Whats the best way to get a date?

[ViD381]

[Kerry]

I'm curious - how much over the gasket height was the gas in the "U-tube"?

I have successfully set my float height in the past using the ruler method, but it took 2 people -- one to slowly tilt the carbs, and watch for the point where the float valve lightly rested against the "stop" -- and another to read the height with a ruler from the side when the first one yelled, "OK - NOW!"

Since you don't have to take the carbs totally apart to adjust the float height, what do you think of this:

1) Somehow measure the angle at which the carbs rest when they're in their normal, upright, installed position.

2) Pull the carbs.

3) Figure out a way to duplicate the original angle on your workbench.

4) Drain the carbs.

5) Pop the left float bowl and tweak the little metal tab a reasonable amount.

6) Replace the float bowl and position the carbs at the operating angle.

7) Fill the carbs using an auxiliary fuel tank.

8 ) Use the U-tube method to see how well you did.

9) If the level is still too far off, return to step 4.

10) If/when you get it right, remount the carbs into the bike.

=======================

Dunno if it's worth the hassle, but what's the alternative?  Pull the carbs, try the ruler method, reinstall carbs, check with U-tube method, pull the carbs, and round and round.

Best of Luck!

[TheGoodGuy]

best way to get a date.. ask them out.

[ViD381]

I'd say the amount of gas was about half an inch above the gasket.

Is that enough to affect anything?

Also, if the carbs have been rejetted, and the air/mixture screw was never adjusted...would that cause problems?


-Timothy

[Kerry]

Half an inch?  Yikes!  Yeah, that's plenty.  That's, like, 12 mm.

IF the carbs have been rejetted, then you may want to "goof around" with the screws until the bike runs well.  Any chance you can find out what size jets are currently in the carbs?

BTW, remind me why you think the bike may have been rejetted.  Are the brass plugs missing?  (I think they are, but I can't remember for sure.)

[scratch]

Half an inch! Holy cats! Yes, floatbowl height effects everything. No matter how it was jetted.

Back in '90 we were taught to hold the carburetor sideways, floatbowls off, floats in, so that you're looking down at the side of the carb. lean the carbs away from yourself so that the floats swing out. slowly tilt the carbs back towards yourself, Slowly. when you see the floats stop moving that is where there is enough gas to cause the floats to seat the float needle and stop anymore gas from flowing past. That is where you float level is. If the float needle is notched or worn it will probably allow gas to flow past.

[ViD381]

[Kerry]

The brass plugs I'm talking about are the ones that cover the mixture screws on US-model bikes.  They're not necessary, unless you're the EPA and you're trying to keep people from richening the fuel mixture.

If those brass plugs are missing, it's a good indication that someone has rejetted the bike and fiddled with the screws.

Meanwhile, first things first.  Fix that float height!  That's the shoo-in candidate for the cause of the unburnt fuel.

[Kerry]

Back in '90 we were taught to hold the carburetor sideways, floatbowls off, floats in, so that you're looking down at the side of the carb.

Wish I'd thought of that.  Thanks, scratch!

[ViD381]

I'll have to give that a try. Think i'll do it tomorrow...Cause I need to buy one of those gas tanks that Kerry was talking about.

Timothy

[Kerry]

Keep it simple.  I used a radiator coolant return container ...

http://www.bbburma.net/MiscFotos/CoolantReturn.jpg
http://bbburma.net/MiscFotos/CoolantReturn_Mounted.jpg

... but there must be an even simpler solution.

EDIT: Changed links from sisna.com to bbburma.net

[ViD381]

Ha ha ha ha

That is so great Kerry. You've got a picture for everything. I think I might just go to walmart and see if I can't pick that up tonight. If I work hard enough, i'll have my bike running by first thing tomorrow.

I can't wait to get my bike running.... I'M HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

[Kerry]

I got the idea for the coolant return container from Srinath ... I was getting nowhere trying to come up with that ever-elusive "simplest solution".

