TOPIC:

I figure I'm already this far (carbs disassembled, but still in a rack) I might as well just restore the bloody things.

So I'm kinda stuck at the point of pulling them apart. Other Mikuni BS34 setups seem to have screws holding the choke/enrichment/fast idle rod in place. This one has tiny circlips. Is there a trick to this, or am I about to get ready for a world of hurt in separating (and more importantly, reassembling) these things? As far as I can tell, the only option is to remove them (jamming a flathead screwdriver against the 2 sides and pulling with pliers on the other side), but that just seems like it'll be a massive pain to reinstall.

Should I even bother separating them? The outsides are pretty grimy, so a dip would be nice, can I do that with them still together?

If they are E clips, you might be able to simply pry them out w a small screwdriver. Or grasp them w needle nosed pliers to pull them out --- installation may work the same. If they won't install as easily as they came out, place them in the groove, then use the same pliers to press them in place, with one tip of the pliers pressing against the clip & the other plier tip on the other side of the shaft, pressing the shaft. Use a good set of needle nosed pliers, not an old set w damaged tips.

Why take them apart?
Steve

Ideally to clean them real good. I want to be able to just hose em with carb cleaner, but I don't want to damage the fuel interconnections/choke plunger boots/choke rod handle. And I figure, once the rod and plungers are out (plungers could probably use cleaning out...) it's really just about as simple as pulling off the 2 brackets.

EDIT: I'd also like to look into why my throttle return is so damn strong, and see if maybe I can fix it.

O rings, seals etc. If I could avoid it I would.
Steve

I'm thinking about avoiding it. I just figure that if I'm already this far, I might as well make em 100%.

What seals would I be dealing with that I'm not already?

O rings for the fuel tee's, seals for the linkage etc. Unless they're shot, I wouldn't FK with them.
Steve

Holy crap are you ever right. I just had a look at CMSNL for a ballpark price on parts I might need -- if I messed up the fuel tee or the 2 fuel interconnections, it's not just o-rings, the things are only replaced as a whole, and they're listed at 40 euro for the main tee, and 32.50 euro for the other 2 each!!

The only thing that concerns me is, turning the middle tee feels kind of gritty (is it even supposed to rotate?). As far as I know, there's been no leakage from those joints, but I have had my carbs overflow, and the bike is pretty grimy, so it's possible that it was leaking and I didn't notice it.

If it is supposed to be able to rotate though, I'll leave it alone for now.

I agree best leave them alone unless you really must split them. Most of the important carb service can be done whilst as a bank of four.

I would not separate them. If they leak at the "T" after you put them back on the bike and turn on the fuel give them a day or so before you take them off again. Mine leaked at the "T" after having the tank off and the carbs drained over a Winter while I had the bike in the house re-doing the forks and swingarm. After I saw the leak I did nothing (too tired and a bit pissed) other than turning off the fuel. The next day the leak was totally gone. That was 8 years ago and it has not leaked a drop since then. I guess the o-ring swelled up after being wet overnight? I wouldn't think it should since it's made of rubber, but whatever happened it saved me from a lot of work. Ed

You can't properly clean the carbs unless you take them apart. Not following you on the problem though. I looked at the 1983 KZ750-L3 parts fishe and the carbs look just like every other set of BS CV Mikuni's I've seen, and don't see those small clips as mentioned. Can you post some photos?

Link below is a tutorial on how to service Mikuni carbs. Its focusing on the Suzuki version but the Kawasaki carbs are essentially the same. www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/Mikuni_B...Rebuild_Tutorial.pdf

If they are not too bad I would just leave them together and use carb spray cleaner. You will know once you get the float bowls off. If they are varnished badly enough and you want to soak them in a carb cleaner dip ....

www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?pr...3359&pla=pla_1253359

, then you need to take them apart. I didn't think taking them apart was a problem, but for later adjustments of floats and such I left them together. Pull the E clips with needle nose pliers. The one thing to be careful about, at least on my K1000 BS34 set up, is that there are two small steel ball bearings, bb's really, that provide the stops for half and full choke. Once you pull the choke rod out, these little bb's can fall out, and you may just lose them forever.