Carb tune kit?

[johnstewart]

Well, my XS11 has been running rougher and rougher lately... now anything around 5000RPM and higher starts to get rough, so I think it's time to sync the carbs.

I see what looks to be an excellent guide in the Tech Tips on syncing them. However, I need to get the tool.

This came highly recommended. No mercury to suck in or anything:

http://www.carbtune.com/carbdtls.html

Would this be my best bet for a good tool for the job?

thanks!

[sixtysix]

If you want to spend the money it is an excellent tool, I have one and I use it quite often, since I have a fleet of bikes.

Highly Recommended!

[johnstewart]

Well, my "fleet" consists of 2, and 2 parts bikes. I think I'm gonna get it, though. Thanks!

[Nulle]

TIP: DON't get the KL kits as they have cost me an extra $400.00
The parts had the right number but when they were checked at the #19 they were in fact #27 which means you could start it real easy at -20 below but at +60 it ran rotten.

[mitch]

rough

John, mine did that and it was water in the fuel i would of never thought of it but a little gas line antifreeze and voila run like a charm .Just a thought also check ur pick up coil wires. Hope im not way out in left field here regards Mitch

[skids]

Re: Carb tune kit?

I do recommend synchronizing those carbs, BUT if your bike is running rough on the high rpm range, it will not help. Synching the carbs equalizes the vacuum near idle with the throttle plates nearly closed. As you open the throttle, the vacuum imbalances come from high speed aerodynamics which you have no control over. If your high rpms are rough, check into other things like plug caps, crummy main jets or main jet needles, stuck slides, holes in diaphragms, float height adjustment, clogged in-line filters, etc...

Originally posted by johnstewart
Well, my XS11 has been running rougher and rougher lately... now anything around 5000RPM and higher starts to get rough, so I think it's time to sync the carbs.

[johnstewart]

Re: Re: Carb tune kit?

Originally posted by skids
I do recommend synchronizing those carbs, BUT if your bike is running rough on the high rpm range, it will not help.

Crap, I didn't want to hear that. That all sounds like a lot of work. =)

I'm pretty sure my coils are all good. I checked the pickup coil earlier this summer, and the ignition coils, too (replaced one of those).

My rough, it just seems like the bike vibrates more than it should/used to at higher RPMs. It also seems like the point at which it starts happenning is getting to lower and lower RPMs, as well.

Hmmm... I was hoping this was going to be easy to figure out!

[johnstewart]

Originally posted by Nulle
TIP: DON't get the KL kits as they have cost me an extra $400.00
The parts had the right number but when they were checked at the #19 they were in fact #27 which means you could start it real easy at -20 below but at +60 it ran rotten.

I have no freaking idea what you're talking about.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there John,

The previous message was talking about the jets, they don't have the same identifying numbers, and you can end up running much richer than you might want, hence the easy starting at very low temps without the choke, but poor running at normal temps!?

As for the vibrations, have you checked your motor mounts lately? The rubber can wear and you could be experiencing that kind of vibration due to the engine shaking more on its mounts, vs. anything really being wrong with the engine's tuning!?!? Folks have also mentioned exhausts can vibrate, move and be hitting against the frame, sending more vibrations to the frame and your seat/handlebars.

On my ride back from Asheville rally last year where I was doing a lot of torquing and twisting, the engine apparently was flexing a bit and actually worked the nuts on one of my exhaust headers flanges loose, came totally off a few hundred miles from home. Had to find an Autozone and get replacement nut. So things can get vibrated loose from all that power!? Hope you find an answer!

T.C.

[pgg]

The vibration could be a worn universal joint in the shaft .

[beechfront]

Re: Re: Re: Carb tune kit?

Originally posted by johnstewart

My rough, it just seems like the bike vibrates more than it should/used to at higher RPMs. It also seems like the point at which it starts happenning is getting to lower and lower RPMs, as well.

We may be thinking of different things - but the last month i've noticed that when my engine hits certain rpms i can feel a bit of vibration change - going from memory, the first is around 3500, and the second around 5500. It worried me at first, but then I just figured it has probably always been that way. It's tough to even feel it unless you're really paying close attention.

[pgg]

Further to a worn universal causing vibrations, just to get you really worried, a nasty side effect that can happen, is that the threaded spline on the rear drive unit that bolts onto the front of the shaft drive can snap clean in half, leaving the shaft drive attatched by the 4 flange bolts only. Particularly nasty if you happen to be cranked over in a corner as I was when it happened. The snapped spline, large nut and washer jammed between the shaft and the hollow swingarm and locked everything up. My own fault as I had ignored the increasing vibrations for weeks.

[johnstewart]

Hmmm... in regards to the worn universal in the drive shaft, I guess I'm thinking that shouldn't be it, because I notice the vibration at a specific RPM in any gear, not a specific speed.

I would imagine that were it the driveshaft, I would only notice it at a particular speed.

I'm gonna give the pickup coils and the ignition coils a once-over. I'm always most suspicious of the electrical. Perhaps some new plugs, too.

I was on a lunch ride with some bikers here at work and they commented that I was spewing some pretty thick black smoke when accelerating... I never would have noticed (I don't see it in my mirrors). =)

[johnstewart]

From someone on the ride: "The smoke was dark black but not real thick, it seemed like it happened when you really got the RPM's up and took off. "

This could be totally unrelated. Perhaps I'm running too rich - I did change exhausts earlier this summer and not adjust the carbs in any way.