Cleaning Carbs

[parkthebus]

Have my bike in for repair and the mechanics told me that the carbs needed cleaning and would cost two hours labour so have decided to try and do it myself. Had a motorbike less that a near, mechanical knowledge is minimal. Where do I start?

[NedSVS]

Hi and welcome to the org. What running problems does your bike have that makes the mechanic think the carbs need cleaning? Removing and stripping the carbs is not the easiest of jobs for someone with little mechanical knowledge.

[SV650rules]

Before you take carbs off to clean put a whole bottle of redex (500ml) in a full tank and run the bike - I found that cured the problem on a previous carbed bike which would not hardly start or tickover at a decent speed - I kept using normal dose of redex after that and never had another problem with carbs.

[R1ffR4ff]

Before you take carbs off to clean put a whole bottle of redex (500ml) in a full tank and run the bike - I found that cured the problem on a previous carbed bike which would not hardly start or tickover at a decent speed - I kept using normal dose of redex after that and never had another problem with carbs.

I was going to say the same :D

Wilkos were doing cheap again the other week.£2.00 for a 250 ml bottle :smt118

[maviczap]

I'm going to run some Redex through my system, as I fired the Sv up for the first time in months and it's got fuel in it from April 2016, it wasn't happy, tickover was high and lots of pops and bangs even when the engine was warm.

[R1ffR4ff]

Remember also that the fuel companies change the blends from Summer to Winter which can have an affect and RedX and similar additives can stop this change-in-fuel effect.

My SV is basically Winterized ATM but I start her up every other week and take her off the Paddocks stands and also use all electrical switches to get current through the connections and operate the brakes and gears etc.

[maviczap]

Well it my fault as I've neglected my Sv and not started her up, although she's in the garage and always on the optimate, so at least the battery is fully charged.

Fresh fuel and Redex tomorrow, and hopefully more miles this year

[R1ffR4ff]

Well it my fault as I've neglected my Sv and not started her up, although she's in the garage and always on the optimate, so at least the battery is fully charged.

Fresh fuel and Redex tomorrow, and hopefully more miles this year

I like to disconnect my Optimate and let the battery run down a bit(Alarm draws current) so the Battery gets a bit of cycling.Batteries and electrics are just the same as mechanics,they like to be used if even only a little.

Ever noticed that riders who commute everyday and only change oil and filter and consumables can go years without a problem but come Spring how many,"Winterized" machines suffer.

This is the first year in many that I've not ridden All-Year :(

[atassiedevil]

a good long (2hr plus) run with good fuel in will also help.
Mix of twisty roads, change of gear, etc etc.
I use BP ultimate, and i've noticed a significant difference if you do this if the bike is a bit lumpy and running not that well.
In fact every bike i've had that has had carb issues, just doing this takes things to a point its bearable.....
Just a thought.

[SV650rules]

Ultimate and such does work because it has more cleaners, but in my experience Redex works very quickly. I tried 97 RON in one carbed bike and it actually ran worse (there is actually less power contained in high octane fuel and it is only if ECU has knock sensors to optimise spark timing that an engine can get better results). Our Honda cars like high octane because they have compression ratio (11:1) and ECU / knock sensors to take advantage of it.

[maviczap]

Ran some fresh fuel redex treated through my system, but turns out it was a sticky choke cable causing the issues, but can't hurt to have this in the fuel until I get some riding done.

[R1ffR4ff]

I've been using RedX for over forty years and it's never given me any problems and has always kept my carbs/fuel systems good and needing less maintenance.

I've also used it for,"Liquid De-cokes" on the top-ends.People say modern fuel is cleaner and less carbon build up but it still builds up over time from what I have seen.

I might buy one of these cheap Borescopes for giggles to have a look at the crowns of my pistons,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7mm-6-LED-USB-Endoscope-Borescope-Waterproof-Inspection-HD-Tube-Video-Camera-10M/391542707372?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SI M%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D48422%26meid%3Daf4a8d8e1b504168 b527fbe6c1d1d1fa%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6 %26sd%3D172961209721%26itm%3D391542707372&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

[johnnyrod]

Hi and welcome to the org. What running problems does your bike have that makes the mechanic think the carbs need cleaning? Removing and stripping the carbs is not the easiest of jobs for someone with little mechanical knowledge.

