Help, Gas coming out of Airbox?

[bikerphil]

Once you get them right there is no need to remove them unless the bike sits and the fuel gums up or it is time for new float needles. How many times they need to be removed to actually get them right is another story, the more you are familiar with the carbs, the less the number.

[Yard Dogg]

I strongly recommend a fuel level check. Pulling them off just to set floats can go on all day. Wait a second, that's a 79', any suggestions for that?

[jetmechmarty]

How frequently do the carbs need to be removed and worked on?

Get them right. Ride the bike. Keep them clean. The answer should be NEVER.

[unicorncomputer]

What do you mean by a fuel level check?

I strongly recommend a fuel level check. Pulling them off just to set floats can go on all day. Wait a second, that's a 79', any suggestions for that?

[DGXSER]

When they got to the 1981 series of carbs, they changed the drain design in the fuel bowl. It has a drain outlet with a side entrance drain screw. Basically, alot like the drain on a radiator or such, so you can attach a tube to the bottom of the bowl and open the drain screw to let fuel flow into the tube. You put the tube in a U-shape and hold it against the bowl to see the levle of the fuel in the bowl. You check the height of the fuel from the top lip of the bowl. It is a more accurate check of the actual fuel level in the bowl.

For the 1978-1980 models you would need to modify a drain bolt to allow you to do this. Personally, I have the 81 bowls on my carbs, and it is still more work than its worth to me. I set my floats to the height specified, and my carbs work fine. If you check them using this method, you still end up opening the bowls ten times to get the float adjusted JUST perfectly. Then you mount them on the bike and it is a hair out of level and your fuel levels are all different again. IMO, it is alot of work to get the fuel level just perfect for a condition the bike will never be in for long if at all.

[Yard Dogg]

I just like to make sure they're even. So they all get the same fuel. If your carbs are level when you do a fuel level check, they should still draw the same amount of fuel up to a certain degree even when leaning because the main jet is in the middle of the carbs. I also do it cause I hate trying to adjust floats on the bike.

[unicorncomputer]

Vacuum line cover missing?

I got my carbs off last night without any issues. Went smoother than I expected.

When I started to replace the carb holders, I noticed on Carb #2 that the vacuum line cover has a hose instead of a cover. Is this correct or are all 4 suppose to have covers?

I hope to open the carbs up tonight or tomorrow to see what they look like.

Thank you,

Steve

[DGXSER]

Since you have a Special model, the #2 carb boot originally had the vacuum line that went to the vacuum operated fuel valve, commonly known as the OCTY.

Some folks that remove the OCTY, myself included, have been known to cut the vacuum hose off short and put a screw in the end to seal it off. It is a temporary solution that has been wokring for over 2 years for me so far.

[natemoen]

To expand on Don's post. If that hose runs down to the left side engine cover then it is wrong. The hose that comes from the left side engine cover is for the vacuum advance and needs to be hooked to the to the small nipple on the #2 carb body and NOT to the intake boot.

[jjz28]

That is what i was thinking Nate, mine goes to the advace, if its not hooked it wont run right at all.

[unicorncomputer]

The hose wasn't connected to anything, just kindof hanging down from the carb holder boot.

What does the OCTY look like to know if it just came off?

Thank you, Steve

That is what i was thinking Nate, mine goes to the advace, if its not hooked it wont run right at all.

[natemoen]

The hose wasn't connected to anything, just kindof hanging down from the carb holder boot.

What does the OCTY look like to know if it just came off?

Thank you, Steve

Looks like this, it is mounted to the top of the #2 carb.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/80-xs1100-xs...#ht_830wt_1137

[unicorncomputer]

pilot screws broke off in carb

Had my brother in law help with the cleaning/rebuild tonight to find that 3 out of the 4 pilot screws have the tips broke off in the carbs.

Anybody have any ideas on getting these out?

Frustrated,

Steve

[Yard Dogg]

That's a tough one, whatever you do, finesse is required. If you damage those tiny openings it may not sync right. You could get a large sewing needle, heat it and bend it 90 degrees, then try to push them out from inside the throttle opening. Soak em in penetrating oil first. That's my suggestion.

[DGXSER]

There have been many ways documented on here to cure that. I wish I could say any one of them have been proven 100% successful, but none have really. The best ones that come to mind are;

Putting the carb body in the freezer for a while, the aluminum contracts more than the brass and can loosen the broken tip to be pushed up out of the hole.

Someone on here worked with a skilled welder and created a "press" of sorts. It had an acorn nut bottom, with a small section of threaded rod/bolt in it, and on top of the threaded piece was a very small tip made form a small drill bit, just smaller than the hole the tip is broken off in. Obviously there was some nut form or a flattened area on the threaded piece to turn it.