How to remove carbs and access float bowls

[Buster Hymen]

I know this question will tell a lot about my experience level but where are these float bowls and what do they look like and what do I need to take apart to access them/clean them?

Here is a quick tutorial. I took these shots last time I had my carbs out.

First off, you should get a service manual




Step 1, strip off the scoops, faux gas tank and airbox



These are the carbs! LOL ! :smileystooges:



You need to loosen the lower clamps on the carb throats and remove the throttle cables. It is a push-pull system that are held in with a "barrel" at the end of the cable. They can be a pain in the ass to remove. I'm sure someone here has a trick in getting them out.





Carbs are out! :banana: You have to remove the bracket on each side and a throttle link in the center to split the carbs into pairs.



Make sure you do this in a "clean" area on a workbench as some of the clips are SMALL and HARD TO FIND if dropped! :whistlin:



Carbs split into pairs



Here are the float bowls. A proper sized screwdriver is essential as the screws will probably be a bastard to get out and they will strip easy.



Inside the floatbowl. The one on the right shows a too low float level. In this case the float pivot was sticking. You need to clean everything in here so there is no crap in here. Open up EVERYTHING in here and clean it.




Hope this helps! :cheers: Just take your time and it is not too hard to do. Just remember your will need to synch your carbs once you put them back in.

 

[John Willette]

Before you go through all that grief and expense of getting your carbs syncd, try a half bottle of a good fuel additive along with a fresh fill up of premium. Mine was running a little rough first time out after a long winter storage and this suggestion worked for me...I hope it does for you too!

 

[94 V-Max Rider]

I would suggest that before anybody attempts to remove the brackets holding the carburetor pairs together that they invest in a quality impact screwdriver. Those screws can be real bastards.

Also, pay close attention when removing the choke linkage. Lots of small parts. Work slowly and pay attention to detail.

During assembly, place the carburetor assembly on the flattest, most level surface possible.

 

[dannymax]

You want to be careful with an impact, the castings are brittle and too much impact in the wrong place can crack them.

Needle nose vice grips....shit can the phillips heads and replace with allen bolts.

Removing the throttle cables is made easier with a hooked mechanics pick.

 

[06VMAXIMUS]

I leave the throttle cables on the carbs and disconnect them at the plastic splitter under the left scoop. Then you can remove remaining cables when carbs are out of the bike.

 

[maleko89]

I use locking pliers if they are buggered.

 

[sdt354]

Before you go through all that grief and expense of getting your carbs syncd, try a half bottle of a good fuel additive along with a fresh fill up of premium. Mine was running a little rough first time out after a long winter storage and this suggestion worked for me...I hope it does for you too!

Carb sync is a 10-20 minute job at most. I believe anyone with any amount of skill can do it effectively.I check mine at the start and middle of every riding season. Always need to be adjusted a bit.

 

[dannymax]

Before you go through all that grief and expense of getting your carbs syncd, try a half bottle of a good fuel additive along with a fresh fill up of premium. Mine was running a little rough first time out after a long winter storage and this suggestion worked for me...I hope it does for you too!

Additives work pretty good for removing varnish and stuff like that but carb sync is a mechanical thing, has to be done manually.

 

[lawman504]

I leave the throttle cables on the carbs and disconnect them at the plastic splitter under the left scoop. Then you can remove remaining cables when carbs are out of the bike.

Pictures if ya got em? Im getting ready to remove my carbs in order to access the vboost servo that needs to be replaced. This sounds easier than removing them from the bottom of the carbs.

 

[dannymax]

Pictures if ya got em? Im getting ready to remove my carbs in order to access the vboost servo that needs to be replaced. This sounds easier than removing them from the bottom of the carbs.

Remove these three screws, then remove the cables from the plastic blocks....and yes, it is much easier than removing them from the carb bottoms.

 

[jagco1]

Remove these three screws, then remove the cables from the plastic blocks....and yes, it is much easier than removing them from the carb bottoms.

Wow nice 1 Danmaxxx - I learn something again. Always a pain removing and installing the cables from the bottom... I never paid attention to that part of the cables.

 

[Redbone]

Remove these three screws, then remove the cables from the plastic blocks....and yes, it is much easier than removing them from the carb bottoms.

+1, I'm sure BD has had carbs off and then back on enough times that he could pull apart and reassemble the throttle block blindfolded! I on the other hand have to usually pull them apart a couple times to get them put back together properly and back into their non binding position.

 

[dannymax]

+1, I'm sure BD has had carbs off and then back on enough times that he could pull apart and reassemble the throttle block blindfolded! I on the other hand have to usually pull them apart a couple times to get them put back together properly and back into their non binding position.

I did that for awhile BB but then asked myself..."Why do I need the cable at all?" So now just a properly formed (bent) length of heavy gauge copper wire (so's it don't scratch anything), hooked into the hole on the pull side of the bell crank does the trick.

