is it possible to clean pilots like this?

[edromero]

i'm still learning here, so will you please let me know if my thinking makes sense?

1) I found what appeared to be a pretty obvious vacuum problem... the boots from the air box were not seated fully around the carbs. fixed that.

2) bike starts ok, but even with full choke, the rpms are low and it eventually dies. Trying to give throttle makes it die right away. probably dirty carbs.

3) I was hoping to be able to run some seafoam through it to try to clean out as much varnish as i could to at least make it ridable, but no such luck


4) the PO put stabilizer in the tank, but im willing to bet he didnt drain the fuel bowls

5) if that's the case, all the gas that was in the carbs would have varnished over the 8 months it sat (?)

6) if the jets are varnished to the point where i can't run the sea foam through it, is it possible to open up the carbs and spray cleaner on the jets while leaving the carbs still on the bike? Carbs 101 says if i don't know what i'm doing, to pay someone else to do it. Before i give up, I was wondering if this approach might be worth a try, without having to disassemble everything and possibly make it worse.

thanks guys

[arsenic]

So you want to know if you can leave the pilot jets installed and spray crap at them? The answer is no. You need carbs 102, not carbs 101. Before you pay someone to clean them. I can set you up with a rebuilt set that's already clean. The "pros" you pay to clean your carbs usually suck anyway.

[ygolohcysp]

I agree, if it sat that long, the carbs need to be cleaned. I also agree that you can't leave the carbs on the bike and disassemble them enough to clean anything. There isn't really anything overly difficult about doing the work, as long as you pay attention to how things were when you took them apart. Things like turning the A/F screws IN, and counting the turns, and write that down, before removing them, stuff like that. Take pics during the disassembly if needed. At this point, with it having sat for 8 months and not running, pulling them entirely apart and soaking them is the only real answer, aside from buying new ones. Just based on what I've heard about dealerships and shops and how they do carb work, I'd probably put that as option #3.

Good luck!

[steves]

Spraying carb cleaner directly into the motor, and letting the residue drain into the motor is probably a bad choice.

[edromero]

So you want to know if you can leave the pilot jets installed and spray crap at them? The answer is no. You need carbs 102, not carbs 101. Before you pay someone to clean them. I can set you up with a rebuilt set that's already clean. The "pros" you pay to clean your carbs usually suck anyway.

Check your pm, I had some questions about this for you

[indianboy7]

if you have the cash, a set of arsenic's carbs is the least pain-in-the-ass way to go.

get those carbs, and fix the known places for vacuum leaks and it'll be a quick path to riding the thing

[edromero]

if you have the cash, a set of arsenic's carbs is the least pain-in-the-ass way to go.

get those carbs, and fix the known places for vacuum leaks and it'll be a quick path to riding the thing

I am seriously considering it, since it would be the easiest way to go. the only hangups i have are:

1) by the time i buy the carbs, i would have spent as much money as if i had just bought a bike with good carbs, and ready to ride without the headache

2) since i dont think i can make the bike any worse (it's not ridable now) i figure i have nothing to lose by trying to clean the carbs myself

3) since i won't have the money for a month or so anyway, i can try to learn to clean them in the meantime.

4) this is something I need to learn, and a good opportunity for me to jump in and give it a try

good to know i'll have a plan B though if things go south.