Another way to verify float height

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dan filipi

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Location
Van Nuys Ca.
My Bike Models
1983 Interstate
2018 KLR 650
2018 BMW S1000 RR
My Bike Logs forum link
https://classicgoldwings.com/forums/dan-filipi.122/
I talked with Louie (glwrench here) this morning.
He is a Goldwing only mechanic for most of his life and has the dealer repair manuals and very knowledgeable.

I've been plagued with over rich running for a very long time, since I bought this bike.
I have the carbs out and going through them cleaning and checking float heights and he gave me a neat tip for checking the float adjustment.

Hook the rack up to gas.
With one bowl removed at a time, carefully lift the float until the gas stops flowing.
Bottom of the float should measure 15.5 mm to the carb deck.
I've tried this on 2 so far and it works well. One float was one mm off.
This method confirms where the gas actually turns off instead of relying on the generic hit and miss method of just touching the center pin because that tells us nothing of when the gas actually turns off.
I see this method working well with aftermarket needles and seats since as jpwinger found, the center pin can be a different length on various sources of needles.
Louie confirmed this.

I've also found that gas will seep out between the bowl and carb housing at this spec of 15.5 mm and when removing the bowl the gas level in the bowl is 8-9 mm below top of the bowl. Not a couple mm like I thought and have read.

My findings are "the gas level should be just below top of the bowl when removed" is NOT correct since evidently the floats themselves displace a good amount of gas making the gas level higher when assembled.
 
Without pics or video it didn't happen right?
Well ok then......

image.php


[video]https://youtu.be/rDqzFROZoJ4[/video]
 
When are you going to do some riding Dan? I am worried that Steve has become a bad influence on you! :smilie_happy:
 
Lol, actually Steve has been an inspiration for me after seeing how nice his rebuilt engine runs!

Ride soon.
Bowls are on, no leaks under fuel pump pressure.
Next up polish the slides and rack goes on.
 
[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=96141#p96141:2fn2dr04 said:
slabghost » Sat Sep 14, 2013 3:02 pm[/url]":2fn2dr04]
Don't forget to check the slide springs hold the slides at equal height.
Thanks for the reminder, one spring is an 1/8th inch shorter than the other 3.
Nice to have a spare rack for parts.
 
She runs, and pretty damn good!
The best it ever has for sure.

Oh heads up, those vacuum sync gauges on the blue panel are junk. They won't calibrate anymore.
Don't waste your money on them.
I had to sync using my old trusty Napa vac gauge.
 
[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=96166#p96166:40wul05w said:
dan filipi » Sat Sep 14, 2013 10:59 pm[/url]":40wul05w]
Oh heads up, those vacuum sync gauges on the blue panel are junk. They won't calibrate anymore. Don't waste your money on them. I had to sync using my old trusty Napa vac gauge.
What happened? Mine are still working. (5+ years old) You cannot turn the calibration screw?
 
The screw will turn but 2 gauges are bottomed out on the screw. They will turn out but they have to go in to calibrate, won't go. I had calibrated them the last time I sync'd my bike but now they won't and when I turn out they reach a "stop".

I'll play with it more tomorrow but having to calibrate again after using just a couple times I don't have a lot of faith in them.
 
I'll always use this method from now on to verify flat height. It's very accurate.
It can be a bit messy but having an electric fuel pump and the petcock within easy reach to turn on and off the flow until turning the key off helped.

When I first started it I was getting spit up the carbs but I knew idle jets and sync were way off.
Running warm I'm not getting the slighest hint of a spit.
Will see what it does on cold start.

Surprisingly there were a couple problems in the carbs I hadn't expected.
One unusual one I've never heard mentioned anywhere before.
Will post details with pics tomorrow.
 
Where can get an electric fuel pump? (probably a dumb question). I would really like to try this as I have not been able to get my floats right.

Thanks for the great info.
 
[url=https://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=96178#p96178:1fgbp3io said:
wishbone63 » Sun Sep 15, 2013 2:46 am[/url]":1fgbp3io]
Where can get an electric fuel pump? (probably a dumb question). I would really like to try this as I have not been able to get my floats right.

Thanks for the great info.
Most auto parts should have one or online.
It needs to be 2-3 lbs pressure like this one
I'm using a GL1200 pump in the video.

You could also rig a fuel tank and shutoff valve a few feet above the carbs, I don't know how high exactly for 2-3 lbs fuel pressure.
 

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