I just finished breaking down my carburetor and in the process stripped the heads off of many of the screws. I went to the hardware store and they could not replace every one (and they have a very good selection), additionally the ones they could replace weren't brass like the originals (the guy that helped me find the right sizes said this didn't matter). Can anyone help me to find the replacement screws for the Carbs on an 01'? and tell me if it makes a difference if the replacements aren't brass? As you know some of the screws are very specialized parts, I'm kind of at a loss how to get it back together again.
thanks for the help,
d
Re brass: I have a strong suspicion that they aren't. At least on the pre-2000 models the screws are yellow in color, but not brass. It is a post-treatment of the galvanization that makes them yellow; they are just normal mild steel. So your replacements ore most probably OK, as long as they have some anti-corrosion treatment.
Re sizes: Didn't they have at least longer sizes that you might have cut / filed down? That's how I often have to solve these dilemmas.
Oh, and wherever possible replace those durned phillips heads with allen or torx heads. Less stripping that way.
+1
All the theads should be standard metric threads, and most of the lengths should be pretty standard. If a length isn't availible, buy the next largest one and give it a try. If it's really too long, grind it to the proper length.
I would recommend replacing all the bolts with stainless steel allen head (or torx) bolts. They will be a bit more expensive (like $0.75 a screw, which adds up pretty freaking quickly) but are a lot better than the crap they come with and make future work a lot easier. Whatever you do, don't replace the philips head screws with more philips head screws.
Quote from: LimaXray on July 12, 2006, 07:33:51 AMAll the theads should be standard metric threads, and most of the lengths should be pretty standard....
That's the problem with the carburettor: because everything is so cramped the "standard-length" principle does often not apply. But with a little bit of grinding or a few strokes with a file that problem can be solved.
And seconded on the stainless steel thing. That's how I g about it as well.
I swap them all for allen heads ... phillips heads are for sadists ... :laugh: ...
Cool.
Srinath.
thanks everyone, I found em online (sudco.com). I'll have to wait a few days but its worth it to know you have the right part. I was told not to cut or file the screw as it can damage the thread...... no one's had this type of problem?
yea, I definitely spoke too soon on that one, just got off the phone with sudco and even though it says OEM carb parts on their website apparently they don't have OEM parts. go figure. so I'm pretty much back to square one. When I called he asked what kind of carburetor it is. I couldn't answer that question..... can anyone tell me the answer for an 01 GS500E? I beleive its the stock part but the PO did rejet.
Quote from: seshadri_srinath on July 12, 2006, 07:48:23 AM
I swap them all for allen heads ... phillips heads are for sadists ... :laugh: ...
Cool.
Srinath.
Yeah, I swapped them all to stainless steel Allens too. I don't understand what is the problem with finding those. Any semi-decent hardware store should have Metric Allen bolts. And yes, Phillips are plain awful. Or, looking at it differently, they are great if used in an anti-vandal application. Theya re nearly as good against getting loosened as those vandal-resistant bolts in a public restroom stall.
Jenya
its been hard to find replacements for the long and short float bowel screws. If its ok to just file them down then I guess any screw will do. plus the original short screw has what looks like the washer right on the screw. Is it not that important to get the exact same thing to replace the original screws? if it really doesn't matter than I'm making this a lot harder than it has to be. plus I'm having a tough time finding the right screw for the caps
On damaging the threads by filing them down: You have to be careful, that's for sure: Cut to length, then bevel the edges with gentle strokes with a fine file lead at 45° towards the end of the screw, if you understand what I'm saying. That makes sure that the burrs of cutting off are not just "smeared" into the threads, but properly removed. If you grind them down on a grinding wheel, similar rules apply. Grinding creates less of aburr, though.
On the "washer right on screw". Do you mean flanges; a slight extension of the outer diameter of the head. Tehy are not extremely important, but thay make the screws a little less prone to come loose on their own, and the protect soft underlying materials. So on the plastic caps, just substitute them with normal washers to take care of that issue.
your carb is a mikuni bsr34ss get the stainless screws, everyone here is speaking from experience. and you know now how crappy the standard ones are
When I was rebuilding/tearing down carbs recently, I took Srinath's advice and replaced them with allen head, but used case hardend versions. The black makes a nice contrast.
I went to a bolt & screw specialty store. They were cheaper than the DIY chains.
One reason the originals are hard to remove is the thread lock compound on them. I also believe that what we think are Phillips are actually Pozi or another variation of the standard Phillips drive.
I removed my originals by putting the carb in a vice and using a center punch and hammer to break the lock. Then spun them out with a screw driver.
Heres a good tip when shortening screws/bolts. Wind a nut onto the bolt first, take it right up the shank so its hard up to the bolt-head. Then cut to required length and dress the cut end up with a fine file. When you are happy with the length simply wind the nut off. It cleans and restores the threads and if it comes off smoothly it will also go into the hole smoothly.
thanks for all the info everybody. I'm going to have to find a bolt and screw specialty store because home depot and the local hardwares aren't doing it. I don't want to do a boit filing because I'm not too confident in my ability to make sure the burrs don't mess up the thread. I may end up having to do this anyway as one of the screws I have been unable to replace looks to be 4-6mm long and no store I've been to has screws that short. That bolt suggestion seems like a good idea for taking care of burrs. but I'm still a little under equipt for that type of job. I don't have a vice or files or a decent work station (no garage, I've been working on my coffee table, sweet.)
The other ones I can't find (just fyi) are the pan head screw that holds the choke slide and the cap screws these i think are the most specialized part, but I spoke to a guy who gave me a part number for that screw and mentioned that it is used in over 250 places on the bike so I'm thinking this weekend I can hit up my local suzuki garage and ask if they have any laying around. not sure if they will give me just a hand full of screws or want to charge me for an entire replacement kit (if such a thing even exists)
as for "washers right on screw", I did mean flanges (thanks for the help on terms). For the caps, if I can't get an exact part replacement, I will just use a regular washer. Although on those screws the upper half is wider and not threaded so it sits flush with the plastic of the cap. Can I get some filler or something to replicate this functionality? the other screw that has a flange is the short float screw. my only concern is if I don't do an exact replacement for this screw the one I use may come loose and fall into the float bowel and do some damage. Is that a legit concern?
Ace Hardware almost always have the metric fasteners I need but they are a little pricey compaired to a nut & bolt supply store, their hours are not convienent for me.
ok, here's my advice for anyone who has a hard time replacing the scews...... go right to the local suzuki dealer. If I'd done that first, my carb would be back together already and I'd be riding right now. as it is I will have them in 4-6 business days and until then I'm SOL. So...... lesson learned after a dozen harware stores and three different home depot's. especially for the internal screws and the cap screws, just go to the dealer and order em. as for the external screws for the float bowels. those were easy enough to replace (without allen heads) at the local hardware. If they're good, they will have allen head replacements, mine didn't. do I live in a replacement screw black hole? I have no idea why I couldn't find these parts. plus lets hope I don't have to pull it apart again ever because its going back together with phillips head screws. (I must be :cookoo:)
:thumb:
now can anyone tell me if I need to re-sinc the carbs or tune them in any other way? or is it usually good enough just to put them back together?
The Japanese have a habit of using fastenings on their bikes which although standardised are not very common such as Metric-Fines, and therefore not easy to get hold of.
srinath is right,i rejeted just droping the float boles and using ss allen heads. that worked great for me.