Quick Shim question

shadowskater · February 27th, 2011, 03:07 PM

Installing a MGP slip on today, and I am planning on removing the snorkel and shimming the needles with some 3mm. I read almost all of the threads on shimming, but my question is how many washers would you recommend that I start with given my setup. I was planning on starting with 2 washers on each. Another question though, when testing the results what will be the signs that I need to run more rich or leaner / add or remove washers.

scotty · February 27th, 2011, 03:38 PM

I would start with two. Test ride the bike with only the gas tank on and see if you like it. If you feel you wouldn't mind having a 3rd, it will be easy to rip out the carb again. You wont need to mess with the fuel mixture.

kkim · February 27th, 2011, 04:44 PM

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9465&

shadowskater · February 28th, 2011, 04:41 PM

Thanks for the link, I haven't seen that one before. I finished up the shimming today and ended up with 3, because of the new setup (removed snorkel, slip-on). Everything went pretty easy except the screws on the carbs, I ended up getting a 20" #2 from a nearby homedepot and that did the trick. Just took it for a test drive and it feels a lot better from what I can tell. My only complaint is how ridiculously loud the new can is

. But eh, that's what I get for not researching it more. I'll give it a week, see how I feel once it has time to grow on me. I like the sound, but for a 250 it's a little too much, well a lot.

Only odd thing I noticed is that my choke has been loosened somehow and I am going to have to look into tightening it soon. Shimming the needles wouldn't affect the choke would it? Like before, my choke was a little on the loose side where only the last 30% or so really choked the bike, and the rest was really small play. But now its like only the last 10% of the freeplay chokes the bike, and even then maybe not as choked as before, while the rest of it is just slack. I'll be looking into it soon

.

kevlarorc · February 28th, 2011, 04:52 PM

Adjusting the choke free play is really easy actually. If you just follow the cable along from the handlebars it goes under your gas tank and I believe there's a screw along the cable that you can fiddle with to tighten up the slack in the cable. Just look at the bronze pin coming out of the left side of the carbs while you adjust to make sure it's not too tight.

shadowskater · February 28th, 2011, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevlarorc

Adjusting the choke free play is really easy actually. If you just follow the cable along from the handlebars it goes under your gas tank and I believe there's a screw along the cable that you can fiddle with to tighten up the slack in the cable. Just look at the bronze pin coming out of the left side of the carbs while you adjust to make sure it's not too tight.

Excellent! Thanks for the advice, I figured it should just be a bolt on the cable somewhere but I hadn't the time to check.

Edit:
Checked it out, seems that its just that the choke plate is not retracting properly or enough, but it doesn't seem to cause much of an issue. When I push the plate back manually the choke lever becomes a firm pull throughout, but then when the lever is let off and returned all the way, the choke plate doesn't retract as far as it seems it could. After releasing it the lever has now a lot of free play where the plate didn't move all the way back and then catches the plate at the end of the turn where it pulls the plate out a bit. While warming up it seems okay, I am just worried that if it is not retracting fully that my bike would be running a little choked even though the lever is fully off.

kkim · February 28th, 2011, 07:25 PM

try spraying the choke plates with some wd40 and see if they loosen up. also, do you have the proper free play amount at the choke cable, down on the engine side of the choke cable?

shadowskater · February 28th, 2011, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

try spraying the choke plates with some wd40 and see if they loosen up. also, do you have the proper free play amount at the choke cable, down on the engine side of the choke cable?

Thanks for the quick reply! Ill check the manual and see if I do, spraying the Wd40 for sure though

Edit: the wd40 cleared it right up, works like brand new. The choke seems to be in spec and working better than it was when I bought the bike! Finally get to put the fairings back on and enjoy it! Thanks again!

February 27th, 2011, 03:07 PM	#1
shadowskater ninjette.org member Name: Chris Location: San Antonio Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 08 Ninja 250R Posts: 70	Quick Shim question Installing a MGP slip on today, and I am planning on removing the snorkel and shimming the needles with some 3mm. I read almost all of the threads on shimming, but my question is how many washers would you recommend that I start with given my setup. I was planning on starting with 2 washers on each. Another question though, when testing the results what will be the signs that I need to run more rich or leaner / add or remove washers.

February 28th, 2011, 04:52 PM	#5
kevlarorc noob motovlogger Name: Gareth Location: Austin, TX Join Date: Dec 2009 Motorcycle(s): Black 2009 250r Posts: 328	Adjusting the choke free play is really easy actually. If you just follow the cable along from the handlebars it goes under your gas tank and I believe there's a screw along the cable that you can fiddle with to tighten up the slack in the cable. Just look at the bronze pin coming out of the left side of the carbs while you adjust to make sure it's not too tight. __________________________________________________ My Motovlog "Damn, either shimming the needles fixes 90% of any problems with the 250Rs, or kkim owns stock in a washer manufacturer." -DmbShn41

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February 27th, 2011, 03:38 PM	#2
scotty ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Scott Location: Carlise Ohio Join Date: Apr 2010 Motorcycle(s): Yahama v star 650 classic Posts: A lot.	I would start with two. Test ride the bike with only the gas tank on and see if you like it. If you feel you wouldn't mind having a 3rd, it will be easy to rip out the carb again. You wont need to mess with the fuel mixture. __________________________________________________ Last futzed with by scotty; February 27th, 2011 at 06:56 PM.

February 27th, 2011, 04:44 PM	#3
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=9465&

February 28th, 2011, 04:41 PM	#4
shadowskater ninjette.org member Name: Chris Location: San Antonio Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 08 Ninja 250R Posts: 70	Thanks for the link, I haven't seen that one before. I finished up the shimming today and ended up with 3, because of the new setup (removed snorkel, slip-on). Everything went pretty easy except the screws on the carbs, I ended up getting a 20" #2 from a nearby homedepot and that did the trick. Just took it for a test drive and it feels a lot better from what I can tell. My only complaint is how ridiculously loud the new can is . But eh, that's what I get for not researching it more. I'll give it a week, see how I feel once it has time to grow on me. I like the sound, but for a 250 it's a little too much, well a lot. Only odd thing I noticed is that my choke has been loosened somehow and I am going to have to look into tightening it soon. Shimming the needles wouldn't affect the choke would it? Like before, my choke was a little on the loose side where only the last 30% or so really choked the bike, and the rest was really small play. But now its like only the last 10% of the freeplay chokes the bike, and even then maybe not as choked as before, while the rest of it is just slack. I'll be looking into it soon .

February 28th, 2011, 07:25 PM	#7
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	try spraying the choke plates with some wd40 and see if they loosen up. also, do you have the proper free play amount at the choke cable, down on the engine side of the choke cable?