Austin Cafe Racer Blood, Sweat, Tears and Grease
Categories: carburetors

SSL11411s.jpg

It’s been a while since I last posted, but I should be posting regularly pretty soon especially since I’m waiting for my brand new Morgan Carbtune to be shipped from the UK. This is the carb sync tool that seems to be all the rage on the SOHC4 forums and evidently, syncing the carbs is supposed to be the last thing you do after timing, valves, etc. have been adjusted.

Stay tuned for a detailed post on my carb sync and a review of the Morgan Carbtune.

http://www.carbtune.com/inst.html

Categories: cafe racer

I put these on two weeks ago but didn’t think the installation warranted a post. However, it is nice to see how well they fit and how great they look on the carbs.

IMG_3749.JPG

IMG_3751.JPG

IMG_3753.JPG

IMG_3754.JPG

IMG_3755.JPG

A perfect fit. They are a bit spongy so I’m sure they would accommodate in size for all sorts of frames.

IMG_3756.JPG

Categories: cafe racer

I can’t pretend to fully understand the way carburetors work. I only know as much as I can interpret from what I read online and from that cryptic Clymer manual.

All my hunting through forums for a step by step instruction set for rejetting carbs was fruitless.

Here is my photo set that hopefully will help others feel less timid when it comes to opening these guys up. Granted, I didn’t fully disassemble them, I only replaced the main jets.

img-3659.jpg

Removing the leaf spring is as easy as moving it to the right and sliding it out from the main jet.

IMG_3680.jpg

IMG_3681.JPG

Keeping everything together.

IMG_3688.JPG

Since I was in here I thought I may as well check the slow jets to see if they were dirty or clogged.

IMG_3689.JPG

IMG_3690.JPG

They were fine. I blew some canned air through them and inspected them thoroughly.

IMG_3692.JPG

IMG_3695.JPG

Shiny new main jets. Installing them is as simple as pushing them in.

IMG_3683.jpg

That’s it. I checked all the slow jets (all clean) and pushed in the new 115 main jets, and placed the leaf springs back on.

….but

When I was putting the float bowls back on I noticed that three screws on two carbs weren’t screwing in correctly. The screw holes on the two carbs were stripped.

I was a little sad.

If the screws had been stripped I could have easily replaced them, but it was the screw holes on the carbs that were stripped. Bummer.

IMG_3697.JPG

Luckily, I live fairly close to an Ace Hardware. A quick trip, and ten minutes later, I came back home with some sweet looking allen bolts.

IMG_3696.JPG

IMG_3698.JPG

IMG_3700.JPG

That solved my problem, except this method only worked on the outside carbs on the outside corners. I just lucked out that those were the holes that were stripped.

I have to say that I kinda enjoy running into these small little problems. It makes the whole experience that much more fun.

Categories: cafe racer

I plan on getting a new 4 into 1 exhaust and also installing some Uni air filters. That means I need to rejet the carbs. Luckily my new 115 main jets have just arrived.

My plan: Remove the carbs and do all the disassembling, cleaning, and re-jetting in the comfort of my screened-in porch instead of doing it in my backyard, with the heat and mosquitos.

Step 1: Remove the carburetors.

IMG_3626.jpg

IMG_3627.JPG

The throttle cable had to be taken off first, but I didn’t bother taking any pics since I already covered that earlier.

There were a few bolts on top and a few on the bottom.

IMG_3630.JPG

IMG_3631.JPG

After I the bolts were removed I just slid the whole assembly out and to the left.

IMG_3632.JPG

Engine without carbs.

IMG_3633.JPG

IMG_3634.JPG

IMG_3642.JPG

IMG_3643.JPG

IMG_3646.JPG

My carburetors.

IMG_3638.JPG

IMG_3639.JPG

IMG_3636.JPG

IMG_3657.jpg

I wanted to drain the float bowls before I took the carb assembly inside so I loosened the drain plug for each carb and drained the gasoline into a plastic bottle. I also wanted to make sure I didn’t stink up my porch so I removed the float bowls and cleaned them of any remaining gas.

IMG_3648.JPG

Float bowls removed except for last carb.

IMG_3650.JPG

IMG_3658.JPG

IMG_3659.JPG

All done.

IMG_3661.JPG

Rubber gaskets are in good condition.

IMG_3647.JPG

My ghetto style reminder for which bowl and screw sets belongs to which carb.

IMG_3662.JPG

Tomorrow morning I’ll pull out the main jets and push in the new ones.