Rejetting the CV Carburetor

contributed by L. Maurice Riggins (1998)

updated by L. Maurice Riggins (2001)
updated by L. Maurice Riggins (200)
Introduction
The author strongly encourages you to stay out of the top of the carb. The slide
diaphragm can be extremely difficult to reinstall without splitting or pinching the rubber.
But the main reason is that there is seldom a reason to go into it, and there are several
reasons not to.
The slide vent hole is the size it is for a reason. Like a shock absorber, it damps the
movement of the slide. If it is drilled to !"# as is commonly done, the slide will open too
fast when the throttle is whacked open suddenly and it will overshoot where it should
be, then as a result, fall back down, but do it too fast, overshooting where it should be
again. This results in oscillation, and a huge variance in mixture. The diaphragm spring
establishes the constant velocity. $hanging to a lighter spring, or worse yet, cutting coils
off the spring, lowers the constant velocity, and this is the velocity that creates the
vacuum that sucks fuel up from the fuel bowl. %ven if you increase the &et sizes to
compensate, the mixing becomes erratic. 'ou can see evidence of a drilled slide or
lighter spring as a dip in the tor(ue curve &ust after the throttle is opened.
Blindly shimming the needle up or replacing it is not recommended. Late model needles
are richer, sometimes more so than aftermarket. The only time this is re(uired is when
dyno tuning. In the process of dynoing, starting with a small main &et and doing runs with
progressively larger main &ets, if going up one main &et size causes high rpm
horsepower to fall off )i.e. if you*ve &ust gone past the optimum main &et size+ but low
rpm power improved, go back to the previous main &et size, and shim the needle up .
,-,# or so with a small washers. This is not common, and seldom re(uired.
.nd finally, although it may result in less than optimum idle mixture, you $./
temporarily skip the part about drilling the plug off the idle mixture and setting the idle, if
you are concerned about warranty issues. By increasing the size of the slow &et, you are
automatically making the idle mixture richer, and the factory setting is often pretty close.
Idle performance is usually ade(uate. The sign that it isn*t is an occasional stumble
when the throttle is applied at idle. The author encourages you to #do it right# and
perform this step if possible.
0e&etting
.fter removing the old air cleaner per the instructions, but before installing the new high1
performance unit2
. Turn the fuel valve off.
3. 4ind the fuel bowl drain hose end )front of the engine behind the oil filter and put
it in something )non1glass+ to catch the gasoline.
-. Looking at the backside of the carb between the cylinders from the left side of the
bike, find the fuel bowl drain screw on the bowl and using a long skinny
screwdriver open it counterclockwise about - turns which will let the fuel bowl
drain, then close it back.
5. 6sing an !7# open end wrench, loosen the nut on the backside of the choke
knob bracket and slide the choke knob!cable assembly out of the slot in the
bracket. 8on*t rotate the plastic nut on the front... it ad&usts the tension on the
choke )#enrichener#+ cable.
9. 'ou*ll have to use an awl, skinny screwdriver, and perhaps needlenose pliers to
remove the one1time1use hose clamp on the gas hose at the tank, destroying the
clamp in the process, so have a replacement worm1drive hose clamp from the
hardware store for later reassembly. :lide the hose off the tube on the fuel valve.
'ou may have to grab the hose with pliers and rotate it back and forth to break it
loose, but don*t let the plier*s teeth cut into the hose. 8o not remove the vacuum
hose )behind the fuel hose+ from the fuel valve.
7. Back on the right side of the bike, find the vacuum hose that plugs into the top of
the carb behind the black plastic cap and pull up on it until it slips off the tube
coming out of the carb. /ote here now the routing of the fuel hose going to the
tank and the choke cable so you*ll get them back in the right places during
reinstall.
;. 4ind the fuel bowl drain hose and fish it out from behind the front cylinder
pushrod tubes and behind the oil filter so it*s loose.
". <ut a big thick towel on the crossover exhaust pipe and engine case below it to
protect them from getting scratched by the carb or tools. )actually it*s better to do
this before you start pulling the old air cleaner off+.
=. >ith one hand on the top of the carb and one on the bottom start rocking the
carb in at the top and out at the bottom, then do the reverse, back and forth, all
while pulling the whole thing toward you. 8on*t let the carb rotate side to side or it
may scratch the rocker covers. The carb will <?< out of the rubber gasket on the
manifold with the throttle cables still attached to it, and it will be pulling the fuel
hose and choke cable through the mess between the cylinders.
,. 'ou can lay the carb hanging from the throttle cables on the towel if you need to
grab tools, or use both hands for other things.
. 0otate the carb up so you*re looking at the bottom. ?n the back, behind the fuel
bowl, you*ll see what looks like about !5# silver plug. This covers the idle mixture
ad&ustment screw and we are going to drill a hole in it, screw a sheet metal screw
into that hole &ust until it bites good, then grab the screw with a pair of pliers and
pull it and the plug out.
3. <repare an !"# drill bit by using either a drill stop or several turns of electrical
tape around the bit so that it can*t drill into the plug any deeper than about !"#. If
it does, it may break through too hard and plunge into the screw. If that happens
the screw may be gouged up a little, but even worse, it may spin closed
)clockwise+ hard, damaging the idle mixture needle and seat. :o don*t put a lot of
pressure on the drill, use a sharp bit and let it do the work. 8rill the hole in the
center now.
-. :tart a self1tapping sheet metal screw into the hole until it bites good )it may even
start spinning the plug+, grab it with a pair of pliers and pull the screw and plug
out. 'ou should see the idle @IAT60% screw.
5. Before removing the fuel bowl, note how there is a rod coming down from the
throttle linkage into a bellows on the bowl. 'ou*ll have to put this rod back in the
bellows when reinstalling the bowl. .lso, note in the mouth of the carb there is a
brass pipe standing up in it. This is attached to the bowl and slides up through
the carb body during bowl reinstallation.
9. 4ind the four brass screws that hold the bowl on the carb. 6sing a phillips
screwdriver that completely fills the slots in the screws remove them without
letting the screwdriver slip and damage the screws. This may take considerable
pressure. >hen removing the screws, hold the bowl in position until they are all
out then pull the bowl off straight down. Be extremely careful... the floats are &ust
inside the bowl. The rod will come out of the bellows and hit against the carb
body... no you didn*t drop it. :et the bowl )with dangling drain hose+ aside some
place clean. /ote the brass tube on it that was sticking up in the carb mouth.
7. 'ou will see the floats hanging from the bottom of the carb. Be extremely careful
not to push on these in ./' direction. The metal holding them is thin and will
bend easily, getting the floats out of ad&ustment. .lso, if you push up on the floats
hard, you may damage the needle and seat they control. If you lay the carb down
on the towel make B%0' sure the floats aren*t touching anything.
;. Looking at the bottom of the carb, find the two &ets. The main &et will be more or
less in the middle, screwed into the emulsion tube and should say #7,# on it for
an ""-, #;,# on it for a 3,,, or =, on it for a :port or International model. The
emulsion tube will have flats on it for a 9!7# wrench. Cold the emulsion tube
from turning with the wrench and using a common )flat+ blade screwdriver that*s
wide enough to fill the slots on both sides of the main &et, unscrew the &et
)counterclockwise+.
". :crew in the replacement main &et as follows2
:% air cleaner ?0 :% mufflers B?TC
""- D79 D;,
3,, D;9 D",
3,, :port!Intn*l D=9 D3,,
Tighten firmly, but do not strip. 8o not use LockTite.
!ote" These &et sizes are a good place to start, but realize that some tuning may
still be needed. :ome 3,,*s come stock with larger &et sizes and altitude can
play a big role in &etting... if you live above -,,,,* above sea level, you may not
need to re&etE .nd if you live right down at sea level, you may need to go larger.
.lso, I have heard that $. bikes come from the factory with larger &ets due to
emissions e(uipment on the bike. The ?/L' accurate way to get the main &et set
correctly is on a dyno... <%0I?8.
#$R!%!&' The above &et recommendations are for *,-1earlier rigid engine
:portsters. It has come to the author*s attention that Carley is &etting *,51later
rubber1mount :portsters even richer than these recommendations, which
themselves tend to be slightly on the rich side. :ome recommend not changing
their main &et size, while others even recommend reducing it. :ince I don*t know
what changes were made to other parts of the carburetor, and have no
experience with these models, I*ll refrain from making a recommendation.
=. 4ind the slow &et on the carb bottom. It should say #53# on it and you*ll replace it
with a D59. It will be down in a tube cast into the carb body. 'ou must find a
screwdriver with a blade wide enough to fill the slots in the &et that doesn*t taper
wider above its tip, or it won*t fit down into the tube to reach the &et. 'ou may
have to have a machine shop grind a screwdriver down so that it*s shaft is no
wider than the blade at the tip. 8o not try to force an inappropriate screwdriver in
or you will crack the cast carb body. 6nscrew )counterclockwise+ the D53 slow &et
and replace it with a D59 slow &et. Tighten firmly, but do not strip. 8o not use
LockTite.
/ote2 The D59 slow &et is the stock slow &et in Twin $am "" engines. .s with the
AL, the stock slow &et is replaced with one size larger, so the dealer*s service
area, or a buddy with a Big Twin, may have this &et laying around, and you might
be able to get it for free.
