Carbmate Tecmate TS-111

[IanDMacDonald]

I was pushed-away by the price, but always found this product more interesting than my Carbtune (and colourtune). I found it cheap online with the 4 cyl. adapter, for $115 shipped. Could not pass it up.

As many may remember, my bike was originally setup with the advance locked-out at full advance. I've since replaced it with an unmolested '78 advance. However, with the original setup, I get a VERY low reading on my Carbtune gauges. REALLY low! It's hard to sync the carbs with it that low, especially when dialing down the idle. I'm not a Mikuni guru, but I know that may not be right. So, I want to see if this digital manometer will give me an easier time with the sync. Will report back in another month and let you know how this works.

[motoman]

Wow......your location elevation wise, vacuum oughta' be around 19-20in. if not a tad more. Here at 5,000ft. vacuum is 18in. consistently. And yes, I use the Carbtune.

[IanDMacDonald]

Yes. With the original setup, I was well above 20 cmHg. I'll have to check to make sure all hoses are good, and that vacuum pod is functioning properly.

[motoman]

Also, make sure all four restrictors in vacuum hoses ends that plug onto Carb Tune are ALL in the ends that plug onto Carb Tune. Getting the hose ends with restrictors mixed up with hose ends turned around other direction make a big difference of in. vacuums for ones turned around the other and wrong way way.

[IanDMacDonald]

Also, make sure all four restrictors in vacuum hoses ends that plug onto Carb Tune are ALL in the ends that plug onto Carb Tune. Getting the hose ends with restrictors mixed up with hose ends turned around other direction make a big difference of in. vacuums for ones turned around the other and wrong way way.

Absolutely! I think the first year I used it, I had the restricted tubes on the wrong end (the instructions don't make it clear, as they say "no less than (given measurement) from engine/Carbtune".

[IanDMacDonald]

UPDATE: What an amazingly simply manometer! Zero it out, hook it up to your vacuum ports and your battery, and fine-tune it following the lights.

1&2, and 3&4 were close to each other, but bank 1 to bank 2 was wayyyy off! As soon as I heard that idle rise, I knew the manometer was doing it's job.

Bike runs much smoother. A worthy investment. I like it much more than my Carbtune.

[3Phase]

Nice!

How much vacuum is your engine pulling now that it's synchronized? It should be close to 20 inHg if it's all dialed in and happy.

[motoman]

Glad that all worked out for you Ian! If not, my next advise was gonna be 'low voltage either TO or From the coils was low. Have that that issue previously myself, and vacuum draw just kept getting lower and lower across all four cyls. each time I chose to re-sync carbs. Took some voltage checking to find the issue being ohm rating of coils had dropped to 2.4ohms from the rated 3ohm. Replaced them with Honda VFR coils, re-synced carbs and vacuum was even across all four cyls. at 18in. (which IS vacuum level at 5000 ft. elev.)

[IanDMacDonald]

How much vacuum is your engine pulling now that it's synchronized? It should be close to 20 inHg if it's all dialed in and happy.

U know, I'd like to check that. Should I check that with the vacuum pod attached, or not? I presume I can hook my Carbtune to any one of the manifold ports to measure?

[IanDMacDonald]

Glad that all worked out for you Ian! If not, my next advise was gonna be 'low voltage either TO or From the coils was low. Have that that issue previously myself, and vacuum draw just kept getting lower and lower across all four cyls. each time I chose to re-sync carbs. Took some voltage checking to find the issue being ohm rating of coils had dropped to 2.4ohms from the rated 3ohm. Replaced them with Honda VFR coils, re-synced carbs and vacuum was even across all four cyls. at 18in. (which IS vacuum level at 5000 ft. elev.)

Despite having put Dyna DC-I coils on my bike, I'm not above looking into re-measuring the HT leads going to the coils, as-well as primary and secondary resistance checking.

I will look into some more electrical mods on my bike, including increasing the wire gauge size coming from the solenoid to the starter, battery negative to engine ground, and battery positive to solenoid. I'll also look at doing a coil relay mod as-well.

[3Phase]

Check the vacuum on each manifold nipple, they should all be the same now that they're synch'd.


Vacuum advance shouldn't matter unless you've got #2 throttle plate open too far and it's tickling the advance pot.

Put your gauge on the advance nipple on the #2 carb and see if you have advance vacuum signal at idle.
Pretty much anything over zero is wrong but if it's pulsing a little and staying below 2 inHg it's close enough, don't get obsessed, go ride!

[IanDMacDonald]

Check the vacuum on each manifold nipple, they should all be the same now that they're synch'd.


Vacuum advance shouldn't matter unless you've got #2 throttle plate open too far and it's tickling the advance pot.

Put your gauge on the advance nipple on the #2 carb and see if you have advance vacuum signal at idle.
Pretty much anything over zero is wrong but if it's pulsing a little and staying below 2 inHg it's close enough, don't get obsessed, go ride!

Roger that. Thanks Scott.