Post your favorite carb adjustment method.

[earlfor]

wonderful idea, I llove it!!!! Uhhhh send large amounts of money immediately to earlfor@ .......... :-) :-) :-)

Earl

Buy a fuel injected bike (FJR1300), get a Power Commander, do all your tuning with a laptop!

[Anonymous]

OK. You're talking about a carb sinc followed by a mixture screw sinc. The topic asks how do you adjust the mixture screws by idle. You're supposed to adjust the mixture screws before you sinc. This is even in the instructions for many carb vacuum tools.
And when you adjusted the screws for a slightly rich condition, why did you wait? Why not do this adjustment first, since you ended up doing it as part of a plan anyway? I just don't understand this procedure.

I didn't know it was rich until I read the plugs.

And no, the first post never said it was only about mixture screws.

Michael

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Hi Earl. Like you said, whatever works for you.
I don't agree with the procedure. The end result may be the same but I'll stay with the way I've learned. I've always had good results. Seems much simpler too.
Synching at these lower rpm's the bike is mainly on the pilot circuit with a slight overlap effect from the needle if you like to set levels closer to 3,000 rpm's. Because there are differences in each cylinder, the mixture screws allow us to fine tune the mixture going into each. In a carb that's operating correctly, they are an important factor. Before you synch the carbs, the mixture should be set correctly, then you set the vacuum to draw in this mixture equally. To go about it in a different way is just more work.
If we set the vacuum first and then adjust mixtures, here's what happens.
You set all four carbs so they're drawing the same vacuum and an amount of vacuum you wanted. Then you adjust the mixture either richer or leaner. As soon as you change the mixture, you change combustion. Now your levels may not be where you wanted them. So you have to adjust the levels again and then you're done.
If you adjust the mixtures first and then set the vacuum to draw in the mixtures equally, you're done. I've also never seen the reason for adjusting the idle after each level is set. That just takes more time. And I don't set the levels at 1,000 rpm's, too much fluctuation. I set the mixture screws correctly, as the carb tool maker recommends and set the levels closer to where the bike will spend its time running, around 3,000-3,500 rpm's. I set all four and then adjust the idle if it even has to be re-set.
After a good manual synch, I also find the levels are always in an acceptable range at start up, barring mechanical problems. I've never had to make major adjustments. Just bring the highest/lowest level close to the others and fine tune. As long as the levels are in the normal range.
We each have our own way I guess. Just like your preference regarding how you've set up your bike to not need the choke. Your warm weather helps a lot, but your bike is set up too rich. Mine will also start under your scenario, but it won't run real smoothly for a minute or so. I only use the choke about 10 seconds, maybe. I could possibly make adjustments but I know this is normal. And in an engine that's jetted correctly, the plugs will burn off the shot of choke immediately.
I don't dispute your results or your understanding of carburetion. We may have different ways of understanding or explaining our thoughts, that's all.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

mopolopo, if I made a mistake reading your post, I'm sorry.
The topic starts off asking how do we adjust our mixture screws, no mention of synching the carbs. Your post added synching the carbs.
I read your words about the mixture screws as deliberately setting them to be rich. Words are sometimes misunderstood.

[Anonymous]

mopolopo, if I made a mistake reading your post, I'm sorry.
The topic starts off asking how do we adjust our mixture screws, no mention of synching the carbs. Your post added synching the carbs.
I read your words about the mixture screws as deliberately setting them to be rich. Words are sometimes misunderstood.

Ah. I get you now. Earl suggested to me that I make my plugs a tad darker than most people say is ideal. Before I made my second round of adjustments, some of them were way rich. So I leaned those out until they were only slightly rich.



Going riding. Laters!

Michael

[earlfor]

I guess I can say the same thing, I'll stick with the way I have found to work easiest. :-) I guess I've been doing it that way long enough that it seems much simpler too. :-) Thats one of the great things about these forums.
The topic was "how do you". We both replied with a different method for the same purpose. Either method works. I am certain of that. The members can try both and make a choice.

Uhhhh, I would not say my bike is set up too rich. Yes, it is set on the rich side, but my plugs burn a light golden brown......which is in normal range.
I agree I could set it up leaner, but I prefer not to with the temperatures down here and particularly with a viewpoint of being stuck sitting in traffic on a roasting day.

