I have been a motorcycle technician for 35 years, with my own service business the past 25 years. In my experience, most technicians at dealers these days have no experience with carbs & many dealers here in Northern Ireland won't even work on carbed bikes. I would suggest whoever worked on this first hadn't a clue what they were doing, but took the "how hard can it be" approach. I can't remember the number of bodged carb jobs I have had to sort over the years, I actually enjoy working with & setting up carbs, it can make a massive difference to how the bike runs. Very satisfying.
I am not a motorcycle technician and I know nothing about carburetors, but I was somehow able to diagnose torn diaphrams and successfully rebuilt the carbs for my VFR400 from a kit I ordered online a few years ago. Am I some kind of mechanical genius, incredibly lucky, or is this just not that hard as long as you're thorough and methodical, like it seems? I'm flabbergasted by the incompetence on display tbh. Why would you clean the outside of the carburetors without cleaning out the insides too? Why would you reuse screws that are fucked? Why would you partly reassemble things with parts missing? Why aren't the loose parts bagged and labelled? Fuckin cockwombles.
No surprises what you continually find Jim, after a "factory trained technician" has had their hands on a bike. That's why I have not taken a bike to a dealer service department since 2005. That was a brand new 600 mile ZX10-R C1H that I took in for a first service. They took the fairing panels off, kicked them around the workshop, test rode the bike seemingly around a quarry, over-charged me and then simply claimed the damage was already there when it came in.
I've never taken a vehicle to a garage/some where else for repair or service due to stories like this, I've bought tools and learned how to do it myself.
Damn right brother, I recently put my 1290 Superduke into a Crawley dealership to have the track pack unlocked. They charged me £350 and stole the vehicle tracker system off it. I only found out 2 months later when I took the seat off to remove it
I never let a "pro" mechanic touch any of my stuff. That's why I will never buy a bike that they say they require any of the services to be done by their mechanics. That's an immediate walk away for me.
@@memememe2674 In the US, legally they're not allowed to tie warranty to their service. However a lot try and you'd probably have to hire a lawyer to get them to honor the warranty. You'd also probably almost have to video every service you did yourself and get an independent mechanic to certify that you appear to have done the service properly, to uphold your case. I have bought 4 new motorcycles and never had any issues in warranty. These days I buy used bikes, so it's not an issue anyway. Modern motorcycles are extremely reliable.
In my lifetime (64y) I have found that it is rare to find a man who really understands carbs, and even rarer to find a tech or mechanic that can actually rebuild, repair or tweak (tune) these finicky bits of motorcycle sorcery. If you do find that guy, don't ever loose his number because one day he will save your bacon, after you have foolishly purchased a bike that does NOT run. Words to live by mon frère. Very cool content on your channel.
We are loosing one of these rare carby magicians here in Melbourne Australia currently due to early retirement from severe back related issues , he did it right and served the industry well for decades, a Webber agent , a humble guy and his personable service will be missed . Everyone here knows who he is . Unfortunately when the torch cannot be passed down - the craft is lost . So it will be "time to hit the books again boys" ! 😁
I agree providing you have first-hand knowledge of the work of the other shop. However, doing so based on second-hand information is risky both from the perspective of potentially harming the reputation of another shop in error and risky from a legal liability perspective. Given he has only second-hand knowledge at best, he was wise to not say anything, even if he knew which shop it was. There are as many bad owners as there are bad shops and if you only have the owner’s story, it is risky to call out the shop without hearing their perspective.
I have run my own auto shops, my own construction company, and a tow company. I can tell you straight up that when you bash other companies, you are really bashing your own trade and creating a sense of dread in the customer's mind of your trade in general including you. It is like dating a girl that was cheated on, they now think you are going to cheat on them too. When you call out piss poor work, it just makes them think "Is this one bad to?". Your workers are also a reflection of you personally. You might be a straight up honest know your stuff guy, but we've all had 'that guy' that you just want to fire but can't, because he's so close to what you want him to be and he took a long time and money to even get there with him.
You’ve no idea how wonderfully refreshing it is to watch a video without irritating background music, irrelevant & annoying subtitles, and a real human voice. Add to that, all this from a true professional! And as a former biker - hopefully again in future! - I know I would trust you with a bike of mine. Nice one!
Many years ago I came to the understanding that some people shouldn't ride motorcycles later I came to the understanding some people should never work on anything mechanical and in fact should not own tools! I think you have just encountered one of the results of those people. Thank God for good honest machanics. A rare breed indeed.
Being a heavy diesel mechanic working on my first project bike, honda magna 1983 v45 750 x2 American bikes in Australia I definitely picked up to not shortcut a thing on the carbs and be very patient and spot on. The carbs are truly the heart of the bike. Inspired ty.
As another place had it for 8 months, they had time to get a set of JIS screwdrivers to not chew up those floatbowl screws. You're brave taking on other places "cant fix this" bikes as there could been all sorts of fuckery commited. But fair play to you and a great video.
As it was apparently a dealer they should have already had them, I have a feeling it was in someone's garage for eight months not at a dealership, I feel someone was passing the buck there.
Given probably 70% of all motorcycles in the world are Japanese and use JIS screws, I'd say the place that had it was probably a mate-of-a-mate type deal rather than a legit bike shop. Any mechanic worth anything has a set of JIS screwdrivers. Hell, I'm not a mechanic and I've never worked on a bike but I have a set. Quite a lot of Japanese cars (I'm lookin' at you Honda) have JIS screws everywhere too.
I'm glad there are good and honest mechanics/technicians like you out there. I also am glad I don't work on anything except vintage and veteran bikes, these Japanese, Italian and so on modern machines are way too technical for me.
I hear ya , I'm the same but with classic old /sports cars , modern EFI stuff just does my head in sometimes , stuffing arround with scanners and misleading fault codes and crap . Give me old school any day , these things have character , are repairable - Not disposable . 👍
Jim, your not only an “artist”, but a trained,experienced, honest true engineer, with years of knowledge and understanding of manufacturers thoughts of design and production, INVALUABLE, whatever you charge,i doubt its enough, You know you will die doing this work! But its what you love doing, ITS YOUR ADRENALIN RUSH.
I'm in Australia, Jim, but you've just got another subscriber. I've been riding since 1966, lots of bikes since then. One of my favourites was a 1981 Suzuki GS1000G for its sense of presence on the road. I bought it used and a previous owner had cone filters on it and it ran like shite. I had a mechanic who was an expert in older carb bikes and he got it back to airbox etc and running perfectly. People send him bikes from all over Australia to get back in running condition. He's got a reputation among older model Ducati owners for correcting similar errors that previous owners did. He's in a tiny town called Wattle Flat (almost middle of nowhere but on a great bike road) and works from an old shed, but inside is a dyno tuner and shelves of specialist stuff. People like him and you are hidden gems.
Cone filters on a bike like that hey , slight vacuum problems I'm tipping . It's like all these tossers putting pod filters on cars , pulling in hot air from the motor instead of cold air through a factory air box and infact "Decreasing Their Horsepower" . Who cares if it's illegal or loosing power from it , it looks sick mate ! Factory engineer's put thousands of hours into their work and testing to balance performance , quiet operation , efficiency and longevity for a reason . People that are not in the industry have no understanding of this (Eg; Cold air makes good power) and more often than not , create headaches . Backyarders should stick to cutting the grass ! Only recently I pulled off the middle of the road , two random intake boots with a pod filter attached , , , with gaffer tape ? Now that's a performance gain if I ever saw it , tipping a P Plater not hearing it fly out of his engine bay amongst the doof doof ! 😁 Good to hear you found someone proficient to sort your bike mate 👍🇦🇺
Great work and video! Please don't assume that ALL dealers are muppets cos they are not. I have purchased bikes and servicing for the last 30 odd years from Alf England in the Midlands and after maybe 35 bikes I have NEVER had nor seen anything but honesty. I still have 4 bikes, all Yamahas. The quality of the bikes AND the dealer are 100 percent. Any dealer who keeps a bike for months is not a serious outfit.