I don't know if the OP is still around but this is the most relevant post amongst the Redex/snake oil love in. Get a second opinion, and be prepared to stump up. A couple of hours sounds about right, the SV isn't the quickest of bikes to work on. Don't get suckered into expensive ultrasonic cleaning, unless you have literally dug your bike up from out of the ground and pulled worms from the various orifices.

[NedSVS]

The most common problem with the carbed SV's is sticking choke plungers and rusty choke cables sticking because they have gone rusty after the splitter box (I always apply light oil at the splitter box whenever I am working with the tank up). Of course Redex would do nothing for this, but without a definite diagnosis and at £2.00 a bottle from Wilko I would certainly be trying it before coughing up for two hours labour.

[SV650rules]

redex is cheap, easy to use and will never do any harm and could save a lot of unnecessary stripping down. Should always be first port of call with fuelling problems.

[R1ffR4ff]

The most common problem with the carbed SV's is sticking choke plungers and rusty choke cables sticking because they have gone rusty after the splitter box (I always apply light oil at the splitter box whenever I am working with the tank up). Of course Redex would do nothing for this, but without a definite diagnosis and at £2.00 a bottle from Wilko I would certainly be trying it before coughing up for two hours labour.

+10.

Same here.As soon as I lift the tank and remove the Airbox I lube all the carb mechanisms.I use either GT85 or a bit of ACF50.So far my 1999 Curvy has not given me any Choke/Carb problems :)

"An ounce of prevention is worth a Pound of cure" :smt038

[650]

I don't know if the OP is still around but this is the most relevant post amongst the Redex/snake oil love in. Get a second opinion, and be prepared to stump up. A couple of hours sounds about right, the SV isn't the quickest of bikes to work on. Don't get suckered into expensive ultrasonic cleaning, unless you have literally dug your bike up from out of the ground and pulled worms from the various orifices.

Would love to know how an ultrasonic clean would be any different to pulling the jets and shoving weld tips through them (which is what 99.9% of mechanics will do) and spraying the carbs with carb cleaner (which, again, 99.9% of mechanics will do, and they won't even remove the slides so the bloody slide boots warp).

Plonk the carbs in a big enough ultrasonic cleaner, let it do it's thing, blow the holes out with an airline - this WILL sort an absolute plethora of carb issues and should cost next to nothing. Unless of course you're talking about a proper job being done...i.e. carbs stripped down to components, everything cleaned properly, reassembled then cleaned in an ultrasonic tub just to be safe...then yeah, it's not cheap, but why would it be? It's labour and skill intensive.

[ophic]

Would love to know how an ultrasonic clean would be any different to pulling the jets and shoving weld tips through them (which is what 99.9% of mechanics will do) and spraying the carbs with carb cleaner (which, again, 99.9% of mechanics will do, and they won't even remove the slides so the bloody slide boots warp).

Plonk the carbs in a big enough ultrasonic cleaner, let it do it's thing, blow the holes out with an airline - this WILL sort an absolute plethora of carb issues and should cost next to nothing. Unless of course you're talking about a proper job being done...i.e. carbs stripped down to components, everything cleaned properly, reassembled then cleaned in an ultrasonic tub just to be safe...then yeah, it's not cheap, but why would it be? It's labour and skill intensive.

Having had one done that sorted my carb problems (not on an SV) - I agree. The main cost was labour in removing the carbs. The actual ultrasonic clean was virtually free - in fact you can buy your own ultrasonic cleaners for not that much money.

[650]

I paid Harpers Ultrasonic to sort my V4 VFR carbs (the most complex carbs to work on, period) and he did an amazing job. I had a new Lite-Tek seal kit applied to it as well, the whole carb assembly was rolled down to it's bare components and everything reassembled, the bike ran abso-bloody-lutely amazing after. The seal kit is also ethanol proof, so added long term peace of mind. Think I paid £145 all in.