color/tune kit

[dodjh]

Does anyone know where I can purchase a color/tune kit?

I've tried: J.C. Whitney, Autozone, Napa, O'Reilly, Car Quest,
Advance Auto and a local Yamaha dealer who parts and service
had never heard of one.

Thanks
dodjh

[Pat Kelly]

http://www.international-auto.com/in.../3448/sc/27176

This was the 1st entry when I googled color tune

[dodjh]

color/tune

Pat,
Have you used this one and if so did it perform well?

dodjh

[Pat Kelly]

yes and yes .
I got mine from Ebay but it's the same kit.

[dodjh]

color/tune

Pat,

What category was it in on E-Bay?

dodjh

[Pat Kelly]

http://search.ebay.com/search/search...&fsop=1&fsoo=1

Just now typed in colortune under all catagories and found 3 of them. Any of those 3 kits will work.

[dodjh]

color/tune

Pat,

If I understand the difference--colortune is what I need verses gasatester. One (colortune) sets the air fuel mixture, and the other tells you the ratio you have.

Thanks for the information and direction to go.

dodjh

[Pat Kelly]

Yes, the colortune helps you adjust your pilot, air/fuel mixture. Good in the case of our carbs to prevent 'lightly seating' the adjustment needle too tight and breaking the tip.
It is a window into the cumbustion chamber while the engine is running (they recommend not going over 4,000RPM). This allows you to see the color of the cumbustion ranging from yellow (rich) to blue (lean). This being a subjective thing, it can allow you to set all the cylinders to the same color of flame compensating for slight differences in each carb/cylinder.
For instance, it may be that setting all the carbs 1 1/2 turns out from 'lightly seated' actually causes #2 cylinder to be leaner than the other 3 cylinders (maybe a different adjustment needle in that one sometime in it's past life), you compensate for that.
In my case it uncovered a bad pilot jet that I didn't realize I had. #3 cylinder had spark (I could see it in the colortune) but no combustion. As I revved the engine past 4200RPM I saw that the cylinder 'came alive'. 4200 is where (my) carbs transition from pilot to main jet. I knew from the carb rebuild that #3 was buggered but I had no idea it wasn't working. I got the jet out and moved it to another cylinder and the symptom followed. New pilot jets and all was well with the world. (I knew the bike had a bad a$$ rumble at idle and ran like a dream, now I know why).
It also allowed me to accurately adjust my a/f mixture slightly rich. I live at low altitude so a little rich dosen't hurt (I notice loss of power above 5000 ft which I don't do too often sadly). A rich a/f mixture allows the bike to run slightly cooler (gets over 110 deg here in summer) which cuts down on the blueing of the new Jardines I had just installed.

And that's why I like my colortune

[dodjh]

color tune

Pat,

Thanks for breaking it down in that manner---has shed new light
on the process and example scenario.

I am currently watching 4 on e-bay and hope to have one of them by end of bidding.

dodjh

[underdog57]

You can order a new one here ...
http://www.carbtune.com/index.html

Bob

I'd like to get one , how else can you see whats happening inside the engine .........

[cajun31]

I own both

and they are invaluable tools. a little pricey but well worth the money and they are both solid tools.

[John]

I have one and I think it sucks! The spark blows out, and it misfires at idle, and won't fire until about 3-4 k rpm. I have used it on both bikes, and trbig has tried it, and had the same results.

[pggg]

Ditto, I played round with a colortune once, what a waste of time, the flame showed orange and only turned bluish when I screwed the mix screws so lean the motor barely ran, someone told me colortunes are obsolete for modern unleaded fuel, Pat says his works fine though, so I'm pickin' some brands are a lot better than others?

[Pat Kelly]

or I'm an idiot

[81xsproject]

I would have to jump on the negative band wagon. I have tried several times and it just doesn't fire the cylinder. I think it is a poor design to put the spark so far up in the little tube.