Tip for apparentment dwellers

[pherthyl]

So I took apart my carbs apart on the weekend, primarily to fix the float height in the left one, but also to check how dirty they were from the previous owner.  This being the first time I've ever done anything like that, it took a long time (spent all day) and had some mishaps on the way (lost one of the float bowl screws down the drain, had to fish it out). 

Anyway, the clymer manual says to blow out the jets with compressed air after cleaning them.  Well I could see a partial obstruction in the pilot jets, but I didn't have a compressor, since I live in an appartment.  Then I realized that the pilot jet threads were just about the same size as the Presta valves from my road bike.  So I just took my bicycle pump, put the pilot jet in tapered end first, and tightened the lever to clamp the rubber ring around it.  Couple vigorous pumps cleared the obstruction out of the jet just fine.  (so much unintended innuendo there)
So if you don't have access to a compressor, a bike pump for presta valves (just about all pumps can be switched to handle both Presta and Schraeder valves) works nicely.