Stuck Old Carbs

I posted earlier about possible jammed up throttle cables, and followed the responses and freed them up, only to find that it is the carbs that are stuck. I removed the top and the bowls and they look brand new(the bike has 12,000 original kms) is there any way I can free them up without pulling them all apart?

they are on my 79 sr 650, thanks in advance

Post edited by: KZCSI, at: 2006/02/18 21:12

Hey Xstreme-Sounds like your sliders are gummed up from sitting. Take off the carb caps and spray a little shot of Liquid Wrench around the top of the brass sliders in the carb bodies, let it soak in good for a day or two. You might have to give them a few sprays but this should eventually loosen them up.

If they are still stuck after letting the lubricant work then take each throttle valve bracket off by removing the two screws that mate into the top of the throttle body. Try to move the slider up or down with your finger. This way you will be able to find out if all or just one or two of the sliders are stopping the assembly from moving up and down.

Lastly, make sure that your carb needles are not getting jammed into the jet underneath the base of the sliders. If this is the case you may have to clip down one notch to keep the needle from penetrating down so far into the jet.

Always use Kawasaki needles as the aftermarket ones don't have the same taper as factory needles. Trust me on this one...I speak from experience and the frustration of learing this the hard way!

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

Post edited by: reborn650, at: 2006/02/19 00:44

hey colin

If I free up the sliders am I into the start of a carb rebuild?

I already blew some lube into them and worked it by hand(that sounds filty!) Anyway, i did manage to budge it a little more, am letting it sit for a bit. I did the same thing with the choke and it works well now

Hi Rob - Those carbs sound like they may need a good soaking in carb cleaner. My bet is that if the sliders are that badly stuck this may be an indicator that other parts may also be gummed up.

Do an archive search on cleaning carbs. It will tell you how to remove the carb parts that should and shouldn't come in contact with the carb cleaning solution. This stuff is pretty corrosive so be careful. You will also need to carefully clean and blow out the pilot circuit with compressed air or the bike will never run properly. A little extra attention on cleaning every office of the pilot circuit will save you a lot of headaches later.

My advice is to wear safety glasses as this stuff can eat through old varnished gas...so imagine what it can do to the eye's surface. You will have to decide when you look at the carbs if gaskets and seals can be reused but a rebuild kit might be on your bike's investment list.
Cheers-Colin Firth -Ontario Canada

what if soaking them doesn't help? i have a set i have been soaking in carb cleaner for 2 days...and the slide is frozen solid...won't budge. any suggestions?

i am part way through a removal of them off of the bike now. The airbox rubber was a bugger to push back into the airbox with 'gentle force' so as not to tear it, amd i loosened up the clamps at the head side of the carbs, removed the throttle cables, and they are still connected somewhere, is it the 10 mm bolt at the throttle linkage?

The size is 10mm if that's what you are asking. I wraped a bit of high visibility tape near each end of my 10 and 17 mm wrenches so I don't waste time digging for them. Actually I bought an extra 10mm, one to hold the adjusting nut while I use the other to tighten the lock down nut. Do yourself a favour and buy new rubber air box boots (very soft and flexible). It is wayyyyyyyyyy easier to remove / install your carb rack after that. New cables are cheap also, maybe $20 each.

Post edited by: gas, at: 2006/02/21 11:26

hey thanks, I am not confused by the size, (thats my wife! ha ha) just that I couldnt see if the bolt on top of the throttle linkage is actually holding the carbs in the bike or if it should be removed when they are off of the bike. I have a ton of tools, I also like the ratchet ended combo wrenches for these tasks. Where did you get airbox boots from? Z1 if so do you recall how much they are? Mine are a little buggered from pushing them back. I coated them with WD40 and they softened up a little and slimed up enough to puch back in with considerable effort of course.

I got the boots from a dealer (in Canada) for about forty bucks or so. I am no carb wiz or anything, but I have taken my carbs and rack completely apart and back together again without mishap. I've had the rack off 3-4 times. I was so pissed the first time that I took a box cutter out and sliced the suckers apart. I don't pop the boots back into the air box. Just take off the throttle cables on top. Roll the round springs on the air box rubber boots back to the air box (back of the carbs). Loosen the metal clamps that hold the carbs to the engine rubber "carb holders", attached to the motor (front of the carbs). Take off the bikes side covers and loosen the bolt that holds the air box in place (on both sides). Pull the air box back toward the back wheel. Now you've gained about an inch of space. Pull the entire carb rack back toward the rear tire and down at the same time. The first time took me about 45 minutes of begging, bitching and moaning to get the rack off, then I sliced. Now with the new air box rubber boots (I think the proper terminology is "air box ducts") I leave them in the air box and squeeze the rack up and forward to install the carbs, with the loose floppy air box half arsed still intruding. But, the new boots are highly squashable and I manipulate them while installing. It's a bit of a pain in the blow hole, but no were near as bad as using petrified, rock hard air box rubber.

Post edited by: gas, at: 2006/02/21 23:26

gas where in canada are you?

That was EXACTLY what I was hoping for as far as a response goes, thanks a lot. So you rebuilt your carbs as well? I am thinking of getting someone top do it for me and jet them for pods. Wiredgeorge is pretty reasonable it seems like.(DONT GET ANTSY MR SENSOR I AM ONLY SAYING HE IS GOOD BY REP) Thanks again gas, you rock.

Gas:i love that avatar man!something you dont see everyday, kind of like a kaw tying one on with a hyabusa!i think i feel a theme coming on ,wait till it warms up and ill see what i can do about that one! bwaha.too bad that dolphins head isnt looking over at that cow in disbelief,thats the reaction im gonna be looking for :evil:or is that a killer whale?

Post edited by: wireman, at: 2006/02/22 10:28

xstreamcanadian wrote:

gas where in canada are you?

That was EXACTLY what I was hoping for as far as a response goes, thanks a lot. So you rebuilt your carbs as well? I am thinking of getting someone top do it for me and jet them for pods. Wiredgeorge is pretty reasonable it seems like.(DONT GET ANTSY MR SENSOR I AM ONLY SAYING HE IS GOOD BY REP) Thanks again gas, you rock.

I used to be luvmykaw here until I flipped out over an issue and was banned?/dropped as a member?, not sure. My nature is to be a little rough around the edges and I'm trying to be good right now. B.T.W. when it comes to carbs, I draw stick figures were Wiredgeorge is a rembrant. If you send your carbs to him you will get your moneys worth. Or, you can fiddle fart around yourself with help from the site and gain knowledge and ability. Your call. I can see advantages either way. I'm in Saskatchewan.