3,. 0einstall the fuel bowl on the bottom of the carb, taking care to2
. Line up the brass tube that goes up into the carb mouth.
3. Fet the rod from the accelerator pump into the bellows, and
-. B% $.0%46L /?T T? $.T$C ?0 B%/8 TC% 4L?.T:.
3. 0einstall the four screws holding the bowl on the carb bottom. 8o not
overtighten. 8o not use LockTite.
33. $heck the rubber seal on the manifold to make sure it is seated on it all the way
around.
3-. <ush the carb back onto the manifold making sure the fuel hose and choke cable
are going back where they came from. 0ocking helps, but don*t worry whether
the carb is tilted &ust right at this time. It will be lined up when you reinstall the
breather bolts on the air cleaner )or air cleaner support bracket for non1:% air
cleaner+.
35. :lip the vacuum hose back on the tube on the top of the carb.
39. 0eroute the fuel bowl drain hose back where it came from.
37. Back on the left side of the bike, slip the new hose clamp over the fuel hose and
slide the hose back on the tube from the fuel valve. :lide the clamp up near the
valve and tighten, but do not overtighten.
3;. :lide the choke knob!cable assembly back on it*s slot on the bracket and tighten
the nut on the back with fingers, then tighten a bit more with the !7# wrench.
8o not overtighten or the plastic assembly will crack... &ust enough to keep it from
sliding out of its slot. <ull the choke knob out, making sure it comes out as far as
it did before and stays there. If it doesn*t come out as far, loosen the nut on the
back, check the routing of the cable, then try again. If the knob doesn*t stay out,
loosen the nut on the back and turn the plastic nut on the front clockwise a little
and try again.
4inish installing the new air cleaner per the instructions and remove the old towel..
:etting Idle @ixture and :peed
/ote2 This @6:T be done with the air cleaner installed because it affects the idle
mixture significantly.
. >ith a flat blade screwdriver, turn the idle @IAT60% screw )the one you drilled
the cap off+ full in )clockwise+ F%/TL' until it seats... F%/TL' )get the pictureG+,
then turn it out )open, counterclockwise+ exactly two full turns. Leave the idle
:<%%8 screw )top right side of the carb looking at it above the air cleaner+ where
it was before.
3. Turn the fuel valve to on, pull the choke fully out, and start the engine. If you
drained the fuel bowl, it will crank for as much as 3,1-, seconds without starting
while the bowl fills. ?nce the engine has started push the choke in about !3 way
and then wait about 3 minutes. Then push the choke in all the way, and if you
must do so to keep the engine running, open the throttle slightly. 'ou can keep it
there with the throttle lock, the star shaped screw below the right switch housing.
?nce the engine is fully warm )rear rocker cover is hot to the touch+, fully release
the throttle lock and make sure the throttle is fully closed. The engine should be
idling, perhaps nicely, perhaps not.
-. >ith a flat blade or phillips screwdriver, turn the idle :<%%8 screw in )clockwise+
about two full turns until the engine is idling fast.
#$R!%!&" the crossover pipe is ()*. 'ou should ad&ust the idle @IAT60% with
at least heavy cotton or leather work gloves )not your good ones+ to protect from
burns. 6se a short screwdriver so the handle will not melt on the crossover pipe.
5. >ith a flat blade screwdriver turn the idle @IAT60% screw in )clockwise+
F%/TL' until it fully seats. The engine should not die. If it does, turn the idle
@IAT60% screw back out the two full turns and go back to step -, increasing the
idle speed setting )in clockwise another turn+.
9. /ow turn the idle :<%%8 screw out )counterclockwise+ &ust until the engine dies
or is stumbling badly. The idle speed is now set correctly. This is an easy way to
set it without a tach. It will result in the idle speed being a little high, which will
give more oil to lubricate the engine. If the idle speed is too low, insufficient oil
will be pumped.
7. /ow turn the idle @IAT60% screw out )counterclockwise+ exactly two full turns
out )counterclocwise+, restart the engine if it died, and let it idle a minute or so to
stabilize.
;. The following takes a good ear for engine speed. .s the idle @IAT60% screw is
turned in clockwise, the mixture will become lean and the engine speed will start
to decrease. .s it is turned back out counterclockwise the engine speed will
increase and stay there for awhile as you continue turning out, and then the
engine speed will starts to drop as the mixture gets too rich. /ote the points
where the engine speed started to drop and set the idle @IAT60% screw in the
middle of that higher speed range. /ow the idle mixture is set correctly.
(o+ to (proper,y) Re-.et a Carburetor
contributed by Lee C. /ussy (2000)
4or many years, the #common wisdom# of going up one to two &et sizes when adding
pipes and an intake on the :portster has been gospel. In order to eliminate carb farts,
people recommend going up a size on the low1speed &ets. >hen I bought my first
:portster back in *,- I dutifully followed the advice and was rewarded with fair results.
>hen shortly thereafter I began my (uest for more power, I began to apply a more
critical set of criteria and examination to this methodology.
I had some lengthy discussions with .rt /orthrup and 8ale .msden about a starting
point for tuning my new 3,, conversion, and that*s when it hit me2 these things are no
different than any other internal combustion engine. There*s no secret to it, you add gas
and air in the correct proportions and they reward you by making noise. ?nce I began to
apply what I already knew from tuning cars and import bikes, the rest was easy. I*ll
share what I learned, all in one place, so that in the future I don*t have to type this in bits
and pieces as folks ask (uestions.
8isclaimer2 This works for me. If you did it differently, you probably will feel the need to
argue with me. I don*t care, I know this works. 21+
Freatly simplified for discussion purposes, there are three ways that the Heihin
$onstant Belocity 5,mm )$B+ carburetor meters fuel for us under normal, fully warmed
up riding conditions. These are the idle circuit, the midrange metering, and the main
circuit. %ach of these must be tuned correctly, and in some cases they #overlap# so they
must be tuned in the proper order. I will explain the tuning of each circuit and when this
must be done.
4irst up2 the idle circuit. This is the one that =9I of the folks I see posting, and talk to in
person, don*t do right. It*s also the one that stands to have the greatest impact on their
riding satisfaction. @ost people here would be completely happy with the results
obtained by &ust doing this ad&ustment. ?ne of the biggest complaints about a
carbureted :portster is the #carb farts# or the big stumble that happens right off idle as
you start out. There are two areas that can impact this and the idle is one of them. @any
dealers, many #experts# recommend going from the stock 53 to a 59 low speed &et. I*ve
even heard of some folks using a 5". This is way wrong in most cases. 'es it works but
it*s a crutch and is simply not optimal.
#$ommon wisdom# states that you ad&ust the idle mixture with the screw2 if you cannot
make the engine stumble by enrichening the mixture then you need a larger &et. This is
only partially true. >hile it*s true that a larger &et will raise the band in which the idle may
be ad&usted, and it*s true that you should split the difference on the idle screw
ad&ustment between lean stumble and rich stumble, most folks set themselves up for a
#false failure#. >hat happens is the idle speed screw is set for a proper idle speed )=,,1
,,, 0<@+ and this means the butterfly is open slightly. . view inside the intake port
side of the carburetor will reveal the idle transfer ports. >hen the second set is exposed
to the intake pulses!vacuum, the idle circuit does not pull as effectively. This is by
design, it is supposed to stop adding fuel as the other systems take over.
The solutionG >hen one begins the tuning process, he or she should make sure the
bike is warmed up fully. Then the idle mixture screw )I@:+ should be ad&usted to a good
starting point 1 generally 3.9 turns out from lightly seated is a good place to start. .t this
point the idle speed should be ad&usted as low as possible while still keeping the engine
running. /o it will not remain here, so we need not be concerned about oil pressure.
Ideally the idle speed screw will be backed off fully, allowing the butterfly to close fully.
.t this point the I@: should be ad&usted. It*s not necessary to ad&ust one war or the
other till the engine stumbles, only until the idle speed drops noticeably. @ove the other
direction until the idle speed drops, and then set the screw to the midpoint between
those two settings. 0aise the idle back to the proper level and your idle mixture is set
properly.
/otice I said nothing about replacing a &et. The stock 53 should be plenty to provide the
gas an ""- or 3,, needs. .t this point, many folks will have a bike that runs well and
they will not want to mess with it any further. I say en&oy. If you are still experiencing
carb farts, read on.
I*ll call this step #.lternate 3.#2 The /eedle. The reason I say #alternate# is this is one
path you may choose. If you are not going to be ad&usting the white open throttle )>?T+
mixture )and most people really don*t need to+ then this is the next place to go. The
needle, it really looks more like a nail, is what slides in and out of the main &et, providing
more or less gas as the engine load and speed increases. The needle is tapered and
this controls how much surface area of the main &et is exposed for a given position. The
needle is part of the slide mechanism and protrudes from the bottom of the slide. It is
visible by peering onto the carb throat, it runs right through the middle.
.s the velocity of air flowing through the carb increases due to engine speed, it creates
a low1pressure area under the slide )Bernoulli*s principle+. This causes the slide to rise
up, lifting the needle with it. The $B carb attempts to keep the same velocity going
through the carb in this manner, hence the name. In this manner the carb uses the
needle and the main &et to control the mixture at anything less than top 0<@ >?T
conditions.
