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just got a maxim 550

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by hughie1987, Mar 8, 2018.

  1. hughie1987

    hughie1987 Member

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    Anyone know if carb cleaner will eat away the floats? Im gonna tear the carbs to clean them soon and curious
     
  2. Jetfixer

    Jetfixer Well-Known Member

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    You need to do a full tear down of carb to bare body ...floats ,needle & Seat ,all jets , butterfly plate and throttle shaft removed , ALL rubber seals removed ...all of this entails "breaking the rack" each carb body after full tear down can the be soaked usually at least 1 hour per carb , followed by washing in hot soapy water and fully dried then you can reassemble carbs. Spray carb cleaner will not get into the tiny internal passages of carb ..especially if carb is really gummed up .
     
  3. cgutz

    cgutz Well-Known Member

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    I also believe (but may be mistaken), that carb cleaner/soaking may destroy the "ancient" shaft seals (and perhaps other small rubber bits inside). If the carbs are plugged/non functional, a full tear down, rebuild is in order.
     
  4. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    your going to rebuild it so just drop it in a gallon of carb dip then use a strand of copper wire from a length of stranded wire to clean out the little holes in the well
     
  5. hughie1987

    hughie1987 Member

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    I already planned on doing a full tear down of the carbs I was just curious if i could spray the floats and clean them. I wasn't gonna just spray cleaner in there and stick it back on the bike haha I started taking out the diaphragms last night :)
     
  6. hughie1987

    hughie1987 Member

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    Cool I'll try that an see how it goes, when it gets warmer out anyway
     
  7. hughie1987

    hughie1987 Member

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    3 outta 4 floats we're stuck an didn't move, the smaller Jets seem to be in here real tight I might spray something in there to try an break them free but what works!
    20180314_215419.jpg
     
  8. SR500ED

    SR500ED Member

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    Has anyone had luck using an ultrasonic cleaner, and what liquid to use. I'll be taking mine off soon and am dreading what I may find. When I put the bike away I couldn't drain the carbs as the drain screws were stuck.
     
  9. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Kroil is good for stuck parts. carb dip for soaking bodies start with spray cleaner to loosen the floats.
    ultra sonic cleaners work great

    fyi that brass tube does not remove but needs to be cleaned out
     
  10. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    Oooo. OEM brake fluid, aged to perfection. ;)
     
  11. SR500ED

    SR500ED Member

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    Remember, brake flud should be changed every 2 years whether the bike is used or not.
     
  12. kosel

    kosel Active Member Premium Member

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    Tapioca in a master cylinder? I've not seen that mod before.
     
  13. kosel

    kosel Active Member Premium Member

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    I just did mine in heated, distilled water. They were first soaked in carb cleaner, then into the ultrasonic.
     
  14. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    that way when you add more it does not spill onto your gas tank and ruin the paint
     
  15. hughie1987

    hughie1987 Member

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    What brass tube? Are you talking about the emulsion stube? they pop out after you remove the jet, or are you talking about the skinny brass tube thats got a pin hole in the end? Can I spray carb cleaner into the smaller jet because 2 of them are really suck. And I need a way to push the pins out so I can remove the floats!
     
  16. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    The skinny tubes are best left alone, but take care not to damage them. Also, I had to use heat to shift the float pivot pins, high watage soldering iron did the trick.
    Numerous screws needed a tap with a punch.
     
  17. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    550carb.JPG
    tube with red arrow does not remove you need to use a guitar string to clear it. high e string or there are tiny brushes you can buy. you need the proper fit screw drivers to remove the removable jets NOT ALL JETS ARE REMOVABLE.
    you can remove the pilot air jet on the top of the carb the main jet and emulsion tube under it( large jet closest to float hindge) and pilot jet just infront of main jet. thats it.

    those jets in the rear throat of carb do not come out

    Cleaning your Mikuni carbs

    check your inbox for carb book with tips
     
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  18. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    float pin removal
    post.JPG keep spraying and soaking pin hindge before trying to remove it
     
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  19. hughie1987

    hughie1987 Member

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    cool thanks for th ereplies now i just need to figure out how to get the 2 stuck smaller jets out! the slot looks kinda messed up on them, I got 2 out just fine I dont think my screw driver will do the job , what does everyone else do to get stcuk messed up jets out? is the metal soft enough that I can just tap my screwdriver into the jet til it bites?
     
  20. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    Well I used my plumbers blowlamp - it has a very accurate pointy blue flame, but I don't especially recomend it unless you know what your doing. An electric heat gun might be better.
     

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