More questions

[teck_mountain]

setting the idle

Hi topcatgr58, thanks for the support.

yes, I did the bread tie method for syncing. Will try your advice tomorrow.

A question to ponder. My number three gas line does not hold equal fuel as the other three gas lines. I spend consideralbe time balancing the floats. My question. from the vacuum on the timeing plate side of the bike runs a small hose into the #2 carb, (I belive) then I have a small hose from the #2 boot that goes to the octopus. Do I have this right? Any idea as to why my number three gas line does not hold the same amount of fuel as the rest?

Last question. I have a small tube that runs from a round devince under the air box that goes up under my seat. It attaches to nothing. Is this right?

Thanks

Teck

[John]

Teck, the small hose you described under the seat belongs there. It should be attached to a holder that attaches to the front mounting bolt of the airbox. The vacuum line to the octopus, when I still had one, connected to the nipple on the intake boot for #1 carb. Sounds like the float on #3 is still too low, you may want to adjust it some more.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Teck,

John's right about the little hose attached to nothing. MY Vacuum lines were the same, carb to advance, boot to Octy before I ripped mine out.

I'm a little confused about what you mean by your #3 fuel line NOT holding as much fuel as the others. According to the Octy diagram, lines #1 and 2 come from the rear petcock nipples which flow in ON and Reserve. Lines #3 and 4 connect to the front petcock nipples, and also to the carbs, they will flow THRU the OCTY from #1 and 2 when the engine is running and vacuum is applied to the OCTY valve. Or, with Petcocks in PRIME, the fuel will flow directly from the front petcock nipples to the carbs thru the "T" connectors bypassing the OCTY.

The # 3 line feeds the left bank/pair of carbs, 1 and 2. SO...if you are saying that you are not seeing much fuel flow thru the #3 line, then your OCTY valve may be suspect. But again, not sure what you mean??
T.C.

[teck_mountain]

Gas line

Hi

I'm going to take a better look at the gas lines. I wondering if I've put them on wrong. will follow your advice.

Purchased a mercury sync tool that should be here by Wednesday. I'm hoping that will take care of the poor idle.

Stay tuned and thanks again

Teck

[ratbyk]

Gas Line

You may not agree or want to but if it was me the octopus would be gone and simple lines plumbed in. Lots of room for in line filters and more room around the carbs for your hands to work. I don't own a special but from all I've heard over the years it is a PITA. I know on the Ratbyk (a standard) one of the first jobs that I did on it was to throw away all of the original plumbing and install my own ideas. Used 1/4" copper line at all the 90 degree bends and straight pieces of 1/4" line. No possibility of kinks or other aggravating problems.
Quite sure that there is "a How To',on oct-upi removal in the tech section.
Ken/Sooke

[teck_mountain]

Gas lines

good advice. These gase line had be driving me nuts.

[John]

ratbyk

I think the copper fittings are a good idea to avoid kinks, but doesn't that create more opportunities for leaks? I am going to replumb my fuel lines again real soon, and I'll be feeding #1&2 carbs from the right side and 3&4 from the left. Makes for a smoother run of fuel line. Will also keep the 'crossover line' between the two petcocks to keep things balanced out.

[ratbyk]

Fuel Lines

John, I didn't use copper/brass fittings. I used 2 pieces of 1/4" copper line about 3" each. I put a 90 degree bend in each. Ran a line from right hand petcock across the top of the carbs then into the copper line, down between carbs 1 & 2 to another piece of fuel line into carb 1 & 2. The same off the left petcock over and down into carbs 3 & 4.
I used good quality automotive neoprene line with those neat little stainless hose clamps. Not really worried about leaks. The system is well clamped.
I put small in-line fuel filters in the lines running across the top above the carbs and below the tank. Before installing the tank I took an oil can full of gasoline and "primed" the entire system so that the filters were full of fuel with no air bubbles.
Has been working well for me. No restrictions or leaks. The present set up has been on over a year. About 12,000 kms.
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"

[teck_mountain]

Good new (At last)

Well the mercury sync tool appeared to do the trick. I'm up and running. Still a little slow and sluggish off the start, but over all pretty good.

Going to put about 500 km on it and tune it up again. See if it settles with a bit o run time.

Any other suggestions?

[ratbyk]

At Last

Let the sucker rev and grin a lot!
Ken/Sooke

[pgg]

Slow and sluggish off the start is no good! Tweak a richer mix for instant response.

[teck_mountain]

Tweek a richer mixture

Turn up What???? needle valve?

[ratbyk]

Soft Off Idle

I would recheck the ignition timing. If it is a little late you can have the described problem. Also make sure both vacuum and centrifugal advances are free and doing there job. With the use of the timing light you can check the advances at various RPM's. Can't put a load on it but the light will show when advances start to take place and by how much.
Also could go a 1/4 turn richer (out) on the idle mixture screws. (on top front of the carbs just before the carb enters the intake manifold) Keep messaging on it, it will come around and you will learn more and more about your XS and what likes. (and doesn't like).
Ken/Sooke

[teck_mountain]

Engine idle

Thanks Ken

Will head out tonight or tomorrow and try. Just wondering if the procedures to sync the carbs are still the same in the Cylmer book.

I warmed the engine set the idle shut down and then attached the sync tool. started number one was way out of wack to number two. Set number one with by turning the out side screw. This would be on the left side. Did same for 4 to three. Attempted to reach the centre screw to bring carb one and two level with three and four. It looked close but I'm going to measure again.

Also, the carb sync tool drops and rise a lot. Is this normal?

Teck

[Ken Talbot]

The levels will fluctuate quite a bit unless you put some restrictors in the hoses. The restrictors are simply small bits of plastic with a small hole drilled through. The hole is big enough to allow the vaucuum to pull the mercury columns, but it is small enough to dampen out the pulses.