>hen we get #carb farts# the bike is going extremely lean and the engine misfires. The
reason is the butterfly has opened and the velocity, despite the best efforts of the
carburetor, has not caught up with the engine and not enough gas is metered. The
accelerator pump handles some of this, and some more advanced tuners do tinker with
this area, but there is an easier way for us. In ="" the $B was introduced on the
:portster and this first version had no accelerator pump. To combat the flat spot off idle
with no accelerator pump, a needle was used that considerable richens the mixture at
this point2 its designation is /79$.
>e can use the /79$ needle, or its close cousins the /?HH or /?HB, to richen the
mixture slightly at this point without resorting to larger &et sizes that will likely cause the
bike to run too rich everywhere else. . combination of the idle mixture and the needle
change has #cured# =,I of the bikes I*ve worked on. :ome folks will tell you that
opening the top of the carb is somehow more likely to create issues for you. >ell I
suppose if you are a hammer and pry bar type this may be the case. I*m going to
assume for the sake of this post that you are capable of a reasonable amount of care.
If, as happens in some instances, the needle change is not enough to fully cure the
stumbles, the next step would be to shim the needle. :imply place a couple of small
grass washers, commonly available in a hardware store, under the head of the needle
to raise it slightly. 4or the more anal types, these are approximately ,.,3,# thickJ I shoot
for ,.,5,# of shim for a start.
It is my earnest belief that coming this far is all most people need to do. If you have a
big1inch motor, or have a highly modified set of heads or radical cams, the next step
may be needed.
The @ain Kets2 This is step #.lternate 3B#. If you do this, this comes first before doing
the needle. The reason is the main needs to be sized for peak C< at the maximum 0<@
the engine will run. 'ou would use either plug shops or some sort of air fuel ratio ).40+
measuring device to set the main &et. The carb is running fully on the main &et ?/L' at
max airflow through the engine so for the first time through you ignore the .40 at
anything but the area near redline.
?nce you get the correctly sized main &et, and assuming you first did the idle mixture
properly, you then go back to the needle and make the cruise and lower 0<@ ranges
operate at the correct .40. This is really where the voodoo comes in 1 there*s no
reference for carb tuners for the $B*s needles. Heihin says it*s up to C18 and C18
provides nothing. The good news is the /79$ or /?HH, with or without shims, seems to
be an excellent all around needle for cruising and for performance.
It*s important to remember when looking at a dyno .40 chart that it shows only >?T if
that*s what you asked for. If you want to see what you are cruising at, ask the dyno
operator to check at ;, @<C and -,I load to see where things are. 6nless you are a
drag racer, this is where you will spend most of your time.
Cow do you interpret those graphsG There*s some experience that comes in here of
course. In general, the main &et will move the entire line up or down and the needle will
affect the shape of the curve. If you need to #lift up# the left )low 0<@+ side of the curve
then you would shim the needle. Cere we can also get into spring rates and the size of
the metering orifice on the slide.
This is all pretty advanced stuff and if you get here, I hope you don*t rely on printing this
and reading it in the garage. 'ou need the assistance of an experienced tuner and this
is not really something you can learn reading email on the Internet. Fet someone to
take you under their wing. 0esearch the sub&ect, read everything you can about theory,
because not only will you be messing with the carb at this point, but the exhaust,
advance curve and timing as well. If you do end up asking here or elsewhere for help,
having a dyno chart that shows the .40 will be a vital part of someone being able to
help you.
I hope this has helped or will help some of you either now or in the future. I have
purposefully not gone into how to do the work, I assume that you know how to do it or
have one of the other excellent resources available. Food luck, and remember2 it*s not
rocket science.
Lee $. Bussy
0ead the attached article by Koe @inton, a well respected source of $B and @ikuni
carburetor information.
.merican Thunder
$arb Ketting :implified
Koe @inton
0ider 0eport
Tuesday Kuly 33, 3,,-
4rom the .ugust 3,,- issue of .merican 0ider
I get a steady flow of (uestions regarding carb &etting and the 8yno&et kits, and I*d like to
answer them once and for all. Before addressing this, I need to set the stage about fuel
mileage. The mileage one records is dependent upon a number of factors. The speed at
which you travel is one. @ileage plunges dramatically above 7, mph or so1a bike that
gets, say, 59 mpg at 7, might only record -, at ", mph. .nother important influence is
the size of the hole you and your bike poke in the air. .n 4LCT touring rig needs about
3." horsepower to go 7, mph, while a :portster gets along at 7, with about ,.
Ceadwinds, climbing and elevation all affect fuel mileage. Total gross weight has little
influence at steady speedsJ however, carburetor &etting has dramatic effects on fuel
mileage. >hen I talk with someone about fuel mileage, I find it useful to set a test
standard. Cere is my standard2 a steady 79 mph on a flat, windless road. These are
conditions most of us can find and safely use. 6sing this standard, stock Carleys
typically deliver 59 to 99 mpg1the lower for the big touring rigs and the higher for the
:portsters. I have found that properly &etted %vo, :portster and Twin $am Carleys
deliver mileage between 53 and 9 mpg, using the test standard defined above.
Heep in mind that stock engines are tuned very much on the lean side of correct &etting.
>hen we modify carburetors to get rid of the #lean staggers# during warm1up and to
smooth out throttle response during acceleration within the lower throttle settings, we
can expect somewhat lower fuel mileage at cruising speeds. Cowever, that loss need
only be a couple of mpg, not ,.
I have talked with many )easily more than a hundred+ owners who have installed the
8yno&et kit and who have been disappointed with the results. 4rom your bike*s mileage I
would guess that you have either a 8yna or :oftail series motorcycleJ -7 mpg is about
right for a 8yno&et1 kitted 4A Carley. The big touring machines usually get closer to -3
with the 8yno&et kit. .n 4A8 or 4L:T that delivers -7 mpg at 79 mph is running too rich.
That too1rich condition has conse(uences. 0ange is an obvious possible problem,
although some riders aren*t too concerned about range as they like to stop more often
than the bike needs a fill1up anyway. $limbing ability is a more important concern for
those of us who need to go up or over mountains. . -71mpg bike will probably start
misfiring due to its over1rich condition by 5,,,, feet, maybe even -,,,,. By contrast a
stock or correctly &etted engine should get to at least 7,,,, feet before getting grossly
rich, ;,,,, feet is better and achievable. :tock Carley &etting is very lean from &ust off
idle to about !51throttle. This is also true of all road1going bikes sold in .merica for the
last (uarter century. Cowever1and this is important1at idle and above G51throttle the
&etting is pretty good. Carley*s Heihin $B )constant velocity+ carburetor is based on the
basic .mal slide carb design from the early post1>orld >ar I era. .nd therefore, it
shares similar parts which perform similar functions. Idle and &ust off1idle air!fuel
mixtures are controlled by the idle &et which is fine1tuned with a screw. Both the &et size
and screw setting are important. ?ff1idle to approximately G51throttle mixtures are
controlled by the straight1diameter part of the needle together with the inside diameter
of the needle &et, in which the needle rides. This is the range that is too lean for best
engine performance on stock motorcycles. %ither the diameter of the straight part of the
needle, or the inside diameter of the needle &et, must be changed to affect mixtures in
this most used throttle range. /early all riding is done within this off1idle to G51throttle
range.
4rom about !51 to -!51throttle, the taper of the needle controls the main mixture. ?ne
normally raises or lowers the needle to fine1tune mixtures within this range. The main &et
takes over at about -G5 throttle and is virtually unimportant below that opening.
If you would like to learn more about how to diagnose and tune these carb sub1systems,
I invite you to download the @ikuni C:0 Tuning @anual )www.mikuni.comJ click on the
picture of the carb and click on the hot link #@anuals#+. I wrote this manual for @ikuni,
and although it directly addresses the @ikuni carb, the diagnostic principles apply to the
Heihin $B and many other carburetors as well.
To get your Carley*s stock carb right, follow these instructions2
l. Buy and install a stock &et needle for a ="" or *"= 3,, :portster )C18 <art /o.
3;,=51""+. This needle was developed for the early :portster Heihin $B carb that was
not e(uipped with an accelerator pump. .s such, it is richer in the off1idle to !51throttle
range and works &ust right.
3. 0emove the soft aluminum plug covering the idle mixture screw. Back the screw out
to slightly richen the idle mixture )!3 to 1G3 turns will do it+.
8? /?T do any of the following2
8o /ot change the main &etJ the stock one is &ust right with a free1flowing air cleaner and
mufflers. 'ep, the stock main &et is rich. If you find this hard to believe, use the main &et
test in the @ikuni manual to see for yourself. 'ou see, the main &et size is not controlled
by emission testing and the government is not very interested in mixtures at full throttle.
The factories are free to use any main &et they want and, for some reason, all the stock
bikes I have tuned over the past 391plus years have had somewhat rich main &ets,
including %vo and Twin $am Carleys.
8o /ot change the slow &etJ the stock one is &ust right with an open air cleaner and free1
flowing mufflers.
