Hi there I'm from South Africa need some advice I'm not sure if it's the carbs but when I start my Suzuki bandit GSF 400 and it's warm when I begin to pull away and I open it to 6 thousands revs it then drops to 4 thousand revs then it jumps to 12 or 13 thousand revs why does it do that it's like when I want to pull away and open the throttle to quick the bike dies I have to open the throttle slowly to ride fast or pull away how can I fix this ? Thx
Good video Ari, but I do have 3 comments: (1) When spraying carb cleaner through the pilot jet make sure that you do a couple of sprays with your finger over the bottom exit hole so that you can make sure the side holes are also clear. You want to see a nice strong mist of solvent coming through. (2) If the jet is completely clogged often no amount of solvent will clean it. Before I pull a carb for cleaning I hit my local guitar store for a piece of steel E string . They will usually have some left over from stringing jobs and will typically give it to you for free. This is very fine but very stiff wire and you can gently work it through the jet without damaging it. Once there is a passage through the jet, the high pressure cleaner will then remove the rest as it passes through. (3) I HIGHLY recommend holding the jet in a towel before you blow compressed air through it. Often your fingers alone won't hold it strongly enough and you can blow it across your garage never to be seen again (ask me how I know, LOL).
@Mada-yq5sf I have found copper is to soft to work through really crusty clogged jets. Guitar string works better. But to get the last of the residue I like blasting carb cleaner through.
Thanks man, I am! Im a new driver, got a 00 bmw f650, and been having a lot of trouble with clutch linkage adjustment and hard shifting. If I adjust cable to far out on handle shift lever, easy shifting but clutch slips. If I adjust cable to far in, clutch slips still and super bad shifting. Been too afraid to adjust anything where cable connects to arm below on engine (I dont know what thats called). Theres a sweet spot I guess for easy clutching vs slip? I have it set right now to where its hard shifting, but no slip. If this is a common thing can you do a vid about that? That'd be epic man. Or just bring anything else coming, Im sure I'd watch it! :) Thanks very much for the reply sir!
I've been intimidated by how complex carbs look for a long time, but this video was very informative and I definitely have everything I need to clear out my pilot jets
Thank you so much for this video! You saved me more hours of figuring out what was happening with my Honda Dominator, that it just didn't start (only by using starting fluid). Checked almost everything (fuel, spark, battery, measured stator, pulse generator, coil, electricity contacts, CDI box contacts, vacuum leaks around carb and air box, etc.), especially after disassembling and cleaning carb. In the end your video made me think that it still might be a carb related issue, because I started to remember that the problem started when I switched the fuel tank petcock to RESERVE. Removed the petcock and yeap - there were some debris on the bottom of the tank, without original fuel filter, which clogged the pilot jet. After blasting out the pilot jet with an air gun and assembling everything back together, Dommie now runs just great! Thanks!
Thank you, gave me the confidence to give it a try on my 4 inline carb, removed it all and followed it to clean the pilot. Bike started and held idle fine, so happy!!!
Ari, thanks. I really get benefit from your clear explanations. I have a 1984 Suzuki GR650 Tempter. A bit of an oddity, but then so am I at 66 years old doing my first more in-depth build. I am doing some performance and styling mods on the Tempter. Carb, exhaust, and air box work, is key on the performance front. I definitely had some high hanging idle with no sign of air leaks at the engine-side boots. Most of the problems seemed related to the pilot system. I've rejet'd the pilots by one size, raised the needles by one notch, and rejet'd the mains by three sizes, to work hopefully well with the new more open mufflers and opened out air box. Of course I cleaned the carb interiors while at it. Fingers crossed :-)
thank you for this fan-freaking-tastic video series because of this video series you have given me the confidence to perform maintenance on my motorcycle that I would normally have to pay a shop hundreds of dollars to do last March I put tires on my motorcycle front and rear 2000 CBR 600 F4 have a motion Pro balancing stand everything went off without a hitch this spring I am going to change the clutch thanks Ari
Thanks for the video. I have cleaned many pilot jets and never have I only had to spray cleaner/air to clean them. LOL. When those symptoms occur, It's usually HARD deposits restricting the hole or plugged completely. Have to clean with a small wire, or jet cleaner tips, etc. Jets are cheap, but seems I never have them on hand when needed! Just yesterday, out of the blue, my reliable Vulcan 800 wouldn't idle. Pilot jet was almost closed completely with hard black deposits. Took 15 minutes to clear. Thanks for the videos!
Ari, how about a vid on synchronizing a bank of carbs on a 4 cyl? Another good one, and a critical setting, is float height. Again, on carbs for an inline 4. Maybe show the method of using a clear piece of tubing connected to the drain port (usually done on the bench). Love the work you and Zach do on this channel, keep it up guys.
Excellent video! I would like to add (myself being the owner of 30 motorcycles) that fuel with ethanol in it makes the bike run leaner at idle (in the older bikes any way - such as the Kawasaki KZ`S, Suzuki GS`s and such). Pretty much every bike I own, I have turned the idle air screw out 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn for a much better idle. Hope this helps!
