Cleaning carbs...need some input

[Larry D]

As long as we're talking about cleaning carbs.......

I need to get to the 34mm carbs on the GK, but, it's really cold in the garage. Is it okay to bring the can of Berryman in the house to let the carbs soak ? The Berrymans doesn't work very well when it's cold......

[Griffin]

As long as we're talking about cleaning carbs.......

I need to get to the 34mm carbs on the GK, but, it's really cold in the garage. Is it okay to bring the can of Berryman in the house to let the carbs soak ? The Berrymans doesn't work very well when it's cold......

Yup, just put the lid on it before you bring it into the house, and don't open it up until you're back in the garage.

I wouldn't rinse the parts off in the kitchen sink, though. You might stain the (not quite) stainless steel (or porcelin, I forget which you have).

By the way, did you see the manual I dropped off the other day?

[Steve]

Is it okay to bring the can of Berryman in the house ...

I am not aware of any health issues by bringing it inside, it's just a matter of whether you can handle the odor.
However, if you keep the can closed, the chance of smelling up the place will be minimized.

I bought a new can of Berryman's a couple of months ago and noticed that it had a considerably different odor. The first can was a rather permeating sweet smell, one I associate with the smell of walking into an old machine shop. The new can does not smell bad, but it's more like varnish. Seems to work well, it just smells different. For what it's worth, a couple of years ago, I helped another GSer with his carbs. He had gotten a can of Gunk brand dip before seeing all the recommendations for Berryman's on this site. It also smelled like varnish, but more like rancid varnish. Worked fine, just smelled nasty.

.

[renobruce]

I am not aware of any health issues by bringing it inside, it's just a matter of whether you can handle the odor.
However, if you keep the can closed, the chance of smelling up the place will be minimized.

I bought a new can of Berryman's a couple of months ago and noticed that it had a considerably different odor. The first can was a rather permeating sweet smell, one I associate with the smell of walking into an old machine shop. The new can does not smell bad, but it's more like varnish. Seems to work well, it just smells different. For what it's worth, a couple of years ago, I helped another GSer with his carbs. He had gotten a can of Gunk brand dip before seeing all the recommendations for Berryman's on this site. It also smelled like varnish, but more like rancid varnish. Worked fine, just smelled nasty.

.

You might have the "reduced v.o.c. version? They came out with some of that stuff for California...maybe it's sold elsewhere, too? Take a close look at the can.

[Larry D]

Thanks.

Yes Brett, found the manual......today. It was a little snow covered, but, undamaged. I have a little engine painting to do and then it's reassembly time. Got the frame all painted and it turned out pretty good.

Thanks again everyone.

[Steve]

Take a close look at the can.

Right now, that can a just about 1000 miles away from me.

I should be a bit closer to it in about three weeks.

.

[chef1366]

Y'all are paint huffers.

[Krooozn]

Ok....before I post this...I did do a search and couldn't really find anything that answered my question....so I hope that no one gets mad at me for not doing my research first.....

I was looking closer at my carbs last night as they are still sitting on my work bench and I just can't for the life of me find any mixture/air adjustment screws on the darn thing.....I looked on the engine side of the carbs, I looked on the air box side....I looked on the side of the carbs, I looked in between the two carbs and with no luck at all.....I just can't seem to locate the screws....I feel certain that it has to have them, or I would at least think it had to have them....I asked my stepdad who is a pretty good shade tree mechanic, and he said that he has seen carbs that have no adjustments on them.....which this would be a first for me....I have even looked for plugs/caps to remove and still don't see a thing.....am I just missing something here....or does my carb setup have no means of adjustment for the mixture/air? The carbs on my bike are the dual Mikuni's....and they kind of look like the ones that are being used in the rebuild article, but they don't look exactly like them.....mine have no air screws located on the neck of the carb like the picture shows....