.nd 8o /ot install straight, open pipes, especially long ones. If you do, forget everything
I*ve said. :traight open exhaust1e(uipped engines run poorly in the 3,,,,1 to -,9,,1rpm
range and no amount of carb tuning can fix that.
11 Koe @inton
I*ve had good luck with it.
4rom 4orum2
Between !3 turn out and - turns out is safe. If you*re more than - turns out, you need a larger pilot &et,
and the danger with running it more that three )more than -1!3 or so actually, depending on how
new!strong the spring is 1 call it - and be safe+ turns out is that the spring cannot hold tension on the
screw and it can vibrate out. If you*re less than !3 turn out, you need a leaner pilot &et.
Idle 8rop @ethod
'ou need access to this mixture screw to perform the idle drop procedure. It*s useful to
check where this screw is set before starting the idle drop procedure detailed below. To
check the setting, the bike should not be running, then you turn the screw in, one half
turn at a time until it bottoms gently. Heep track of the number of turns or half turns and
write this down. 0eturn the screw to the position it was in before you first turned it. It
should be between !3 turn out and - turns out. 'ou also might want to install some
baseline &ets for your bike*s modifications and your operating conditions at this point. If
you change the pilot &et, the old idle mixture screw setting will be incorrect. %ven if you
don*t change the pilot &et, the setting of the mixture screw is too lean from the factory
anyway, which is the reason we want to ad&ust it for better performance.
Idle 8rop <rocedure
Bring the bike up to operating temperature. @ake sure the enrichener is off. Turn the
idle speed down using the idle :<%%8 ad&ustment screw )the one by the throttle cables
on a $B+ until the bike is only barely able to stay running, maybe a little higher than that.
",, 0<@ is a good 0<@ if you have an accurate tach. >ith the 0<@ lower than
normal, you will be able to see the effect that ad&usting the mixture screw has.
The idea is to turn the mixture screw in until the idle speed drops, then turn the screw
back out until the idle speed drops again, and set the screw in the middle of those two
points. >hat you are doing is making the mixture leaner, so lean that the engine does
not like the mixture and runs poorly, then you make the mixture richer until it doesn*t like
that, and the perfect setting is half1way between the point where is falls off either way.
. couple things to remember
. If the bike gets overheated during this procedure, you will need to let the bike cool off
a bit and try again. If you are already at operating when you start this procedure,
running more than about 9 minutes while trying to get the setting correct will make the
bike too hot. If the bike is too hot when you set the idle mixture, the final setting will be
too lean.
3. The screw should be set at least !3 turn out from fully seated, and no more than -
turns out. If it is less than !3 turn out from fully seated when it runs best, you should
install a smaller pilot &et and perform the idle drop procedure again. If it is more than -
turns out, you should install a larger pilot &et and perform the idle drop procedure again.
If the screw ends up more than around -1!3 turns out from fully seated, the spring
tension on the screw is insufficient and there is a chance the screw can vibrate out.
-. . tachometer is helpful for seeing the rise and fall of engine 0<@ if you are not
comfortable listening for the changes.
5. The enrichener should be completely off to perform this procedure.
9. .n intake leak will foul these results. If the mixture screw seems to have no effect,
you may not be able to perceive the change in idle speed, there may be an intake leak,
or you may already be either too lean or too rich and you need a different size pilot &et.
'our comments and corrections are welcome.
L$hris
Here is my take on tuning the CV carb for you Sporty:
____________________________________
*1!%!& the L$*2 M)32L 45)R*4*2R CV C$R/"
It don*t matter whether or not your bike is bone stock, or a #:tage # .... :tock, the ,51,7 bikes run too
lean at idle and partial throttle acceleration, but too rich a >ide ?pen Throttle )>?T+. :teady cruise .ir !
4uel 0atio ).40+ is the only thing that is correct from the factory.
The Heihin $B carburetorMs idle and &ust off1idle .40 is controlled by the pilot &et which is fine1tuned with
idle mixture screw. Both the pilot &et size and the idle mixture screw setting are important for a proper idle
and throttle Ntip1inO P thus eliminating the ma&ority of Ncarb fartsO most of these bikes suffer from.
Be advised that the ,51,7 bikes suffer from too little timing at idle and off1idle. This contributes greatly to
the #carb fart# problem many of you have. The #fix# for this would be to install the T$"". ad&ustable
ignition module which more timing can be programmed into the advance curve.
8uring !" to !5 part throttle and steady cruise, the fuel mixture is controlled by the straight1diameter part
of the needle together with the inside diameter of the main &et in which the needle rides.
4rom about !5 to -!5 throttle )during normal acceleration+, the tapered part of the needle controls the
mixture. This range is also too lean for best engine performance on stock ,51,7 ALs and can be fixed with
either the thinner 8yno&et needle or shimming the stock needle.
The main &et by itself takes over at about -!5 throttle and >?T operation since the needle is then
completely pulled out of the &et.
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
. 4ix the idle and off1idle lean condition with the 59 pilot &et. :et the idle mixture screw to 3 !3 turns.
3. 4ix the part throttle lean condition )during normal acceleration+ with the thinner 8yno&et needle or
shimming the stock needle. If you use the 8yno&et kit, the $1clip should be installed in the -rd notch from
the top. The - washers provided in the kit need to be placed above the $1clip per the instructions. If you
elect to use the stock needle, place a total of approx .,-,O shims )small @5 washers under the needle+.
!ote" :himming the needle much more than .,-,# will kill cruise fuel mileage.
-. Install a ;, or a ;9 main &et to fix the overly rich .40 while operating at >?T. . stock ,51,7 AL3,,
has a ", main &et. This change in the main &et will also gain C< at >?T.
!ote" This combo of the now smaller main &et, but re1calibrated needle will maintain the correct .40 and
fuel mileage during part throttle steady cruise.
5. 8rill the slide hole2 ?n the bottom of the slide are two holes. The center hole is for the &et needle. 8on*t
mess with it. The second hole is off1center )see photo below+. This is the vacuum port. This hole needs to
be drilled out &ust slightly with a D3= metric drill bit. This step will allow for a slighty NsnappierO throttle
response.
9. Leave the stock slide spring in the carb. If you are using the 8yno&et kit, the spring that is provided is
too light and will cause carb farts and possibly some surging during acceleration.
7. @ake sure there are no vacuum leaks, and make sure the slide diaphram is fully seated in the groove
prior to installing the carb*s top cover.
;. .fter the carb is all put back together ... with your finger, move the slide fully up. @ake sure it falls back
down freely. Kust make sure the slide and needle assembly are not &ammed.
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
!ote" <roper .40 on the dyno when at >?T should be between 3.; 1 and -., 1
If your .40 is not correct at >?T while on the dyno, make a change of the main &et.
getting nice resu,ts +6 !0C need,e.
I can*t seem to stop tinkering with my :portster. It reminds me of one of those model cars I had as a kid
except I get to ride this when I put it back together.
I &etted my bike with a few different combos before settling on a 59 pilot and a ;9 main along with .5,
shimmed stock needle, slide drilled to ;!75 and 3.9 turns plus !7. I think this is as close to perfect as it
can get.
Thats when I start experimenting.
I removed the needle and shims and dropped in an "" needle. kept the same &ets and re set the .!4
mixture. I really like this change. The bike runs every bit as strong except smoother, more linear like. The
different circuits are brought together seemlessly with this needle. I know the needle plays no role in the
starting and idling but thats better too most likley due to re setting the .!f.
The one thing I may try is a ;, main &et. I tried ", and the bike could not reach as high a top speed
within the same distance as it did with a ;9 .If It improved with the ;9. It may well get even better and
like a ;,. >e shall see.
Iv*e read posts from felow AL4 members regarding the /79$ needle. :ome like it, and some... not so
impressed. :o I thought I would share my own experience. It*s a keeper.
>ell until I can get my hands on a @ikuni.
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ
,7 3,,0. : model $artridge forks! remote resevoir shocks, :uperbrace, :% cams, Twin1tec ignition, 3"t
final drive, @odified B: II intake, $: exhuast w! $rims baffle mod
?n my ,9 ""-$ I had :% II slipons. /C0: hurricane a!c. 53!;9 &ets. /79c needle. /o shims.
This setup worked well, except occasionally I still had carb farts. :o a couple of days ago I installed a D55
)yes, a 55+, slo &et. This was the ticket to a smooth, great running ""-. @y setup is now2
:% II slipons.
/C0: hurricane .!$.
55!;9 &ets.
/79$ needle, no shims.
3 !5 turns mixture screw.
The D55 slo &et is a 8rag :pecialties after market &et. ?rder from a dealer. This 55 is about half way
between the 53 and 59 &ets. <erfect.
Kim
3,,5 3,, $
5", ;9, /79. needle shimmed with a 0am1flo 5,, and Fronk*s mod stock pipes. Bike
picked up about about - hp and ; lbft over 59, ;9, needle not shimmed and 5= state
pipes.
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8ave
<erformance and %fficiency
by .oe Minton
American Rider
27ai, this artic,e to a 8riend'
@any readers have been asking (uestions that nibble around the edges of the sub&ect of gasoline and
how our Carley engines use the stuff. :ince we seem to be in for high gasoline prices for the indefinite
future, this seems like a good time to practically consider gasoline usage in Carleys.