My first step with a poor running bike is to dump a bottle of seafoam in the tank. A good portion of the time, that cleans the carbs nicely and I don't even have to take anything apart. That and a good carb balance every once in a while are all I've done to my '85 CB650 carbs.
Run a thin wire, like a single thread from a wirebrush, trough the jet. As solvent and compressed air might not be enough. Had a clogged up pilot jet that wouldn't open with just solvent and compressed air. The customer said he did a troughout cleaning of the carb and jets and it still wouldn't run properly. So he suspected a faulty carb and brought it in. An hour later i could call him up with some good news. He had a good running motor for only 50€ instead of 380€ + labor.
I had same experience. 1975 Honda XL350. "Pro" shop carb clean. Died from 1/4 to 3/4 throttle anyway. It was the deeply buried and invisible air jet for the emulsion tube. I stuck a long stiff wire into the suspect hole on front of carb, poking by braille, until I felt it go through. Excitement. Reassembled and it ran perfectly. Happiest day of my life!
Hey man...I have a suzuki gz250 and I have been dying on it...I have tried everything and now I'm just in the dark. Single mikuni bsr32ss and i cleaned it changed jets (same as factory no upgrade) and it will idle but when I crack the throttle it dies out... I'm thinking the passage in the body of the carb is clogged?????? PLEASE HELP I'VE BEEN DOWN 10 DAYS
@@randypobstofficial I have a gz250 suzuki I replaced factory jets and cleaned it...then it did the same thing...idle fine then when you crack the throttle it dies. Do you think I could also have a clog like you did in the carb body
Never understood why the fuel and air mixture screws are in an impossible to reach spot. If you're trying to tune it you have to constantly take it off to adjust it. Ugh
Spot on. The leakge in intake manifold rubber to engine head is very notorious. Also the mouth of the part that is locking with engine head should be properly screwed (using gel sealant in most cases) Leakages should be taken good care 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you so much! This clears everything wrong with my bike and it worked flawlessly. I’ve never seen a “perfect” tutorial but this covered absolutely everything needed!
I just now found your video and it helped me greatly it was indeed a clogged Jet and passageway for the idle!. My bike's would only run on food show and everytime I give it gas it wouldn't either rib out of control a title or die when giving it more air
Thanks. That confirms what I thought was happening. The main jet I know was getting fuel through but the quad would not idle and I'd have to hold the throttle down to keep it running rather rough. I also tried putting penetrating oil into the passageway to help clean out any clogging as well as carb cleaner. I don't feel air flow through but I'll try a bit more TLC cleaning before I reinstall it.
I'm having this in my Honda Trigger 150. When I open throttle, the engine goes off. But I failed to repair as per your information. But your video gave me the idea how to fix it. Thanks.
I wish the title would contain the exact issue (pilot jet clogged) and not just "most common problem". I think descriptive titles are always great and help with orientation in all those billions of youtube videos.
Thanks for the great video. This almost confirms what I was thinking. I ride a '88 GSX1100F and up until a day or two ago it idled and ran great. I filled it at the shell station the other day (V-Power which I believe is non ethanol) and it stalled on me a couple of times while giving the wife a ride to work today. It runs like crap just at idle and a bit above, but when I roll it on it almost rips my arms off. I'm thinking a bit of crap in one of my pilot jets.
VERY VERY good young man. iam Moe back in the 60s i did a lot carbs. on big American cars. looks like you know what you are doing. keep up the good work.
Awesome video as always. Carbs are the main reason I decided to go with my fuel injected fz6. Coming from a 200cc dual sport and a vstar 650 it's best decision I've made. Can't wait until I get done with college and can get a real bike lol
Advise needed for my FTR 223 ! :) When the engine is hot (after around 10min of driving), I feel inconsistency in 2 situations : - When accelerating at low RPM : The engine seems to "skip a beat" before the bike actually accelerates - When cruising at relatively high RPM : the engine isn't smooth, especially in 3rd and 4th gear It seems to be carburator-related, but any idea how, and how to fix it ? Thanks a lot !
could you please make a video of your rc390 race bike !! about what modes u have done on it, what one needs to take care while preping a race bike, what should one look for while buying a aftermarket parts ! your video will make alot of difference. please do one !
I already cleaned my carb thoroughly, I took extra time with it. I still have an issue with it, if I slow down the wheel, the engine slows down, and then dies. Valves are good everything is good, not sure if the clutch is sticking? I'll be replacing it in a couple of days. Going back to the carb? Maybe there's one hole the blow gun cannot blow out? I think I'll just get a extra new carb just in case, they are cheap in price. Forgot to mention the air screw doesn't do anything.
Great video 👍🏻. I’m having that problem with a keihin fcr on my old yz450, I think my issue is the orifice that the pilot jet screws into though, rather than the jet itself, which I’ve already cleaned with no result. Good job 👍🏻 mate ✌🏻
Awsome video, I have a 98 Valkryie and half the jets were just like that. My question is, how do you check/adj the fuel mix screw on a multiple cyl bike?
Hey great video, this may answer many of the issues I have on my 85' Suzuki GS550L; would a stuck pilot also lead to having a gas leak from where the Air cleaner tube is connected? Some suggest a Sticky Float or another person suggested it may be "valve starter" that is loose due to a stripped Holding cap.