Hope this makes sense to someone and they can explain to me just where to look for these elusive screws.....because I want to do a good job in cleaning these.....and would like to replace the o-rings....but heck...can't replace what you can't find....

Thanx...Anita

[doctorgonzo]

They hid the from you. You do have the CV carbs (on an 81) look at the rebuild pictorial and note whet are supposed to be. You'll find them there on your set, hidden under a plug that has to be removed.

[Theo]

Check out a thread I started a little whiles ago asking the same thing.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=152166

Make sure to read Chef's recommendations on how to get them out, it worked like a charm. Good luck.
-Theo

[Steve]

Normally they are on top of the outlet of the carb, but I think on your 450, they were laid over on their sides.
Still at the top of the outlet of the carb, but pointing sideways.

This shows the general location, but it will be parallel to the throttle shaft and the "choke" rod.

It may also be under an aluminum plug that was installed at the factory. The plug may or may not have a small hole in the center.
If there is not a hole, drill a small hole, insert a drywall screw and remove the plug.

[Suzuki_Don]

KROOOZN, put up some pictures of your carbs from different angles so we can see if we can spot the mixture screws for you.

Your carbs are certainly different from the others used in that year. There is no tower for the mixture screw to sit in.

[Krooozn]

I'll try to get some pictures tonight of the carbs....I did locate what I am assuming are the factory plugs that were mentioned earlier....but on one of the carbs that stupid plug is hidden behind one of the 90 degree fuel inlet elbows....don't have any idea just how to go about removing that elbow so that I can try to get at the darn plug.....

I am in hopes that maybe the orings are ok....as everything else in the carbs that are rubber/plastic seem to have survived the dip....as the chemical dip that I used was about 4 years old and had no odor to it, so I am in hopes also that it was very weak.....and when I did dismantle the float bowl and the upper diaphram area of the carbs, there was zero sludge/crap in either location.....and my slides looked bright and shiny too...so maybe...just maybe my carbs aren't in that bad a shape after all....the bike only has 4,000 orig miles on it.....

I know the correct thing would be to dismantle the entire carb system and replace those o-rings....but almost worth the gamble to me to leave things as they are and see what I get when I try to fire the bike off....it is easy enough to pull them back off if need be.....anyway.....I know you guys are getting tired of my carb woes......and I'm getting kind of tired of it myself....

Thanx for all the help and if push comes to shove I'll send them to chef1366 to have him clean/refurbish them.....just don't have the extra money right now to invest into the carbs.....

Anita

[hikermikem]

After 10 days & 43 posts if you're still not convinced the carbs need to be completely taken apart, dipped, and all the o-rings replaced, then we give up...

Good luck

[Krooozn]

Ok....there is no real reason for the sarcasm....I am not doubting what all of you are telling me, I understand completely that the carbs need to be taken apart, they need to be dipped, they need the o-rings replaced....I get it.....what I am not getting is why some people feel the need to slam someone who is trying to learn this stuff, but doesn't have the financial means to completely follow their every last direction....I want to take the carbs apart, I want to soak them, I want to replace the o-rings, I want to make them look like new...but here's the reality of the whole thing.....I don't have the freakin' money!!!! I can't afford to pay someone to rebuild/clean these for me....I can't afford to buy the o-rings right now.....and I certainly can't afford the chem-dip to soak them.....that is why I was in hopes of just trying them as they are......but as of right now....no one on this forum will hear me mention these stupid carbs again....I am done with posting about them, I am done with talking about them and I am certainly done with the sarcasm.....

So let's just pretend that this thread never happened.....I won't ask anything else about the carbs and I'll go this on my own......hikermikem made it quite clear to me that you all are tired of trying to help me.....because it appears that I am not listening.......well believe it or not....I hear the advice......and it is appreciated.....just not in a position to do anything about it right now.....so I am officially on my own now with my carbs....

Thanx again for all of your help and support......but I don't want any of you to feel like I am not listening to what you bring to the table.....

Anita