4or years I have known that a great ma&ority of Carley owners do not consider the cost of gasoline to be
very important. .lso, mileage has seldom meant much to this ma&ority. If there has been a concern, it
has been about range1how far one can go on a tankful. 4or a number of very good reasons, including
cost, morality, and national security, these attitudes are changing. >ith that said, let me get practical
and perhaps somewhat blunt.
I*ll be first in line to say that stock Carleys could use more power, especially in the middle part of their
rpm range. Cowever, it is a myth that reduced mileage and efficiency are inevitable companions to
improved performance. Ruite the opposite can and should be true.
.n engine with an aftermarket exhaust and air cleaner, but with stock motor parts, should produce
mileage close to what it delivered when it was still stock. If it does not, the carburetion )or %4I+ is out of
tune.
. stock Big Twin normally delivers around 5, to 53 mpg at 79 mph on a flat windless road. The same
bike with our ""!=9 conversion should get at least , percent better, while delivering 5, percent more
tor(ue at cruise speeds. I have had many Carley owners tell me that they are getting 5= to 9 mpg at
steady interstate speeds with this engine conversion.
Cow can this be, you askG It*s simple, really1an appropriate cam design, higher compression, and a
free1flowing exhaust and air cleaner together with correct air!fuel mixtures.
@ost Carleys are modified in ways that affect fuel mileage. ?wners normally change to more open
)louder+ and less restrictive exhaust systems and air cleaners. Both of these modifications have an
effect on the air!fuel mixture strengthJ they make the engine run leaner. :tock bikes are already rather
lean for emissions purposes. .ir1cleaner and muffler changes further lean the mixtures, so much that
correcting this is necessary for the engine to run well.
6nfortunately, these mixture changes are normally done incorrectly. The result is an engine that,
although it doesn*t melt down from being too lean, runs rich enough to give less1than1optimum
performance and fuel efficiency1especially at higher elevations.
@aybe you own one of these bikes. 8oes it start to miss and emit black smoke at a few thousand feet
above sea levelG Is there a hard hesitation when you roll1on the throttle from interstate speedsG 8oes it
deliver less than 5, mpg at 79 mphG /one of this has to happen. If the mixture alterations have been
made correctly, your bike should run better than stock, not worse.
:tock Carley Big Twin and :portster engines, both the carbureted and %4I versions, are tuned to be
%<.1lean in the lower half of their throttle range. The result, especially with the carbureted engines, is
flat mid1throttle acceleration. Bery little alteration is re(uired to correct this.
The stock Heihin carburetor is a fine instrument. It is reliable, long1lived and easy to tune1if you know
how and use the right parts. Because Carley has used the Heihin for more than 9 years, there are
enough alternate tuning parts lurking in The @otor $ompany*s parts books to make do (uite well.
.ll the Heihin carb needs to deliver proper mixtures for stock and modified engines is a different needle1
one that your Carley dealer can easily get from The 4actory1and a simple ad&ustment.
The needle I have used and recommended since ==, is the needle from the first )=""1"=+ 3,,
:portster, <art /o. 3;,=51"". This needle is smaller in diameter )richer+ in its straight1diameter section,
which controls mixture strength in the !"1!31throttle range. Buy it and install it.
'ou also need to open the idle mixture screw about one turn )ad&ust for best idle+. 'ou do this by
removing the soft aluminum plug covering the screw on the bottom of the carburetor.
The main &et seldom needs changing because the stock &et is about two sizes too large. .n open
exhaust and air cleaner makes it &ust about right. This &et only becomes effective at throttle openings of
-!5 and above, so unless you ride at wide1open throttle all the time you needn*t concern yourself with
the main &et.
%4I engines are also tuned to be rather lean in the 3, to 5, percent throttle range. They seem to be
more accurately ad&usted at idle. There are a number of aftermarket %4I tuning kits that allow richening
the mixtures in this range. I have experience with the <ower $ommander and recommend it.
If you take this information to your mechanic, factory or otherwise, there is a reasonable chance that you
will meet resistance to my advice. Carley sells carburetor kits and everybody is a carburetor expert.
/ormally, I would recommend Carley parts because I have some knowledge of how hard they try to get
things right. The @otor $ompany*s &etting kits, however, are an exception2 they deliver very rich mixtures
and wear out (uickly. @any, many of you have one of these kits installed in your carburetor and are
getting mileage as low as 37 mpg.
The needle and needle &et in these kits are made of brassJ the stock Heihin needle is polished hard1
anodized aluminum, and the needle &et is hard brass. The brass1on1brass of the kit wears (uickly and
further richens an already too1rich mixture. The stock parts hardly wear at all. I have examined stock
needles and &ets with 59,,,, to ;,,,,, miles of use and could not detect measurable wear.
. ma&ority of mechanics change the slow )idle+ &et to a larger size in an effort to richen the mixtures in
the lower throttle range. I think they do this mostly because they don*t know about the importance and
effect of the needle*s diameter above the taper )the straight part+. If you can get your mechanic to try
what I have suggested, he can see for himself, and the resulting performance improvement will convert
him.
By the way, if you use a @ikuni on your Carley, buy and install the #mileage# or #lean1out# kit. @ikunis
are also tuned too rich. 4ox 8istributing in Illinois )7-,19-1=;,,+ sells this kit )the parts are genuine
@ikuni+. It improves mileage, throttle response and engine smoothness. .lso, go to www.mikuni.com
and download the tuning manual if you don*t have it.
I have several reasons for going on this long about air!gasoline mixtures. 4irst, I want you to get the
most out of your ride, and I know many of you are riding poorly tuned machines. :econd, it is time we
consider efficiency and not &ust power. Third, I know and have proven many times that it*s possible to
have both power and efficiency.
4inally1I guess I am getting old and crotchety1I no longer feel any obligation to not offend factories,
suppliers, dealers or poorly informed mechanics. Fasoline and its efficient use is simply too important
for such niceties.
9More V-*+in *ech
*a:es 5aid...Lessons Learned
4irst of all I would like to thank everyone in this forum for the great info that got me through this pro&ect.
The only drawback was the amount of searching re(uired to find all the info. I wanted to try and
consolidate as many of the tips as I could into one post to make it easier for anyone else who is doing
:tage I for the first time. I &ust want to make it clear that ==I of this I found here from other people.
I bought my *,5 AL3,,$ in :ept. of *,9 and after my first weekend realized that I had to upgrade the
exhaust to the :% II slip ons. I planned to get the :% .!$ and have the local dealer re&et but I didn*t want
to pay them to do it. %ventually I saw the hyperchargers and thought I needed one but I lost that urge
after a couple weeks. Then I saw the setup on honus5,3*s bike and decided that was what I had to have.
I bought the .rlen /ess Big :ucker )S=, on ebay+, the .!$ cover for bt*s from the skull collection )S-=
from h1d+, a chrome carb cover )S7 at h1d+, :orgy*s &et kit )ebay S+ and some stainless steel @5 hex
socket cap screws, flat and split washers as well as a couple thinner ).,39#+ @5 brass washers to shim
the needle.
Cere*s the lessons part2
. 6se a blanket or towel to protect the bike, catch loose parts and soak up extra fluids.
3. ?nce the air cleaner is removed the carb will come loose from the engine if you grab it on top and
bottom and rock it up and down. It is held on to the intake manifold by a rubber gasket. >hen it comes off
make sure to keep this gasket on the intake and not the carb. This will make it easier to put the carb back
on later.
-. 0eplace the stock phillips head screws with hex socket head. It is too easy to damage the phillips head
and some nice stainless will look better. The :orgy*s kit comes with 5 for the bottom and I bought 5 more
for the top.
5. 0eplace the stock plastic cover with a chrome cover. This isn*t really necessary but it looks great. The
screws that come in the :orgy*s kit are a little too short for the right rear because it has to go through the
throttle!idle cable bracket before the cover. .ll of the screws are @5 but I don*t remember the lengths.
9. 0emove the screw holding the throttle!idle cable bracket to the side of the carb. ?nce you have the cap
off it will make it a lot easier to get the diaphragm seated correctly if the arm of the bracket is out of the
way of the cover.
7. Bery importantEEE @ake sure you are extremely careful with the rubber diaphragm in the top of the carb.
If you are replacing the needle or &ust putting washers under it you have to first remove the slide assembly
which includes the diaphragm. 8on*t pull on the rubber part, push the slide up from inside the air intake
until you can grab it from the top. >hen you replace it make sure you don*t pinch the rubber under the
cap. If the cable bracket is out of the way you shouldn*t have any problems. It costs about S5- to replace
)don*t ask how I know that+ and cuts easily so take your time and wiggle the cap a bit to make sure you
don*t pinch it.
;. If you are using a /ess Big :ucker, wipe a little petroleum &elly on the four o1rings to help keep them in
place. They fall off easily and get lost &ust as easily )again, don*t ask+. If you do lose one, go to an
automotive parts dealer and get a bag. :ome people have mentioned using a thicker ring but the stock
ones are !7# wide, 9!"# inside diameter and -!5# outer. The directions are also very vague about the o1
rings placement. Two go on the back side around both of the large ban&o bolt holes and two go on the
front side.