This resonates with me as I have had constant pilot jet problems with my Kawasaki engined lawn tractor with Walboro LMF carb. Unfortunately on this carb it is nearly impossible to clear pilot jets due to the idiotic design of the carb so on one occasion only a new carb would do.
My pilot jet was clog and destroy. I got a 45. Hope it fits and it doesn't do all the crap it was with h you showed us. I'm praying! Lol ty for the video
Significant Weather change can do it too, anyone riding a Carbureted Bike may have noticed that it just doesn't Run very smooth on Hot Day's.. that's because the Factory Set the A/F in a very mild Climate, and a change in the Barometric pressure can definitely effect a Carbureted Engine.
I always run my carb dry by shutting off the fuel supply 300 yards from home and coasting into the driveway. This prevents any carb damage and clogging caused by modern ethanol contaminated fuel. This is recommended by several classic motorcycle websites and owners clubs.
Does that Motion Pro tool work really well? I bought a different brand with a ninety degree bend and it's very difficult to get any sense/feel of pilot jet movement. Great videos
thanks so much. I went to ride my husqvarna tc125 today and it wouldnt idle with the choke off, it kept dying out. I will have my dad help me clean the carb up and get her running again.
Used to look after 30-40 used bikes on a sales floor , so no time to remove carbs and be cleaning pilots properly , one way is to drain the fuel and give the bowl’s a quick short blast of compressed air .. and really short 1sec blasts for CV Carbs or obviously the diaphragm rubbers will pop. But it works 8 times out of 10.
I experienced this on my bike last week, and I just drove a while with choke on. I think it's okay now, but definitely going to put some fuel stabilizer in now that I learned something from this video. What brand is the fuel stabilizer Ari used in this video?d
Great video and explanation, but you didn't address the BIG question - how to prevent the clogs in the first place? I have a CB350 with twin Mikuni VM's and the super-tiny pilot jets clog after sitting for a week or two. Is there no real, long-term fix or prevention here..?? It's frustrating since my CB360 with stock carbs does not have this problem!!
Hi Ari, short question: What would you recommend after a K&N and Slipon Install on a Honda CBF 600 (like a Hornet but slightly detuned). I was planning on 1) bigger main jets, 2) raise the carb needle one position and 3) open the idle screw ½ turns. Also; carb clean and synch. Do you have a better idea? Thank you, great videos, greetings from Switzerland
You know what? I just bought a '88 Suzuki Katana 1100 that hasn't been ridden in a little over a year and the way it's been running I really think the pilot jets must be clogged or at least partially clogged. I do have it scheduled for a tune up about a week and a half from now where the mechanic will give it a good going over including the carbs, but in the mean time is there a gas addative that could help clean the carbs a little? By the way thanks for the great and informative videos.
Seafoam and Startron both have pretty good track records. I'm partial to Seafoam myself. Be aware additives can help some, but there's rarely a "fix in a bottle." I'd also recommend adding a clear inline fuel filter. Even if there's no rust, 30 years is plenty of time for a tank to collect hidden grit or other debris you don't want wandering into your carbs.
Great video. I’m having problems with a virago 535 as in the back carb cannot be made to run leaner so can air fuel jets get clogged up. Regards from England
Hey Ari, I love these videos so much, keep up the great work! Can you do a video on servicing ABS equipped bikes? I once tried to put a stainless steel brake line on my CBR300R and people all over the forums said that you shouldn't mess with the brakes on an ABS bike because the ABS module needs to be specially flushed by a certified mechanic. Is working on ABS really that scary or impossible?
thats the thing about carbs like i got a 99 r1 with a set of carbs i cleaned, left it for a month in the garage and now it took for ever to start had to spray some flameable spray into the airbox to get it started, gsxr 600 impounded for like 3 months and started right up and ran perfect straight away... got to love fuel injection
Great video. I've been working on my own bikes for 5 years and I'm still learning things from your videos. Would you consider doing a video on bike gear? Specifically track gear for vegans ( no leather). would really appreciate it and no one else has made such a video.
Siddharth Sharma I don't have to eat it but you do have to pay someone to torture, and kill as well as letting poor brown people use all the chemicals we won't use in Europe or American because they're so harmful to the workers and the environment. All the while the process gets worse and worse because we put pressure on the suppliers to lower the price. Dainese developed a fabric that was lighter stronger and cheaper than cow skin but it didn't sell. Look in to in friend. I know you must be a good person because you're a biker.
Siddharth Sharma Really nice bike by the way. I've always loved the look of the cbr600rr. If that bike was a women there's very little I wouldn't do for some alone time.
feidhlim o briain I understand what you mean. I also know that leather is presently the best material to make biking gear. Maybe some kind of synthetic leather can surpass the abrasion resistance of genuine leather but, we are yet to see that. If Dainese made such material why didn't they market it..? I will research some more about it. Look, I also love animals but sucked it up and bought a leather suit because I know that it could save my life one day.
vary helpfull, thanks. wish I had watched this before completely cleaning everything but the pilot jet, then putting it all back together, ha. thanks again!
My motorcycle has this switching on only with the choke and turning off on opening the throttle. Once I cover about a quarter of a mile with the choke on it becomes normal and remains normal for the rest of the day(even after switching off and standing a couple of hours). If I clean the jets and put them back on(before starting the bike for the day), the bike starts great for that day, but the next day again it is back to the same issue with starting. I use copper wire to poke the jets as copper is supposed to be softer than brass, so I guess that is not an issue as such. Else, I use white spirit injected into the jets with a syringe to clean them. Still I end up with the starting issue the next day. Do you think it is time to replace the jets?
What is the common cause of clogging in pilot jets? 1. Varnish i.e. old fuel. Although fresh fuel should have cleaners to dissolve the varnish. 2. RUST!!! A rusty fuel tank means either rust particles or dissolved rust make their way past filters into the carbs. The rust precipitates out when in contact with the aluminium body of the carbs. Keep the tank topped up with fuel. Epoxy coat the inside of the tank BUT watch out for cracking which is caused when the tank expands in the sun. Use microfilters in the fuel line.
Bike wouldn't start this morning. Same symptoms as shown on the mini bike. I had the tank off last week, and i guess i didn't clean the tab before reattaching the fuel line. Wish me luck
Would using Carb cleaner spray monthly on a brand new carburetor from the very beginning prevent buildup? Or will it eventually just get clogged anyways.
And thank you for the tip im running a pwk 21mm on my bicycle motor and I've been experiencing pilot jet plugging maby i should buy a new fuel filter BUTT thanks I've subscribed and a total thumbs up
very helpful vid god job tyvm nice and explanatory and not too complicated I have a bandit 600 and her idol hangs something chronic so this helped me a lot i have had so many ppl inputting rubbish ideas this help me ty ty ty :)
I have a 50cc that hangs after i let go of the throttle with all 3 carbs ive tried on it. 2 new, 1 old and cleaned. New intake gasket too. I think its a vacuum leak, but where else do I have to look if the intake is all sealed up and good?
When blasting out your pilot jet, hold on real tight so it doesn't go shooting across the garage and land behind the impossible to move workbench.
Wish I saw this comment earlier...
Why would your impossible to move work bench have gaps things can fall into ?
That's the real question
Hi there I'm from South Africa need some advice I'm not sure if it's the carbs but when I start my Suzuki bandit GSF 400 and it's warm when I begin to pull away and I open it to 6 thousands revs it then drops to 4 thousand revs then it jumps to 12 or 13 thousand revs why does it do that it's like when I want to pull away and open the throttle to quick the bike dies I have to open the throttle slowly to ride fast or pull away how can I fix this ? Thx
Sounds like he knows this from experience...
Quintus 😂
Good video Ari, but I do have 3 comments:
(1) When spraying carb cleaner through the pilot jet make sure that you do a couple of sprays with your finger over the bottom exit hole so that you can make sure the side holes are also clear. You want to see a nice strong mist of solvent coming through.
(2) If the jet is completely clogged often no amount of solvent will clean it. Before I pull a carb for cleaning I hit my local guitar store for a piece of steel E string . They will usually have some left over from stringing jobs and will typically give it to you for free. This is very fine but very stiff wire and you can gently work it through the jet without damaging it. Once there is a passage through the jet, the high pressure cleaner will then remove the rest as it passes through.
(3) I HIGHLY recommend holding the jet in a towel before you blow compressed air through it. Often your fingers alone won't hold it strongly enough and you can blow it across your garage never to be seen again (ask me how I know, LOL).
wouldn't it be easier to soak the pilot jet in a solvent, such as even rubbing alcohol?
E string smart!!
Copper wire works fine
@Mada-yq5sf I have found copper is to soft to work through really crusty clogged jets. Guitar string works better. But to get the last of the residue I like blasting carb cleaner through.
Cool stuff
This video series is great. In fact, the worst thing about it is the time between episodes
I just found this channel yesterday, watched about 6 hours worth of content so far. Your videos are insanely well done guys.
Thanks man, I am! Im a new driver, got a 00 bmw f650, and been having a lot of trouble with clutch linkage adjustment and hard shifting.
If I adjust cable to far out on handle shift lever, easy shifting but clutch slips.
If I adjust cable to far in, clutch slips still and super bad shifting.
Been too afraid to adjust anything where cable connects to arm below on engine (I dont know what thats called). Theres a sweet spot I guess for easy clutching vs slip? I have it set right now to where its hard shifting, but no slip. If this is a common thing can you do a vid about that? That'd be epic man. Or just bring anything else coming, Im sure I'd watch it! :)
Thanks very much for the reply sir!
@Ari! Can you please do an vid on replacing forks seals!
Mine need done, and I'm hoping I wont need to pay a shop to do it.. :/
This video was not “very brief” it was informative and not too long. Usually these videos are unorganized. This was not too long. Keep it up ! 👍
I've been intimidated by how complex carbs look for a long time, but this video was very informative and I definitely have everything I need to clear out my pilot jets
"...or the bottom."
