Randakk's master carb kit for GL1200's, EXCELLENT QUALITY

[admin]

Question.....

My bike runs like new.

BUT....

Now I have some free time!!!

Would you rebuild the carb's as they are old or leave sleeping giants lie????

If the fuel mileage is decent and the bike runs good I would say to leave it alone, but, if you're itching to get in there it won't hurt to replace 25 year old parts that have been affected by gasoline. The rubber parts do get hard over time so it's up to you Marty.

[bobsaint]

The Kit Worked Grate for Me.
Got a few tips from other members on this site on the install.
Randakk`s Has My Support. :lol:

[Guest]

Like you, Vic I received my Rebuild Kit from Randakk. It does indeed to be first class. I will take some pics as well to help clarify anything. My expertize with image posting is now legendary. :- LOL. Aside from THAT flaw, I am an ASE Master Tech so maybe I can help out along the way. I am very close to start up time so I am anxious to get this done.

[Tropicalsuns]

I have decided to rebuild my carbs and the maybe solve my gas leak problems in the mean time.

Will I need anything else besides this kit and instructions?

Jets? Slides? Floats? or just order the kit and start taking things apart?

[Tropicalsuns]

What diameter are the fuel and vacuum hoses?

[pstelter]

How difficult is the carb re-build process and how long does it take? I have wrenched repairs myself on my 85 Aspy, but have yet to do any carb work.

Also, are there any components that I should replace or other maintenance actions I should perform while I have the bike down for the carbs?

Finally, has anyone replaced their choke cable? The action on my choke does not feel very smooth. It moves freely until about 90 degress (with no discernable change in enginer speed) and then gets very difficult to move after that. Is that the proper action it should have? Any thoughts?

Hope everyone's summer is going well. Looking forward to getting back on to the road.

- Pete

[admin]

It takes about 8 hours to thoroughly go through the carbs on a GL1200. There is a lot of finely detailed inspection and adjusting to do, as well as cleaning. It is possible that your choke cable needs an adjustment down at the intake manifold ( you need to lift the carb assembly off the engine to access it and you'll need new o-rings for the intake manifolds) or you might possibly find a binding cable causing the problem. Either way, it should move smoothly from open to close.

[bs175dths]

How difficult is the carb re-build process and how long does it take? I have wrenched repairs myself on my 85 Aspy, but have yet to do any carb work.

Also, are there any components that I should replace or other maintenance actions I should perform while I have the bike down for the carbs?

Finally, has anyone replaced their choke cable? The action on my choke does not feel very smooth. It moves freely until about 90 degress (with no discernable change in enginer speed) and then gets very difficult to move after that. Is that the proper action it should have? Any thoughts?

Hope everyone's summer is going well. Looking forward to getting back on to the road.

- Pete

It seems to me, 90 degrees from home is about full travel. However......

The choke you are referring to is actually an enriching circuit. It adds more gas whereas a choke reduces the amount of air. The effect is the same however.

You should be able to see the mechanism move on the sides of the carburetors when you operate the enriching lever at the left hand controls.
You should be able to see the plungers slide out (moving the enriching lever from home downward) and then in (when moving the lever up to home). When the plungers are out, (lever all the way in its down position) see if the plungers look like they are all out the same amount of distance. If not, try cleaning and lubricating the cable, levers, pivot points and plungers.

The enriching circuit is cable actuated and as such, the cable needs lubricating.
The cable is attached to a series of levers on the bottom of the carburetor assembly and as such, the pivot points need lubricating.
The levers on the bottom of the carburetor assembly are attached to more levers and rods along the sides of the carburetor assembly and as such, the pivot points need lubricating.
Each carburetor has a little plunger which activates the enriching circuit. This plunger slides in (closed) and out (open) and as such, will need cleaning and lubricating.

The levers and rods are delicate as are the pivot points so don’t force anything less things get bent or broken.

Clean and lubricate then operate the circuit via the cable until the system operates smoothly.

Good Luck.

[pstelter]

Thanks for the tips! Ordered the (carb kit + book) combo package this morning, and hopefully will have the bike out of storage on Tuesday. Really looking forward to getting back on the road!

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend. Keep the shiny side up!

- Pete

[pstelter]

I have one tiny complaint about the Randakk rebuild book...

