What did you do to your bike today?

[Warwick Biggs]

I have resorted to running Avgas to reduce the varnish. I do not like having to pull the carbs off just to clean the slow jets in my CR Specials so am always interested in any products that can be run thru' with the fuel to save having to pull them off. Am I safe in assuming that you add Techron to the fuel?

[daves79x]

Just drain them.

Dave

[Artie]

I know draining them is the best way to reduce slow jet clogging issues for any length of time storage but I’ve religiously have been adding 1 oz of Techron Fuel System Cleaner per gallon cleaner for years with any and all my carburetor bikes and seem to keep systems clean
I sometimes have let my CBX sit for 2-3 weeks with no issues but always waiting for the dreaded clog on starting
Anyone have Techron product experience or am I just making myself feel better ??
Before using Techron I had slow jet clog issues on 1 random cylinder twice and had to pull carbs blow out jet what a giant PIA
Started to use Techron and no problem since
Chevron gas BITD always toughted their fuels system cleaning additive as some us old timers may recall
There long gone but their additive lives on!?

[wyly]

I've been using Seafoam for a few years and it's been good for me. If anyone has experience with Seafoam and Techron I'd like to hear their thoughts as to which may be better.

[wyly]

Just drain them.

Dave

You're right Dave but some of us are lazy.

I used seafoam to keep things clean and also drained for winter storage, then I took a gamble a few years ago and to see if just seafoam by itself would do the job, it did.

But yes draining is absolutely is still the best solution.

[chalayko]

I'm a firm believer in Seafoam and use it in every vehicle I have including my lawn mower and pressure washer.
Changed the signal light flasher today. Right side wouldn't flash, left side did. After reading several posts about it here I read that the left side and right side are on separate circuits. So, the relay was the problem. Change it and now they work fine. Yay! Cliff.

[Warwick Biggs]

CV carbs are less prone to blocking than Keihin CR Specials and the simple statement, "Just drain them" is not quite so simple in practice.

Firstly, it is messy. Secondly the #4 drain screw can barely be cracked before it hits the bulge in the cases for the primary chain. OK so get out the micrometer and machine it down. Thirdly if you are not careful you can still hit the cases and strip the light alloy thread on the drain screw. Fourthly, it is unhealthy, hard to control and wasteful.

Finally, you will still have a build-up of 'varnish' over time. I have experienced all these problems Dave and the simplest solution for me with my race bikes is to avoid altogether the poor quality fuels that most petrol stations stock and use specialty racing fuel.

Another solution suggested by a mechanic is to flood the fuel lines with carb cleaner and run that through after use.

But there is a better solution to my mind. It is now possible to purchase fully homologated 120 octane racing fuel and low lead avgas where the fuels are guaranteed not to contain the additives that can gum up the works or 'go off' and set like jelly. This is not impractical for CBX owners who may only run their bikes a few times a year or on special occasions. Alternatively, spend 5 minutes running thru' the good stuff after using pump gas to clean out the latter.

Personally, the prospect of adding an additional additive to rectify problems with other additives in the witches brew that passes for pump fuel does not seem very logical unless a chemist can certify it's application. I also note that Techron is not recommended for use in aviation fuel. I wonder why?

While on the subject of fuel and CBX's the early problems with the slightly down draft carbs, b4 Honda fitted diaphragms are well known. With age they can still split and leak and so can petrol taps. I don't use either. I use Pingels and a quick fuel line disconnect on all my bikes. Apart from anything else and avoiding rods thru' cases it makes it so much quicker and easier to pull the tank off and to do tuning with an overhead auxillary tank and just to control fuel flow.

And on that subject I wonder how many CBX owners have used Gunson transparent colour tuning spark plugs to tune their off idle response?

[daves79x]

Well, do you want a messy draining process or clean carbs? Wyly - it takes about as much effort to drain stock carb as it does to put on your riding gear. To each his own - carry on!

Dave

[Dynamohum]

What reason is there for not actually (riding) these six carb beasts frequently enough to eliminate the need to drain or remove and clean them?

[hondaman160mph]

What reason is there for not actually (riding) these six carb beasts frequently enough to eliminate the need to drain or remove and clean them?

Winter in Minnesota would be one reason

[NobleHops]

Owning several motorcycles would be another

[scottish CBX]

At last carbs balanced... as anyone that has tackled this job will know it is a touch tricky. Access to the screws just to connect your guages is fiddly but not as difficult to get to as the adjuster screws - I removed one of the engine hangers to make life just a little easier. Beware of faulty guages! I discovered part the way through balancing that one was not reading properly. Also make sure that the o-rings on the end of the brass connectors are new or in very good condition.

So back to the start, remove the screws to install the brass cylinders to which the 5mm clear plastic hoses are attached, before these are connected to the guages a damper is installed in line, this is critical in making the readings much easier to see. You have to play about with the amount of damping so that the fluxuations on the guage is minimal.

I also made sure that at rest, the guages all read the same, on mine there is a adjuster screw which will aid with this (you have to remove the clear plastic face coevr first). But I was also advise anyone taking this job on to then use the clear hose from cylinder no. 4 and connect it to each gauge in turn (engine running). This way you should have the confidence that if they all read the same then the guages are working and reading the same meaning you can go ahead and connect the rest up.

The process from here is well documented but just proceed carefully and slowly, a torch (flashlight) is essential to see the adjuster screws. After adjustments were made a few revs of the engine gave a very pelasing crisp response and to finish up a small blob of paint was deposited on the adjuster screw, hopefully this stops it loosening itself over time.

[scottish CBX]

First ride after some work....

Ignition timing adjusted ever so slightly, shims done, wow that was arduous, carbs balanced and new clutch rubbers installed, what a difference in the bike I mean it runs like new. It is so smooth, quiet and responsive just an amazing bike, but hey, we all knew that. Such a delight to ride and be on and if that wasn't enough, everywhere it goes it always gets noticed. I can't count the number times people say to me " you don't see many of those around these days do you" or, " nice bike" or just "wow", they are not interested in me just the bike and that engine but then you all knew that.

[steve murdoch icoa #5322]

The rewards of all the hard work.
Great to hear you got it all sorted.

[wyly]

Well, do you want a messy draining process or clean carbs? Wyly - it takes about as much effort to drain stock carb as it does to put on your riding gear. To each his own - carry on!

Dave

Of coarse but sometimes life gets in the way.

It's all good Sea Foam and an Italian tune up and it's running great. I'll drain them this winter I promise .