Agreed , I am a sole operator not from a dealership upbringing , and have tried to explain to people it's not always the business itself that's at fault , it's the individual that carries out the work . I have seen some real tools in my time and could not wait to see the back of them , not only as I have had to correct their work constantly with frustration trying to build a reputation , but it also can severely affect your income through poor reviews . There are many dodgy operators out there , but people cannot judge all by a few bad apples .
Another good one Jim. With all these dubious mechanics out there, you really need to take on an apprentice to pass on all your invaluable knowledge. Young ones need to learn from someone like you. Great tubes keep em coming.👍
Nice job. Lots of good information for this occasional rider. It's one thing to have access to the tools and equipment, but a whole different thing to know how to use them. It's also nice that you don't censor yourself but speak from the heart. Subscribed.
Youre a legend , love your vids. Got my 2001 r6 2 years ago running on 2 cyls , worried the worst. Watched your carb clean vid , sorted my carbs ! Only still had to replace the burnt reg / rec plug , replace ignition coils.. and plugs. Was still getting a tapping sound if i listened inside oil filler , was to scared to poke the acct tension reset .. saw someone say roll bike backwards in 6th gear , and wow it worked ! Tapping gone , engine timing fixed and bike is night and day from when i got it
Subbed . I am helping a friend with Dragstar 125 , a V twin piglet from yamaha , which suffered from a couple braking up as it sat for 18 years covered up outside in the UK . A new battery and tyres , only 1370 miles on the clock , and more ultrasonic cleaning than our nerves could stand ( still needed one new jet replacing ) has it pretty well sorted it seems . Oh , the petrol was like a beef and onion soup made with weed killer . The tank needs derusting and maybe sealing and the tap overhauled , If the hours of tender , experienced labour was counted this project would have never have started , but it is for another friend who needs a hand at the moment and that makes it worthwhile .
I don't mind the waffling, Jim, it gives an insight into your thinking process. When my bikes are laid up for the winter, I always drain the tanks, then run them till they stall out, on the plus side, My royal Star |Venture carbs, can be removed in 10 minutes ( I timed myself once ) and every other year I give the carbs a strip and clean
You did it! 36.2k Subs today (11 July 2024) that bike sounded so nice after you'd ... well, cleaned it really. It needed a carb clean and an oil change.
I love it when the RUclips algorithm gets it right. Smashing channel, I've binge-watched quite a few vids and feel like I've learnt loads. I'm pretty useless mechanically, although this is just down to lack of practise. Cheers, Dan.
I have only Met one Engineer who has your determination and knowhow to make it happen in all my years so its refreshing to see a Top man at work. first time viewer to your channel and Had to sign up immediately . Keep up the good work
I had a similar problem with my Yammy Fazer, and was told it’s likely to be the fuel had emulsified. I removed and completely cleaned out the carbs, and drained the fuel tank. Built it all back up again, filled the tank, and it ran superbly for the two years I kept it, without problems. Wish I still had it ! 😁👍🏼
I've been working on bikes since the early eighties, I know carburetors inside and out. Back in the day we didn't have ultrasonic cleaners, we just use wires and carb cleaner. You got to look at the new mechanic who just came out of school who's never worked on a 4 carburetor bike before maybe he learned a little bit in school but he's not going to be well versed in it like an old school mechanic would. Just like when I got my first fuel injected bike it was a bit of a learning curve.
It would be nice to have a little section at the end of the video showing the people getting their bikes back if they are ok with it, love the vids and info.
I’m new to your content and have to say it’s brilliant I love that you take us along for the first ride after fixing the problem, it’s very satisfying 👌
i agree with the comment about the self proclaimed "pros" unfortunately the world is full of them - i bet the owner is happy as can be after your save, what a great result !
I never took none of my motorcycles to any dealer used to do them myself self-taught from the early 2 strokes 4strokes up to rrw fireblades I loved it rebuilding them.
