Greetings from Tucson!

[DiverRay]

IF you got kits from Georgefix on ebay, they WILL have all the parts, and be correct! good luck with the rest of the bike, and do try and get pics when you can.

[natemoen]

Yup, georgefix is the guy to get the kits from, or you can just get the jets that you need and it will save you some money. There are lots of ideas for getting the stuck/stripped jets out.

[Sol]

yep, hard parts are a part if the kit.

yep, hard parts are a part if the kit. So I can get a little destructive on the pilot jet removal if called for.

A little good news from bike bandit. the cable will be replaced, they sent the wrong item. still working out a return on the mirrors.

[Sol]

Jets are out! bring on the q-tips!

so after enough cheating, heating, and beating the pilots came out.
onward with the rest of it.

A quick description of the specifics in case of future searches:
methods suggested on-site:
soak, soak, soak them in pb blaster before you strip them.
if still stiff - heat then pb blaster, repeat. try again.
If you got a buggered one from the get go - an easy out or lefty drill bit is in order.
or if your like me and think the right tool for the job is already in your bag just not filed under enough multi-purpose headings: a small fillips head "gently" driven in to the passageway in the jet (I said small - just larger then passage) and the same MO worked out ok. If I where to give advice however I would suggest using methods other then mine!

[Sol]

The time has come for a photo dump

I am still having trouble with embeding my photos, so with much less humor then my first attempt please except this link with no explainations.
http://img819.imageshack.us/g/1010017.jpg/

[Sol]

a little more progress

the carb bodies got the second round of cleaning and are now good to go. all the small parts yet remain to be cleaned.

I would like to apologize for my rudeness above with the pic dump. I was getting frustrated and had to leave.

[Sol]

it has been a little while:

In the time intervening since my last post:
Got the last full round of carb cleaning taken care of.
kitted the petcocks.
kitted the octy.
Found on re-assembly of the carbs that I had misplaced my 185 small round main (air jet) on #3.
Found replacement and completed carb re-assembly.
gave the tank an acid treatment - results are usable.
did off bike leak down test: all good.
Changed Oil - using some 20W-50 leftover from the GL - will be changing again soon anyway. I also have to track down the proper gear lube for middle and final drive, just got to hit the stores.
put the carbs on the bike and got a leak out of #4.
pulled it apart and found nothing.
another leak down test, ok.
back on bike - I'm starting to dislike that air-box - it must have hung up a float on the first match of man vs. factory fitment.
no longer using octy as it is a PITA with all this testing. Plugged vac line.
Started bike for first time since it got home.
it pops out of the left bank even though the starting settings were = to right bank and approximate to pre work settings (I averaged). fiddled the fuel pilots till popping got less (not gone though). perhaps the work altered the butterflies adjustment or some such.

I know I have a box fan around here somewhere.

as I had my head next to the running block the valve noise was really noticeable.

I'm thinking the next step is a valve adjustment.
I have been reading and the special tool sounds like it is iffy as to fitment, and the work around is pulling the cam and chain (which would need adjustment or replacement anyway).
any sage words of wisdom? I presume the gasket is not reusable. I need to find an Allen socket for my torque wrench.

After that I need to find a place where I wont piss off my fellow apartment dwellers and can plug in a box fan (when I find it) in order to sort the tuning.

speaking of which I guess I need a tuning tach. Any one really like the one they found at where was that?

its not on the road yet but its progress.

[Sol]

I also made a manometer and used stainless bolts on the carbs

The manometer is the tubes and a yard stick style DIY special.
in this case with 4 tubes on a 48" with 10' of tube each.
I think I will use ATF as the working fluid.
it turned out pretty good for what it is. I numbered the tubes, and attached it using zipties. also a note that i did not see but is 'proly around here somewhere: The attachment points are smaller in dia then the fuel lines. I almost made the mistake of assuming they where the same as the boots on 'em look as if they would be. the best fit I found was some 1/4" OD tubing (ID unspecified but looks like 1/8" with 1/16" wall.

I also took the opportunity to swap in some stainless Allen heads on the carb caps and bowls.

and corrected some poor electrical connections though I just did the most obvious and did not check them all.

this post has been a bit of a lift as I feel like I have not done all that much, but making this list of even small stuff shows me I am getting stuff done.