Cheap new parts?

[Don-lo]

The rubber parts between the carbs rarely need changed. If you have a fuel leak, you will notice it. The fuel tees are well-made precision parts locked in place; disturbing them can cause them to leak. The fuel inlet is a sealed system, and can cleaned with gumout and compressed air. If a visual inspection shows possible contaminants, it can be further cleaned with pipe cleaners or scotch-brite shreds blown/pushed through.
Carbs are a series of imprecise passages and precision surfaces. It is the precision surfaces that make it run correctly, and they are all removable. The locked together carb bodies only hold the passages, and 99% of the time those passages only need cleaned with solvent and blown out. I scrub varnished surfaces with berrymans, let it soak a while, scrub it some more with a toothbrush or scotch-brite pad pieces, then rinse with gumout (repeat as needed). A fine brush on a dremel tool will also take dried varnish off, even from the floats. It is much easier (and effective, in my opinion) to spend the time scrubbing surfaces than to disassemble/soak/clean/reassemble. Anyways, it is the precision surfaces that need most of the attention. They need to be soaked, cleaned, scrubbed, opened with fine copper wires, inspected, rinsed with gumout and blown out. Don't worry about mixing the jets when soaking and cleaning, they are all precision parts (just check that all the sets are matching).
Disassembly is a daunting task with the seized screws and flying springs, and reassembly is worse if you don't have 3 hands (or remember exactly how the synchronizer screws go). Newbies think this is the only way to go and it just isn't. I think it mostly causes more problems than it cures. I know that there are definitely times when disassembly is needed, but rarely. I have worked at several shops (ten years total) and have done hundreds of carbs, and probably 10 were disassembled.
And of course you don't have to destroy that wonderful black paint on some of your carbs.....
In a previous thread, Trippivot voiced a similar opinion.

[Nessism]

Don, sorry if this sounds harsh but you sound like a dealership flat-rate mechanic looking to make a buck. Maybe you worked on late model bikes too much and you don't understand what's involved with getting a set of 30 year old Mikuni's back up to proper working condition? Not sure. What I am sure about is that short cuts are long cuts when it comes to these carbs. Hang around here for a while and you will read thread after thread about people that don't go deep enough into their carbs and they have to clean them "two or three" times before they get it right.

Your comments about not disturbing the gang or they will leak is particularly revealing - the gang MUST be broken up and the O-rings in between the carbs replaced. That is how you avoid leaks, not by side stepping the proper rebuild process.

Only in the case of a painted set of carbs would I consider using some other technique to clean the carbs - maybe boil in lemon juice and water.

Do the job right one time and be done with it. No short cuts.

[bikerfox]

When i seperated the carbs, the o rings disintegrated.

If they werent leaking now, they were going to soon. Hell, spraying them with solvent probably would have done it.

All in all, inside a carb there are some very small passages that simply spraying something into them will not completely clean them.

[psyguy]

i dont think there is a replacement for a long soaking of the carbs

while it would be much easier not to separate the carbs, dipping the whole rack at once would require a lot of solvent
and if the fuel T orings happen to disintegrate in the process then you would have to separate them afterwards anyway

plus, getting acquainted with your carbs in fine details with flying springs and whatnot is a special pleasure when restoring old bikes

[almarconi]

I have cleaned the carbs on both my bikes, the GS got a complete teardown and soaking in berrymans. I replaced all the o rings and cleaned the brass parts. The carb rack on my KZ was soaked in Hurrisafe carb cleaner. This carb cleaner is a rubber safe, biodegradeable carb cleaner. After soaking for about 24 hours, I used compressed air to clear out the passages. All of the brass parts were soaked and the reinstalled in the carbs. I can't really say which method was more effective but they both produced clean carbs.

If you need spare parts, I would buy a spare set of carbs off e-bay. You could easily spend lots of money if you have to buy the parts individually.
If you need gaskets or rubber o rings, I would use z1 enterprises or cycle orings.com

[Don-lo]

Nessism, sorry if this sounds harsh, but I worked for a shop that did good work that was made to last. The owner was quite "retentive": he had Ducati 748 and always had 996s, turbo R-1s and 1500cc Kaw drag bikes coming in. He mostly worked on the late model bikes because I love the older bikes. I know exactly what these old carbs are like. We did hundreds of these carbs per season, and the owners came back for.... tires and stators and oil changes because the carbs worked so well.

Actually, I've been on GSResources for over 10 years. Newbies are going into their carbs 2 or 3 times because they think dipping is "magical" and will fix everything, when instead they should be concentrating on precision surfaces, all of which are removable or accessible. In cleaning industrial piping, there is CIP and COP, clean in place & clean out of place. COP is full disassembly. If you have a stable, closed system, then it can be cleaned in place with pressure, and chemicals (along with heat in food applications). The passages are not precision, and cleaning this way will remove particles that can cause problems. The precision surfaces are on the ends of the passages and they regulate the fuel and/or air that passes. If you have a bad fuel tee, you will see it (so use JB weld, kiddingggggggggggggggggg). The fuel tees are very well made and deterioration has not often been a problem. The only o-ring that is consistently bad is the CV needle seat, along with the plug above the pilot jet. Diaphrams are the most important rubber to inspect.

THERE IS NO DOUBT that replacing all the parts is good, but how often should you do it (or, can afford it)? Once a year? After all, they are deteriorating. I submit for your approval the radical evidence that most racks are good as they are so newbies can concentrate on the precision surfaces.

I can appreciate a completely new carb system, after all, I bought my GS1000E new in 1980. It has over 110,000 miles on it and has been from Florida to Washington State. I still trust my almost 30 year old carbs just as they are, still taking 1000 mile trips with them. I appreciate complete rebuilds for those that can afford them and know what they are doing, but I think newbies need to know that most carbs can run like new without it IF you do a good job and renew the precision surfaces.