Smooth.
lol notice it too. how it suddenly falls on its back lol
scary, somehow
Lmfao 😂😂😂 Im dead
He a smooth operator 😂
I replayed that several times.
Thank you so much for this video! You saved me more hours of figuring out what was happening with my Honda Dominator, that it just didn't start (only by using starting fluid). Checked almost everything (fuel, spark, battery, measured stator, pulse generator, coil, electricity contacts, CDI box contacts, vacuum leaks around carb and air box, etc.), especially after disassembling and cleaning carb. In the end your video made me think that it still might be a carb related issue, because I started to remember that the problem started when I switched the fuel tank petcock to RESERVE. Removed the petcock and yeap - there were some debris on the bottom of the tank, without original fuel filter, which clogged the pilot jet. After blasting out the pilot jet with an air gun and assembling everything back together, Dommie now runs just great! Thanks!
I have a honda rancher 350 that will only run on staring fluid.
Thank you, gave me the confidence to give it a try on my 4 inline carb, removed it all and followed it to clean the pilot. Bike started and held idle fine, so happy!!!
Ari, thanks. I really get benefit from your clear explanations. I have a 1984 Suzuki GR650 Tempter. A bit of an oddity, but then so am I at 66 years old doing my first more in-depth build.
I am doing some performance and styling mods on the Tempter. Carb, exhaust, and air box work, is key on the performance front. I definitely had some high hanging idle with no sign of air leaks at the engine-side boots. Most of the problems seemed related to the pilot system.
I've rejet'd the pilots by one size, raised the needles by one notch, and rejet'd the mains by three sizes, to work hopefully well with the new more open mufflers and opened out air box. Of course I cleaned the carb interiors while at it. Fingers crossed :-)
Any updates?
@@Johnferrana I've sold that bike long ago, but fyi, the aftermarket main jet was much too rich. Had to be downsized. Other than that it ran awesome.
thank you for this fan-freaking-tastic video series because of this video series you have given me the confidence to perform maintenance on my motorcycle that I would normally have to pay a shop hundreds of dollars to do last March I put tires on my motorcycle front and rear 2000 CBR 600 F4 have a motion Pro balancing stand everything went off without a hitch this spring I am going to change the clutch thanks Ari
Thanks for the video. I have cleaned many pilot jets and never have I only had to spray cleaner/air to clean them. LOL. When those symptoms occur, It's usually HARD deposits restricting the hole or plugged completely. Have to clean with a small wire, or jet cleaner tips, etc. Jets are cheap, but seems I never have them on hand when needed! Just yesterday, out of the blue, my reliable Vulcan 800 wouldn't idle. Pilot jet was almost closed completely with hard black deposits. Took 15 minutes to clear. Thanks for the videos!
My just rebuilt 99 ZX7 was running like a dream for a few months, but now it runs poor on low revs. Gonna check that pilot jet . Thanks a bunch
My VFR400 was notoriously bad for this. Great video! People should really watch this and learn.
Ari, how about a vid on synchronizing a bank of carbs on a 4 cyl? Another good one, and a critical setting, is float height. Again, on carbs for an inline 4. Maybe show the method of using a clear piece of tubing connected to the drain port (usually done on the bench). Love the work you and Zach do on this channel, keep it up guys.
Excellent video! I would like to add (myself being the owner of 30 motorcycles) that fuel with ethanol in it makes the bike run leaner at idle (in the older bikes any way - such as the Kawasaki KZ`S, Suzuki GS`s and such). Pretty much every bike I own, I have turned the idle air screw out 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn for a much better idle. Hope this helps!
My first step with a poor running bike is to dump a bottle of seafoam in the tank. A good portion of the time, that cleans the carbs nicely and I don't even have to take anything apart. That and a good carb balance every once in a while are all I've done to my '85 CB650 carbs.
Run a thin wire, like a single thread from a wirebrush, trough the jet. As solvent and compressed air might not be enough. Had a clogged up pilot jet that wouldn't open with just solvent and compressed air. The customer said he did a troughout cleaning of the carb and jets and it still wouldn't run properly. So he suspected a faulty carb and brought it in. An hour later i could call him up with some good news. He had a good running motor for only 50€ instead of 380€ + labor.
I had same experience. 1975 Honda XL350. "Pro" shop carb clean. Died from 1/4 to 3/4 throttle anyway. It was the deeply buried and invisible air jet for the emulsion tube. I stuck a long stiff wire into the suspect hole on front of carb, poking by braille, until I felt it go through. Excitement. Reassembled and it ran perfectly. Happiest day of my life!
Neat to see your name here! Cheers
Holy Crap, it's Randy Pobst /\ , this dudes an awesome race driver!
Hey man...I have a suzuki gz250 and I have been dying on it...I have tried everything and now I'm just in the dark.
Single mikuni bsr32ss and i cleaned it changed jets (same as factory no upgrade) and it will idle but when I crack the throttle it dies out... I'm thinking the passage in the body of the carb is clogged?????? PLEASE HELP I'VE BEEN DOWN 10 DAYS
@@randypobstofficial I have a gz250 suzuki I replaced factory jets and cleaned it...then it did the same thing...idle fine then when you crack the throttle it dies. Do you think I could also have a clog like you did in the carb body
I have a 1974 CL360 and that is exactly what is wrong with my bike! Super helpful video. Thanks!!
