Removing and cleaning carbs and K&L Repair Kits

[peterpayne]

Hello, so yes, my carbs need some cleaning, it would only start and stay running with at least half choke, any throttle and it would stall, so I'm gathering as much knowledge about removing, disassembling and cleaning, then adjusting and even synching the carbs, and at first it seemed a daunting task but once I read a bit more, it's not that overly complicated, nevertheless it's not the easiest of task, but well, my bike naked as it is right now, will make things easier to get to.

I'm thinking I may be better off replacing at least the o-rings and gaskets in your experience is this a must or is it generally ok to re-use them?

I saw this kit at amazon, has anyone here used it?, I don't want to spend nearly 50bucks on a couple of this kits when I may just need the o-rings and gaskets.


http://www.amazon.com/Supply-Economy...pr_product_top

Any suggestions?

[csmith12]

Hola amigo, you don't need a fancy cleaning kit to do this job as long all your parts are in working order before you start.

Here is a great video and thread by another ninjetter.

All you really need is something that will go through the very small jet holes, some carb cleaner (spray) and a can of air/blow gun attachment to an air compressor. As long as your careful with your gaskets they should come off and go back together without issue. However, crap happens so be ready to order some if you need and plan for the time it takes. Also, the diaphragms may give you a bit of grief to seat back into the groves. Patience is required here to ensure you don't pinch them. I always to a double take when before final tightening on the caps at the top of the carbs to ensure there is no pinching of the diaphragms.

Another tip, assuming your float needles do NOT need adjusting, be mindful to not bump or hit them on anything to keep their adjustments within spec.

Take your time, have patience and know when to come back to it after a break is the best way to removing and cleaning the carbs for the first time.

The final tip is to clean EVERYTHING, as seen here. If you go through all the trouble to take it off and apart, might as well do a complete job.

Good luck!

[peterpayne]

Hola, muchas gracias!

I'll take my time, if they look too dirty I'll probably soak them in a pine-sol mix (hopefully the mexican version "Pinol" will work as well as pine-sol) then I'd use some carb cleaner.

I also got myself a replacement for the joke of a fuel filter that comes stock.

I'll be extra careful with those float needles.

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by csmith12

Hola amigo, you don't need a fancy cleaning kit to do this job as long all your parts are in working order before you start.

Here is a great video and thread by another ninjetter.

All you really need is something that will go through the very small jet holes, some carb cleaner (spray) and a can of air/blow gun attachment to an air compressor. As long as your careful with your gaskets they should come off and go back together without issue. However, crap happens so be ready to order some if you need and plan for the time it takes. Also, the diaphragms may give you a bit of grief to seat back into the groves. Patience is required here to ensure you don't pinch them. I always to a double take when before final tightening on the caps at the top of the carbs to ensure there is no pinching of the diaphragms.

Another tip, assuming your float needles do NOT need adjusting, be mindful to not bump or hit them on anything to keep their adjustments within spec.

Take your time, have patience and know when to come back to it after a break is the best way to removing and cleaning the carbs for the first time.

The final tip is to clean EVERYTHING, as seen here. If you go through all the trouble to take it off and apart, might as well do a complete job.

Good luck!

[thumper64]

Do you have a stock airbox and filter? What about exhaust? You should have a 38 pilot jet and an 8 or 10 main jet. If you have pod filters and an exhaust, it should be something like a 42 pilot and a 12 main jet with 3 washers under the needles. That all depends on temperature and elevation, but it's a starting point. I'm guessing you're either trying to start it when it's pretty cold, or the bike isn't stock. Otherwise...yeah, probably clogged up.

For cleaning the carbs, take pictures or refer to others. Take your diaphragms out, and just spray it all out with carb cleaner, let it sit and spray it again. Don't bother with compressed air, the carb cleaner evaporates fast and dissolves the gunk pretty well. They recommend NOT shoving anything hard in the holes because you could scratch a sealing surface or enlarge something, idk. Maybe like 30lb test fishing line to poke through orifices?

[fast1075]

The carbs are pretty simple. Take off the caps for the idle mixture screws. Be careful of the parts there. Tiny O-ring, tiny washer, spring, needle.

The Pinesol soak is the best, soak the parts (all of them except the slide/diaphragm) for 3-4 days. The pilot jet is the most likely thing to plug up. I use a wire pulled from a wire brush to clean it. Be sure to check the air jet also (it is fixed and not removeable, it is in the inlet side of the carb).

After soaking, wash well with water, scrubbing with a small brush, and blow out with brake cleaner (way cheaper than carb cleaner) and reassemble.

Remember for the pilot needles, tiny o-ring first, ting washer second, spring, needle. Get the O-ring and washer backwards and the needles will
not stay in place, and the spring will eat the tiny O-ring, causing problems. Set the needle at 2 3/4 turns out.