Just aquired a 1980 1100 midnight special

[DGXSER]

Not to be an over detailed AH, but heck that is me. There is about no possible way that the frame got bent and other items did not get changed out, at least the forks or the swing arm or something.

Yaeh I know, nitpicky AH.

[bdeakes]

Pilot jet head is stripped #4 carb

Ok, the motor was not locked up. I had put penetrating oil down the plug holes, and drained the oil and repaced with new. let it sit 3 days. Hooked up jumper cables and it turned over. Just to see what would happen I re-installed the plugs, sprayed a little starting fluid at the carbs and hit the button. It Fired! Bad news is that I tried to run it and the carbs are totally gummed up. I pulled them down to soak (the diaphragms look great!). Thats when I noticed that the #4 carb pilot jet head was totally stripped out. The jet looks buggered good in the inlet hole, and I know that its clogged with varnish. Should I try heat and an easy out? Should I just soak it and use compressed air? Should I look for another carb to use the body?

[DGXSER]

I have been in your spot before, a couple times actually. DO you mean the pilot jet down in the hole that is inside the float bowl area? or the mixture screw in the tower that sits on top of the carb at the outlet side.

Not that is changes the advice much. I would begin with shooting PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench or some form of penetrating oil down there and let it soak, then repeat a few times. Now, use a small extractor or even a left handed drill bit, and try to remove it. Remember, those extractors are VERY brittle and will snap off in the jet, that will REALLY suck, Believe me, Been there, done that, printed up the T-shirt. If they do not come out fairly easy, then I would hit it with heat, then more penetrating oil and repeat a few times. Heat till the oil smokes off (but do not add heat until the solvents dissolve so you don't need a fire extinguisher). Typically this will get them out.

[newc4]

As DGXSER said, I favor the propane torch and penetrating oil. Spray some penetrating oil down the pilot jet and let it do its work. Heat the body of the carb around the pilot jet. The combination of the two should loosen it sufficiently that it'll come out as you drill it. If not, heat some more then use the extractor.

[Toolmaker Tim]

Stuck Jet

If the Pb Blaster doesn't work, get some CRC Knock'r Loose. Something to remember, the jets are made of brass which is soft, an EasyOut may well expand the jet and make it tighter. I have found when removing stuck brass waterlines in plastic injection molds, a socket head cap screw that will fit down into the fitting and ground to a tapered square will get brass to turn out when an easyout won't. Grind the square shape onto the end of the screw and put it in the hole of the jet. Give it a few firm taps to form a square shape in the exsisting hole. Use an Allen wrench and push down while turning the wrench. I haven't had a brass fitting refuse to come out that way. Make sure the edges of the square taper are sharp so they get a good bite. If the tip should break off, it isn't hard like an easyout and you should still be able to drill it out. A #10-32 screw should work.

[CatatonicBug]

I pulled them down to soak

Did you soak the whole carb rack?? I hope not. The butterfly shaft seals don't like to soak in carb cleaner. If you did, you'll likely need to replace them.

[bdeakes]

Ok, I've got penetrating oil soaking it again

So far the heat and extractor havent budged it, but I haven't forced the issue yet either, Dont feel like breaking the extractor.. Ive only soaked the rack to the bottom of the air inlets, not up to where the butterfly pivots. I am hoping its not too bad in the upper parts of the carbs. It looks as if it was concentrated to the bowl/ needlevalve area. When I pulled the drain bolts on the bowls it looked like Karo syrup coming out. Every float and valve was completely glued in. Should I spend the 20 bucks a piece at Old Bike Barn for rebuild kits, or just soak and clean what I've got and replace the one pilot jet? Unfortunately I am on a budget and dont need to make the woman too mad at me

[DGXSER]

I'd get everyhting removed and see what you have afterwards. That will tell you how many jets and such need replacing. At a minimum I would replace the float needle valve and its seat, that and the mixture screw rubber o-rings.

Let that penetrating oil soak over night or maybe two nights and then try the heat and oil again.

[Crazcnuk]

You can get most of the parts, singly, from MikesXS if you need them.

Some things can be mixed some can't. We can help there once you discover what you need.

http://www.mikesxs.net/products-4.html?category_id=x

Watch for parts from 1980-84 BS34 CV carbs.

[bdeakes]

Arrrg!

Well, nothing worked. I finally said F it and drilled out the old pilot jet. VERY carefully using my drill press. Now I need to know what size and type tap I need to clear out the threads? I can get one of the other pilot jets to turn in a couple of turns easily but theres still some brass in the threads. I had one shop try to extract the jet and they gave up and said to replace the carb. Another just looked at it and said to replace it. I brought it home saying "I will only get another carb if I absoloutly cannot get this out!" and now Im saying "I will only get another carb if this didnt work" So if I need another #4 carb, how much am I looking at? Do I need the whole works or can I just get a carb body? Im really hoping this did the trick I just need the right tap to clear out the threads, then hope for the best. I love turning wrenches, but i honestly hate working on carbs. So Thanks to you all for the patience and advice.

[crazy steve]

Can't help you with the tap size (and hopefully it's a standard tap, not some oddball), but if you need to replace the body, be sure to get the right one. The 'early' and 'late' XS carbs aren't the same, and the XJ is different from both. The basic carb castings are the same in each type, but are machined to fit as #1, #2, etc, so you can't swap them around. If you really have to, you could swap #1/3, and #2/4 as these have the fuel inlets on the same sides, but even this will require a bit of monkey-motion to make work.

You can swap complete 'carb racks' between the XS models, but not the XJ unless you mod the choke set-up. HTH...

'78E original owner

[bdeakes]

Where can I buy a #4 carb for a '80 xs1100?

Ive been looking online and havent come up with anywhere that has a bs34-II Mikuni for sale, much less the #4 carb. Anyone have one or know who does? Also when ordering rebuild kits Is there a specific kit for each carb (because of jet size etc) or are they universal?

[crazy steve]

The kits are all the same parts, as internally the carbs are identical. The various brackets and linkages on the outside aren't....

You do have to get the 'right' kits (for your 'type' of carb), so make sure you know what you have. The early '78-79 carbs have exposed idle screws, the later models have these inside a 'tower'.

'78E original owner