High Altitude Carb Adjustment and Cleaning

[jhead75]

...the phillip head is basically a circle...

Just a heads up, those are not Phillips screws. In fact, there are no Phillips screws anywhere on your bike. The cross-head screws that look like Phillips are actually JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard), and a Phillips screwdriver will do a lovely job of rounding them out, as you've discovered.

Haha that explains alot, thanks for the headsup.

So as for the results:
I ended up going to Lowes and getting a pair of vice grips, it took some time but I removed and replaced all the stripped screws. Since the bike was running fine at high RPM's on the highway, the guys at the local motorcycle shop advised me to try cleaning and using the jets I had and then swapping the jets if it still wasn't running properly. Since a few of you had mentioned that the stock jets would be ideal (and for all I knew thats what was in there) I took this advice. I removed the top of the carbs (diaphram, needles, slides) and the bottom (float bowl, needle, jets) and cleaned everything thoroughly. Then I reassembled, that was fun .

At this point I was just praying it would start up. Eventually it did and it ran maybe slightly better but was still not great. I then adjusted the idle screw quite a bit and that helped alot, perhaps that was the main problem from the start. I still don't think its running exactly how it should be. Currently I have it idling between 1500 and 1800 RPM , which I think is a bit high. When I put the choke on too quick it still dies but if I slowly advance the choke It goes up to almost 4000 RPM, which I think is a bit low. Even when its warmed up if I go from no choke to full choke the RPM drops to about 1000 then it'll catch itself there and stay there. When I ease off the choke to about 3/4 of the way thats when it starts getting going. So maybe next spring I will take it apart again and actually replace the jets. As for now it starts up and runs much much better and I don't see myself taking it apart again any time too soon. With the exception of the choke not working I think it runs as good as the day i bought it (used lol).

I am glad that I took it apart though, I learned alot about how my bike works and joined the small percentage of my generation who can say they took apart a carburetor. Hopeful it won't be leaking gas anytime soon and maybe it will continue to run better in the next couple of days. 

Thanks again to all the help you guys gave me. I'll try to pass it on. I might not be at the advice giving stage but I can at least share what I know. 

[mr72]

Good job!

You might go ahead and order a new set of pilot jets, so you will be ready in case you decide to change them soon. In the meantime you might run it with sea foam or berrymans b12 in the gas to help clean it while it runs. Technically you can change the pilot jets with the carbs on the bike but it really helps if you put Allen screws in the bowls and you have the right short flat screwdriver to get the jets out. Easier on the bench.

Btw it sounds to me like your choke is working correctly but you may have a combination of clogged pilot jets and a slight vacuum leak. Let it warm up 2 minutes on choke at 4K rpm then go to half choke or whatever it takes to get the idle to 2k then ride. Turn off choke after another few minutes of riding. Wait until it is VERY warmed up before setting idle speed. Like 10 minutes of actual riding. Should be good to go.

[gregjet]

Just a little extra point .
Check ALL your vacuum lines ( there is a LOT of them ) and that the rubber manifolds are air tight. these will have a bigger effect at low engine speeds.
The most likely is clog in the pilot jet or galleries ( don't just clean the jet).
Did you try a pilot adjust ( if it is possible on your's) . Not uncommon on altitude changes after setting.

[jhead75]

Sorry for the delay guys..... silly work keeps interfering with my side projects.

Anyways, I'll try getting some of that b12 stuff, I've heard good things. And the vacuum lines very well could be the problem I think they are hooked up tight, but one could be clogged. When I bought the carb cleaner the gentleman at the store told me to spray it in the lines to clear them out, but since everyone on here said to keep it off of rubber/plastic parts, I didn't spray the hoses out. Maybe I could get some compressed air and try that.

As for pilot adjust, are you referring to the two small screws that can be adjusted and are found around where the jets are (I believe that they were covered on old gs models)? I'm don't think I am explaining that well, but I have a 2004 so if those are the screws you mean then I have access to them. What is the proper way to adjust them?