should I drill out the Idle mix hole...

[scalded dog]

Hello, #1 & #2 Idle mix jets were broken off, using the sewing needle fix, I was able to get #2 out, but #1 won't budge, thought about drilling it out, but don't want to screw it up beyond repair, also on my 79 standard, I had a broken mixture screw, but run it that way for the last few years, had an irradic idle but ran great otherwise. Any input would be appreciated. Later 'Dog

[Haarstad]

I'm not the person to tell you what to do but this happened with my 79 xs1100 special last winter in two carbs and my brother drilled them out and put oversized needles in and I had nothing but problems since then.

It would idle at 1100 sometimes, and sometimes It'd be at 3000 rpm which was annoying and sometimes it'd be at 500rpm and I'd have to feather the throttle to keep it running. It sucked at stop lights. We also had to use smaller jets In those carbs but it ran fine when driving by the end of the season when we finally got it tuned properly.

The idle problem wouldn't go away so I just got new carbs and just put them in tonight. Now it idles fine. The problem that i had with the old carbs might not happen to you, I just thought I'd let you know my experience with oversized needles.

If drilling it out is the only choice then you might as well try it but I'd wait for an experienced opinion first. Maybe I was just unlucky...

[natemoen]

If it pokes out into the inside of the carb use a small bolt with an acorn nut on it as an internal press to push the needle up.

[scalded dog]

Thanks, Nate & Haarsd, the point was out a little, but I pressed a flathead screwdriver on it trying to push it out, which may have made it bind, I wished I had thought about using a nut & bolt....Later 'Dog

[natemoen]

Then I would say to use a 90 degree dental pick with a thin point and pick at it.

[BA80]

You can get a hand held pin vise drill for cleaning acetylene torch tips from a welding supplier. The bits that come with it are very small. Use a bit the same size as the oraface originally was and drill it out by hand.

[Vinnie48]

Hello, #1 & #2 Idle mix jets were broken off, using the sewing needle fix, I was able to get #2 out, but #1 won't budge, thought about drilling it out, but don't want to screw it up beyond repair, also on my 79 standard, I had a broken mixture screw, but run it that way for the last few years, had an irradic idle but ran great otherwise. Any input would be appreciated. Later 'Dog

it happened also to my #1 carb ...
here's the drill bits you need:

1. a small regular bit , approx 2mm in dia - or any bit that's approx 1/2 smaller than the diameter of the idle mix needle.

2. a small bolt extractor bit ( I bought mine at O'Reilly's but should be avail at other auto parts like Autozone)
Drill it ( clockwise) to make a small hole for the extractor bit
then you slowly drill again using the bolt extractor bit (this time counter-clockwise)...

Good Luck!

[ddragon63]

You can get a hand held pin vise drill for cleaning acetylene torch tips from a welding supplier. The bits that come with it are very small. Use a bit the same size as the oraface originally was and drill it out by hand.

+1 we sell more tip drills to people for reason other than tip cleaning... or go to a hobby shop and get a pin drill set, we use to drill out air bleeds in racing carbs with pin drills before they started making screw in air bleeds... which I'd still drill anyways using a small precision screw driver for like glasses might work too.

[DGXSER]

If you have not tried it yet, somewhere on here is a thread on how to make a "press" that will fit in the throat of the carb to press the broken tip out of the hole.

[scalded dog]

Thanks Guys, great ideas, will keep working on it, but may run it awhile with one of the idle mixer clogged up, and see how it runs, this beautiful weather in Ga. has me ready to hit the road...LOL. Later 'Dog