". The /ess directions talk about installing restrictor bushings. The newer kits have different ban&o bolts
so if your kit didn*t come with them you don*t need to install them. The hole is the right size already. The
directions also talk about re1routing the breather hose. ?n my ,5 the hose was already where they tell
you to run it.
=. 0eplace the carb the same way it came off. @ake sure you have the rubber gasket seated properly on
the intake, press the back of the carb into the gasket and rock the carb up and down pushing into the
bike. >hen you fit the air cleaner plate you can tell if you are close with the carb or if you need to push
more.
,. :econd most important tip, make sure you have and are using the proper tools.
. @ost important tip I@?, try to learn something. If you are doing the &ob yourself you might as well look
around and see what is going on in there.
I hope this helps the other new wrenchers out there. . lot of other threads have more details and better
directions so keep searching and good luck. In the end it is worth it to know that you did the work yourself
even if it costs you an extra S5- cause you screwed up. I am not a mechanic and don*t consider myself
an expert so if anyone has any corrections or additions please feel free to add. I think that*s the whole
idea behind a forum anyway.
42CR2*4 ); *(2 3<!).2* =%* R2V2$L23
By: Chuck Antolina
Let me say up front that I have never really given the design of each carburetor any deep thought. I
always went with the principal that whomever designed it, knew what the hell they were doing. @y &ob was
simply to keep it clean, and balance the fuel!air ratio in the manner prescribed for each unit. There came
the really fun part. Tuning. Because of my classical music training, and eventual training as a live audio
engineer, I found I could pick up on the slightest of nuances that occurred when even tiny changes were
applied in any case. I believe that is the key to street tuning for meJ without any e(uipment.. .re there
better waysG .bsolutely. But for me, this &ust works. Trust me when I say I do not consider myself an
expert, by any means.
I bought my first Carley last year. It was a 3,,3 AL$ ""-. Lots of bling1bling, not much else. There were
:%IIMs on her, but the &etting had never been touched. ?n this bike, I learned loads about the $B carbJ
how it worked, the stages, and how they interacted. >ith the help of my friends on AL4?06@.com, I
soon became (uite adept at tuning my bike. .nd I havenMt stopped dickin with the $B carb sinceP.
0ecently, I bought a ==; ALC, in great condition, and very close to stock. <erfect. It was clean enough to
eat off of, and nobody had been dickin with it too much. >hat a deal.
@y first pro&ect, of course, was to do the N:tageO. 0oxy had stock exhaust when I met her. I naturally
assumed that she was Nbone1stockO. I swapped out the stock exhaust for the :%IIMs salvaged from my
previous bikeMs life. K I started looking through a box that came with the bike, and noticed a plastic box. In
it, were obvious carb pieces that I recognizedPsort of. 6h1ohP.What the hell is this?
This was my personal introduction to2 The 8yno&et &et kit with the NTC6/8%0 /?TTL%O.
/ow, I had heard about these kits on AL4?06@, but was (uickly convinced that they were a waste of
money. .fter all, the manufacturer knew what they were doing, rightG I was told )and believed+ that the
$B carb was the closest thing I would ever get to fuel in&ection. :ounded good to meE )I donMt even want
to discuss fuel in&ection. It makes my head hurt.+ Besides, I had tuned my carb to what I thought was
Nalways one step from perfectO. K I could tune a carb with 51 S.9, &ets and my favorite screwdriver )and
perhaps my drill, if needed+. >ho needs to spend real money for thatG Insane, said I. But, I digressP
I went back to my beloved AL4?06@, and began (uizzing folks on the 8yno&et products, and poked a
great deal of fun at the marketing concept called NTC6/8%0 /?TTL%O. %ven today, I canMt help but type
that in caps. :till makes me giggle. K
.dmittedlyP.I was pissed off. It seems the emulsion tube was redesigned in this kit. .long with that, the
main &ets were a different threading. /o more &ets from the dealer. If I didnMt have one, I C.8 to get one
from 8yno&et. /?T cool. .nd, may I say still to this day2 /?T $??L. Then again, what was I to expectG
This was a kit, fer FodMs sake. If you knew and could tell the difference between a ", and a "9, you
probably didnMt buy the kit, anyway. K :o, I guess my anger was mostly directed at the previous owner1 a
Nprofessional mechanicO for 9 years. ?boy.
>ell, as I said earlier, I donMt know a lot about carb design, but I 8? know that with a redesigned
accelerator pump nozzle, redesigned emulsion tube, and a redesigned slide, and the drilling involved in
the installation of the kit, what I knew about $B carburetors soon seemed suddenly very minute. :ince I
didnMt know where NzeroO )stock+ was anymore, I had lost .LL sense of reference in the manner of
properly tuning this carb.
/ow, IMm a pretty fart smeller, but not smart enough to know when to shut my mouth. .fter enough
bitching, :tevo responded with this2
So Chucky .... explain to us what the differences are between the stock parts and the Dynojet
parts and what areas they affect and what those effects will be.
This is your homework assignment....and I expect it to be right......
now go and do some research......cos when ya write it all down the answer will magically
appear.....
:o, here it is, my homework assignment. 4eel free to post your thoughts, opinions, arguments, whatever.
I have a big mouth, and I donMt really give a shit what you think. ?ops, I mean, civil discourse is always
appreciated. 'eah, ThatMs what I meant. This was more for myself than anything, but IMm always willing to
shareP.well, because I say have something to say, and yer damned well gonna listen.
By my research and by physical inspection, I found the following design differences between each
change. . little later in this article, IMll attempt to explain what has happened, as a result, to the overall
operation of the carb, as changed from stock.
Redesigned 4,ide !eed,e64pring-The new 8yno&et needle is made of a somewhat lighter metal,
and coupled with the lighter spring, and the drill mod to the vac1port )bit included+ it was designed
to respond more (uickly. 8rilling out the vacuum port allows more volume from the vacuum
system )%ssentially making the slide spring relatively Nheavier+ CmmmmmP..
Redesigned $cce,erator 5u7p !o>>,e-This nozzle has a slightly larger opening in towards the
carb throat. .lso in this redesign is a roller1type nozzle actuator. Together, their &ob is to put more
fuel in the throat of the carb during acceleration. CmmmmPP
Redesigned 27u,sion *ube-The only visual difference I can see in the emulsion tube is a
slightly larger circumference, and L?T: fewer Nemulsion holesO. The theory is that this emulsion
tube somehow more efficiently mixes fuel with air at the Nemulsion stageO, when fuel is vaporized
and mixed with air to aid in combustion )one of the real marvels of the $B carb, I@C?+.
CmmmmmmmmPP
?k, now that we see what has been changed, letMs talk about the net effect2
The pilot system is unaffected by the 8yno&et kit, physically. There are no mods in this section. ThatMs
good, because the pilot system is too important )and really, too basic+ to change anything other than &ets,
anyway. The real differences start to show up in the mid1range, which is affected by the slide and needle.
/ow, they have us change out the spring to a lighter one, and then have us drill out the vac1port,
effectively making the spring NheavierO )by the change in pressures+. ?H, whateverPmore parts, bigger
box. I guess it makes sense to let the changes in pressure on both ends be more important than the
physical weight supplied by the springP.do both, or do neither, donMt do &ust one.
?f course, you can change needles on any $B carb, but the one from 8yno&et comes with a handy set of
rings and circlips, for shimming the needle to different heights, thereby allowing for richer or leaner
settings in the midrange. The real difference in the dyno&et needle, tho, is the taper. Cere is a comparison
of the stock needle from my bike, and the dyno&et needle2
.lthough there is only a .,, in. difference in base diameter before tapers, the length of the 8yno&et
needle is increased somewhat. This adds to its ad&ustability. It also has slightly larger diameters thru most
of the length of the tapered part of the needle, yet ends in a .,3= in. smaller tip diameter. Bery (uick
reduction in taper near the end...
/ow, if you have a TC6/8%0 /?TTL% installed, make sure it points in the right direction. It should face
the carb drain with the bowl removed. %ssentially, this nozzle adds more raw fuel to the carb when
accelerating. ThereMs a good reason for this. 0ead on.
The most baffling change in design, to me, has been the emulsion tube )which holds the main &et+. Its &ob
is to vaporize fuel and pre1mix it with the air to aid in more efficient combustion. Brilliant, may I add. K The
baffling part is that the dyno&et emulsion tube has only 3 tiny holes in it. IMm gonna go out on a limb here,
)remember, IMm no expert+ and say that the fewer holes, while allowing less B?L6@% of air to enter the
venturi, significantly increases the :<%%8 of the mixingPwith only 3 holes, the air moves faster, thereby
actually enhancing the emulsion effect, and moving the combined gas!li(uid emusion at a much faster
rate....I could be wrongPIMve been wrong beforeP K The thing to remember is that the needleMs &ob is to
somewhat interfere with the NswirlingO in the venturiPit does this more smoothly when the air is coming
from only one point )or two really, but in the same vertical plane+
:o, as it all comes together, you can notice that as much as itMs changed, itMs stayed the same, really..The
only changes are how the volumes of fuel!air are delivered after the pilot circuitPand when. .nd those
will be primarily dictated by the changes one makes in the slide mechanism.
