Possible quick carb cleaning on Vmax ER?

Couple of observations. Old spark plugs work great for plugging them coolant lines also (the end with out threads for you newbies that screw everything up) Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me this site is about Yamaha fans helping Yamaha fans. I would rather chime in on a board full of questions about carbs then a board full of burnt down sleds. Personally if I told somebody "your fine....ride it!" and their next thread was "blown up sled" I would feel some what to blame. The second SRX I bought due to the previous owner thought it "Ran like a raped ape" and was "way to fast" for him. He had JUST payed a friend of a friend to do "pre-season maintance" Carbs were FILTHY, Had not even ben removed. 7 flashes of death, PVs FILTHY and didn't even work. Spent the next week or so getting it up to snuff working on here and there as I had time. Called PO and had him stop by and take his old sled for a rip down the road.....HE WAS DUMBFOUNDED,COULD NOT BELEIVE THE DIFFERANCE. With out "newbies" this forum (BEST ON THE NET IF YOU ASK ME) would be FULL of guys that ALREADY KNEW EVERYTHING!......How much fun would that be?
 
'I have 2002 Vmax 600 triple. Great machine. It seems to runs great, but I would still like to clean the pilots and main jets'

Well hopfully it runs greater now..but for dirt I still doubt a good running machine hasn't washed the carbs spotless with all the filtered TCW-3 mixed detergent fuel passing through at such a rapid pace.

Did the carb rack require removal to inspect the reed cage?
 
dblshock said:
Ahhhh..that's taking it out a little far stagg..My point was a engine that 'runs great' does not need the carbs cleaned..and the risk for most newbies is they screw it up....this board is loaded with examples of that, no? if it ran great for what? so if you just want to be busy clean the garage.

Terrence what did you find in your great running carbs?
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I found one gummed up pilot and some loose residue in all 3 bowls. Not to mention, I wouldn't have found the cracked reed stops if I had not taken the carbs off for cleaning.

I would also like to mention that I have never run this sled. I just bought it not long ago. Therefore, I had no part in its past maintainace. And I also am not sure about how smooth they normally run. It had decent throttle response and would rev smooth and idle good. But maybe it should be a little "crisper"? How would I know? It seemed to run like my last sled ( ZRT), which I had no problems with. Thumbs up to all that recommended I take the carbs apart.
 
'I would also like to mention that I have never run this sled'

'Great machine. It seems to runs great'

I assumed it ran great based on your earlier statement.
 
"it SEEMS to run great" I imagine if some one was dead set on not taking carbs off to inspect reeds they could do it. Being as I have cleaned all of my carbs many times if I was going to inspect reeds I would pull air box, loosen clamps and slide carbs back enough for easier access to reeds. This being on a sled I already KNOW how it should run and already KNOW carbs are clean. On a sled I have never had the carbs apart I would surely unhook 5 (3 fuel/2coolant if heated) more hoses, unplug 2-3 wires (newer sled has TPS and TORS) and 2 cables and open carbs to verify that they are clean and that jetting is correct for what I am doing with it.....after all...some newbie could have ben the last guy working on this 12-15 sled and mixed up mains. I do this for piece of mind.......Knowing everything is right versus thinking everything must be okay. Your entitled to your opinion just as I am to mine. You offered up your advice and I offered up mine...Peace love and happy sleddin!
 
well now that it's in context I understand...Terrence let us know the final outcome please..glad you resolved some hidden issues on your new sled...I have the same model with 3000 mi. very dependable solid unit, runs perfect except a occasional backfire when shutting down..I hit 85 on the lake..plenty quick..I like it with the starter and rev.
 
dblshock said:
well now that it's in context I understand...Terrence let us know the final outcome please..glad you resolved some hidden issues on your new sled...I have the same model with 3000 mi. very dependable solid unit, runs perfect except a occasional backfire when shutting down..I hit 85 on the lake..plenty quick..I like it with the starter and rev.
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So you think the occasional backfire when shutting down is running right??
 