It’s worrying how many people take the time to comment saying they don’t like swearing and think that it’ll change a thing. Keep it up Jim, anyone who’s actually been in a bike workshop will know this is tame in comparison.
Good job Sir. I had a Thunderace for 6 years from new and loved it. The wife still says it was the most comfortable bike too. Very fond memories of that grunty low revs engine
Its the thing with good sealed air filtration, without it, the pilot circuit on the carb's is the first thing that gets blocked resulting in delayed starting, rough idle and transitioning off idle. A good way to clean is to airline with cleaning fluid into the very tiny holes, just past the butterfly where it seats in the venturi on the engine side. I generally do this in conjunction with an ultrasound cleaner, which is a full strip down and immersion in white spirits.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing! when I worked in the workshop I dreaded hearing things like, my mates, dads brother once fixed a pushbike puncture so we took it to him to fix it, that was usually the top of a very slippery slope!
Yes, always clean out the spark plug wells as you said. I prefer to use soapy water and a hose if possible to flush the area before using the air as that quickly confirms if the drain holes are clear and the soap tends to loosen more debris than air alone. Then use air to dry. It is good to see you being thorough and checking things like the drain holes. So many techs just do the minimum to get by and leave things like clogged drain holes to cause future grief.
Been riding since September 1995. Taken my brand new bikes to main dealers 2 times ever. Both times was a free first service, both times the result was shocking.
Loved my Thunderace, it's just a great all round sports bike that I could actually fit on and use as a daily, unlike its successor that was just too small.
Thanks for that very useful and informative vid , I have had 2 thunderaces over the last 12 years. The latest one runs cleanly 2k+ rpm but idles roughly on about 3 cylinders , Video gave a few things to try before pulling carbs off . I have done it in the past on my ace that got knicked but its really a pain on the ace with my big meat hooks.
Jim, when you take on these tasks which the customer claims have been with a dealer or independent, you should make contact with that place a requirement. Get the story from both the customer and the mechanic that way. It will likely help cut down on your time and will reveal any lies told and billed for, when you get to work.
just stumbled upon this and it tweaked my interest as I used to own a thunderace many years ago, I got to say, really informative stuff and i love your straight talking - good job! subscription added 👍
Too many people buy jets and modern ones can be sized incorrectly, when jets do not wear out. Most get damaged when things are poked into them. JIS screw drivers and suddenly all the screws are easy to undo. Who knew?? Anyhow. Great video with valuable lessons to learn.
The one important thing I learned from doing maintenance on a moped being 16 years old; keep the carb(s) clean! 98 fuel was still pretty common back then. Modern 'organic' fuel is becoming garbage.
I love 90s superbikes, I fancied a thunderace once but it was just a bit cramped for my old knees. I still have my 1999 zx9r c2 though and been all over Europe on it in the past so there's no way I'll ever part with that. I've had it since it was just over a year old and I still love it. It's not a mint garage queen but I'm thinking of stripping it all down and refreshing it (and getting rid of all the spare nuts and bolts as I always seem to have left over when I've worked on it 😂) as soon as I've finished building the new garage. Love watching your videos m8, all the best for Christmas and the new year 😊👍👍
Hi mate, my yzf did a similar thing. I could see fuel leaking down the inside of the # 1 carb from out of the side of the needle. A carby pull down and clean would fix it for a little while, then it would return. You could smell it running rich when the leak would return. Rough idle as well. If you let the bike sit for more than a few days it would even make that horrible hydraulic lock sound when you would go to start it. A cylinder full of fuel and fuel in the oil! Apparently the brass hole that the needle passes through, can go out of round, allowing fuel to bypass the needle when it's seated.
I had a FZR1000 Exup in '91, the same engine, which I foolishly laid up for six months over Winter with around a 1/4 tank of fuel and trying to start it was a problem. It took a lot of cranking and ran dog rough with quite a bit of smoke when it eventually fired. I drained the tank and refilled it with fresh fuel and within 5 minutes it was back to normal. Carbs are prone to this problem far more than modern sealed FI system. The chewed up carb screws come from using a Philips head driver and not a JIS head no doubt. I had a T ACE in '96 but only had it a year and went back to a Fireblade. Another "issue" I found with the Yam engine was the need to keep the EXUP valve cables adjusted. If/when they get slack the valve can rattle and sounds like a major engine problem.
