EPMI carbs any good?

[Gashog]

Are EPMI carbs any good? I read a lot of pro and con's on the net and was curious what the general feelings are here. Looking to make the move to a single carb mod on my 1984 1200.

 

[joedrum]

well a carb can be a simple device ....but as manfactures started making them user unfriendly ...things got bad ...stock carbs are a prim example of ...even when made for motor they are horrile to keep up on ...and very dependent on other things to work right ....the empi carb ive never used so im just saying ...im sure its not bolt and go....on the otherhand there rather simple ...if ones dedicated to get something better than stock carbs ....to me there rather easy to beat ....i also went where i never did before to get there....learned a lot ....paid off bigtime....most of the preceive discounts of the singles are from stockers and people who did not try very hard to get a mod done right.....the diffeence in my build over stock ...makes the stock carbs seem like junk engineering and it was given epa and all the other people involved ..that had no abilities to be making carb tech....i had a solex going good for a guy .....love the dft on my bike.....

 

[Gashog]

Joe, I have read a lot of your and other peoples posts about single carbs on Wings. You guys have done a lot of work in this area and I have learned alot. It will help me to not make some of the mistakes others have. I asked about the brand here cause I respect the lessons you all have been good enough to pass on to others.
I spent a lot of time here when I first got my 1984 1200. Had to leave that project for a while cause of other stuff. Now I hope to spend more time on the Wing and get it road worthy. In looking around, I was thinking about one of these EMPI 40 HPMX carbs. A lot of VW guys use these on the smaller bug engines. Should be sized about right for a 1200 Wing engine. I think you can get it with a 28mm horn inside. Was wondering if a manifold to feed front cylinders on one barrel of carb and rear on the other barrel, or feed all four with a common manifold? Who knows till ya try right?

 

[joedrum]

ok ive seen a lot of the weber carb set ups on the heads ....for 1200s heads id say they are not a good match ..but thats guess ....1200 heads have very small intake valves....and the cams are mild compared to early 1000 75-77 cams ...so im thinking to much carb going on in complete package ...but again a guess....i here the price of these carbs are getting better....id like to work with some ...but it seems more a bling thing for looks than actual output in running....never seen a video of one hammered down showing its stuff ....many vids idling ...not even randakks has a vid of this system running through the gears ....after seeing for myself what progressive 2 barrles do ....and made video to show all whats possible ...it floors me no one got these carbs on video going through gears and showing muscle......with the syncing and throttle hook ups it seems just to much for little return ....that ive seen ..just opinion here on what you presented

 

[dan filipi]

Duals would be cool but single is much less work and no synchronizing needed.

I have run only a 32/32 Weber dft 2 barrel, and a single barrel 32 mm Solex. I would have liked to try a 28 mm but judging by the differences I feel between these 2 carbs, I'm thinking a 28mm would be too small but I could be wrong. I may still try a 28mm if I happen on one.

 

[joedrum]

you can choke the carb down yes but its still a 44 carb and just to big times four

 

[Gashog]

joedrum » Wed Jun 17, 2015 3:59 pm[/url]":lzrsgvtu]
you can choke the carb down yes but its still a 44 carb and just to big times four

I am looking at a 40 with 28mm horn in it. Just want to use one. I was asking if the best way to build the manifold. Using one barrel for front cylinders and other barrel for rear. O r should I build the manifold to let both barrels service all four cylinders. I think there was some misunderstanding. Probably on my part. Getting old and senile!

 

[dan filipi]

Gashog » 24 minutes ago[/url]":1vpdtnnr]

joedrum » Wed Jun 17, 2015 3:59 pm[/url]":1vpdtnnr]
you can choke the carb down yes but its still a 44 carb and just to big times four

I am looking at a 40 with 28mm horn in it. Just want to use one. I was asking if the best way to build the manifold. Using one barrel for front cylinders and other barrel for rear. O r should I build the manifold to let both barrels service all four cylinders. I think there was some misunderstanding. Probably on my part. Getting old and senile!