Be sure you have the fuel line and/or connector(s) you need.  You could just pull one of the hoses off of the bike, of course.

I chose to use an extra length of hose, and a 2-ended hose connector from Checker.  It makes for a quicker, more convenient job -- but how many times do you plan to do this?  

[scratch]

A starting point to set the floats, this is if you have no manual or a ruler, is to just do the method that I described above and adjust the floats so that they come to rest parellel with the gasket surface. I mean the floats have a straight part on them, just make this parellel with the gasket surface. When I did this for my bike when I first got it and took apart the carbs, the float levels were perfect.

[Von Vester]

Holy cow, half an inch. I think you found your problem.

When adjusting the float height be careful not to compress the spring in the top of the  float valve.

When I set my float heights I cut a piece of thin cardboard to the desired height and then stuck that onto the gasket surface with a piece of tape. I eyeballed the across the bottom of the float (top of the upside down float) and bent and unbent the tab until just right.

[ViD381]

how many times do you plan to do this?  

I hope to only do it once. I know that i'll have to sync the carbs again after fixing the float hight.
Now you guys have some really good ways of figuring out the proper float hight, but I can't visualize how to do it in my head. And well, I also don't know what a propar float hight would look like. So even if I did have it right, I still wouldn't know.

I eyeballed the across the bottom of the float (top of the upside down float) and bent and unbent the tab until just right.

So when I adjust the floats I should do it with them upside down?

I think this is going to be harder than I originally thought.

[ViD381]

Okay I cut a little piece of cardboard that is just over 14mm or 1.4cm high. I heard 14.6 +or- 1.0mm. Now, when I go to measure the float height am I supposed to do it with the floats upside down? Well I mean with the entire carburetor upside down so that way the floats drop down with gravity?
Because the way my floats are right now...well they seem like they're both at about 10 or 11mm high. That's with them NOT upside down. I'm a little confused about this because I thought I'd have one of them way off. Somewhere at like 18 or 19mm

Let me know what I should do

-Timothy

[Kerry]

I thought I had posted this picture before, but just in case:



I don't think I could describe the checking method any better than scratch already did.  (Not without taking some pictures, and I just put the carbs back INTO my '96, so the answer is "No".   )

Go back, read scratch's two posts carefully, and follow them to the letter.

EDIT: Changed link from sisna.com to bbburma.net

[chimivee]

Okay I cut a little piece of cardboard that is just over 14mm or 1.4cm high. I heard 14.6 +or- 1.0mm. Now, when I go to measure the float height am I supposed to do it with the floats upside down? Well I mean with the entire carburetor upside down so that way the floats drop down with gravity?
Because the way my floats are right now...well they seem like they're both at about 10 or 11mm high. That's with them NOT upside down. I'm a little confused about this because I thought I'd have one of them way off. Somewhere at like 18 or 19mm

Let me know what I should do

-Timothy

Well, it depends what you mean by upside-down.  You should start w/ the carbs oriented in front of you like the pic Kerry posted.  So, relative to the orientation when installed on the bike, yes, the carbs are technically upside-down.  But if you mean oriented so the floats are on the bottom, hanging down - no, incorrect.

I use a finger to hold the float assembly in place, then as Scratch said, slowly rotate the carb away from you until the float lifts slightly and is no longer compressing the little button on top of the needle, but still touching.    So when you measure, the carbs will be at an angle (not upside down or right side up).  Needle should still be in all the way.  If your fuel LEVEL was high using the U-tube, your float HEIGHT will be low.

[ViD381]

How low is too low?

Okay the right side is perfect. It's right on the gasket, and I'm not going to touch it at all.

The left side is just under the gasket. Maybe 1-2mm. Is that to low? I can't seem to get it right at the gasket. I can get it over, and I can get it under. But not perfect.
Will this be okay, or should I keep trying for perfection?  


-Timothy