Getting at the idle adjuster/modify it?

[BigD_83]

My 650GD has the stock airbox and I have no intention of moving to pods. The rascal is diamond-hard to tune because I can't get at the idle adjusment knob between the airbox and carbs. Currently I am using a long flat-blade screwdriver and tapping the handle to turn the knob.

What I'd really like to do is modify the adjuster in a way that a "cable" could run backwards from the adjustment screw, take a 90 degree turn, and sit facing toward the outside of the engine, maybe as far out as below and behind the #1 or #4 carb.

I'd appreciate any ideas from the master fabricators in the GSR, and anyone else who has a great idea on how to go about effecting this change.

[tom203]

My son's ex-ninja 250 had this setup-used a cable to turn 90 degrees and extend the stop knob off centerline. On my bike , I can slide my jap size hand in from left and turn the knob easily. I'm not sure you'll need to fiddle with this idle stop knob that much to justify having a more convenient location.
As for idle hang question, dropping back to idle in under two seconds in neutral sounds good to me.

[Steve]

Just how often do you find yourself "needing" to do this adjustment?

It sounds like an awful lot of work for something that should only need to happen once or twice a year.

If you find yourself needing to fiddle with the idle speed adjustment all the time, you have other problems that you need to fix.

.

[Tazman001]

Idle adjustment

Once set, you should never have to get your fiddle out and play another tune.

[BigD_83]

Oh,

I've been working on the carbs again, and trying to get them synched. The bench synch was good, but I've been fighting with getting the mixture screw settings just right due to an intermittent spark on #s 3 and 4 which has been throwing the idle around on me. I think (I hope) I'm there now, as I made some good progress last night, and it's now down to 1100 rm +/-.

A little surgery today, and then back to the bike in my forced time-off. I hope to get them vacuum synched with the Morgan CarbTune when the swelling goes down enough to see straight.

[Steve]

Back to your idle speed adjustment question: I have found that the easiest method for me to adjust the idle speed is to sit on the bike, reach under the carbs with my left hand and turn the idle speed screw with my fingertips. If the engine is HOT, use thin gloves or lay a rag on top of the transmission, but there is plenty of room for most hands in there.

.

[Smokinapankake]

Yes. But I go in from the right with my right hand.

[salty_monk]

Me too

There is definitely a technique but unless you have shovel hands it should work... If you do have shovel hands it'll be less work to find someone with small hands every time it needs adjusting

[BigD_83]

Back to your idle speed adjustment question: I have found that the easiest method for me to adjust the idle speed is to sit on the bike, reach under the carbs with my left hand and turn the idle speed screw with my fingertips. If the engine is HOT, use thin gloves or lay a rag on top of the transmission, but there is plenty of room for most hands in there.

.

I find that from the side I cannot get my hand in far enough to turn the idle adjuster. I can BARELY touch the knob with my fingertips and I cannot palm a basketball. I'll try again from a pseudo-seated position to see if I can get at it.

Even when I had the carbs on the bench I thought there was quite a bit of resistance to turning the knob; not enough to be able to measure it with a torque wrench, but definitely not fingertip-turnable.

Is there something I'm missing? Should it turn more freely?

[tom203]

I find that from the side I cannot get my hand in far enough to turn the idle adjuster. I can BARELY touch the knob with my fingertips and I cannot palm a basketball. I'll try again from a pseudo-seated position to see if I can get at it.

Even when I had the carbs on the bench I thought there was quite a bit of resistance to turning the knob; not enough to be able to measure it with a torque wrench, but definitely not fingertip-turnable.

Is there something I'm missing? Should it turn more freely?

I can't reach it while sitting on bike, but it should turn easily with or without throttle spring pushing on it- my spare set of carbs ( heavily weathered in Florida) also turns easy.

[BigD_83]

I can't reach it while sitting on bike, but it should turn easily with or without throttle spring pushing on it- my spare set of carbs ( heavily weathered in Florida) also turns easy.

Thanks, Tom203.

Could be the screw is bent or misaligned then. I guess I'll have to look at that next time the carbs come off.