It really is mind-blowing how many shops are out there that will just waste your time and string you along. I think less than there used to be, but there's still some out there.
Ok. I subscribed. I do like to hear someone swearing at the sort of things that get me. Ive got a 1986 Moto Guzzi Le Mans IV, Triumph Tiger 955i and XLH 1200 Harley. I do all my own repairs and maintainence and have since 1984 when i got my first socket set that i still have.
Most of my bikes are fuel injection but Ive gotca v old Suzi DR650 where I hope to be able to apply some of Jims teachings. Thank you for your super clear explanations Jim!
i also got the same problems whit a dealer i decide to do it myself never touch one before only brakes and oil change but never repairs it works fine now.good job
Great vid thanks. I had an FZR1000 b back in the 2000's which was a rocket ship but did develope a weird lurching off power at about 3000rpm , it appeared to have oval warn holes in those brass tubes with the holes on the sides you showed that the needles go into. it wish i knew more about cleaning the jets etc as you have shown at the time. was still a great bike though. cheers from New Zealand. subscribed !
Hey mate, Kiwi here too, I'm restoring my 87 FZR1000 at the moment, just done my carbs and the emulsion tubes (the brass tubes with the holes) was also worn on them, luckily all the parts are still available to rebuild a set of these carbs.
Nice video, great job on the fix! Been a while since I've been on a bike didn't realise i miss it so much, to hear it start up and just to be able to go for a ride! Now I find myself looking at bike sales!
Well done 👏 most bikes I have played with have all needed carb cleaning too. I've been watching your videos for a while now and really enjoyed this one. I learned quite a bit!!! Very much appreciated also made me laugh a little too with your commentary. Good stuff!!!
Nice fix. 👍 I wonder if the issue the other place had was because carbs are old school these days, the ‘chimp’ trying to fix it had little or no experience with carbs of any sort? I am old enough to know what cabs are, and the theory. When I had carb issues on my 1998 GSF600, when it was 25 years old (in 2023) the first thing I did was buy a second hand set from eBay, strip them fully, and reassemble. No knowledge of those exact ones, so a set to practice on and familiarise myself on. What goes where? What way up is it fitted? Once I was familiar with the layout, how to take them apart, and which springs duck off and hide if you are not careful, tackled the problem ones, the ones on the bike. I found a fair amount of rust in the float bowels. The fuel tank has now been lined, and a small fuel filter fitted. One float bowl was a microbial experiment. Full of, for lack of a better word, snot. Lots and lots of snot. I sort of did what you did, so it’s nice to see that I, an experienced amateur, had basically the right approach. I also replaced the rounded off made of toffee factory screws. Not sure if I did the right thing, but I went stainless for all screws/bolts, with Allen key heads. One thing I wonder though. The green staining, that you attribute to ‘stale fuel/varnish’ to me looks like copper oxides from water traces in the fuel reacting with the brass components. No disagreement that it needs to be cleaned off and removed - dirt it dirt, and needs to be gone. But is it copper oxides or varnish? Or varnish impregnated with copper oxides? Who really cares, remove it and the problem is removed.
Interesting to see these carbs. I have a bike using an FZR1000 EXUP engine and carbs and having fun with the carbs on that. You are 100% right on the vacuum gauge take off. On mine due to where the frame runs (bracing piece immediatly behind the carbs) I might even have to drop the engine to get at the vacuum take off points
How refreshing to find a professional who tells it like it is!!! I subscribed as soon as I heard you say "...it suggests they were worked on by a chimp that has no clue what they're doing"!!😂. Most excellent sir👍🏻🥃... You are the bollocks.
I have an FZR600... the carbs are always worse on the left hand side, where the fuel sits due to the side stand. I always ley mine up after emptying the bowls (run the bike with the gas tap off until it stalls on its own).