The pilot &et controls the idle, and continues working throughout the spectrum. 6pon acceleration, the
larger accelerator nozzle adds more raw fuel than is typical, partly to make up for the increased air flow
because of the vacuum changes, and partly because the (uicker needle will add more fuel to early
midrange sooner, but not (uite soon enough to settle the leaner condition. :o, as the midrange opens up,
the needle starts to handle the lionMs share of midrange, until you reach -!5 throttle, where the main &et is
pretty well wide open. <ersonally, I would recommend going with the smallest main &et you can get away
with when using the dyno&et setup, as there is a possibility of wasting fuel )and C<+ on the very top end.
:tevo*s Ketting , is :TILL the be all, end all, in understanding C?> to tune I@C?. I refer to it (uite
often, and learn something new every timePIf you havenMt read it, please do, and TC%/ come back and
read thisP.and argue with me, pleaseP.IMm no expert, IMm &ust doing a homework assignment. .nd I have
:? @6$C more to learnP.
and, Thanx, :tevo
)%8IT...had a few problems with this post...a little too long....had to chop a good deal of this post to make
it fit...:tevo*s link is ok now....still can*t make images embed...not sure why..+
:econd edit2 This was not a Thunderslide kit, as :hu pointed out, and he is right, so I fixed it....
p 4rom $old ..............................9 1 7 <arts .ir 2 <art 4uel
.cceleration )@ax <ower+!3 1 >?T..........round 3.9 2
Idle 1 !"............................................. .round 3 2
Twisties !5 1 !3...................................round -.9 2
$ruise !" 1 !5....................................round 5.; 2
I Cave 4ound That >ith Later C8*s ).nd This $overs :porties .nd Big Twins 4rom .bout @id *=,*s+ That
The @ain Ket .nd /eedle .re Bery $lose To $orrect.
The @ain <roblem .rea Is The <ilot $ircuit Is Too Lean In @ost, /ot .ll, Instances..
.n Increase In <ilot Ket :ize By ?ne :ize Is 6sually .ll That Is /eeded...:ometimes 3 8epending ?n
Intake .nd %xhaust .nd $ams
This @eans If 'our Bike Cas . 5, Then Fo To 53, 53 Then Fo To . 59, 59 1U 5"
.t The %nd ?f The 8ay . $arb 8oes /othing @ore Than @eter The 4uel... The @otor 8oesn*t $are >hat
The $arb Looks Like ?r >hat Kets .re In There.....:o Long .s It*s Fetting The 0ight 4uel .ir @ix 4or The
$onditions...
Cere*s . 4ew :ymptoms!4ixes
>hen Trying To Tune . Bike 'ou /eed To Hnow >hat $ircuit Is $overing The .rea >here 'ou 4eel 'ou
Cave . <roblem.
$hanging The @ain Ket >ill Cave /o %ffect ?n The Idle .nd 6p To !31-!5 Throttle
>hereas . <art Throttle <roblem That 0e(uires .n Increase In <ilot Ket :ize >ill Five . Little %xtra 4uel
?ver The >hole 0ange
If 'ou Cave Cad The $arb ?ff Then $heck The 4loat Level ....'ou >ill /eed To 0efer To 'our 4actory
@anual.... But . Bery $lose Fuide Is The Koin Line In The 4loats ?n The :(uare 4loat @odels :hould Be
<arallel To The Base ?f The $arb >hen The $arb Is Celd .bout 9V 4rom Bertical.
111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
Idle 1 !" ... <ilot $ircuit
:igns ?f Too Lean
If The Bikes :urges Back .nd 4orward .t . :teady Throttle .t .round -,,,W 0pm
%xcessive <opping ?r Backfiring .t $losed Throttle 8eceleration..
The Bike 0uns Better >hen Cot But :till /ot 0ight
If 'ou Blip The Throttle 4rom Idle .nd .s It 8rops Back 8own To Idle It Tends To Cang 6p . 4ew 0evs
Too Cigh .nd Then $ome 8own To . Lower 0pm...
>ind ?ut <ilot :crew By Calf . Turn .t . Time .nd :ee If It Improves.... If 'ou Fet <ast - !3 Turns
Then Fo 6p To /ext :ize <ilot Ket
?ther Things That >ill Five . Lean $ondition .re Intake Leaks..... If In 8oubt Then 0eplace Intake :eals
.nd Lube Them >ith . :ilicon!0ubber Frease .s They .re .ssembled...
:ign ?f Too 0ich
:ooty <lugs..... Too Large . <ilot $ircuit >ill :oot 'our <lugs 6p >ay @ore Than . 0ich @ain $ircuit
The Bike 0uns Better >hen $old But :till /ot 0ight...
If The Bike 8oesn*t 0e(uire $hoke To :tart .nd Idle 4rom $old Then 'ou .re Too 0ich
If The Throttle Is Blipped 4rom Idle .nd The 0evs 8rop Below /ormal Idle .nd Then $ome Back 6p To
/ormal Idle....This >ill Be >orse >hen The @otor Is Cot.
To $orrect... >ind <ilot :crew In !3 Turn .t . Time ... If It Fets Less To ?nly Turn ?ut Then 0educe
The <ilot Ket By ?ne :ize
1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
!5 1 -!5
This Is . Card ?ne To <ick........
Try 0unning In 3nd ?r -rd Fear .nd $rack The Throttle...
If It <ulls $lean ... Leave It....It Takes . Lot ?f %xperience To <ick The 8ifference Between . 0ich ?r
Lean $ondition Cere...
I*ve 4ound That /eedle Ceights 4rom :tandard To .bout ,.,-,# 0aised Is The 0ange 4or @ost...This Is
8one >ith . :mall :him 6nder The Cead ?f The /eedle...@ake :ure That The ?8 ?f The :him Is /o
Larger Than The /eedle Cead ?r The /eedle >ill /ot :it <roperly .nd >ill 4loat..
. Lean $ondition >ill Tend To :urge ?r 4eel 4lat.... . 0ich >ill Tend To 4eel . Bit :oggy...
Try .nd Take /otes ?n The >eather ... If It Is Better >hen The @otor Is $old ?r >hen 'ou*re .t :ea
Level ?r The .mbient Temp Is Lower Then 'ou .re <robably 0ich
If It Is Better >hen The @otor Is Cot ?r 'ou*re .t . Cigher .ltitude ?r The .mbient Is Cigher ...Then
'ou*re <robably Lean
11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
>ide ?pen Throttle .. >?T
. @ain Ket Fuide To 0ich ?r Lean ...
. 4ew <oints ... 'our Lower :peed $ircuits Tend To >ork @ore ?ff Bacuum Than .irflow..... >hereas
The @ain Ket ?r >?T Tends To >ork ?ff .irflow.
>?T Throttle 0uns .re Best 8one .t The 8rag :trip .nd 'ou >ant The Ket That Fives The Best @ph
Thru The Traps...... I <refer To :tart 0ich .nd $ome Back 8own >hile The @ph Heeps Increasing 6ntil
The @ph 8rops ... Then Fo Back 6p . :ize...But 'a $an :tart Lean .nd Fo 6p ?ne :ize .t . Time 6ntil
The @ph 8rops .nd Then $ome Back ?ne :ize..
If It 0uns Better .t /ight .... 'a <robably 0ich ... If It 0uns Better In The .fternoon, 'a <robably Lean..
If 'ou 8on*t Cave .ccess To . 8rag :trip Then . 8yno Is Food 4or >?T 0uns But /ot Bery Food 4or
<art Throttle 0uns 6nless 'ou Cave . Food ?perator..
>ithout .ccess To . 8rag :trip ?r 8yno, Cere*s . 4ew Tips..
.s :tated If It 0uns Better >hen It*s $old 'a <robably 0ich.....
If It 0uns Better >hen It*s Cot Then 'a <robably Lean....
.nother >ay Is To Take It <ast 9,,, In . Cigh Fear .t >?T
Then $lose It To .bout ;!" Throttle
If The %ngine .ccelerates . Touch Then 'ou .re Lean....
If The %ngine Cesitates, Then 'a <robably 0ich...
It :hould Kust :low :lightly...
If The %ngine <ops .t The $hange 0pm .t 4ull Throttle Thru The Fears It Is 6sually Lean.
.nother Fuide 4or 0ich!Lean ...
If 'ou 0emove The .ir $leaner .nd The Bike Improves Then It Is <robably 0ich
If 'ou Tape 6p Calf 'our .ir $leaner %lement .nd It Improves Then 'ou*re <robably Lean
Turn The 4uel Tap ?ff .nd Heep 0iding...
If It Improves .s The 4uel Level 8rops, Then It*s 0ich
If It Fets >orse .s The 4uel Level 8rops Then It*s Lean
If It 0uns Better In That 0ange >hen The .ir!@otor Is $old It*s 0ich
If It 0uns Better In That 0ange >hen The .ir!@otor Is Cot It*s Lean
0ead This 4irst 11111 Ketting ,
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Ketting . :porty
. $arby >orks By @ixing .ir .nd 4uel Into . Baporous @ixture.
>e >ant The Ideal @ixture :o The Bike 0uns >ell.