I have no idea what you're talking about but I love this series.
The Single Most Common Carburetor Problem = THE OWNER!
fwh79 what if you bought a bike with a problem
@@calebkroll4698 Previous owner
Of quality of petrol?
@@lynnmckenney1987 ALWAYS
an owner whos a squid and always on high RPM
Never understood why the fuel and air mixture screws are in an impossible to reach spot. If you're trying to tune it you have to constantly take it off to adjust it. Ugh
Spot on. The leakge in intake manifold rubber to engine head is very notorious. Also the mouth of the part that is locking with engine head should be properly screwed (using gel sealant in most cases)
Leakages should be taken good care 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you so much! This clears everything wrong with my bike and it worked flawlessly. I’ve never seen a “perfect” tutorial but this covered absolutely everything needed!
I just now found your video and it helped me greatly it was indeed a clogged Jet and passageway for the idle!.
My bike's would only run on food show and everytime I give it gas it wouldn't either rib out of control a title or die when giving it more air
Thanks. That confirms what I thought was happening. The main jet I know was getting fuel through but the quad would not idle and I'd have to hold the throttle down to keep it running rather rough. I also tried putting penetrating oil into the passageway to help clean out any clogging as well as carb cleaner. I don't feel air flow through but I'll try a bit more TLC cleaning before I reinstall it.
i have all this problem, i do step by step like your video and now she run like a new! i'm so happy, thanks. :) 1994 suzuki DR125
I'm having this in my Honda Trigger 150. When I open throttle, the engine goes off. But I failed to repair as per your information. But your video gave me the idea how to fix it. Thanks.
I wish the title would contain the exact issue (pilot jet clogged) and not just "most common problem". I think descriptive titles are always great and help with orientation in all those billions of youtube videos.
A mighty title for a mighty video :) . Thanks!
Great little walk through on this most common issue. Appreciate you man!
Been watching these videos for years ever since my first motorcycle!
Always order a Carbrebuilt kit, you might use it afterall and you don't have to wait shipent time. Give the carb some ultrasonic love.
Good. As an old dealership tech, I've told many people: "80% of the time - DIRT is your problem".
Never really a problem until Mr. Ethnol cam along .
Perfect, many thanks. Brief videos are great, nothing worse than listening to someone rattling on just to make content.
Thanks for the great video. This almost confirms what I was thinking. I ride a '88 GSX1100F and up until a day or two ago it idled and ran great. I filled it at the shell station the other day (V-Power which I believe is non ethanol) and it stalled on me a couple of times while giving the wife a ride to work today. It runs like crap just at idle and a bit above, but when I roll it on it almost rips my arms off. I'm thinking a bit of crap in one of my pilot jets.
Great vid Mr Henning .. I just rebuilt my carbs this winter, with confidence inspired by your first carb video ..
Thanks Ari
VERY VERY good young man. iam Moe back in the 60s i did a lot carbs. on big American cars. looks like you know what you are doing. keep up the good work.
This series keeps getting better. ...or the bottom... nice.
This explains so much about a bike I recently sold... definitely time to pop out the carbs on the SV and see what they look like.
Awesome video as always. Carbs are the main reason I decided to go with my fuel injected fz6. Coming from a 200cc dual sport and a vstar 650 it's best decision I've made. Can't wait until I get done with college and can get a real bike lol
Advise needed for my FTR 223 ! :)
When the engine is hot (after around 10min of driving), I feel inconsistency in 2 situations :
- When accelerating at low RPM : The engine seems to "skip a beat" before the bike actually accelerates
- When cruising at relatively high RPM : the engine isn't smooth, especially in 3rd and 4th gear
It seems to be carburator-related, but any idea how, and how to fix it ?
Thanks a lot !
My son 7-year old Tanmay watches and learns from your videos.
Thanks, directly on how to fix the problem, no five minutes of talking :)
could you please make a video of your rc390 race bike !! about what modes u have done on it, what one needs to take care while preping a race bike, what should one look for while buying a aftermarket parts ! your video will make alot of difference. please do one !
Nice video, will help out a lot of people. my second choice would be a failing needle valve causing the bike to flood and puke gas.
Z50. Love it. Owned one along with the MIni Trail 70 when we were kids.
I watch a lot of how to videos and often the hosts are irritating.
This is not those videos your host does an awesome job.
I already cleaned my carb thoroughly, I took extra time with it. I still have an issue with it, if I slow down the wheel, the engine slows down, and then dies. Valves are good everything is good, not sure if the clutch is sticking? I'll be replacing it in a couple of days. Going back to the carb? Maybe there's one hole the blow gun cannot blow out? I think I'll just get a extra new carb just in case, they are cheap in price. Forgot to mention the air screw doesn't do anything.
Biker mike has the solution for really stubborn clogged pilot jets! And it’s real easy!!!