Earl

[quote="KEITH KRAUSE"]
Hi Earl. Like you said, whatever works for you.
I don't agree with the procedure. The end result may be the same but I'll stay with the way I've learned. I've always had good results. Seems much simpler too.

[Anonymous]

speaking of "roasting days", Omaha(where I hail from) hit around 100 degrees today w/ no real breeze at all. I pose a question for any who wish to answer, should i shut it down @ red lights, or anywhere the bike sits @ idle for more than a minute or two?

[earlfor]

I have a temp guage on the 1150, so I know when the temp is maxed out.
The problem I see with shutting down the bike sitting in traffic is if anyone comes up from behind or for any reason, you need to get out of the way quickly, you cant. It would leave you a sitting duck. If we look at it from the standpoint of possibly toasting the engine, or possibly being run down, its an easy decision.

It takes more than a few minutes at a traffic light to be a concern.

Earl

speaking of "roasting days", Omaha(where I hail from) hit around 100 degrees today w/ no real breeze at all. I pose a question for any who wish to answer, should i shut it down @ red lights, or anywhere the bike sits @ idle for more than a minute or two?

[Anonymous]

thank you earl

[Anonymous]

wow, all this good knowledge and now a dumb question:

I have I think the JV carbs (they aren't the ones in that 'carb cleaning series' of pics), and a bone stock '78 GS1000E.

Where are these screws you speak guys are talking about?

[earlfor]

A 78 1000 has VM carbs and does NOT have the mixture screws we are referring to on the CV carbs. The VM series has a fuel pilot and a air screw. The two together would be the equivalent of a mixture screw.

Earl

wow, all this good knowledge and now a dumb question:

I have I think the JV carbs (they aren't the ones in that 'carb cleaning series' of pics), and a bone stock '78 GS1000E.

Where are these screws you speak guys are talking about?

[Dark Jedi]

I have a temp guage on the 1150, so I know when the temp is maxed out.
The problem I see with shutting down the bike sitting in traffic is if anyone comes up from behind or for any reason, you need to get out of the way quickly, you cant. It would leave you a sitting duck. If we look at it from the standpoint of possibly toasting the engine, or possibly being run down, its an easy decision.

It takes more than a few minutes at a traffic light to be a concern.

Earl

I saw, and have considered attempting to mount, a fan and cowl system on a KZ1000. I do not know where it came from, but the cowl was an adaptation of a scoop and fairing joined together to support a fan and some ducting. The fan was electric(and thus risky on a GS) and could easily be adapted to be switch operated.
If I lived in a hellishly hot area (Phoenix in the summer... Death Valley... Palm Springs) I would really look in to this to assist in slow traffic or city riding. Just flip the fan on when you are stopped or creeping along....

[Detman101]

I have a temp guage on the 1150, so I know when the temp is maxed out.
The problem I see with shutting down the bike sitting in traffic is if anyone comes up from behind or for any reason, you need to get out of the way quickly, you cant. It would leave you a sitting duck. If we look at it from the standpoint of possibly toasting the engine, or possibly being run down, its an easy decision.

It takes more than a few minutes at a traffic light to be a concern.

Earl

I saw, and have considered attempting to mount, a fan and cowl system on a KZ1000. I do not know where it came from, but the cowl was an adaptation of a scoop and fairing joined together to support a fan and some ducting. The fan was electric(and thus risky on a GS) and could easily be adapted to be switch operated.
If I lived in a hellishly hot area (Phoenix in the summer... Death Valley... Palm Springs) I would really look in to this to assist in slow traffic or city riding. Just flip the fan on when you are stopped or creeping along....

I'm also highly interested in this mod. Please PM me the specifications you have.

Thank you,
Dm of mD

[Dark Jedi]

No details as of yet, I saw it on the bike a while back, but never saw the owner to get details. Knowing it exists is enough to get me looking...

I did notice that the newer Z1000 has a very similar cowling around it's radiator. I'm thinking this may be the base of that mod I saw, or at least a similar starting point.

Sub a hi-flow electric fan in place of the radiator, and make mounts for it all.