Cleaning Carbs

958 Views 17 Replies 10 Participants Last post by madeincanada123, Oct 1, 2006

Brent will Doo

Discussion Starter · Sep 30, 2006

At the end of the season I run Stabil, remove gas and drain the bowls plus the normal fogging procedures.

How would I know if the carbs need cleaning.

Always thought about doing it but never have.

I have two 500ss sleds, any pictures of what needs to be taken apart for a cleaning.

Are there products you can use without taking the carbs off.

Thanks in Advance

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

snowcross4e

· #2 · Sep 30, 2006

their is no way to tell if you need to clean them untill you take them off and clean them. I do at the start of a season, then half way through before the big trip.

Brent will Doo

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 30, 2006

snowcross4e said:
their is no way to tell if you need to clean them untill you take them off and clean them. I do at the start of a season, then half way through before the big trip.

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Ok, how big of a job is this and what do I look for?

Will anything need setting up again afterwards?

Thanks

flappingflag

· #4 · Sep 30, 2006

its a big job if u don't no what ur doing. u have to pop off all the lines(suggestion labeling everything if your not quite sure where everything is gonna go again with some tape and a pen) also measure how far the throttle cables are screw in so it don't mess up rpm and throttle reponse and what not and take the carbs apart get a lil clean container get carb cleaner put cleaner in the container and put the carbs in leave them over night and the next take take a Q-tip or something to get any grease or junk off them that didn't come on depending how dirty they are put all back together where everything was labeled and measured and there you are. clean carbs!

snowcross4e

· #5 · Sep 30, 2006 (Edited by Moderator)

longspur said:
snowcross4e said:

their is no way to tell if you need to clean them untill you take them off and clean them. I do at the start of a season, then half way through before the big trip.

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Ok, how big of a job is this and what do I look for?

Will anything need setting up again afterwards?

Thanks

[snapback]915628[/snapback]

to do it right id say 15-20 minutes a carb, spray out all lines hoses jets needles pull apart bowl make sure floats are moving freely make sure that are intact and will float, when puting back together use a wide mirror to make the slides are set at the same, rise at the same rate to the same point, check carb boots for tears and while you have it taken apart replaced reed petals every 2000 miles

Brent will Doo

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 30, 2006 (Edited by Moderator)

I am a little hesitant to touch the carbs because both machines are low mileage sleds and have had the gas removed prior to storage.

The last time I had the carbs done ( only 1 time in 20 plus years or riding) the sled blew up the next trip.

Do the carbs only become an issue if stored over the summer with gas in the system.

Can the carbs be checked and cleaned without removing and soaking overnight.

Thanks

snowcross4e

· #7 · Sep 30, 2006

longspur said:
I am a little hesitant to touch the carbs because both machines are low mileage sleds and have had the gas removed prior to storage.

The last time I had the carbs done ( only 1 time in 20 plus years or riding) the sled blew up the next trip.

Do the carbs only become an issue if stored over the summer with gas in the system.

Can the carbs be checked and cleaned without removing and soaking overnight.

Thanks

[snapback]915654[/snapback]

you dont have to soak over night, like i said 20 min max per carb... just remember all crapy trail conditions you run through, the fogy nights.... all the moisture it sucks it, and the gas that coats the carb while going through is thin and will varnish easily, i know guys that say bah i grew up with sleds and never cleaned them, but i ride hard with high mileage, on moded sleds and never had a burn down and always run great with good compression. These new motors have such low tolerance with the beating they take they need what ever they can get to keep running well.

Transformer

· #8 · Sep 30, 2006

OK,

Who knows what they are doing and knows how to take pics?

I would do it, but I don't know exactly what to do, if I would clean everything enough?
I have about 3,400 miles on my 04 and I have to take my carbs off anyway since my carb boots are falling apart.

Do I need to change my reed pedals as well? They don't last any more than 2k miles?

CATEATER_REV

· #9 · Sep 30, 2006

Yeah I was going to ask if anyone has put together a step by step to help us dumbies...hey TTabs have you clean your carbs yet?

Ryan

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Brent will Doo

Discussion Starter · #10 · Sep 30, 2006 (Edited by Moderator)

I hope someone can give us some direction as to what to look for.

Detail photos of carb would be very helpful as well as the step by step.

I dont think the reed petals wear out that soon. I understand that when they go you can not keep a machine idling.

mxzdoo2

· #11 · Sep 30, 2006

chiefogemaw said:
OK,

Who knows what they are doing and knows how to take pics?

I would do it, but I don't know exactly what to do, if I would clean everything enough?
I have about 3,400 miles on my 04 and I have to take my carbs off anyway since my carb boots are falling apart.

Do I need to change my reed pedals as well? They don't last any more than 2k miles?