I've owned three of these Thunderace's over the years. Fantastic bikes, very underated. I always have to strip and clean the carbs because they're full of gunk. Never had a compression issue, but I know I'm a tiny subset of a gazillion bikes. Easy to work on, very powerful. I traded my last one in for a ZZR 1400. It too is fantastic but somehow not as 'nippy' as the Ace.
Well done. Just found your channel. I work on these bikes but mostly older as well. Can’t agree more about the air jet advice. Exactly what say in my videos. I love that digital fuel ratio meter. Have to get one of those. Soon as I saw the carb tune synchronizer I knew you were the real deal. I exclusively use a carb tune pro. The aerosol can I assume is powered by air pressure. I’m gonna have to build one of those. I shoot the cleaner in and watch for the proper outflow then verify with compressed air. You see the vapor blast to confirm. So, yea well done. Cheers.
Loads of automotive engines have rubber boots to fit over the spark plug hole that would help to keep the crude out of the spark plug tubes. Alternatively, basic Doughty washers from a roofing supplier work, they are high silicone content so should withstand the heat
I did exactly this job on my Ace a few years ago. Those float bowl screws are very tight and very soft, I chewed them up even with a JIS bit. I changed them all to socket head screws, though.
I'm subscribed. This is a great channel. Before I got into aircraft repair, I was a motorcycle mechanic at a Yamaha dealer in the 1980s. I am really thinking hard about going back into the field.
As a car mechanic here in Australia. I have seen this stuff from shops over and over. I have had my own managers lie through their teeth to people and it was disgusting. I don't know a lot about carbs as we didn't get taught much about them in training. But i know enough that ive fixed a few. Usually it is carb clean and compressed air, and do it to every single hole you see. It is really simple.
I worked in multi line dealerships for 20 plus years. I went to a factory endorsed training school to learn as much as I could. Your video reminded me of the things I saw on a daily basis. Bad work, broken parts, and just poor workmanship. I left the industry due to consistently low wages and lack of time to spend with my family( late hours and every weekend, wasn’t a problem as a single person).
I had been unsubscribed for some reason so have re-subscribed. I don’t know much about the mechanics of my but started having ago at doing my maintenance, services etc. I follow the periodic maintenance list and tackle any other issues I find. Look for RUclips videos for anything I’m unsure of just to give me a clue. A lot of what I’m doing I’m finding easy. I have saved a fortune so far by doing my service.
As for carb synch. I adjust the idle main adjuster so the butterfly valve comes flush to the idle fuel hole, and then I do the same for the 3 other butterfly valves and the engine runs way smoother than before and busses less and at a higher rpm. . 😁. .
Hi ya Jim. Just come across ya channel. And have to say after watching for a while now. Have to say great methodical clean and concise explanatory down to earth no balls barred viewing. Shall be following and supporting the channel. Awsome stuff. Not very often ya see decent stuff on here.
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I have been a motorcycle technician for 35 years, with my own service business the past 25 years. In my experience, most technicians at dealers these days have no experience with carbs & many dealers here in Northern Ireland won't even work on carbed bikes. I would suggest whoever worked on this first hadn't a clue what they were doing, but took the "how hard can it be" approach. I can't remember the number of bodged carb jobs I have had to sort over the years, I actually enjoy working with & setting up carbs, it can make a massive difference to how the bike runs. Very satisfying.
I am not a motorcycle technician and I know nothing about carburetors, but I was somehow able to diagnose torn diaphrams and successfully rebuilt the carbs for my VFR400 from a kit I ordered online a few years ago.
Am I some kind of mechanical genius, incredibly lucky, or is this just not that hard as long as you're thorough and methodical, like it seems?
I'm flabbergasted by the incompetence on display tbh.
Why would you clean the outside of the carburetors without cleaning out the insides too?
Why would you reuse screws that are fucked?
Why would you partly reassemble things with parts missing?
Why aren't the loose parts bagged and labelled?
Fuckin cockwombles.
What’s the difference between a mechanic and a technician?
@@donalfinn4205 different terms for mainly the same job.
