BS34 Mixture Screws - Any Options?

[Prothec]

I know I can get new mixture screws for the BS34 carbs from Mikesxs, but are there alternatives for these carbs to make adjusting them with the tank mounted easier? There's a company called Zip Ty Racing that makes long thumb-screws for dirt racing bikes. Anyone have any suggestions to accomplish something like that?

http://www.ziptyracing.com/products/product_detail.aspx?id=MTUxNA==

I have a set of 78 carbs that has kind of a plastic thumb screw that looks like they slip over the screw head. Those carbs don't have the tunnel that held the plug, though. They're from a bike I just bought and haven't gotten around to cleaning them up yet.

I'm new to carbs, but I'm getting ready to pull my XJ carbs to clean them for the fourth time. I realized after I got the carbs back on the bike and the mixture adjustment wasn't making ANY change that I forgot to remove them for cleaning. I'm getting the hang of removal/installation of the carbs at least (stock airbox)!

[TADracer]

If you cannot get your hand or a short driver in there with your tank raised up (or with an auxiliary tank) then a 90 degree driver made for the purpose might be your best option. Motion Pro makes one, its their part # 08-0119 and is about $25.00. I use it as my ZRX carbs have the mixture screws facing down toward the motor and my hands are too big to get in there without getting fin marks burned into htem.

[bikerphil]

+1 on the 90º screwdriver. It works flawlessly on the 78-79 carbs with the exposed screw, but will work on the 80's carbs if the screws are in good shape and not rounded out. It can also be used for carb sync without removing the tank. They are about $25 from Summit Racing or JCW...

[Prothec]

I should probably invest in one of those screwdrivers.

I can easily adjust the mixture screws on 1 & 4, but very very tight to get to 2 & 3.

All of this reading about carb adjustment, cleaning, removal and installation, I keep reading how hard it is to deal with the stock airbox. The airbox is no problem for me, but every time I think about removing the carbs again, I think about what hell I'm going to need to go through to get my fuel lines back on again! I still have the octy and inline filters. Maybe I need to re-think keeping the octy! I have an off on the petcocks. With a couple of Y-connectors, I can probably just join the two outlets together and make my life just a little easier.

[DGXSER]

If you eliminate the Octy, you do not even need the front Prime outlet anymore. It becomes a redundant part provided by the redundant department of redundancy. The On position is the same as Prime once the octy is removed. I simply put a short piece of fuel line on the nipple with a screw in the end of it.

I alos took Phil's (BikerPhil) advice and cut the snorkel to about an inch or two long and cut off the top mounting bracket for the air box. Makes carb removal even easier as it now drops out of the way once you pull it back off the carbs.

I must suck at searching for things, I looked at both Summit and JCW and could not find that bloody 90 deg screwdriver!

[TopCatGr58]

I couldn't find it on JCW either! But I did find it on their own website, they are made by Bikemaster:

http://www.bikemaster.com/bmstrv2.nsf/Products/7BDE03493C02B6F7862576FE006C45D8?opendocument

Also a little more expensive that previously quoted, found same price on ebay!

T.C.
PS, I also found a cheaper alternative, either a flexible screwdriver or flexible extension for a screwdriver. However, the flexible one would require you to be able to get your finger in there to guide the tip down/into/onto the screw tip...would probably work better for the 80-81 cargs with the tunnels where the screwdriver tip could be held in place,but on the early carbs, it probably wouldn't stay ON the pilot screw!? YMMV

[bikerphil]

Summit......

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PTM-PP2751/

JCW...

http://www.jcwhitney.com/fuel-and-air-mixture-pilot-screw-adjusting-tool-for-motorcycles/p2004175.jcwx?filterid=c132o60j3

[mack]

only one problem

Adjusting the mix screws with the angle driver is very easy. The real problem is resyncing after the adjustment without having to remove the tank. I haven't found a way yet. Of course my eye sight isn't as good as you young guy's and my great huge hands and fingers prevent me from getting into tight spaces.

[DGXSER]

Thanks for the link Phil!! Ordered one from Summitt. Funny thing is, I drive right past there twice a year when visiting the in-laws.

[bikerphil]

Thanks for the link Phil!! Ordered one from Summitt. Funny thing is, I drive right past there twice a year when visiting the in-laws.

NP, $20 well spent, you'll see.

[Prothec]

For the BS34 carbs on the XJ11, it looks like they might work for syncing, but unless you cut the towers off the mixture screws, it looks like you'd be SOL with that magic reaching wand.

Maybe I can make something to with with my setup...

[DGXSER]

I do not think the tower is any different on an XJ than on the 80-81 XS11 carbs. Should work fine on an XJ if it works on the XS. I will let you know in a week or so when mine is in and I have time to mess with it.

[tweeleft]

I used three ten inch pieces of coat hangers.
Bend an inch on each end. Flattened with a
hammer at different angles. And squared up
with a bench grinder. No shipping cost LOL

[latexeses]

Go for all the marbles!!

http://www.carbtune.co.uk/c.com/bevel.html

[Prothec]

Now THAT is sweet!

Here's a similar setup from Motion Pro
http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-DRI.../dp/B000WJFJDC
$55.42 + $8.43 shipping

Here's another alternative - might not work in such cramped spaces

http://drivewerks.com/catalog/ShopCart/TOOL/POR_TOOL_CAT110_pg1.htm

I'm thinking the cable-driven screwdrivers are better for our bikes. There's limited room for the 90 degree bevel gears on these, I'm thinking...