Newbie done bad

[ST Trekker]

:
Well it happened. Last year I left fuel in the bike. It took a little bit of doing but got it started. It will run at full to 3/4 choke or at speeds ranging from 25 - 50+ mph. As soon as I come to a stop, it dies. I have tried adding Seafoam in two tanks of non oxgenated fuel. No success. Had some fine fellows help remove the carbs last weekend. Although they look very clean, we sprayed carb cleaner in through both top and bottom and bottom of carbs. Now comes the question, should I go ahead and clean the carb jets I've never done this before and am a newbie to mechanics. Are there any tricks of the trade or suggestions while doing this? I will have some assistance from very mechanically incline ST and Yamaha riders. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[The Cheese]

First off, be easy with carb cleaner. It will eat paint right off of stuff. More importantly it will eat rubber. Your carbs have rubber diaphrams and O rings. If not removed, will get killed by CC. Go ahead and take em apart. All jets should be soaked in your choice of cleaner. Check diaphrams for pin holes and tears. Hold next to a light and look for light to pass through em. Also make sure the fuel enrichment valves all close completly. You can remove only two of the air cut off valves without seperating the carb bank. Go ahead and look at them while your there.

Just take your time. Bag all the inside bits seperate. Take pics of everything. Take notes also if need be. It can be tricky, but you can do it.

Also, what kind of STer would I be without reccomending you change the carb isolators. Change coolant Orings while your there too. Check all pair system hoses and coolant hoses. No point in back in there if you dont have to.

 

[ST Trekker]

Thanks for the info and the incouragement !
- Carb Cleaner, I was afraid of that. Not knowing anything about cleaning carbs I took a looksie at a youtube video and that's what they warned as well, but I kept my mouth shut since I had a couple of great guys "mechanical minds" trying to help me out. I should have said something. Oh well, I'll deal with it.
Crossing fingers!
Great points with the other maintenance reccomendations, I'll do that as well
many thanks,

 

[sirepair]

The Cheese covered it pretty well. Swing by a welder's shop and pick up a torch tip cleaner. These have wires of different diameters that can be used to loosen up any goop inside the jets. You can clip a wire or three off of a wire brush if you're desperate...

I did away with the PAIR system while I was in there last. Just had to make 4 little covers for where the pipes go in to the heads.

Make sure your vacuum lines are connected, too.

Would be a GREAT time to add a CCS-100 Cruise Control while you're in there!

 

[Brant]

as a certified welder I can tell you those tip cleaners are a hard stainless metal. DEFINITELY not something to use on brass jets as it WILL screw up the fuel flow, at the least, and will likely distort the hole size. Use a toothpick! On another note......spray carb cleaner will NOT ruin any rubber pieces.........just see several instances of mis-information lately. Non that will kill the job being done, but just the same...

 

[ST Trekker]

Whew - thanks Brant

 

[sirepair]

We've used tip cleaners for years without issue as long as you don't try to force one that's too big into the jet. You're not trying to ream the jet to a different size, just clean it out! (same thing with the torch tip!!) I've seen them so gummed up that you could not see daylight through them!

Also, a set of very small drill bits can be used, again, as long as the proper size is used. (They had to make that lil hole somehow!)

 

[BuddingGeezer]

I use single bristle from a wire (steel bristle) brush to clean all carb and jet orfices.