Thanks Ari! All your videos are great and really helpful
Great video 👍🏻. I’m having that problem with a keihin fcr on my old yz450, I think my issue is the orifice that the pilot jet screws into though, rather than the jet itself, which I’ve already cleaned with no result. Good job 👍🏻 mate ✌🏻
Awsome video, I have a 98 Valkryie and half the jets were just like that. My question is, how do you check/adj the fuel mix screw on a multiple cyl bike?
Thanks for not replying to my question. The answer was in the video. Duh!
I just LOOOOVEE this MC Garage videos, so easy to understand. thanks... Mr Henning is a great teacher...
Damn Ari, you explain it so good that it almost feels easy to mess with it. Great videos.
Hey great video, this may answer many of the issues I have on my 85' Suzuki GS550L;
would a stuck pilot also lead to having a gas leak from where the Air cleaner tube is connected? Some suggest a Sticky Float or another person suggested it may be "valve starter" that is loose due to a stripped Holding cap.
That may be the most clever, bumper video / logo animation I've ever seen.
This resonates with me as I have had constant pilot jet problems with my Kawasaki engined lawn tractor with Walboro LMF carb. Unfortunately on this carb it is nearly impossible to clear pilot jets due to the idiotic design of the carb so on one occasion only a new carb would do.
My pilot jet was clog and destroy. I got a 45. Hope it fits and it doesn't do all the crap it was with h you showed us. I'm praying! Lol ty for the video
Significant Weather change can do it too, anyone riding a Carbureted Bike may have noticed that it just doesn't Run very smooth on Hot Day's.. that's because the Factory Set the A/F in a very mild Climate, and a change in the Barometric pressure can definitely effect a Carbureted Engine.
I always run my carb dry by shutting off the fuel supply 300 yards from home and coasting into the driveway. This prevents any carb damage and clogging caused by modern ethanol contaminated fuel.
This is recommended by several classic motorcycle websites and owners clubs.
Does that Motion Pro tool work really well? I bought a different brand with a ninety degree bend and it's very difficult to get any sense/feel of pilot jet movement. Great videos
thanks so much. I went to ride my husqvarna tc125 today and it wouldnt idle with the choke off, it kept dying out. I will have my dad help me clean the carb up and get her running again.
ah crap, i never thought of the ethanol issue, thanks for this video, very informative and i learned something ! Merci.!
Love this channel. Ari makes any topic feel like lemon squeezy!
Hello, Ari.WE love your videos with lots of information..keep em posting. WHEN CAN WE EXPECT A 2017 SUPERBIKE SHOOTOUT. ????????????
currently cleaning mine on my 2000 Bandit 1216. 164k and counting.. second set of carbs though!
Used to look after 30-40 used bikes on a sales floor , so no time to remove carbs and be cleaning pilots properly ,
one way is to drain the fuel and give the bowl’s a quick short blast of compressed air .. and really short 1sec blasts for CV Carbs or obviously the diaphragm rubbers will pop.
But it works 8 times out of 10.
I experienced this on my bike last week, and I just drove a while with choke on. I think it's okay now, but definitely going to put some fuel stabilizer in now that I learned something from this video. What brand is the fuel stabilizer Ari used in this video?d
Great video and explanation, but you didn't address the BIG question - how to prevent the clogs in the first place? I have a CB350 with twin Mikuni VM's and the super-tiny pilot jets clog after sitting for a week or two. Is there no real, long-term fix or prevention here..?? It's frustrating since my CB360 with stock carbs does not have this problem!!
62Buford he explains this by saying fuel stabilizer ..I would also turn the fuel cock off, and let the bike run til it dies , and drain the bowl
Hi Ari, short question: What would you recommend after a K&N and Slipon Install on a Honda CBF 600 (like a Hornet but slightly detuned). I was planning on 1) bigger main jets, 2) raise the carb needle one position and 3) open the idle screw ½ turns. Also; carb clean and synch. Do you have a better idea? Thank you, great videos, greetings from Switzerland
You know what? I just bought a '88 Suzuki Katana 1100 that hasn't been ridden in a little over a year and the way it's been running I really think the pilot jets must be clogged or at least partially clogged. I do have it scheduled for a tune up about a week and a half from now where the mechanic will give it a good going over including the carbs, but in the mean time is there a gas addative that could help clean the carbs a little?
By the way thanks for the great and informative videos.
Seafoam and Startron both have pretty good track records. I'm partial to Seafoam myself. Be aware additives can help some, but there's rarely a "fix in a bottle."
I'd also recommend adding a clear inline fuel filter. Even if there's no rust, 30 years is plenty of time for a tank to collect hidden grit or other debris you don't want wandering into your carbs.
@@sacrificialrook6283 thank you for the information and advice. It's much appreciated.
Great video. I’m having problems with a virago 535 as in the back carb cannot be made to run leaner so can air fuel jets get clogged up. Regards from England
Thank you ! I think this has verified my boat problem !!!
Hey Ari, I love these videos so much, keep up the great work! Can you do a video on servicing ABS equipped bikes? I once tried to put a stainless steel brake line on my CBR300R and people all over the forums said that you shouldn't mess with the brakes on an ABS bike because the ABS module needs to be specially flushed by a certified mechanic. Is working on ABS really that scary or impossible?
