After the incessant whinging about how difficult it is to get the carbs off & an an X1100 on the XS1100UK forum
(from folks who have obviously never owned a CBX1000...) I posted this load of ol' waffle as a handy guide... Seems like a lot of stuff, but this is every step in the sequence written down... It takes no time at all in real life...
To remove the carbs from and XS, do the following:1. Remove the seat.
2. Remove the tank
(which includes disconnecting the fuel pipes... easier that way...)3. Remove the side-panels
(see where this is going yet?)4. Remove the bottom of the airbox and the air-filter...
(Needed cleaning anyway, ya minger..!!)5. Loosen off all 8 hose clamps until they can be slid away from their normal position and up the hoses, away from the carbs.
6. Remove the two airbox/frame side securing screws
(often forgotten...) 7. Slide the airbox back until the top support bracket is as far back on the frame bracket as it can be. The airbox inlet hoses won't be on the carbs any more...
8.
NOTE: If your bike still has the throttle cable guide at the centre/rear of the head (lucky you..!) unclip the cable from this now...
9. Straddle the bike
(facing the handlebras) and grab hold of the carbs with both hands
(one each side). Rotate the carbs forwards and down. You're aim is to end up with the front of the carbs below the engine inlet hoses and the rears sticking up at you. The carbs will pop out of the inlet hoses, but they'll still be wedged between both sets of hoses.
10. Gently wiggle the carbs towards the left hand side of the bike. Be aware of the big banjo bolt at the centre/rear of the head and the engine breather tube/spigot at the centre/front of the airbox. Both will try to thwart your efforts.
11. Carbs are nearly out now. Only the throttle cable still connected. Lever the throttles wide open
(use a thumb on one of the balance screw assemblies). This maximises the slack in the throttle cable and the outer can now be slipped up out of the carb assy cable guide. With the outer out of the guide, the cable inner can now be removed from the cable quadrant and the carbs are free...
To get 'em back in...1. Clean ALL of the carb hoses. I use silicone grease spray and a old terry towel. This makes the whole job a lot more pleasant and reduces the hardening and cracking of the hoses.
2. Lubricate the inner edges of the engine inlet hoses
(I use Petroleum Jelly - I keep a tub in the garage for battery terminals, it's good on the side-panel rubbers too...)3. Working from the left hand side of the bike, support the carbs in the space above the starter motor
(don't try to get them in yet).4. Lever the throttles wide open
(use a thumb on one of the balance screw assemblies). Fit the cable inner nipple to the cable quadrant. Now fit the outer into the carb assy cable guide. Release the throttles and check that the cable outer is well seated in the guide and that the inner cable is on the quadrant properly.
5. Gently wiggle the carbs towards the right hand side of the bike. Be aware of the big banjo bolt at the centre/rear of the head and the engine breather tube/spigot at the centre/front of the airbox. Both will try to thwart your efforts. You're aim is to end up with the front of the carbs below the engine inlet hoses and the rears sticking up at you.
6. Straddle the bike
(facing the handlebras) and grab hold of the carbs with both hands
(one each side). Rotate the carbs backwards and up. The carbs will push the airbox hoses all over the place... No worries, it's the engine side that we're working on just now...
7. Line up the carbs with the hoses and get one end carb
(either end) into it's inlet. Now focus on the inlet next to it... "rotate" the carbs sideways and up/down, whilst still pushing forwards on the assembly... The next carb will pop into it's inlet... Repeat the process, until all 4 carbs are in their inlets all the way
(check from the side to see if the carbs are all the way in.)8. Not working for you..? Well, the ambient temp where you are is probably too cold for this to work properly... Go inside and pinch the Mrs' hairdryer...
(A hot air gun will work, but MUST be set on low...). Warm up the engine inlet rubbers... try to get 'em all warm and play the hot air above and below the carbs to even up the heating as much as possible...
9. Everything nice and warm..? Great... Try again... See...? Easy as pie... Quick...!! Tighten up the inlet hose clamps...
10. Airbox hoses all over the place..? Get a long, thin flat bladed screwdriver... Make certain that the hose clamps are up against the airbox.. Now, working from the inner hoses out, use the screwdriver to lift the edges of the hose over the carb mouth. Once all 4 are located correctly, push the airbox forwards so that the hoses fit up to the carbs as far as is possible. Fit the airbox securing screws
(1 each side and 1 on top), but don't fully tighten them yet...
11. Slide the inner hose clamps into place, tighten them. Then the outer clamps too.
12. fully tighten the airbox securing screws.
13. Cleaned that air-filter yet...? Good, it's time to refit it.
14. Refit the side-panels Refit the tank
(and fuel lines... runs better that way)15. Refit the seat.
Hope that helps... If I forgot anything, I'm
SURE someone will let me know...
Miti