't dip 'em, they AINT CLEAN.

Just got done putting the carbs back together after dipping each body for 8 hours. Surprise, surprise, the damn thing runs. Like a top.

Again, if you didnt dip em, sorry pal, they aint clean. And its actually stupid easy to do too.

I hAv lerNT a gUd LesSin tOOday.

[Nessism]

I shake my head every time some says they "rebuilt" the carbs...but the bike still doesn't run right. It's also funny to read when someone cleaned the carbs...two or three times...red flag.

[groundshock]

I swore to Jeebus they were clean. I decided to dip them due to me being laid up for a week with a tonsillectomy, and put it in the 'can't hurt' category.

The day before i disassembled them I put a 50/50 mix of Yamaha Carb cleaner and gas in them and let the sit overnight.

When I pulled them apart to dip them, it was like jellyfish had crawled in them and died. Boogers EVERYWHERE. And I picked, poked, and carb sprayed them into oblivion when I changed the o-rings.

Valuable lesson, hope someone learns from my short-sightedness.

[rudy]

Ha ha! Oh, so true. Dip is the easiest, cheapest, cleanest, and bestest way to clean your carbs. I've only had one set that's given me constant grief after two dips and a boil. They were Honda CB Keihin spawn of Satan carbs.

[psyguy]

i wasnt taking any chances - i had the carbs bodies "dipped" in an ultrasonic cleaner for a few hours

yes sir, they are very clean now

[OhioEric]

i'll testify to that!

AND it's not difficult- follow the pictures...

buy a 4 in 1 screwdriver for $2 , the blades are hollow ground...
and zip top baggies for $2

first one took me an hour, 2nd one a half hour 15 min for#3 and about 10 min for #4...all of course on successive days...

Re-install, and be amazed !!! I was...

[GS750]

What is the solution / chemical that is used to dip the carbs??

Is it just something like MEKP or something??

Do you have to strip them out??

If you strip them out to soak them what do you do about the factory set screw on the underneath front of the VM26SS carbs? The manual says it was set at the factory and not to adjust it under any circumstances.

[Steve]

What is the solution / chemical that is used to dip the carbs?? Is it just something like MEKP or something??

Not sure what you have available "down there", but "up here", we use Berryman's Carb Cleaner Dip.

Do you have to strip them out??

Yes

If you strip them out to soak them what do you do about the factory set screw on the underneath front of the VM26SS carbs? The manual says it was set at the factory and not to adjust it under any circumstances.

You ignore the factory warnings and remove the screw, the spring, washer and o-ring. The passages hidden by the screw need to be cleaned, and the o-ring will be trashed by the cleaner solution. You need to strip the entire carb down to the bare body, except in the case of the CV carbs, where you can leave the throttle shaft and butterflies in place. There have been no reports of damage to the seals on the throttle shaft.

When you re-assemble the carbs with new o-rings from Robert Barr, you set that screw to 5/8 to 3/4 turn out from lightly-seated. Then adjust the air screw on the side to 1 1/2 to 2 turns out. This should be close enough to start the bike and run it to warm it up for further fine-tuning.

.

[GS750]

Hi Steve,

hmmm. as yet I hve been unable to find any non-pressurepak carby cleaner here in Aus.

The MSDS for the stuff you mentioned is similar to MEKP thinners so I might give that a go. We used it for soaking our spray guns in to remove all the old paint buildup.

Also cant find anything on the Orings etc here in Aus, do you have a link to that Robert Barr you mentioned??

[Riding Again]

Mr. Barr's website is www.cycleorings.com.

I wouldn't use MEKP unless you have a fresh supply. I wouldn't keep it around to age either. That stuff crystalizes when it gets old and has the potential to explode!!!!

Berrymans, by way of the US equivalent WHMIS sheet (MSDS), shows it has 1) 55-65% Methylene Chloride (Great paint stripper & degreaser ingredient, evaporates quickly too); 2) 20-30% Xylenes (paint thinner/solvent); 3) 10-15% Cresols (used to be used for wood treatment, also found in chimneys that burn firewood, probably added to decrease the evaporation rate); 4) <6% Ethyl Benzene (a component found in gasoline); and 5) <4% Sodium Bichromate (?????, contains a form of hexavalent chromium).

The Methylene Chloride, Cresols, Ethyl Benzene, & Hexavalent Chromium (I can't remember if xylene is included nationally in the US, but it would be in California) are recognized as potential carcinogens.

I DON'T want to have this thread get hi-jacked into some environmental issue. Start a new one in the Discussion or Off-Topics Forums!! Berryman's great, like all the old cleaners. Just recognize what it is.

I listed the ingredients for the benefit of GS750, so he'd have something to go shopping for. The berryman sprays have acetone, methanol, MEK, and a handful of other stuff. That's what makes them effective.

GS750, go shopping for the Methylene Chloride (sometimes called dichloromethane) and xylene. Old brake cleaner solvents used dichloromethane, but look in the paint stripper isle as well. Mix them together roughly 2 parts methylene chloride to 1 part xylene and use the mixture to soak them in.

Good Luck (and wear gloves)!

[GS750]

GS750, go shopping for the Methylene Chloride (sometimes called dichloromethane) and xylene. Old brake cleaner solvents used dichloromethane, but look in the paint stripper isle as well. Mix them together roughly 2 parts methylene chloride to 1 part xylene and use the mixture to soak them in.

Good Luck (and wear gloves)!

Hi Riding again, Thanks muchly for that very informative breakdown. I will try to get the stuff together for a magic brew, and will do that in my well ventilated shed, and most certainly with the aid of some good gloves.

Like I said, The only things which seem to be available here in Aus are the aerosol can type carby cleaners, and there is nothing which I have been able to find in any automotive supplies shop which is a liquid.

We are so damn backwards here in Oz in so many ways it isnt funny! I even buy loads of my parts from USA because I can usually buy CHEAPER (including freight to my door) than I can get it locally!

Unfortunately in the case of chemicals etc, there would likely be restrictions imposed by the "border security" departments on an individual who is importing chemicals..... And then they would probably stick me on some sort of terrorism watch lol.

Thanks again.

[SqDancerLynn1]

Check with your Yamaha dealer see if they can order Carb cleaner dip
pn ACC-CARBC-LE-Qt