I have an 1994 Honda xr100r and about 3/4 of throttle the bike lags out what should i do? (I may add this bike is great)
thats the thing about carbs like i got a 99 r1 with a set of carbs i cleaned, left it for a month in the garage and now it took for ever to start had to spray some flameable spray into the airbox to get it started, gsxr 600 impounded for like 3 months and started right up and ran perfect straight away... got to love fuel injection
I wish I could have you work on my ke100. Haven’t riden it in over a decade and rebuilt it and still nothing.
Great video. I've been working on my own bikes for 5 years and I'm still learning things from your videos. Would you consider doing a video on bike gear? Specifically track gear for vegans ( no leather). would really appreciate it and no one else has made such a video.
feidhlim o briain Lol track gear for vegans...? Go get yourself a leather suit, you don't have to eat it
Siddharth Sharma I don't have to eat it but you do have to pay someone to torture, and kill as well as letting poor brown people use all the chemicals we won't use in Europe or American because they're so harmful to the workers and the environment. All the while the process gets worse and worse because we put pressure on the suppliers to lower the price. Dainese developed a fabric that was lighter stronger and cheaper than cow skin but it didn't sell. Look in to in friend. I know you must be a good person because you're a biker.
Siddharth Sharma Really nice bike by the way. I've always loved the look of the cbr600rr. If that bike was a women there's very little I wouldn't do for some alone time.
feidhlim o briain I understand what you mean. I also know that leather is presently the best material to make biking gear. Maybe some kind of synthetic leather can surpass the abrasion resistance of genuine leather but, we are yet to see that. If Dainese made such material why didn't they market it..? I will research some more about it. Look, I also love animals but sucked it up and bought a leather suit because I know that it could save my life one day.
feidhlim o briain Haha I also love the 600rr. I have had it for 5 years now and I am having trouble finding a replacement for it.
vary helpfull, thanks. wish I had watched this before completely cleaning everything but the pilot jet, then putting it all back together, ha. thanks again!
Nice vid, my bike isn't Carb'ed but what stabiliser do u recommend as my Daytona sits for about 6 months.
My motorcycle has this switching on only with the choke and turning off on opening the throttle. Once I cover about a quarter of a mile with the choke on it becomes normal and remains normal for the rest of the day(even after switching off and standing a couple of hours). If I clean the jets and put them back on(before starting the bike for the day), the bike starts great for that day, but the next day again it is back to the same issue with starting. I use copper wire to poke the jets as copper is supposed to be softer than brass, so I guess that is not an issue as such. Else, I use white spirit injected into the jets with a syringe to clean them. Still I end up with the starting issue the next day. Do you think it is time to replace the jets?
Thank you. You covered my specific issues
Honda calls it the "slo-jet" and I've found the best thing to use on them is the appropriate size (note) guitar string
Or torch tip cleaner.
1:38 that was dope haha
the carb fell over and u played it off smooth lol
What is the common cause of clogging in pilot jets?
1. Varnish i.e. old fuel. Although fresh fuel should have cleaners to dissolve the varnish.
2. RUST!!! A rusty fuel tank means either rust particles or dissolved rust make their way past filters into the carbs. The rust precipitates out when in contact with the
aluminium body of the carbs. Keep the tank topped up with fuel. Epoxy coat the inside of the tank BUT watch out for cracking which is caused when the tank
expands in the sun. Use microfilters in the fuel line.
Great video! Solved the problems my YZF600R had (which i bought yesterday :))..
Thanks. I think I have a carb cleaning in my future,
Best way to clean those tiny carb passages is to take the carb apart, drop it in an ultrasonic cleaner.
Careful not to upset the carb float level
I really wish I had found videos like these years ago. maybe i'd still have my 94 Ninja...
Bike wouldn't start this morning. Same symptoms as shown on the mini bike. I had the tank off last week, and i guess i didn't clean the tab before reattaching the fuel line.
Wish me luck
Did you guys go to Phillip Island for the new GSXR? Just curious if you have a video or article in the works.
Jewelry cleaners are tiny cheap ultrasonic cleaners. They work great at cleaning carburetor jets.
Would using Carb cleaner spray monthly on a brand new carburetor from the very beginning prevent buildup? Or will it eventually just get clogged anyways.
That exact moment engine falling was awesome! I thought it happened by mistake.
And thank you for the tip im running a pwk 21mm on my bicycle motor and I've been experiencing pilot jet plugging maby i should buy a new fuel filter BUTT thanks I've subscribed and a total thumbs up
can you do a video on diaphram carbs vs pump carbs
I bought Chinese scooter and the mixture adjustment screw would backout by itself under vibrations
Wait, is China making Harley Davidson's now? (I just can't help myself)
Lock tite homie. Or anti seize
very helpful vid god job tyvm nice and explanatory and not too complicated I have a bandit 600 and her idol hangs something chronic so this helped me a lot i have had so many ppl inputting rubbish ideas this help me ty ty ty :)
I have a 50cc that hangs after i let go of the throttle with all 3 carbs ive tried on it. 2 new, 1 old and cleaned. New intake gasket too. I think its a vacuum leak, but where else do I have to look if the intake is all sealed up and good?