Clean em, Don't forget em

[Czekus21]

This is just a reminder that as the riding season groes closer to an end for the fair weather riders, ( even the all year riders ) Don't forget to pull the carbs and make sure that they're clean. Once neglected, stuff like these pics become a real pain. They can be saved but this is totaly un nesse scary. With proper maintenance. You will never have to smell the tast of rotten fuel and have to scrub a dub dub.

Note, the black stuff in the bowl. I don't think these pics show it but the main jets are kinda got a green color to them. My guess is algie is groing and is was becoming a mutant.

I hope that I got my point acrossed to all who want to say " I'll take care of that next year" Easy to do with all the riding that needs done. I'm not meenin to sound like dad or anything but If ya want to play, Ya got to pay, One way or another.

[ratbyk]

Dirty Carbs

Czekus21, what do you run for fuel, black paint? I had my carbs off last year for a jet change and did a quick clean with lacquer thinners. 2 weeks ago I had them off again to get at difficult places while painting the motor. While they were off I dropped off the float bowls for a quick look and inside was spotless. I had put on about 14000 kms since they were last off. More than 10000 km this summer. I did run the bike all winter but usually only about one run a week with a snowmobile suit on. But it did run at least once a week. I normally use Chevron with techron while at home but buy what ever while on the road. I have two in-line fuel filters and change them each winter.
No problems with dirt in the bowls or any discoloring inside the bowls.
Don't understand this dirt and discoloring inside!
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"

[Czekus21]

These carbs are off of another bike that I'm working on. When I'm done with them, they'll be good as new.
Just gonna take alot of srubbing. I don't like the Napa brand carb cleaner ( made by Mac's ) this stuff has got meathol alcohol, carbon dioxide and acitone as it's main ingredient. I think I'll give up the experiment with this stuff and go back to my usuall brand GUNK . Gunk contains keytones, Gunk just does a better job all the way around. I usually don't soak em cauz I'm impatient and don't want to wait for stuff to soak. When I clean em, they get stipped down to nothing and every oriface, nook and crany gets a shot followed by commpressed air, then the visual. Gotta pass or It keeps getting the shots till they do pass

[chevy45412001]

clean same here

thats about how i do mine 21. spray and hose seems to work rather well for me.The only problem i have is every time i take off the bowls theres a rust sediment gathered on the bottom of the bowls,chaulky feeling . from rust i know and i also run two filters.My new tank is not so bad though,is pretty rust free for the most part.

[justyn.smith]

Has anyone tried one of those fuel additives that are supposed to clean your engine/fuel system whilst you drive/ride?

I ride all year 'round so I don't get that old fuel goop built up, and always run premium high octane for good fuel burn, just wondering if its needed?

[Dragonrider]

Seems like an awful lot of trouble...just for the winter...

That's going to last...what? 2-3 days this year?

Sorry, this Texan couldn't resist!

[Leon]

Winter

OK so you texans get 2-3 days of winter rub it in why dontya cause winters closing in fast here morning rides to work have been below 50 here in N.E. Ct. for past 4 days but by 10 am its in mid to hi 70s so ride home is still nice . now whats the yella rose of texas ? an don,t tell me its an xs.

[justyn.smith]

eeeeek

A yellow XS!! Leon, how could you.....

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Justyn,

Take a look at this link, scroll down the page, and then tell us what you think about a yellow XS!?

Yellow Performance!

[justyn.smith]

Gotta tell ya topcat, there's some pretty mean mods done to the bikes, though I'd like to see the performance measurements after mods (not just guesses).

As for the look, nah, it's gotta be a taste thing but (with respect) yellow and black bikes look too much like insects for my taste.

Definitley got some ideas for more performance upgrades though, I've done the bore + dyno but better coils and air filter may be next on the list.

Thanks for the pointer!

[srq68]

the riding season groes closer to an end

I can't wait for the temp to go below 90 and the afternoon T-storms to end to MY riding season starts!...

[railroad]

I bought my 80 XS11g for $200 from the Salvation Army. It had been sitting for 5 to 7 years. The first time I started it, it would not run below 5000 rpm, and only with the choke full on and jacking the throttle like crazy. Everyone said I needed to overhaul and clean the carbs. Instead I filled the tank with chevron gas with tectron after 15 minutes you could hear the diference and now after 2 months it runs great. Worth a try.

[deo]

TC,

I liked the look of the Yellow bike but really like the technology of the spinning bike. I would love to find out where they got the 360% spin.

deo
PS you riding yet and feeling alright?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there DEO,

It's a quicktime plugin, ver 6.0, just right clicked on the little down arrow in the lower right corner, and it popped up!

Yeah, I'm doing fine, took a ride last week, felt great, will be riding in Ga. in Oct! Thanks for asking!
T.C.

[pratel]

Here my thoughts on carb care. I have NEVER ever once in almost 18 years of owning Visitation had to open the carbs.... I've replaced the boots, and once a torn diaphram, but that is it, EVER.

I used to be religious (no pun intended) about fuel additives, give a double dose of techtron at last tank, run through, change oil, then add fresh fuel, stabilizer, shut petcocks off, run the fuel out of the carbs, including both choke settings, and drain the fuel bowls. I also tried leaving the carbs full of stabilized fuel, result was the same, trouble free carbs. Think I had a sticky float once or twoce, but a double dose of Techtron fixed that.

Then about 4 years ago, I stepped into this crazy Army life, and have just really neglected the bike and carbs. No stabilizer, and at one point, the bike sat for 7, then I rode it 3X, and sat again for 15 months with 1/2 tank of fuel, no stabilizer, no fresh oil in the crank case. I thought for sure I would find a mess when I tried to get her running this spring, but.... as always, she is awesome. It did take three tanks of fuel, all with techtron. Everyonce in a while I can tell a little something comes loose and blockes a jet (you know that dead cyl. feeling), but it only lasts a minute or two, and hasnt happened in the last month.

I think the moral to my story here, is once you have clean carbs, you can keep them that way with some basic care, even get away with a little slipping on occasion. I don't see any need to do a yearly tear down unless you are still getting the spooge & crap out. Quality fuels, regular treatment (just before an oil change), and hard riding will keep your XS and its carbs happy!