Removing Carbs

Anyone got any tips for removing the carbs off a 85 maxim X?

I have read alot on fixing the carbs so I decided to give it a whirl.
I removed the tank, unbolted the air box, loosened the clamps on the intakes and air covers, unhooked the throttle and choke cables.

Now I wiggled the darn things free of the intakes, but its like the amount of room to move them is non-existant. Is there a trick to sliding them out the side?

I now have it half way out and the throttle link is caught up in an intake tube. Crap I need to grow another arm and 2 more hands.

Thanks in advance.

 

You've just got to use your muscle! Have faith that the rubber will bend and not break. But don't break the throttle linkage. This should fold up inside of the carbs so that it is out of the way.

Without looking at my bike, I seem to remember tilting the engine side of the carbs up so that the throat was over the boots. Then, at this angle, and with more muscle, the carbs should slide out sideways.

If you are having problems, heat the rubber boots on the engine side up with a hair dryer. This is the only way that I can get them in. I have never had a problem getting them out, so I haven't done it on the extraction yet. But I don't see how it could hurt. (Other than catching yourself on fire from gas - be careful!)

 

Did you remove the airbox boots? I mean are they siting on the bench? If you just pushed them back there won't be enough room.

 

I take mine out with the airbox boots in, and I have never had a problem. If you loosen the airbox itself, and push it as far back in the frame as it will go, then it leaves enough room.

 

The freaking MaxX carbs are a royal PITA ...
The boots to the airbox are so short ... they dont flex and give and drop into the airbox like Air max boots. the damn engine manifolds are so long ...
Anyway ... its basically what he said - squueze and crush them and shove into air box, then out 1/4 inch and out the side. I believe left like he said.
BTW getting the airbox out with the carbs out is a PITA ... I dont believe that airbox will come out even with the motor out .... :x ...
And getting it back in ... whole other ball game. I have had to do it from a 100 different ways ... and use blunt pick type tools ... else its near freaking impossible.
Oh yea douse everything with WD40 or silicone spray or KY jelly or vaseline ... whatever ...
Cool.
Srinath.

 

Granted, but for a Maxim "X" it's a whole new ball game.

 

Ok they are out and I looked at the airbox boots afterwards. They do come out and If I knew that before it would probably make it awhole lot easier I think. If they would come out with carbs still in place.

Now to my next problem...

Im cleaning the float valves and everthing easy to get at from the float bowl section.

Thats mainly the float valve and the "Main Jet #100" (screw with a tiny whole). All cleaned up and putting it back together (last one to do). And snap. The damn Mainjet sheared off in the hole. I had just started to screw it, hardly any torque and there it is spinning around and around not catching because its short...way short.

So Ive ordered a new one. But my question is how do I get that broken thread out of the whole? its probably only 2 threads deep maybe. And if I can't get it out. Where can you get the part its threaded into? Im thinking its a part no: 29r-14921-32-00 Nozzle Main - which is discontinued. Any sites you can send me to to find this part? Ive orderd the jet from http://shop.yamaha-motorcycleparts.com/ ... /home.aspx

 

Push the rubber air boots back into the airbox ... coating them with Armoral will help. When you get ready to hook-'em back up ... pull the air cleaner out and reach-in and push them back out.

Easiest way I know!

 

You might try a reverse drill bit or an extractor before you start replacing things (besides the main jet). Soak the threads with WD or another penetrant for awhile before you try to extract the jet, then clean the suface with brake cleaner before you try the extraction. I've had very good luck over the years with this method.

 

The threads on the broken jet are soft brass ... you might consider taking an old screwdriver to the grinder and fabricate the blade narrow enough to get a bite on the inside diameter of the broken-off threads ... thay should come right out ... they have to be loose with no jet-head to apply torque.

 

As Rick mentioned an old screwdriver. But I would grind it down to a point with four sides. That way you can give it a gentle tap and four "bite" points for pressure.


Reading your post you made no mention of removing/cleaning the pilot jets. Please,please,please do it while you have them apart. You'll thank us for it later I promise.

 

I get to that from the top side?? If so yea, I was planning on trying to clean items that I can remove from that side.

My main problem now is fear!!! I don't want to end up spending $200.00 on a repair job that should only cost me a can of cleaner and my time. Im hoping to use the bike to fight the cost of fuel.

If I can't fix the bike Im selling it and buying a gas friendly car. (I hope I can keep the bike!!!)

I'm crossing my fingers that the jet comes right out.

 

http://www.slygrin.net/xj750/html/body_carbs.html

Please review this site before cleaning the carbs. This will be very helpful in identifying parts and how they fit. I will also send you a cabr cleaning guide via PM.

