Cleaning the carbs 1: Difference between revisions

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[[Category:Intake]]

There are 2 separate levels of carb cleaning. The first level is if you have carbs that do work, but you just think they're not the same as before/have lost some performance or smoothness ~~(say~~, ~~after~~ a ~~winter or other long rest period where the bike sat for awhile)~~. If you just want to try and improve the function a little bit, then using Yamaha Carb Cleaner ~~is suggested~~. However, as environmental time marches on, the original formula of the Yamaha product is no longer available. There is a [http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/apparel/apscitemdetail/3/124/all/all/322/detail.aspx Yamaha Carb Cleaner], but it's a water-based product that is less effective than the original. If your online store shows a bottle like the one on the left, they're using an old picture. The newer stuff looks like the right photo.

There are 2 separate levels of carb cleaning. The first level is if you have carbs that do work, but you just think they're not the same as before/have lost some performance or smoothness, such as sitting for a while. If you just want to try and improve the function a little bit, then using Yamaha Carb Cleaner used to be a good suggestion. However, as environmental time marches on, the original formula of the Yamaha product is no longer available. There is a [http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/apparel/apscitemdetail/3/124/all/all/322/detail.aspx Yamaha Carb Cleaner], but it's a water-based product that is less effective than the original. If your online store shows a bottle like the one on the left, they're using an old picture. The newer stuff looks like the right photo.

[[Image:Brian_Carb_Clean_1.JPG|150px]]

[[image:Yamaha carb cleaner.jpg|110px]]

Since this cleaner is not available any more, if you have any carb problems you might as well plan on removing and cleaning them properly. Keep reading. The Yamaha Cleaner's main usefulness was always for loosening the crud inside the carbs, making the later hand cleaning a lot easier. The Berryman Chem Dip mentioned below is still available, but for the same environmental reasons you may have a hard time finding it.

A little back-story on this stuff. In the 90's, Yamaha made the mistake of fueling up their bikes as they rolled off the line in Japan. This means that the gas sat in tanks and carbs for many months while the bikes crossed oceans and continents, then sat in showrooms and warehouses. Pretty soon, Yamaha dealers were flooding their techs with the need to clean the carbs, and this was all warranty work that Yamaha was paying for. To stop this flood of spending, they set some of their rather excellent chemists to the task of developing a cleaner.

Since this cleaner is not available any more, if you have any carb problems you might as well plan on removing and cleaning them properly. Keep reading. The Yamaha Cleaner's main usefulness was always for loosening the crud inside the carbs, making the later hand cleaning a lot easier.

~~The Berryman Chem Dip mentioned below is still available, but for the same environmental reasons you may have a hard time finding it.~~

So to start, [[Draining the carbs|drain the carb bowls]] of gas, close the drain screws, and pour the mixture in. Use a small funnel:

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 [[Category:Intake]]
-There are 2 separate levels of carb cleaning. The first level is if you have carbs that do work, but you just think they're not the same as before/have lost some performance or smoothness (say, after a winter or other long rest period where the bike sat for awhile). If you just want to try and improve the function a little bit, then using Yamaha Carb Cleaner is suggested. However, as environmental time marches on, the original formula of the Yamaha product is no longer available. There is a [http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/apparel/apscitemdetail/3/124/all/all/322/detail.aspx Yamaha Carb Cleaner], but it's a water-based product that is less effective than the original. If your online store shows a bottle like the one on the left, they're using an old picture. The newer stuff looks like the right photo.
+There are 2 separate levels of carb cleaning. The first level is if you have carbs that do work, but you just think they're not the same as before/have lost some performance or smoothness, such as sitting for a while. If you just want to try and improve the function a little bit, then using Yamaha Carb Cleaner used to be a good suggestion. However, as environmental time marches on, the original formula of the Yamaha product is no longer available. There is a [http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/apparel/apscitemdetail/3/124/all/all/322/detail.aspx Yamaha Carb Cleaner], but it's a water-based product that is less effective than the original. If your online store shows a bottle like the one on the left, they're using an old picture. The newer stuff looks like the right photo.
 [[Image:Brian_Carb_Clean_1.JPG|150px]]
 [[image:Yamaha carb cleaner.jpg|110px]]
+Since this cleaner is not available any more, if you have any carb problems you might as well plan on removing and cleaning them properly. Keep reading. The Yamaha Cleaner's main usefulness was always for loosening the crud inside the carbs, making the later hand cleaning a lot easier. The Berryman Chem Dip mentioned below is still available, but for the same environmental reasons you may have a hard time finding it.
 A little back-story on this stuff. In the 90's, Yamaha made the mistake of fueling up their bikes as they rolled off the line in Japan. This means that the gas sat in tanks and carbs for many months while the bikes crossed oceans and continents, then sat in showrooms and warehouses. Pretty soon, Yamaha dealers were flooding their techs with the need to clean the carbs, and this was all warranty work that Yamaha was paying for. To stop this flood of spending, they set some of their rather excellent chemists to the task of developing a cleaner.
-Since this cleaner is not available any more, if you have any carb problems you might as well plan on removing and cleaning them properly. Keep reading. The Yamaha Cleaner's main usefulness was always for loosening the crud inside the carbs, making the later hand cleaning a lot easier.
-The Berryman Chem Dip mentioned below is still available, but for the same environmental reasons you may have a hard time finding it.
 So to start, [[Draining the carbs|drain the carb bowls]] of gas, close the drain screws, and pour the mixture in. Use a small funnel: