best way to set float levels on the carbs with a pair of calipers

[Danster]

Hello, My name is dan and I have an 82 1100i. I have returned from overseas after a year to find my bike not running well at idle speed. In fact I can hardly shift without the r's going so high I'm afraid she'll blow. I got what was supossed to be a deluxe overhaul kit { from Saber Cycle} and went to work with my old Clymer book as my only guide. The pic's in this book suck. It was only after viewing some pics on the tutoral from this site that I found out there is supposed to be an O ring on the pilot screw. The book shows nothing on this small detail. Anyway I'm hoping to get some help with a problem setting my float levels. The book say's to lay the carb on its side with the float arm just touching the needle and adjust tab untill the float arm is .61 from the carb body. It shows a pic about as faded as the color of my hair{ I'm 56} and I can't make out where to measure from I dont have a fancy float adjustment tool but I do have a pair of calipers. Can anyone give some advise? I could sure use some.
Thanks the Danster

 

[mcgovern61]

Danster, welcome to the site from New Jersey! :clapping:

I am not a carb expert, but I did recently adjust my carb floats because they were leaking into the intakes. I made an adjustment tool by measuring the (I Believe 15mm) on an index card. I then cut the index card in the shape of an L so that I could slide the card along the floats and check the level. I do not have pictures yet, but I might be able to get some later of the tool. When the carbs are up on end (side) you just want to be sure the floats are just touching the needle and not pushing in at all. Then check with the toll to be sure they are correctly adjusted. There is a tutorial on the site here:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=261

 

[joedrum]

boy your into it ......what gerry said is good i like to set the floats lower in the bowl to keep them from leaking in the intakes when on side stand....

 

[dan filipi]

Welcome to the forum Dan.

The float adjustment is tricky for me.

I always have a difficult time adjusting the floats like that.

What I do is lay the carbs level upside down (floats up) then lift the float and slowly lower the float til the tab just touches the pin, the needle should be all the way into the seat. Make any adjustments then remeasure and adjust if needed.
Last time I used a caliper but I like Mcgoverns method.
After this I set the carbs up like in the picture above and verify the measurement. The couple times I've done it this way they were spot on.
This way is much less frustrating.

 

[Dave]

Vernier Calipers are exelent tools for this sort of thing so long as you know how to use and read the tool and useless if your unsure what your looking at. I use the depth needle rather than the jaws.

Tip: check both float sections of each carb, #3 on mine was 15.5 and 17 so I had to "twist" it so they were the same then adjust the tab to set at 15.5mm :read: as per the Honda manual found on this forum. YES you can view most manuals here.