 

Just a note. This is something that I haven't read in all the literature. I spent a lot of time adjusting the float levels, mix screws, buttergly valves, etc on each carb. However, I did not pay as much attention in making sure that all 4 carbs MATCH EACH OTHER. One thing I learned while working on these carbs is that certain adjustments might be off (i.e. float levels), but if you make sure that all the carbs match, it will make the tuning much easier. One major issue that I ran across was as I was cleaning my carbs, I might have mis-adjusted the tounge that sets the floats and slightly twisted the floats. It wasn't until the carb clinic that I realized this. While the carbs are of the bike, even if you haven't measured the float levels, I suggest setting the carbs with the top down and the float bowls off. Make sure that all the floats are sitting at the same level. I also suggest the twisty tie bench synch. This will work well enough as long as all 4 carbs match. Just to a search on bench synch and you will find the info. One more pitfall that I encountered was synching using the carb sticks while the engine was cold. Make sure you give it a good 10 minute ride before getting to this step. I also have good high quality, high res diagrams that I posted on this site. Just to a search for my postings...

Good luck

 

Excellent point. Sometimes we fail to state the obvious. The whole goal is to have synced carbs. Synced in fuel flow, air flow and power produced.

 

BlueMaxim, I do have the Maxim X. I just added it to my signature for clarification.

It has worked for me for about 4 times (3 times too many). I have never had to push the boots into the airbox. I just loosen the airbox and move it backward.

 

Got the bugger out!!! :wink:

Had help at work. They got everything well almost everything to work on something. So I took it to the workshop and they pulled out an extractor and slick as snot it was out.

Now I must wait on the part to arrive.

While I wait I will change the plugs and oil, and read those carb cleaning links you gave me.

Anyone asks, I give this site 4 thumbs up, because Im wearing flip flops while sitting in the garage working on the bike. hehehe.

Thanks everyone. I will keep ya updated and Im sure I will have more questions soon enough.

 

Ok mostly stripped down now. Im having a hell of a time getting the pilot jet out. On the maximx its way down the hole. Ive been blasting it with carb cleaner over and over and trying a jewelers screw driver but it will not budge.

I think Im gonna go find a grinder and shave a screwdriver down to fit down the hole.

Also Ive been looking at all the pics and schematics I can find, and everyone seems to be using hitatachi carbs while the maximx has the mukuni's. I wish they had the hitachis on this bike as it seems like it would be easier to get parts and pull items out of them.

So I guess I will ask a question...Any idea on how to get that jet out?

Should I just wait and keep putting carb cleaner on it.

--Basically I have the carb rack upside down and squirting the fluid into the hole. checking on it every few hours. Im at about 5 hours at the time of this post.

 

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Go buy one of those "pencil-flame" butane lighters that were invented to make smoking crack without blistering your thumb possible.

Fill the little "well" above the pilot mixture screw with a few drops of -- OLIVE OIL -- (a non-petroleum + won't readily flame + will get hot) non-synthetic, all natural lubricant.

Heat the little well with the bright blue flame of the lighter that won't blister your finger. When the oil gets hot enough to cook French Fries ... stick a pair of Q-Tips in there and sop-up the hot oil ... leaving any that the Q-Tips don't soak-up.

Using a screwdriver which you have fabricated to a) fit the well and, b) fit the slot on the pilot screw with such precision that there is ZERO end play ... and will apply force to the screw slot ... such that the force will NOT cause the uppermost portion of the pilot screw to have any area -- what-so-ever -- where it will move without the entire mass of the screw moving with it ...

TURN THE SCREW -- IN / DOWN -- (Yes, in ... NOT out!)

Apply initial torque to the pilot screw ... then, with a sudden increase in torque ... attempt to nudge the screw ... IN, IN, IN ... NOT out!

If it loosens and starts to go in ... turn it in -- gently (watchmaker gently) until the screw "Bottoms-Out"

Hit the pilot well with a spray of carb cleaner -- after it cools down so that the spray of the carb cleaner will not ignite causing the spray can to explode and ruin your day!

Fill well with the lightest lubricant you can buy -- (sewing machine oil).

Exercise -- up / down -- the screw until it can be withdrawn up finding well lubricated threading to follow.

If this doesn't work. Drill!

Drill a hole into the SIDE of the well wall -- 3 mm below the top of the pilot screw. A very small hole -- about the size of the head of a pin ... you may have to go to a hardware store and buy a "Number Drill" to do this.

You drill through the aluminum wall and ever-so-slightly into the threads of the brass of the pilot screw. Wrap the tip of the drill with masking tape so it will not penetrate deeply into the soft brass. Use the top of the well to set the drill depth.

Oil. Lighter.

That should do the trick. If it don't ... we're on to more drastic measures.

Drilling the little motor-scooter out without wrecking the threads on the pilot screw well wall.

Good luck ... the Topside Olive Oil treatment usually works.
Phase two almost always works.
Phase three always works ... but, leaves you short a pilot screw.

 

Just woke up and went outside to check on the soaking parts and how the carb cleaner in the pilot hole was doing. Seemed still clogged. but grabbing a can of canned air, I was able to spray air through the hole.

Should we consider that good enough? Or do I have to take the screw/jet out? If so I have to head to work and fabricate the screw driver as I do not have a grinder here at the house.

 

Error on the side of caution ...

Call it ... Good enough for Government Work ... and, skip-it rather than bung-up the job trying to move and extract it.

 

My apologies then. I haven't pulled Maxim X carbs myself, rather was refeing to what others have said. You are the first one I know of to get them off without pulling the boots completely out. Learned something new.
Sorry also for thinking you had a 650.