Interesting ideas.
Both barrels to all cylinders should be a more even supply to all cylinders but I like your idea building it split front and rear.

 

[Gashog]

I guess if I built the manifold right, I could change it fairly easily from one to the other configuration if one didn't work out. Then again, neither way may not work out. Who knows till you try. Well....somebody probably knows.

 

[ossagp]

I am particularly interested in seeing how splitting up and building what to me would be a true dual plane manifold would work. Heck i am thinking hard of buying a gl1100 to keep up here and play with it until i have an automotive fuel injection on it. Junk yards are full of them. Something for the winter.

 

[Gashog]

Just starting to collect the pieces and parts. Think I will use the pre-made stainless steel grab bars and design it to center the carb exactly in the middle between cylinders. Will give me a chance to learn tig welding. I thought about fuel injection, but I just like carbureters since I grew up with them. I used to run a Mikuni/Solex PHH on my MGB, a similar carb to this HPMX I am looking at for this project- except it was sidedraft.

 

[slabghost]

Gashog » Wed Jun 17, 2015 8:10 pm[/url]":1nnzepfm]

joedrum » Wed Jun 17, 2015 3:59 pm[/url]":1nnzepfm]
you can choke the carb down yes but its still a 44 carb and just to big times four

I am looking at a 40 with 28mm horn in it. Just want to use one. I was asking if the best way to build the manifold. Using one barrel for front cylinders and other barrel for rear. O r should I build the manifold to let both barrels service all four cylinders. I think there was some misunderstanding. Probably on my part. Getting old and senile!

If both barrels work together always you can of course separate one barrel to two cylinders. However keep in mind that if you do that. One barrel is all the two cylinders will see. So if one barrel is right and the other lean or rich you'll be running rough. Both to the plenum to feed all four you can have both barrels a little off and it will run fine. You choose the pain level you like.

 

[Gashog]

I am willing to take the time to get the tuning correct. The Mikuni PHH on my MGB serviced 2 cylinders from each barrel. It really wasn't that much trouble to tune that setup. It was much easier than the two SU carbs on some of my previous MGs. All it takes is time, and I have lots of patience. I enjoy working on things with motors. I have old cars, trucks, tractors.......I think I have gas and oil in my bloodstream.

 

[slabghost]

Gashog » Thu Jun 18, 2015 8:01 am[/url]":2mu1tb0c]
I am willing to take the time to get the tuning correct. The Mikuni PHH on my MGB serviced 2 cylinders from each barrel. It really wasn't that much trouble to tune that setup. It was much easier than the two SU carbs on some of my previous MGs. All it takes is time, and I have lots of patience. I enjoy working on things with motors. I have old cars, trucks, tractors.......I think I have gas and oil in my bloodstream.

By all means then go for it! I for one will be very interested in following your build. I've been searching carbs on ebay and those particular carbs have always been pretty pricey. If I'd found any cheap I'd own them. :BigGrin:

 

[dan filipi]

Yes go for it!
We definitely are NOT the type here that discourage trying different things.
Any time we can help we will.

 

[Gashog]

Thanks all for the information and support. Now I just need to collect all the stuff and finish putting my tig welder together. That is another project all in itself.

 

[joedrum]

hmmmm been some clairity since i seen this thread ....i think your idea is sound and great ...very great...seems to me you would want to seperate manifolds from front and then a back one ...this would bring total balance as in 180 degrees crank turn on each carb and manifold ...seems like this is big plus ...discount would be carb has to provide all range of power band ....my bike with progressive is like having two carbs on each clinder as rpm grows ...be interesting how this would compare....

i can see two grab bars runners and carb set up in my mind easy ...me like :yes:

 

[Gashog]

Found a new Weber IDF for the same price as a new EPMI. The EPMI HPMX is a Chinese copy of the IDF.

 

[Gashog]

Think I found the bars I want.

 

[slabghost]

Looks like those will do the job.