6nfortunately It*s /ot Ruite :imple....s . $arburettor @ixes .ir By . :et Bolume To :et .mount ?f 4uel.
The .mount ?f ?xygen 8ensity In That :et .mount ?f .ir Baries .nd This Is >hat Fives Bariations In
@ixture 8ue To 8iffering $onditions.
The 0e(uired .ir ! 4uel @ixture $hanges 8epending ?n The $onditions
@ax <ower 4or .cceleration Is .round 3.9 <arts .ir To ?ne <art 4uel
$hemically $orrect ?r :toichiometric Is 5.; 2
. 0ich @ixture @isfire 6sually /eeds .bout 71; 2
. Lean @ixture @isfire 6sually /eeds ?ver 3, 2
>e >ant To Try .nd Fet The @ost 4uel In There That >e $an But The Limiting 4actor Is The .mount ?f
?xygen That >e $an 4it In There .nd Five The $orrect 0atio...
. /umber ?f Things Cave .n %ffect ?n The .mount ?f ?xygen >e $an Fet In There..
Kust Like 'ou 0un ?ut ?f Breath .t .ltitude Because ?f Lack ?f ?xygen :o 8oes 'our Bike..
The .ir <ressure ?r Barometric <ressure Is Cigher .t :ea Level Than .t Cigh .ltitude.
The @ore <ressure >e Cave @eans The @ore ?xygen In The :ame .mount ?f .ir
If The Bike Is Ketted 4or The $orrect @ixture .t :ea Level .nd Then 'ou Fo 6p The @ountains.
Then The Cigher The .ltitude The Less ?xygen .nd The 0icher The Bike >ill 0un.
The ?pposite Is .lso True.
. 4ew ?ther Things .lso Cave .n %ffect.
Cotter .ir ................................................. X Less ?xygen 21 0icher
$older .ir ................................................. X @ore ?xygen 21 Leaner
Cigher Barometric <ressure ?r Low .ltitude....... X @ore ?xygen 21 Leaner
Lower Barometric <ressure ?r Cigher .ltitude ... X Less ?xygen 21 0icher
Cigher Cumidity.......................................... X Less ?xygen 21 0icher
?ne ?f Basic Things That <eople 8on*t :eem To 6nderstand Is That There Is 8ifferent 4uel $ircuits /
The $arb 4or . 0eason...
8ifferent $ircuits .re 6sed .t 8ifferent Throttle ! Bacuum <ositions /ot 0ev 0anges..... The 0evs The
@otor Is 8oing Cas :tuff .ll To 8o >ith >hich $ircuit Is Being 6sed.
.t Idle .nd To !" Throttle Is @ostly 6sed .t $ruise In Town .nd Kust Leaving The Lights ......
This .rea Is Foverned @ainly By The <ilot Ket .nd <ilot :crew..... .lthough The <arallel <ortion of the
/eedle $an :upply a Bit of 4uel Too
Cighway $ruise Is .round The !" 1 !5 Throttle 8epending ?n the :peed 'ou*re 8oing.....
This .rea Is Foverned By The <ilot $ircuit .nd The /eedle..... The :tart ?f The Taper ?n The /eedle
:tarts To $ome Into <lay :ignificantly Cere
<ushing Thru The Twisties Tends To 6se The !5 1 !3 Throttle
This .rea Is @ainly $overed By The /eedle But Both The <ilot $ircuit .nd The @ain Ket Cave . :mall
Input
!3 1 >ide ?pen Throttle ... Card .cceleration
This .rea Is $overed By The Taper ?f The /eedle .nd Then The @ain Ket Becomes The @ain 4uel
:upply 4rom .bout -!5 Throttle To >?T
. 4ew <oints.. The <ilot $ircuit :upplies 4uel Throughout The >hole 0ange
.etting and ;ue, %njection $djust7ent? 5ipes
By :cott Colton, KY< Tech
0egardless of whether your bike uses a carburetor or fuel in&ection, the correct fuel air mixture is
important. .ny changes to the intake tract or exhaust system can impact the .ir!4uel mixture.
>henever you make a change in the airflow through the engine, changes can occur in the fuel ! air
mixture on your bike. Bad conditions that we need to correct are running either too lean or too rich.
0unning lean can burn pistons, score cylinders...running rich fouls plugs and runs bad.
$hanging the air cleaner or the pipes changes the mixture. $hanging baffles also changes mixture. >ith
a carbureted bike, the fix is to &ust change the &ets. >ith a fuel in&ected bike it*s easier, the fix is to install a
<ower $ommander )see $arb section of the KY<Z catalog for &ets and <ower $ommanders+.
$arburetor &etting is very complex. 4actors such as humidity, altitude, and air temperature, all affect the
ratio. >ith a carbureted bike, if you have a 8yno and an exhaust gas analyzer, the ad&ustments are very
easy and straightforward. To change to the correct &et, you must understand where the &ets are effective.
>e will discuss the $B carb that came on Big Twins from ==, through 3,,5 and AL*s ="" to 3,,5. ?n
a $B type carb, the pilot &et and idle mixture screw control throttle position is up to !5 open. The
midrange is controlled by the thin needle position in the slide, and -!5 throttle and up is controlled by the
main &et. The correct .ir!4uel ratio is about 5.; to , or 5.; parts air to one part fuel. >ithout an exhaust
gas analyzer, you will need to make an ad&ustment and read the spark plugs )check plug color+ to
determine the effect. The desired color is a very light tan to chocolate brown.
Cere is a basic procedure to determine what &et to change. 4irst, change the components such as pipes
or air cleaner and get yourself - or 5 sets of new plugs, gapped and ready to install. >e need to have
access to the idle mixture screw, so we need to drill out the plug covering it. ?nce this is done, screw it in
until it bottoms lightly, then back out !5 turns. <ut a piece of masking tape around your throttle. <ick an
easily seen reference point on your switch housing and mark on the tape where the zero ),+ throttle
position is. ?pen the throttle wide open, and mark on the tape the full throttle point. Calf way between
these marks mark again, and divide the 31!3*s in !3 again. >hen you are though, you will have a mark
at ,, !5, !3, -!5 and >ide ?pen Throttle on the throttle sleeve.
/ext, start the bike and warm it up so that it idles without the use of the enrichner. ?nce that*s done, while
wearing a set of mechanics gloves, remove the spark plugs and install a new set. Take the bike out and
ride it for about , to 9 miles at !5 throttle if possible.
Things get a little complex now, so pay attention. >e need to do what*s called a #plug chop#. This is
where you pull the clutch, kill the ignition, and pull to the side of the road )carefully of course+ >ITC?6T
.LL?>I/F TC% BIH% T? I8L%. :till using your mechanic gloves, remove a plug and look at the color. If
they are black and sooty, you are running rich on the pilot &et and need to reduce the amount of fuel by
installing a smaller &et. If they are clean white, you are lean and need to give the engine more fuel by
using a larger pilot or turn the mixture screw out a !5 turn. If they are brown no change is re(uired. To
aid in tuning, when you go in with the mixture screw, you get a leaner mixture. ?ut you richen the mixture.
.s a general rule of thumb the idle mixture should be 1!5 to 1!3 turns out when you have selected the
right pilot &et. 0epeat your test with fresh plugs for !3 throttle. Cere in order to make a change, we can
add fuel only with a stock needle by shimming with tiny washers under the needle. %very shim you add
richens the midrange. The 8yno&et tuner kits are e(uipped with a needle that has grooves in the end to
ad&ust the position with a clip. 0emember the higher on the needle the clip is the leaner the midrange
becomes.
Install the appropriate &et you have decided upon )or make needle change+, and a new set of plugs and
redo the test. 0epeat this until you have the correct light chocolate appearance.
The main &et is your cruising &et and needs to be tested above -!5 throttle. It re(uires nice stretch of open
road, or better yet a drag strip. 0epeat the same type of test as before at -!5 throttle and full throttle,
doing your plug chop. @ake changes accordingly. .n additional test that is handy is to get up to, fourth
gear at about 5,,, 0<@. ?pen the throttle all the way then immediately let off the throttle about !". If the
engine slows &ust a bit, the &et is close, if it seems to pick up speed or 0<@J the main &et is too lean. If it
hesitates or stumbles, the main is too rich. $hange &ets and test again.
.fter you have the &ets close, I &ust ride about 9, to ;9 miles observing the performance of the bike at
different speeds. <oor acceleration, pinging, knocking, surging and popping or spitting through the
carburetor suggests you*re still lean. Black smoke, sooty exhaust, smell of unburned fuel and a rough idle
suggest too rich. >hen I get back from the ride, I pull the plugs once more and see what I*ve got. If they
are tan, light chocolate and the bike runs good, I*m done.
>ith the <ower $ommander, things are slightly different. >ith a <$ you will need to access the <ower
$ommander website, www.powercommander.com, and select the map that is closest to your
combination. This must be downloaded into your <ower $ommander. If the bike does not run well
determining your needs are very similar to the tests outlined above. @ark your throttle, do your plug chop,
read the plugs. 6nfortunately it is a little more complex to make a change. .ccessing the map in the
<ower $ommander, you can change cells in the map to richen and lean. This is a simplified version of
tuning the <ower $ommander but it should give you an idea of what*s re(uired.