Cleaning carbs

tnc110

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Are there any gaskets that I need to have on hand to do this or just an oring that can be reused? The ole girl doesnt want to idle so i guess its time to clean.
 

More than likely you will be able re-use the rubber gasket that seats into the rim of the bowl. Last time mine were really gunked up and I cleaned them lightly. Other than that, no other gaskets or o-rings other than under the fuel screw (don't lose that one!!). Read the Tech Faq on cleaning carbs, MrViper and Crewchief's write-ups make it almost too easy!
 
I have ben using a pair of needle nose pliers for the past few years to remove the float pivot pin to get out the needle/seat. Couldnt find that special pair that seemed to wotk the best this last time around. Went to Lowes looking for a similar pair or check out the "center punch" or "automatic punch" that I have read on here others use. Pliers were $15, Punch was $12........Figured what the hell....I will buy both and give the punch a whirl...... HOLLY SWEET BABY JESUS DOES THAT WORK LIKE A CHARM! Grabbed the punch. Holding it with a good firm grip and gave er a good push........PIN FLEW RIGHT OUT THE OTHER SIDE......Beginers luck I thought, Same with 2nd and 3rd pin! Will no longer be using pliers!
 
Check the o-ring on "Seat" of the Needle & Seat, sometimes these harden up and may even shrink slightly, and then the Seat doesn't fit/seal firmly in the carb body.

I haven't found it to be common that these o-rings need replacement, but I just cleaned a set of Viper carbs and these are the first ones that the seats just slipped into the carb with no drag, they fit so loosely that if I held the carbs straight up the Seats would have fallen out. It also looked like the o-rings may have been "peeled" or "wiped" a little from when they were originally installed, as there was a small amount of black material stuck to the seat body directly adjacent/below the oring. The black material wasn't all the way around the seat, but approx 1/3 of the way around, and it was similar in consistency to the hardened o-ring.

I imagine that o-ring is metric, I haven't found one the same size yet but will keep looking. I used a slightly smaller diameter, but thicker, standard version that seemed to fit well, at least for now...
 
Thanks for all the replies...great forum!
 
Just cleaned them last night...it was much easier than I initially thought. I have individual pod filters so that helped. Glad I did it, all 3 pilot jets had restrictions/blockage. Should idle just fine now.

One hint I might suggest would be to have a hand full of the bowl screws on hand. Some of mine had badly stripped heads and it would have been nice to replace them...next time i will. I took a hammer and rapped each screw with the screw driver and hammer before attempting to loosen...all of them came out without too much fuss. I was prepared to cut slots in the heads with a dremmel cut off wheel...some of them where pretty bad!

Great forum guys, thanks for all the insight!
 
tnc110 said:
Just cleaned them last night...it was much easier than I initially thought. I have individual pod filters so that helped. Glad I did it, all 3 pilot jets had restrictions/blockage. Should idle just fine now.

One hint I might suggest would be to have a hand full of the bowl screws on hand. Some of mine had badly stripped heads and it would have been nice to replace them...next time i will. I took a hammer and rapped each screw with the screw driver and hammer before attempting to loosen...all of them came out without too much fuss. I was prepared to cut slots in the heads with a dremmel cut off wheel...some of them where pretty bad!

Great forum guys, thanks for all the insight!

Pretty common for them to be upgraded/replaced to an allen/hex head. Another tip/trick a few of use to is swipe a muffin pan out of the cupboard. Nice little divider to chuck parts from each carb into as your tear apart.
 


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