Vacum Gague..

Anyone (lurkers included) in the midlands (Derby/Notts area ideally)
got a 2 [1] or 4 dial vacum gague I could use to do a quick carb balance
sometime this week?

If I don'#t hear anything I'll probably go and buy one when the shops
open on Monday.

[1] A twin one would do the job as I can balance the carbs in pairs,
then balance between pairs.

 

Ginge says...

Emailed

 

And replied... (Isn't this an exciting read, everyone?)

 

<grin> I noticed that once I hit send, then realised I'd not had my
first cuppa of the day so was typing on auto pilot.

"That'll learn me"...

 

Lozzo's is probably a four-gauge set. Balancing between pairs doesn't
always work perfectly, as there's a surprising amount of interaction
between all four carbs.

 

Ginge wrote

I've got one. A bit far away for you though innit?

 

Well, I'd go back and check afterwards but the Kwak service manual even
suggests between pairs, and there are 3 adjusting screws.

Balance between 1&2
Balance between 3&4
Balance Pair 1&2 against 3&4

I could get by without doing it but there's a moment of lag when
initially snapping the throttle open, that annoys me so i'd rather sort
it.

 

No. It's not even badly out, just not what I'd call spot on.

 

Teaspoons.

Carb balancing tools of the Gods.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/KH500A8/TS250C
|_\_____/_| ..66257../..15856.../..3157./.19406
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4 PM#5
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11 WG*
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17
'^' RBR-Visited:35 Pts: 705 Miles:2429

 

Probably the tool of choice for Mary Poppins.

 

How does that work then?

 

Except this weekend I've already changed the following..

Spark Plugs, air filter, oil filter, oil.

The carbs were last balanced over 8,000 miles ago, I didn't do them at
the minor service as all felt fine then. The bike felt the same way
last time they needed doing (when they were just a tiny bit out) the
acceleration whilst not bad just isn't as crisp.

Anyhow, it'll get done some time this week one way or another..

 

You're not disagreeing at all - you're describing the extra hassle
rather better than I did. I didn't mean that using a twin-gauge set is
impossible; just that the job is much harder than with a four-gauge set.

 

File the ends of the handles flat, and then bend them, and you can get a
teaspoon into inaccessible areas, like between the individual carbs.

Very handy. Make sure you use stainless teaspoons, though, because they
won't strike a spark. Trust me - you don't want sparks near carbs that
are filled with petrol.

 

That's interesting but not unusual these days - one carb is often used
as a datum.

It's still a damn sight easier with a proper set of four gauges, mind.
See my reply to Simes.

 

Ginge wrote:

That sounds like a mixture problem, not balance.

Have you been Dynojetted?
Got anything non-standard?

 

I dunno. I've often wondered that.

The carbs on the 400 Four go out of synch quite quickly. The carbs on my
old Kawasaki GT750, which I sold to Eddie and he sold on to Statto,
never went out of balance while I had the bike, in God-knows-how-many
miles. I doubt they've ever been checked since.

I never even bothered checking the carbs on my old 900 Diversion because
it just sounded and felt and ran sweetly and if it wasn't misbheaving, I
didn't see the need to fiddle with it.

I've never checked the Trophy, either, for the same reason.

 

It does, rather.

 

I've got a 4 set but I guess I'm not entirely local

Shame you didn't ask on Friday as SWMBO is visiting her folks & could
have brought the kit with her

 

The Guzzi needs doing because it /does/ vibrate like a bastard. More so
than normal.

....and since cleaning the breather box and letting the bike fall over
(arse) a pack/herd/anglican of mice have taken up residence somewhere
under the tank; in the engine area. When warm.

I'm rather hoping this isn't related to the recent "continue to thrash
the **** out of it whilst it's emptying the sump via the breather"
episode.