I cleaned the carbs relly good last month in the ultrasonic cleaner and the bike is was running pretty good. I am trying to balance the carbs now that they are cleaned. I made a rig out of 2 mason jars with a crossover line and filled them with oil. the one side is running stronger and sucks oil across the line. ok screw the little screw in and then it goes the other way. try backing it till it is good. then when i tighten up the lock nut i disturb that little tab and push down against the spring and it throws everything out. not just a little like a 1/16 turn. It takes like a 1/2 a turn the other way to take all the slack up and get them balanced againg. I have been going back and forth for like and hour.(because I have to let the bike cool off) what is the trick? maybe my adjustment tang is loose or spring is weak or something. about to just give up and drive it out of balance because I can't see how it would stay the way you leave it with all that spring loaded slop between the 2 butterflies.
frustrated balanceing carbs
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it was stated by someone on a thread i started that the liquid level manometers are extremely sensitive and that little bit of adjustment will be a noticed change. i read on the "how to" page that i found to make it that getting the levels within a 2-3" of eachother is considered close enough.
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2,601 Posts
2" - 3" refers to the height of those "liquid in tubes" ones filled with about anything, usually something that's a lot lighter and far thinner than mercury. With my balancer product there's no way you can be wrong and it's far easier to get them virtually perfectly in sync because the integral snubbers slow and smooth out the response of the gauges. The proper tools, a steady hand and some trial and error is always necessary no matter what you use but we've really got it easy having only two cylinders, you read the Left (??) carb at idle then change over to the other and tweak it to match given the exact same vacuum.
http://cx500forum.com/index.php?/topic/6026-carb-sync-tool-with-gauges/
If you get the dual gauge version it's almost self explanatory, you just adjust the balancing screw until both gauges read exactly the same and you end up with virtually perfect sync in a matter of minutes. No messy setup or breakdown off all those liquid filled tubes, no chance of anything getting sucked into the cylinders etc.
It is more expensive than a yardstick, a bunch of aquarium air hose, finding the proper fittings and a liquid thick enough to work properly, what you end up with is a true tool that will last a lifetime and can be used on about any bike as it comes.
http://cx500forum.com/index.php?/topic/6026-carb-sync-tool-with-gauges/
If you get the dual gauge version it's almost self explanatory, you just adjust the balancing screw until both gauges read exactly the same and you end up with virtually perfect sync in a matter of minutes. No messy setup or breakdown off all those liquid filled tubes, no chance of anything getting sucked into the cylinders etc.
It is more expensive than a yardstick, a bunch of aquarium air hose, finding the proper fittings and a liquid thick enough to work properly, what you end up with is a true tool that will last a lifetime and can be used on about any bike as it comes.
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3,517 Posts
It can be a real pain to adjust without it going out again when you tighten the screw.
If you overcompensate enough on the adjustment for the amount it's going to move when you tighten, you can get just about balls on. It takes a couple of tries, and can be very frustrating, especially on the CX where you don't get a straight shot at the nut or screw.
I use a flexible screwdriver tool and a wrench I bent up just for this, and it still moves a bit on tightening, but not enough to worry about.
If you overcompensate enough on the adjustment for the amount it's going to move when you tighten, you can get just about balls on. It takes a couple of tries, and can be very frustrating, especially on the CX where you don't get a straight shot at the nut or screw.
I use a flexible screwdriver tool and a wrench I bent up just for this, and it still moves a bit on tightening, but not enough to worry about.
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2,601 Posts
Shep - wouldn't it be a good idea to spray a little dry lubricant (usually sold as moly powder suspended in a totally evaporating solvent) on the moving parts that are metal to metal?
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8,422 Posts
It don't think it would do any harm in this area but not around the lock-nut.I use ACF50 to lubricate all mechanisms like this once I've used thread-lock on the lock-nut.A spare set of carbs I got off a crapped out engine had what I believe to be the original Yellow thread-lock Honda used from the factory.
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2,601 Posts
Locking down that nut would make sense, Loctite make a "creeping" thread locker that can be applied after the fact as it will migrate into the threads. http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/t_lkr_green/overview/Loctite-Threadlocker-Green-290.htm
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503 Posts
I love 290 Locktitie! It is between blue and red in strength. Like the post assembly feature.
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967 Posts
I brought the sync locking-nut to finger tight, verified the carbs were in sync and then coated the threads with black nail polish to lock it into place--so far it hasnt moved.
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8,422 Posts
well, i got it. it was a bitch. i just kept monkeying with it till it was tight and balanced. i was real pleased with the 2 mason jars full of oil. they are very sensetive. sure does run nice when it is balanced. the bike has loads of low end torque i wonder why honda didn't give us a taller 5th gear or even a 6 speed gear box. heck my 85 350x has a 6 speed box and i almost never use 5 and 6 in the woods.
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