'Course that wouldn't do for a daily rider....the old Harley riders might think yer running a suicide clutch...or suicide throttle....:rofl_200:

 

[dannymax]

Wow nice 1 Danmaxxx - I learn something again. Always a pain removing and installing the cables from the bottom... I never paid attention to that part of the cables.

Not so bad if the carbs are upside down but if you forget to drain the bowls..............yer gonna get wet! :bang head:

 

[HyperPete]

I don't suppose anyone has this in PDF format with full sized images, do you? (If not, I'll have to create it.)

Thanks!

 

[[email protected]]

I don't suppose anyone has this in PDF format with full sized images, do you? (If not, I'll have to create it.)

Thanks!

I do but the file is 1.28MB which is too large for me to upload.
If you shoot me an email at edbakerATwirelessservicesincDOTcom I can email it to you.

 

[HyperPete]

Awesome, thank you. Email forthcoming!

 

[Fire-medic]

If you have a torn-up phillips screw and you cannot get it loose, or need to loosen the security screws on the diaphragm covers, dannymax suggested a pair of Vise-Grips needlenose pliers. I have an exact same pair, but it just doesn't seem to give me the 'lock' onto the screws that is required, often, the jaws flex, or when I try to put torque on them, they slip-off. I have used a pair of straight-jaw Vise-Grips with success, they seem to give me in my ham-fisted way the correct 'lock' to allow torque to loosen the screws.

"There's more-than one way to 'skin the cat,' and as was mentioned, a good impact driver, https://www.harborfreight.com/impact-screwdriver-set-with-case-37530.html and good, well-fitting tips is important. Also heed dannymax's advice, "don't hit that carb body too-hard, or it will fracture!" If you don't have the special bit for the security screw on the diaphragm screw covers (Harbor Freight sells a plastic block holder of security screws) there are several ways to remove it. I often just use the straight-jaw Vise-Grips carefully-positioned, and all it takes is a bit of movement to break them loose.

Another way is to use a hand-held electric grinding tool, like a Dremel or equivalent (Harbor Freight has a 120 volt corded one, cheap https://www.harborfreight.com/heavy-duty-variable-speed-rotary-tool-kit-31-pc-68696.html ) to simply cut a slot across the head of the security screw, and deep-enough for a slot-head screwdriver to fit tightly into the slot. The screw should then surrender.

The last method would be to use a small cold chisel, and to drive the screw in a proper counter-clockwise direction to release the screw. I've had to do that on all-sorts of screws on a VMax, up-to and including the button-head allen screws which secure the brake rotors, if the allen heads get chewed-up. Any of the other methods I would use before this on a carb screw.

In order of personal preference, I would use the exact security bit (Harbor Freight is one source), the straight-jaw or needle-nose Vise-Grips, then the electric small rotary grinder (Dremel or similar) and finally, the cold chisel. Remember to heed dannymax's advice about hitting the carb casting! last time I checked, one of the carb bodies wasn't showing up as available on the parts fiche.

Dannymax gives good advice about replacing the screws with allen-head equivalents, just make sure you get the correct thread. Your disassembly will be much quicker next-time. Plus, those round head allen screws look 'cool,' so you've now got that going for you. I like the stainless screws over the black ones as they won't develop rust like the black ones do, especially if the allen head faces 'up,' and collects water. There are tiny buttons you can use to cover the allen head recess if you wish, buy extras, as they like to run for their freedom, when you pry them out to access the allen head for maintenance, and since they're plastic, after being removed a couple of times they can lose their tension, become loose, and fail to stay in-place.

When it's time to replace the set of carbs, if the rubber boots are old and stiff, this may work:
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/seat-those-carbs-easily.21303/

As others have posted, some lubricant is an aid in replacing the carbs. Vaseline, K-Y (water-soluble) jelly, WD-40, any suitable lubricant. You don't need much.

Checking for air leaks with some ether or starting fluid, spraying it around the rubber boots, as was-mentioned, once everything is in-place may show you that you need to replace one or more rubber carb donuts. I would recommend doing this every time you remove/replace the carbs, or if you're going to synch the carbs. It's useless to synch the carbs if you have an air leak.

I also am of the "remove the carb cables at the cable junction block" school. If you are having a tough time to get the cables to allow the butterflies to 'snap-closed,' as they should, save yourself the aggravation of looking for problems that aren't there, and go to the cables where they enter the handgrip throttle. See the one that has the screw adjustment with its locknut? Loosen the locknut, and loosen the cable screw to add slack. Now try the throttle. You will probably see that your sticking or slow-to-return throttle now snaps-closed! Just adjust the freeplay for a minimal amount, tighten the locknut, and you should be good to ride.

A tip, if you haven't worked on your carbs before, and you open the junction box to release the cables: the cables run outside of the frame rails. Be sure that you are connecting the pull cable to the pull cable and the push cable to the push cable. Forget which is which? Just turn the throttle, and watch the cable ends at the junction box. The white plastic cover of the throttle junction box has writing on it to show you where to place the cables.