Suzuki VS1400 - VS800 Cleaning the front carburetor

Modern petrol contains Ethanol, which is Hygroscopic, (Retains water molecules) when a bike is left over winter, the fuel evaporates leaving the carb contaminated with limescale. This short clip will show you a way of clearing the contamination out.

[@williamturbeville8296]

I bought my first motorcycle. first time thought I cleaned the carbs! then drove it for two days. It started acting up . I tried getting it running a second time after pulling carbs been working on it for six months and then finally pulled the carburetor a third time. and this was exactly the issue that I was having with the pilot jet. Thank you for your video, appreciate all your hard work and knowledge and expertise and preciseness in the videos.

[@rhinotrikes]

You're welcome

[@rhinotrikes]

Recently, we've been finding that the caustic nature of the Ethanol after the blended petroleum has evaporated away is really attacking the alloy of some carbs. I think the safest way to leave a bike for over wintering, or any break of more than six weeks is a total drain down. I recommend using up as much fuel as you can, put a cap full of synthetic two stroke oil in the tank, run the motor for a bit, then switch the fuel off and drain down the carbs. Most carbs are fitted with drain screws on the bottom of the float bowl. I will make a video to show where they are on Intruders, or search in your manual.

[@rhinotrikes]

*Update* We're finding the blended fuel is separating or 'going off' in as short a time as 3 to six weeks. Seems to be carb engines which are affected the worst. This sort of damage takes longer (six months) but we are draining and replacing residual fuel especially if the trike has been stored in hot weather as the bikes are just not running well on it (Backfiring and erratic running at low revs) Clears completely with a fresh fuel change.

[@losteroni]

Thanks for the video . I try and learn as much as I can before I work on anything . I owned a vs800 and it had much simpler carbs . I just bought a 1400 , it idles just fine but backfires badly above 1500 rpm .I suspect clogged jets or low floats .

[@rhinotrikes]

Hi, The VS800 and VS1400 carbs are basically the same, it's the front and rear carbs which are different. The jet giving problems is the emulsifying tube, on the rear carb you remove the main jet and the diaphragm assay, then from inside the float chamber, push out the main jet emulsion tube using a chop stick or the end of a paint brush, Clean it and make sure the tiny holes up the side are clear (use a strand of control cable) also take the idle jet emulsion tube out and clean the holes and the hole in the end (This tube should have a hole straight through which is often totally blocked) I will get around to making a video for the rear carb as that's the one that most often gives trouble.

[@losteroni]

I'm sorry but I goofed I actually previously owned a '91 vs750 , but it still had similar Mikunis . All ever had to do on that one was replace the rear float needle and seat and check the float height on both carbs . I understand about the emulsion tube . I recently owned a 1986 kawasaki zl600a with undersize ones . for the first few months I owned it I had to work the choke as a second throttle till I just drilled those tubes with a 1/16" drill . They weren't just clogged someone must have replaced them with et's from a 250 or something because I quadrupled the size of the holes and got perfect mixture and 34 mpg .

[@losteroni]

Thanks for answering . I know what your talking about with the emulsion tubes they have a hole up through them and tiny holes on the sides which atomize the fuel . Yes they often get clogged . I also need to check and make sure I don't have a clogged petcock or a bad fuel pump . I know from experience that the kind of backfiring I'm getting is from lack of fuel because on my other intruder I forgot once to turn on the fuel valve and it would backfire the same way .

[@rufusrunsgsp4610]

Its not audible much.

[@rhinotrikes]

Sorry, poor quality camera. Probably time to reluctantly join the 19th century and upgrade the iphone. Luckily with the launch of the iphoneX, iphone 7's are available, meaning iphone 6's are affordable for the masses, so before long, I will be able to afford an iphone 4s

[@mikegrant5585]

Handy Video....Many Thanks