Fast and easy float setting method....

Hi guys, I know that there have been similar posts about this but here is what I came across...
I was trying to find a simple, accurate method of setting the floats so I started looking around the house for an idea. While going through the kitchen I opened a drawer and saw those small, clear Rubbermaid 4oz. food containers. Picked one up and asking myself if that wasn't the same size as the bowl. I went and took a bowl off of my carbs and found that it was the same size. These containers have a lip around them so I took it over to my belt sander and sanded down 3 of the 4 lips off. This gave more room for doing numbers 2 and 3. Anyway, next I took one of the bowls, held it side by side to the clear plastic container and made a mark with a marker on the plastic container at the same height where the lock washer would meet the bowl. This way you would be able to see the level where the fuel should shut off. Now you will want to leave the gaskets on the carbs so that it gives the same distance as the bowl when it is on the gasket. Instead of fuel I used a cheap bottle of rubbing alcohol so I didn't have to mess with the smell or mess. Next I got my wife's cupcake container from the kitchen. It is big enough that you can set the carbs in the container to catch the alcohol that spills out etc. So what I did was I left all the bowls on except for the one I was checking. I left my fuel line hooked to the carbs and I got an empty dawn dish soap bottle, cleaned it out, poured the alcohol in it because it has a nipple on it so that you can push the fuel line right on to it, turn the bottle upside down and gave it a squeeze. This will fill all the bowls including your clear plastic one. Oh ya, I just placed a small piece of wood under the other bowls to keep the carbs level and steady. So anyway, it worked like a charm. When you get the fuel to shut off on your line on your clear plastic bowl, your done. This saved a huge amount of time because you don't have to keep removing the bowls to make an adjustment. Just lift it up, turn it over, bend the tab, set it back down on the 4oz. Rubbermaid container, hook up your bottle again to the fuel line and squeeze. When you get the setting then you just put that bowl back on, remove the next bowl and repeat the procedure again. etc, etc... Anyway, I just wanted to share this. I think it worked great.

 

Does your wife let you keep these "tools" in your toolbox....or do they have to go back to the kitchen?? LOL Good idea.

 

Pic of before tub and in use possible?

Sounds promising...

 

pbthoe - yes and no.... I don't think she would want the 4oz. container back since I sanded it down but yes to the cupcake container. Since I used rubbing alcohol I can just pop it in the dishwasher.

Metal-Bob - I would love to. I just need to figure out how to put photo's up on this site. Here is what the Rubbermaid 4oz. containers look like though.... http://www.amazon.com/Servin-Saver-Food ... B000BO9K92 You can tell just by looking at them how similar they look to the bowls. The way I wrote it out is pretty self explanatory. Pretty well covered every step but if you would like, you are welcome to pm me with any questions you may have. Since I already did them I don't want to mess with them again today but, the next time I do them or if I help out my son with his bike, maybe I will have the whole putting pics up thing down.

Guys, the reason I liked this so much is because if your floats check out right on the line it takes only a few minutes to find out. Of coarse if you have to have your floats perfect, like me, then you still have to push in or pull out the tab so this can add some time but if they are good you will know in just a few minutes and there is no constant on and off with the bowls.

 

Just be aware the rubbing alcohol has a different specific gravity than gasoline, and may cause the floats to set higher (or lower) than they would with gasoline.............

 

I did think of that possibility, however, as you know I just got these back from Rick and was just checking to see if the shipping changed them at all. So now we have the answer to this one.... no, using alcohol doesn't make them read any different. They were right on the mark.

 

I am a bit confused you pay someone to go thru your carbs then pull them back apart to check out fuel level. Nothing personal but if i found out someone went back into the carbs after i rebuilt them warranty would be over. How did you measure the distance to get the same height as he did. Also when you put pressure in the fuel line you can over fill the floats by pushing the needle off the seat

 

Rick knew I went into them just to check the floats because what happen was they were lost in shipping for a couple of days (which scared the crap out of me) and the box was beat up a bit so who knows where they went and what they went through. I thought it would be the smart thing to do and so did Rick. As for as pressure goes remember that you have vac pressure feeding the carbs to begin with and it wasn't like I was squeezing that hard. When it got close to the mark I was feeding it real slow so I could watch the floats. Rick uses the other tube method for setting the floats. There was just one float that got jarred in shipping but other than that our measurements were dead on. I would think that if it was the exact same height for 3 out of 4 then it is measuring the same. I mean exactly the same. As for as measurement, I explained this in the first statement.... Rick sets them at the top of the lock washer. Since the clear bowl is the same size as the regular bowl, I held the the 2 bowls side by side and made a mark on the clear bowl in the same place where it would be if it to had a lock washer and screw. Hope this clears some things up. I may not be the best at explaining thing. I am just trying to bring to light a little easier method. If you don't trust this method than use the tube method. All I know is that when those floats stopped the fuel at the line, I knew that this was accurate.

 

No, they stop alcohol right at the line.

Rubbing alcohol and gasoline have vastly different specific gravities; your floats are now off. By how much, I can't tell you. You'll need to check them using gasoline.

The specific gravity of the liquid affects how high or low in the liquid the float rides. That's why we use gasoline; other things (like windshield washer fluid) have been tried, and it throws the levels off.)

Gotta use gas.

 

I understand what you are saying Fitz but all I know is that it was the exact same as Ricks and he doesn't use alcohol. If there is a difference then it is so slight you can't see it with the human eye.

 

No one has mentioned the other way that Alcohol can give false readings.
You start off by putting a little Alcohol in the carbs, then you put a little in yourself . So by the time you're on the 3rd or 4th carb, all of a sudden setting the level by eye becomes next to impossible! 8O

 

" a little Alcohol in the carbs, then you put a little in yourself . So by the time you're on the 3rd or 4th carb, all of a sudden setting the level by eye becomes next to impossible"

Now THAT, was funny!!

Good going bikerdude, the procedure for setting floats on these bikes is nuts to an old builder like myself. I got lucky and used an old Mic spec while they were inverted, then checked them once they were mounted and I had hit the nail squarly on the head but I have read a heck of a lot of threads where the hapless owner has had to reset, then reset his floats. To me, having to do anything more then one time is a waste of time.

jeff

 

When you are talking about specific gravity are you talking about viscosity?

 

Never mind, I found the answer. If you would like to measure the difference this is the tool you will need.
http://cgi.ebay.com/SBS-2002-Digital-Hy ... 500wt_1156

 

I have set the floats using odorless mineral spirits and my bikes all run fine. Just sayin.