Last night I was into getting the carbs removed from the plenum. One of the steps is to disconnect the throttle arms from the carburators. The directions tell you to remove the cotter pins, washers and bushings; the washers and bushings should be kept, but the kit has the new cotter pins. However, there is amplifying information in the accompanying diagram - in small print - that tells you not to remove the cotter pins on the throttle spindle - just the ones on the carbs...Of course I read this info AFTER I had the linkage arms off...:-|

In all fairness, step one is to read the book before starting the job. And, IMO, I would not have been able to get to where I am without the guidance it has provided thus far. Still, I feel that caution would have been better served in the text of the instructions, and not as amplifying information in an illustration.

[Roleketu]

I wasn't looking for another huge Wing project after completing the brake overhaul and water-pump I did this spring. I was quite happy when everything went together and worked fantastic. We rode the Wing on Memorial Day, logging 200 miles. However, the wife and I could faintly smell fuel. I'm guessing the hot motor kept me from seeing/finding the leak. I replaced the fuel filter and the rubber fuel lines from petcock to fuel pump to carburetors. The next morning when I started the Wing, fuel dripped from the right rear carburetor. We go on vacation in two weeks, so I bit the bullet and quickly ordered Randakk's kit with book. Here goes another venture into something I've never done, carburetor rebuilding. I've removed the carburetor assembly and then I decided to do some top engine cleaning while the assembly is removed. Under the carbs it was very dirty, greasy, and paint peeling. Used engine de-greaser with an old tooth brush. Scraped and scotch-brite'd the area. Then taped off valve covers and anything else that I didn't want silver. And used high heat (500 degree) silver header paint. Here's a couple photos, before and after cleaning/painting.

[pstelter]

...removed the carburetor assembly and then I decided to do some top engine cleaning while the assembly is removed. Under the carbs it was very dirty, greasy, and paint peeling. Used engine de-greaser with an old tooth brush. Scraped and scotch-brite'd the area. Then taped off valve covers and anything else that I didn't want silver. And used high heat (500 degree) silver header paint. Here's a couple photos, before and after cleaning/painting.

Looks awesome! Your before picture could have been on my bike. I used some steel wool on the cross pipe to get rid of the rust. It worked really well - apparently that is a chrome pipe!. But I like the looks of your silver engine - just plain sharp. I also see some degreaser in my future.

Inside the float bowl, I have removed the two jets, but there is another brass looking tube. What is that? Is that removable as well?

How far can you break down the carbs? I thin I have everything off except for the flappers and their mechanism. Will (should) these come off as well before I clean?

BTW, was able to re-attach the throttle linkage arms to the spindle. Whew!

[ember1205]

From the looks, it appears that these may be Mikuni carbs. Are they?

[Roleketu]

This is my only Wing I've ever owned. As far as I could tell it runs fantastic. Idles smooth, accelerates nicely, etc. I delved into the carburetor rebuild only because of a fuel leak. Seems I've got a couple air leaks that have been letting in dirt and crap. I have to wonder why it still ran so good. And moreover, how good it's going to run after the rebuild.

[BigBro]

I would not and did not remove the butterflies (flappers) they can be cleaned well without removal.

There are two brass items I did not remove from each carburetor, 1 is a pipe like you mention the other just looks like a plugged pin. You should have removed two jets with a screwdriver and the Float needle seat which takes a wrench(watch out for the filter screen under it)
Here is a picture.    

They are Kiehin CV carburetors.

I used Pinesol and warm water to soak them clean. Let them sit in that solution over 24hrs. Others have used similar and even setup a vibrating sander as a sort of ultrasonic cleaner.

...removed the carburetor assembly and then I decided to do some top engine cleaning while the assembly is removed. Under the carbs it was very dirty, greasy, and paint peeling. Used engine de-greaser with an old tooth brush. Scraped and scotch-brite'd the area. Then taped off valve covers and anything else that I didn't want silver. And used high heat (500 degree) silver header paint. Here's a couple photos, before and after cleaning/painting.

Looks awesome! Your before picture could have been on my bike. I used some steel wool on the cross pipe to get rid of the rust. It worked really well - apparently that is a chrome pipe!. But I like the looks of your silver engine - just plain sharp. I also see some degreaser in my future.

Inside the float bowl, I have removed the two jets, but there is another brass looking tube. What is that? Is that removable as well?

How far can you break down the carbs? I thin I have everything off except for the flappers and their mechanism. Will (should) these come off as well before I clean?

BTW, was able to re-attach the throttle linkage arms to the spindle. Whew!