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Basically if you ran stabilizer through your engine before you shut it down you shouldn't have too much cleaning to do. I usually just take the plug out ot the bowls and spray the carb out and let it all drain through the plug. You shouldn't need to change your petals but replacing them wouldn't kill you (as you already have it apart) and they are not that expensive (Boyesen). Just make sure that you put each hose and throttle cable back where they go. Pretty simple.

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snowmutt

· #12 · Sep 30, 2006

Last fall I had to clean the carps before there was a mile on them . We bought 2 05 ss's in june . I stabiled them and from time to time fired them up (couldnt help it

). Come fall I couldnt keep them idleing so I pulled the carbs to clean them.
Since they were new I figured it was the jets that were gunked up . this is what I did . I pulled the gas and coolant line and swung the whole rack out over the secondary and pulled the bowls to clean them. Washed everything down with carb clean,pulled the jets out and cleaned them too.
**Be sure you cover your clutch good so theres nothing getting on it. I used a piece of plastic and rags to catch all the solvent and kept the clutch dry.

I did'nt have to mess with the throttle cable assy this way. The hardest part is getting to that dang coolant line , other than that it was pretty easy . I did both sleds with in a 2 hrs .

I stabil them every spring and fire them up once a mo. Right now they fire up on the 2nd pull and idle but im still going to clean them for piece of mind even with only 800miles on them. Like the others said you never know what gets sucked in there.

mutt

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05GSXRIDER

· #13 · Sep 30, 2006

I doo them every year if you don't then the easiest way to see if they need cleaning is ot pull the plug in the bottom of the carb look at it if there is any residue yup you guessed it its time. Better way is once you have that plug off take your jet wrench and pull the main out and check alot of times the plug won't have too much on it but the main jet will have a film on it. K so you think is barely anything and put it back in well that barely anything makes the orifice smaller kinda like putting in smaller jets and the more buildup the smaller the hole and pretty soon you are cranking down a trail WOT and not getting the performance you used to and these are alot like shocks the prerformance fades slowly unless a chunk of something gets in there, and you don't notice the loss until you have a bog or too lean condition and it is too late. so as a preventative measure clean them up. When I do them I take one apart at a time that way if you forget where a part goes you can look at the other. You want to use newspaper under them and cleanliness is key once you get them on the bench/table if they have any dust dirt grease get a nylon bristle brush and some carb cleaner go outside with some newspaper and spray brush them till they are clean then go back in and wash your hands really good. This is a component that a grain of sand is going to mess up so make sure your work area and hands and outsides of carbs ar clean. then you can start to take one apart the same goes for the inside clean clean clean you don't wan tanything in there when you are done. Remove all jets check floats for proper operation and do not exert any unnessecary force on the floats I would also check that they sit properly there is a spec they need to be set at. once you think everything is clean if you don't have acces to an air compressor and air gun to blow everything out go get a can of the compressed air for cleaning computer keyboards and the such adn blow out everything and dry completely. then reassemble do the other one and get them back on the sled. Hope that is not too confusing I don't have a way to get pics up or I would do that for you guys as well. If I forgot anything please chime in guys I am only human after all, Ken

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snowcross4e

· #14 · Sep 30, 2006

gsx rider pretty much sumed it up, when i do my old mans sled in a few weeks if its still needed i can take pictures, but do one at a time and make sure you them every year, 9 out of 10 years they dont really need to be done but that one year you dont will be the year the float stick or jet gets clogged and then your loosing performance or all of a sudden throw a piston because youve been running lean all year. the reeds i guess never have to be done, but they get weak dont operate right and could start to break apart and then you have debris in your motor. to just do the reeds its only like a 100 bucks, so its worth it to keep peak power and never have to worry about ruining your sled.

Brent will Doo

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 1, 2006

All this input is very good.

It would be nice for some of the guys if someone could post pictures. This would make an awesome reference for first timers.

I think I like the idea of not removing the cables. If I have too I will get someone to give me a hand for the first cleaning.

Sounds like once you do it once and understand what your looking for it is straight forward from there.

Thanks.

CATEATER_REV

· #16 · Oct 1, 2006

longspur said:
It would be nice for some of the guys if someone could post pictures. This would make an awesome reference for first timers.

[snapback]916464[/snapback]

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snodood

· #17 · Oct 1, 2006

I pull carbs off, remove bowls ,holding carbs upright spray lots of carb cleaner round floats, jet areas,blow out with light amount of clean compressed air ,reinstall cleaned bowls and fire it up.have tore complete carbs apart in past,but found not needed as top end always clean.
My buddy has a carb product commin soon.Thats All i can say at this point but, its cool!!

madeincanada123

· #18 · Oct 1, 2006

CATEATER_REV said:
longspur said:

It would be nice for some of the guys if someone could post pictures. This would make an awesome reference for first timers.

[snapback]916464[/snapback]

Click to expand...

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