Anyone use twinmax for carb sync on a KZ?

My friend loaned me a twinmax to sync the carbs but I'm not sure how to sync all the 4 carbs on my KZ550 using this tool since it only has 2 ports? The instructions talk about using a reference cylinder to sync all 4 carbs but I'm not really sure if this really works well. And the instructions talk about using the slow idle screws for sync (not the throttle screws). Will that really work? Any input is much appreciated.

Always best to have four hoses and 4 ports for an inline four.
Problem with 2 cyl synch is each slight adjustment will make the others move. You'de be blue in the face switching hoses and still not accurate.

Ive used a 4 cyl synch on six cylinders at times though when I had nothing else, but it sucks

I had read somewhere that there was a way to do but there was an order to follow, like 1 & 2 sync'ed first followed by 2 & 3 etc etc but the thread didn't have much details. Can anyone else pitch in with other suggestions?

Also, is there an affordable 4-cylinder sync tool that they could point me to?

I have a 1-tube vacuum guage and was wondering if I can do the sync by moving from one cylinder to another while noting down the pressure numbers?

Thanks in advance.

Here's an article in KZr's FILEBASE.

Click > www.kzrider.com/filebase/doc_download/215-simplevacsynctool

Good Fortune!

You could try it one at a time, but it'll be terrible. If you can hook to two, typically you can sync 1&2 together, then 3&4 together, do 2&3 and 1&4 should move with them. Depends on how the mechanical linkages between them are set, but I've never seen one any other way. Still much easier to do if you have a nice 4 connection sync tool, but with 2 you should be fine. Typically, there's a screw to adjust between 1&2, one between 3&4 that adjusts them relative to each other, and then the screw between 2 and 3 carbs, will adjust both 1 and 2 in relation to both 3 and 4, so you're adjusting two carbs at a time with that one basically, shouldn't throw them out of sync with each other. Realistically, it might a little bit, but it should be small, and you should be able to zero in with a couple of iterations.

Thanks Del. But my TK-22 carbs have individual throttle screws for each carb. When I did try the twinmax over the weekend, I started with one reference cylinder and tried to sync the rest and though I succeeded, my idle was through the roof. And when I pulled the carbs out, the valve height's were way too high. I had done initial synchronization on the carbs using the instructions in the manual with less than 1mm clearance without choke and around 2mm with the choke fully engaged.

Patton, thanks for the article but I'm not sure I'll do it right without letting some fluid getting into the engine. I don't think I have the courage to try such a thing.

Thanks again Patton. Even though I may not make/use the $2 sync tool, the method used to sync the carbs could be used with my twinmax (maybe).

The twinmax does give out any vacuum reading but works on having the least deviation from 0. Here's a video of someone using this tool:

No offense intended, but I would be returning that tool to the friend with a "thanks but no thanks." I watched the video; they never even got the 2 carbs balanced- the needle was bouncing all over the place at idle. I doubt it is possible to balance your 4 carbs with any degree of accuracy using that particular tool. I'd suggest getting a quality set of sync gauges, a Carbtune Pro, or other tool intended to be used to balance 4 motorcycle carbs and that shows the vacuum levels of each carb, or maybe you can find someone who can lend you such a tool. Ed

No offense taken 650ed and I know that the video was not the best example but there are other examples out there that really show how this tool is used. Some folks with twin BMW and other such twins love this device cause it makes it really easy to balance them. And the needle going all over the place has to do with the sensitivity settings and such.

All that being said, I'm definitely considering investing in sync gauges. But I was just hoping to try and use what I had at this time. Going through Patton's document link on simple sync tool, everything that is suggested there could be used as a technique to balance all the 4 carbs provided this one tool can efficiently balance at least a single pair correctly. Over the weekend when I tries this tool, I was able to sync a pair just fine but I made too many newbie errors like not capping all vacuum ports, etc. etc.

Anyways, any suggestions on a good affordable carb sync tool are also very welcome. Thanks for all your inputs.

I researched sync gauges, from $100 all the way up to $700. My local shop will sync and set idle for $90.

But it's not as much fun as doing it yourselves, right?

Well if you plan to only sync your carbs once in owning it... :blink:
I sync mine at least once a year for spot on performance when I demand it. I've also used to on two police carb syncs, Gooses KZ1000 & 1981 Honda sync and now my Voyager Xii... Yeah, pretty much has payed for itself @ $90 a pop.

Otherwise spend the ~ $120 and get a the Morgan unit.... can't go wrong.