Which of the carb guages do you prefer? The dial ones or the level ones? Or are they both the same?

Thanks,
Ray

Have always used the dial gauges for multi carbs and have had no problems using them, prefer to use a short length of hose pipe for twins, much quicker and is accurate enough just takes a bit of getting used to.

how would you go about using a peice of pipe to balance carbs.... interested as i wanted to check mine on my gpz500

Using a piece of hose pipe, stick one end in ear and place the other end onto the inlet of one carb and listen to the noise it makes, then put the hose to the same position on the other carb, both noises should be the same, simply adjust one carb till both sound the same, then reset common tickover, job done. With good hearing it's possible to balance twin carbs as accurately as with a gauge in about a quarter the time. Certainly listening to the induction hiss will tell you if they need balancing.

Yeh actually just re-read that, how do you use a piece of pipe?

Back to the other point, any advice as where to get a half decent balancer at a good price? where do you buy your tools ancientd?

Thanks

That is so cool. Is it hard to do it? (I have a four so it's irrelevent really but still).

I'm always on the look out for tools, especially specialist ones, pullers, and specific use tools. Some can be bought from good tool shops, some from Motorcycle accessory shops but more lately I've been buying tools from an engineering factor, had some good deals there.

The hose pipe is just used top concentrate the sound so you listen to one end of pipe and put the other end into the induction area of the carb, in a position that can be repeated on both, I've got a piece 2 to 3 feet long hung up in the garage for quick checks for balance. Twins are easy to do, and I don't normally bother with the gauges, but 4's I just get a rough check with the pipe then use the gauges to do the job proper.

I've got a Morgan Carbtune and it's the mutts nuts, it's robust and easy to use.

cool, just trying to work out if its worth doing now... if i need it like :P

Make sure you balance them in pairs. 1 to 2 then 3 to 4 and finally 2 to 3. It will save you a lot of time. Did mine a while back and it made a big difference. Also make sure you warm the bike up properly first.

That's the unfortunate thing about 4's every time you adjust a carb it effects the other 3 so you really need to see the balance on all 4 at the same time, it is virtually impossible to balance 4 carbs with only 2 gauges, and doing them as pairs is a very rough and ready solution and should only be done like that as a last resort.

My instructions say to set up a temporary fuel supply for the carbs and to put a fan on the motor if it's hot but it was so quick and easy to do I just used the fuel in the carbs.
The other thing about synching your carbs is that you should do the rest of the service first, new plugs, oil, air filter and checking /adjusting valve clearances. I'm going to check my balance tomorrow as I've adjusted the valve clearance.

yeh, valves and plugs are my next job.

not looking forward to valves.. haynes makes em look hard

It was the first time I've ever tackled changing shims and if you follow the instructions it's easy, although I was crapping myself when I first started the bike bike afterwards.
Cheddies I don't know if your bike has screw and locknut or shims. If you have shims measure your clearances and work out which shims you'll need(it's damn easy to do) you may be able to shift around some of the shims you already have and then not have to buy so many. When you go to buy shims take a micrometer or vernier and measure the size of the shims to make sure they're the right size. I was able to do an exchange at the dealers on my shims and got a 50% discount. Saying that I bought another one the other day and it was only £2.75.
On my Gixxer 1100 I was quoted 4 hours labour to check/change the shims, so if you can do it you could treat yourself to a holiday with the money you save.

unfortunately I have 2 left ears, I can't dance either

its screw and locknut, and it suggests a special tool to do it with, thats the bit im not looking forward too, im not one for buying the right tool... more for blagging it with the tools i have (i do have alot of tools thoug, i am after all a man... i inherited many many tools from my grandad ) ... esp when that tool is like a kawasaki own £49.99 tool for doing nuts and screws at once and i am only going to use it once.. ever..


gunna get the tank off and the case open on monday (cause its my birfday and i have the whole day off) and change the plugs (if they need doing, just check em otherwise) i do need to buy some feeler guages though as the crappy one i have is a stepped bar guage, ok for plugs but not for valves.


dont worry faze, i dance like a muppet too

oo look, 101 posts, get me!

hmm... probably because of pointless posts like this one


so yeh
*says somthing relevant and interesting*