vacuum guage

[suicide silence]

Hey guys and gals, i am looking for a vacuum guage so i can sync my carbs. Where would i find one and how much would it cost? Also, is there anybody in the central pa area that could help me out? I have never tuned a 4 carb bike before and i am a little nervous. I think all i have to do is mess with the mixture settings but i am not sure.

[psycoreefer]

You can get a single gauge at places like AutoZone, NAPA, ect for around $20. You could probably get one cheaper from harbor freight or similar.

You can do it with just one gauge but it takes a while, swapping the gauge from one carb to another and back and forth.

You could also buy a set of carb sync sticks or mercury sticks. They'll make the job go faster but will set you back more $$.

Some folks have built a contraption using an aquarium air line valve and a single vacuum gauge to make things easier. If you do a search you'll find plenty of info.

I'd also recommend checking out the tech tips if you haven't already. There is info there about syncing the carbs and also about how to adjust the idle mixture.

Don't be afraid its not that hard, just take your time and go slowly. Those sync screws only need a tiny bit of a turn to make a noticeable difference on the gauges. Take your time and you'll be amazed at how much better the bike runs afterwords.

Oh, and don't forget to point a fan at your motor while your playing with the carbs to keep the bike from over-heating.

[suicide silence]

thanks for the info. I looked at the tech articles and thats why i had asked about the vacuum guages

[dbeardslee]

Suicide - The set I use I made up from four harbor freight tools fuel pump and vacuum testers, with four needle valves from Ace hardware for damping. $12.99 ea. for the guages, and about $5 ea. for the valves. They work, but needed to be calibrated - put each guage on the same carb-holder tap, at the same rpm and check the reading. I found mine to be 1/2" off across the board, so I just labeled them '0', '.5', '1.0', and '1.5', and use a little kentucky windage when I synch. One of these days I'm just going to bite the bullet and order two two-guage sets from Mikes XS - professional quality but $118 for both.

[Crazcnuk]

You can buy a whole unit for under $100, already made, complete with adaptors, for various bikes, and dampers all built in.

EMGO $62.95
http://psawonline.com/EMGO-VACCM-SYN...source=froogle

Motion Pro $89.95

http://pitposse.stores.yahoo.net/moprosyproca.html

These were just a quick search, I am sure you can find better deals.

[trbig]

I would just like to add here that I have a single gauge setup that I made with the gang valve off of an aquarium. I used it for a couple years and it did OK... But at the last Meeting of the Minds, when I borrowed Hobbyman's mercury gauges and could see what all four were doing at once and how easy it was to do that way.. I'll never go back to using the single gauge. The bike has never purred better at idle or had more grunt in the low end.

If you can come up with the money, it will be worth the results to get a good one. I figure I wasted that much in gas by not having it run right..

Tod

[Tusler]

I have what you need

Hi,
PM me with your address and as long as you promise to send it back to me when you are done, I will send you a synchronizer. It is a single vacum type that you do one carb at a time with. I use to work on MG's and I used it alot.
I used it on my XS11 and it worked ok.

[XSPastor]

I think all i have to do is mess with the mixture settings but i am not sure.

Sounds like you might need to read a lttle more. The sync screws are not the mixture screws. Many people set the mixture while syncing but they are not the same. The mixture screws control fuel flow and the sync screws adjust relative butterfly position.

[suicide silence]

Re: I have what you need

Originally posted by Tusler
Hi,
PM me with your address and as long as you promise to send it back to me when you are done, I will send you a synchronizer. It is a single vacum type that you do one carb at a time with. I use to work on MG's and I used it alot.
I used it on my XS11 and it worked ok.

wow, i am flattered by your kindness, but i think i am going to save up and buy the emgo set... i was looking at that but wasnt sure if thats what i needed. Once again thank you.


XSPastor- What i meant is, i dont think i have to sync them. I am pretty sure its just not getting enough gas but i want to sync them just to make sure. I have looked over the manual thoroughly and identified what is what. But thank you for your concern

[tarzan]

Hey suicide,
If your carbs have not been synced in a while or if you dont know when they were.Then they most likely need it.A bike can even seem to run ok then you sync the carbs and discover that thing has better response and power.If you adjust your carbs at all you should resync too.JMHO

[Axel]

Morgan

Morgan Carbtune Pro is the shiznit with the Gunson colortune for the mixture . Both can be had at this site:

http://www.ekmpowershop1.com/ekmps/s...rtune-26-p.asp

Its just under $200 but worth it

[Tusler]

Hi,
For $79.99 JC Whitney has this

CARBURETOR SYNCHRONIZER KIT
For cycles with multi-carb engines (except Yamaha FZR models).

Go to their web site and do a search, it is all 4 gauges at one time.

[dbeardslee]

Just a note on gauge types and accuracy.

The mercury type stick gauges are nice, easy to use, and accurate. Unfortunately, if you get a backfire through the carbs while you're synching, and it blows the fuel mix into the line, it can contaminate the mercury rendering the gauge useless. DAMHIK Additionally, you have a very toxic substance hanging around in your garage - not good if there are children or Schleprocks around

The dry-filled dial gauges don't suffer from the backfire problem, and you don't have to worry about spilling mercury in your shop. Dry gauges, however, come with different accuracy ratings. Most of the cheap ones I've seen are ASME B40.1 Grade B - 3-2-3%. I checked the ASME's website to see what 3-2-3% means, and found that they sell the publications with the info, and they're expensive. There are also grade A gauges, which seem to have 1-2% better accuracy. Maybe one of the engineers out there can chime in and clarify the definition.

I sent an e-mail to Mikes XS to find out what grade their gauges are. They do seem to have a nice damping valve, as well as a bracket that should allow 2 2-gauge sets to be combined into 1 4-gauge set - both are nice convenience features. I'll post back when Mikes XS replies.

And just a note in general on having your own synch gauges. For me it's a must-have item. Any time I turn a screw on the carbs, tighten an exhaust leak, or clean an air filter - anything that affects the fuel-air mix - I recheck my synch, and it changes. It's been stated in previous posts that the synch is the LAST thing you should do when tuning, and in my opinion the most important. Out-of-synch carbs can make your engine sound like it's about to fall apart, in addition to killing your fuel mileage and your power.

Synching your carbs is also incredibly easy to do. Just synch 1 and 2 using the adjuster located between 1 and 2. Then synch 3 and 4 with the adjuster between them. Then synch them all together with the adjuster located between 2 and 3. Repeat as needed until all gauges are reading the same.