[Seft]

...It is imperative that you have the proper screwdrivers for the fasteners like JIS (there are zero Phillips screws on these bikes) and the right blade regular screwdriver so you don't mangle the soft brass parts. Just snug everything down.

I'll be sure to measure everything to be sure I've got the right size drivers/wrenches, though didn't have any prblems getting anything off in the first instance.

[RobertTravis]

This is a decent set: via Amazon

[92xjunker]

Replace the carb screws with Allen cap screws. PM arsenic he should have all you need.

[Seft]

Thanks, I found the spacers buried down where the large emulsion tube came from, weren't mentioned or shown in my Haynes manual either, glad they're all still there though!!

Ok, it turns out that the spacers mentioned in Carbs 102 are referred to in the Haynes Manual as the needle jet. Courtesy of a rather bad sketch I made I don't know which way up these should go, there is a more open hollow end that I 'think' is the end that goes into the venturi but I'm not sure, can anyone clarify this please?

[katanarider]

Replace the carb screws with Allen cap screws. PM arsenic he should have all you need.

Not a bad idea, but if you want to save money just buy a JIS screwdriver set. You need them anyway for the drain screws and any other screw made in Japan. My Ford cars have several JIS screws among other things I own.

[Seft]

Thanks!

Well, carbs are now clean and reassembled, thanks to all of you who helped me out with info and guidance, really appreciate it. Bench sync next as one carb is definitely out, then onto vacuum sync. (After sorting out the valve clearances anyway!)

On the 2002 Kat is it normal that the vacuum port on carb 4 is massive compared to the others? Kind of annoying as the tube from the manometer won't fit over the port!

[RobertTravis]

If I'm not mistaken the bigger one connects to the petcock and the others are just test ports. Just make yourself an adapter.

[Seft]

If I'm not mistaken the bigger one connects to the petcock and the others are just test ports. Just make yourself an adapter.

Cut a small piece of pipe liberated from a brake bleed kit, handily it's perfect size to go over the vacuum port and the vacuum gauge pipe fits snug inside it Nice that finally the answer to a small problem didn't cost me anything!

Is there any reason I shouldn't try to make some extensions that I can leave on the bike as it looks like it'll be a right pain to attach anything to the test ports once the carbs are on the bike?

[RobertTravis]

I don't see why not provided that the hoses are nice and tight on the test ports and there is NO chance for them to bind up in the throttle or choke linkages. You don't want to be chasing down problems later because of a vacuum leak.

[Tippon]

Not a bad idea, but if you want to save money just buy a JIS screwdriver set. You need them anyway for the drain screws and any other screw made in Japan. My Ford cars have several JIS screws among other things I own.

Sorry, off topic, but I searched Amazon UK for a JIS set, and found this awesome review

Lets you take apart Japanese camera lenses that you won't be able to put back together. 22 Jan. 2017
By Retired Engineer - Published on Amazon.com
Verified Purchase
Just what I needed for taking apart camera lenses. Two important things: First, hide these from everyone else because they won't care that these are JIS screwdrivers and not Phillips screwdrivers and they will ruin them trying to remove Phillips screws. Second, just because you can take apart a Japanese camera lens doesn't mean you can put it back together. Just saying...

[Seft]

I don't see why not provided that the hoses are nice and tight on the test ports and there is NO chance for them to bind up in the throttle or choke linkages. You don't want to be chasing down problems later because of a vacuum leak.

Fair point would need to find a way to keep them out the way for sure. I'll see how much of an arse it is to get the vacuum gauge tubes on and off with the carbs on the bike first, might just be able to get away with very thin long nose pliers.

[katanarider]

Sorry, off topic, but I searched Amazon UK for a JIS set, and found this awesome review

I've had better luck removing phillips screws with JIS screwdrivers than with a actual phillips head. That review is incorrect in my opinion. Its more like the other way around, you'll strip JIS screws with a phillips.

[Seft]

Right, funding for bike fixing is running low so wondering what I can get away with here. The oil that's in the bike currently has been sat there for about 3 years along with the oil filter, the oil and filter were used for about 50 miles before I started taking the bike to bits (bad timing I know ) Is it ok to just use the oil and filter that have been sat in/on the bike or do I need to replace them, it's very clean looking but I'm expecting using it would be a bad idea, just don't know why and don't want to cause more problems for the sake of 50 quid!?

[RobertTravis]

Dude...oil is the lifeblood of any engine, but even more so in an air/oil cooled engine. I don't think you'd need to spend fiddy squids on changing oil. You need a filter and any motor oil that meets spec. It does NOT have to be motorcycle specific oil...

Gas in the oil is really bad...it thins it out breaks it down into shite and prevents the oil from physically supporting the crank and rods among other things. The idea of warming up an engine before hammering on it is to let everything expand to its proper size...the hot oil at higher viscosity then physically supports the load of components spinning around.

Like spinning bearings and scraping cylinder walls to hell? That's what will happen...

[92xjunker]

3years... change it.