Thanks for your detailed reply , it's appreciated.

Instead of removing the rattle cable from the carbs, could I - and would it not be easier to -remove the cable from the handlebar and keep it attached at the carb end?

 

You certainly could do that, but I wouldn't say it would be any easier, just different.

You would probably still have to loosen the cables slightly at the carbs so that you would have enough slack to work the cable ends out of the channels on the throttle tube, so that you could get them out and off at the throttle housing, and remove the carbs with the cables connected... I've never had reason to do it that way, so I might be missing some detail, just going on memory right now.

 

Well I'm getting... Somewhere I suppose.

I removed the air filter housing, all the hoses connecting to the carbs and the boot clamps



But the buggers won't budge, they're stuck solid in the rubber housing. I spent 20 minutes rocking them back and forth to no avail. The next free time I have is Monday and ill try heating the rubber housing and see if tht loosens things up a little.

 

There was a short thread on those screens..... https://cbrforum.com/forum/general-t...shield-138452/

I posted a couple of pictures of the screen I got compared to the stock clear screen.

Those Hong Kong ones are low quality fit and finish. Also they only bubble wrap them and don't box them so it's hit and miss if they get broken in the mail. Mine was cracked so they offered to refund or send another one. I got the refund and tried out the cracked screen for a while. I think I would have stuck with it if it was clear because it had noticibly better wind protection. I just didn't like the smoked look. Like you've noticed with other screens, mine was light smoke but is still pretty dark.

 

Believe it or not, I actually found a U.S. wholesaler/retailer that still has some clear Zero Gravity double bubbles in stock, and despite the fact that it's $99.95 + another $6 - $8 for shipping, I think I might go that route - I really like the quality of Zero Gravity screens.

 

I've got a Fabbri double double light smoke screen and I can't recommend it highly enough. The fit and finish is amazing

 

Many keeping those gaskets in place and finagling the carbs all back together never goes smoothly for me. I think the gaskets swell slightly over time and won't sit back in the recess flush. If they are not expensive it may be worth picking up a couple new ones and slapping them in.

 

So after hours of trying I finally managed to pull the carbs out!

I drained the float bowl screws but no fuel came out. I then removed the float bowl covers



Everything seemed relatively clean



Removed all the jets and needles etc





Then removed the diaphragms and sliders





Now I just need to clean everything up. I've been told to boil them in water, but I'm not sure if I want to waste a perfectly good pot :lol:

 

With normal use, these seals don't change size on their own, however, many people use carb cleaner on EVERYTHING in the carbs... Don't do that!! Most spray carb cleaner, and some carb dip solutions, are not good for rubber - they will dry it out, and cause the rubber gaskets/and seals to swell.

Sharky, more than likely, the swollen rubber parts you've seen, were probably subjected to carb cleaner.

So, Steven, don't get carb cleaner on the rubber parts!! You can use Yamalube's carb dip, as it specifically states that it's safe for rubber - it's the only one that I know of, that is.

It can be a real bugger, getting the carbs off for the first time, especially if they'd never been off before.

One thing I'll suggest, which has helped me in the past, with no ill effects, is when you're going to put them back on, use an electric heat gun to circulate for a while around each boot, getting them nice and warm, and pliable, and after verifying the intake tubes on the engine are clean, rub the tiniest bit of grease (once again, make sure it's not highly petroleum based, and safe for rubber) around the lip of each tube - I also put a very, very, light film on the boots as well, especially focusing on the sharp, 90º angle that must first begin to envelope the end of the intake tubes.
This makes them go on much, much easier, and as long as you don't use too much heat, damaging the boots, or too much grease, creating a possible vacuum leak situation (with the clamps tightened sufficiently, this is not likely anyway), you will appreciate how easy it becomes... and, this aids in future removals as well, though, I'm bettin' when you get these back on, you're not gonna be anxious to take 'em off again, huh?

I bought a cheap heat gun, at Harbor Freight, several years back, for $9.99 on sale - it has two settings: 575ºF and 1200ºF - it has been one of the best purchases I've ever made.

Looks can most definitely be deceiving here... the holes and passages are the key here. I've pulled some main jets, in the past, held them up to light, and seen only about a pinhole of light come through, when it should be several times that size - kind of like blockage from corrosion and funky stuff build-up in an old cast iron drainpipe!
Anyway, the OEM main jet is a "135", which is a 1.35mm hole - with something that small, even the slightest "gumming", can cause you issues. So, even visual inspection can only go so far, as some blockage may be too little to see, and with the fuel passages for each circuit, that go from the bowl to the venturi, you can't see through those anyway.
As you probably are, or already have, anyway, I would give it a full cleaning, no matter how good it looks, just in case. Use carb cleaner to soak all the jets in, and after spraying carb cleaner into the passages on the carbs, and letting it sit a while, use compressed air to blow through all those circuits.

For the diaphragms and slides, just wiping them down with a rubber safe solvent and/or blowing the parts/housing with air, is good enough - I spray the slides down with WD-40, and lightly wipe off the excess, so that the slide is a little lubricated, preventing it from becoming stuck open.

I'm not saying it's wrong to use boiling water, as I belive all the parts are brass and aluminum, but I have quite literally never heard of anyone cleaning the carbs that way! I would use carb cleaner, so long as you heed the above warning about it's affect on rubber parts!

 

Well, thank you again for your detailed and helpful reply!

I have decided against the boiling idea and I',m just going to spray them with carb cleaner instead. In short, I spray carb cleaner in every hole there is (there are no rubber parts left attached to the carbs) and then clean with compressed sir (which I don't have).

What are the two brass/gold tubes/jets that are directly above and to the left of the needle in this picture:



What about the pilot jet, should I remove the, to clean or leave them as they are? I don't want to mess with the settings too much!

I will soak the jets in carb cleaner overnight and clean the actual carbs tomorrow.

How would you recommend cleaning the outside of the carbs - the throttle cable housing and springs etc, they're thick with grease and cobwebs - carb cleaner again?