I agree with super1c, backfire on shut down could be caused by running slightly lean. Also I hope your not talking about full throttle on the lake, cause 85mph is way too slow for either of your sleds, unless you have them clutched for only take off/mid range. I clean my carbs every year, its very easy maintenance, and even adjustment is easy, just dont touch any of your cable adjusters and make sure you get a manual or ask someone on here the right settings for your pilot screw 1.5 turns out from bottom on most Yamahas, and check your throttle valve idle height. Clean out everything with carb cleaner/compressed air, its good insurance for 20-40min worth of work. Yamahas do last a long time, but preventative maintenance like this is the difference between guys who melt their sleds down at 4000-6000miles and those who are still going with 10,000+
 
well that 85 WOT lake run was in about 6" of snow and a one-off in that I don't do that but once or twice a year..I mostly trail..having said that I'll monitor this up comming season..maybe the summer stow worsened it or resolved it (ATF) but if not is there a external adjustment I might try to stop the backfire?
 
dblshock said:
but if not is there a external adjustment I might try to stop the backfire?
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Not that I am aware of. With a triple piped sled you can some what monitor each cylinder by each pipe. Similar temps compared to a hotter/cooler pipe to narrow down a possible problem. With a infra-red temp gun you could hit the exhaust manifold up by the jug looking for a hotter/cooler cylinder. Or maybe I like playing with gadgets?
 
brade07 said:
I agree with super1c, backfire on shut down could be caused by running slightly lean. Also I hope your not talking about full throttle on the lake, cause 85mph is way too slow for either of your sleds, unless you have them clutched for only take off/mid range. I clean my carbs every year, its very easy maintenance, and even adjustment is easy, just dont touch any of your cable adjusters and make sure you get a manual or ask someone on here the right settings for your pilot screw 1.5 turns out from bottom on most Yamahas, and check your throttle valve idle height. Clean out everything with carb cleaner/compressed air, its good insurance for 20-40min worth of work. Yamahas do last a long time, but preventative maintenance like this is the difference between guys who melt their sleds down at 4000-6000miles and those who are still going with 10,000+
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good post, you're better with words than me.
 
Just got the sled back together. I put reed spacers on. I shimmed the rear of the motor mounts to avoid having the steering column hit the centre carb bowl. It's now running a touch lean, I'm assuming from maybe the reed spacers? I'm ganna try lifting the needles a bit tonight to see if it helps.

Do you's think that lifting the needles a groove or two should solve it? The plugs aren't completely white or anything too extreme. Getting more of that purplish color with a ridge of white around the electrodes. Do the spacers usually cause a leaner condition?
 
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The reed spacers should not need any changes. Make sure you have no leaks around the spacers and boots. Fire up the engine and spray carb cleaner around the spacers and boots. A change in RPMS with tell you where your leak is. Post some pics of plugs also, they take a few miles to get good color if new.
 
Every season the carbs get pulled. Almost without fail the pilot circuits will be plugged. You might get away with just removing the fuel screw insuring that the screw, spring, washer and o-ring are all present. Shoot some carb cleaner down the pilot hole, and insure that it comes out, both ends of the carb you may be OK, but since you've gone that far might as well drop the bowls and confirm all brass is clear.
 
Ok. I sprayed all around the boots, reed cage, spacers with carb cleaner. Absolutely no change in idle. Drove it around a bit more. Seems like the idle hangs a bit too once coming to a stop. Nothing major, idles around 1.5k, it'll hang close to 2k tho, then drop back down to the 1.5k a few seconds later. That's also making me think air leak. But I can't find it. Here's a pic of one of the plugs. Not all that bad, but dry and the whitish ridge on the electrode is bugging me.
 

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I did adjust the air screws. They were set 2 turns out. So I put them to the recommended 1.5 turns. Do u think this could have something to do with it? Wouldn't more turns out make it leaner? Not more turns in.
 
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