@@donalfinn4205bragging rights
Technicians are better dancers.
I absolutely applaud how thorough yet straightforward and down to earth you are! Best wishes!
No surprises what you continually find Jim, after a "factory trained technician" has had their hands on a bike. That's why I have not taken a bike to a dealer service department since 2005. That was a brand new 600 mile ZX10-R C1H that I took in for a first service. They took the fairing panels off, kicked them around the workshop, test rode the bike seemingly around a quarry, over-charged me and then simply claimed the damage was already there when it came in.
I've never taken a vehicle to a garage/some where else for repair or service due to stories like this, I've bought tools and learned how to do it myself.
Damn right brother, I recently put my 1290 Superduke into a Crawley dealership to have the track pack unlocked. They charged me £350 and stole the vehicle tracker system off it. I only found out 2 months later when I took the seat off to remove it
I never let a "pro" mechanic touch any of my stuff. That's why I will never buy a bike that they say they require any of the services to be done by their mechanics. That's an immediate walk away for me.
What about the warrenty?
@@memememe2674 In the US, legally they're not allowed to tie warranty to their service. However a lot try and you'd probably have to hire a lawyer to get them to honor the warranty. You'd also probably almost have to video every service you did yourself and get an independent mechanic to certify that you appear to have done the service properly, to uphold your case.
I have bought 4 new motorcycles and never had any issues in warranty. These days I buy used bikes, so it's not an issue anyway. Modern motorcycles are extremely reliable.
In my lifetime (64y) I have found that it is rare to find a man who really understands carbs, and even rarer to find a tech or mechanic that can actually rebuild, repair or tweak (tune) these finicky bits of motorcycle sorcery. If you do find that guy, don't ever loose his number because one day he will save your bacon, after you have foolishly purchased a bike that does NOT run. Words to live by mon frère. Very cool content on your channel.
We are loosing one of these rare carby magicians here in Melbourne Australia currently due to early retirement from severe back related issues , he did it right and served the industry well for decades, a Webber agent , a humble guy and his personable service will be missed . Everyone here knows who he is . Unfortunately when the torch cannot be passed down - the craft is lost . So it will be "time to hit the books again boys" ! 😁
This is the best motorcycle repair channel on RUclips. Thanks!
The guy to watch to actually learn something. I like the bearded mechanic too but for entertainment.
@@colincarrot5485 what did you learn from this?
Calling out some ones piss poor work is not unprofessional its a public service. If your a professional you can always defend your actions.
I agree providing you have first-hand knowledge of the work of the other shop. However, doing so based on second-hand information is risky both from the perspective of potentially harming the reputation of another shop in error and risky from a legal liability perspective. Given he has only second-hand knowledge at best, he was wise to not say anything, even if he knew which shop it was. There are as many bad owners as there are bad shops and if you only have the owner’s story, it is risky to call out the shop without hearing their perspective.
It’s very possible one of his buddies worked on it and is now trying to blame the dealer
Absolutely. And they charge the earth for it too ….
I have run my own auto shops, my own construction company, and a tow company. I can tell you straight up that when you bash other companies, you are really bashing your own trade and creating a sense of dread in the customer's mind of your trade in general including you. It is like dating a girl that was cheated on, they now think you are going to cheat on them too. When you call out piss poor work, it just makes them think "Is this one bad to?". Your workers are also a reflection of you personally. You might be a straight up honest know your stuff guy, but we've all had 'that guy' that you just want to fire but can't, because he's so close to what you want him to be and he took a long time and money to even get there with him.
@@LTVoyager whele the bike the evidence, but yes, concentrate bike its self?
You’ve no idea how wonderfully refreshing it is to watch a video without irritating background music, irrelevant & annoying subtitles, and a real human voice. Add to that, all this from a true professional! And as a former biker - hopefully again in future! - I know I would trust you with a bike of mine.
Nice one!
The carb guy wins again
Great vid you can never over explain basics first and how important cleanliness is
Many years ago I came to the understanding that some people shouldn't ride motorcycles later I came to the understanding some people should never work on anything mechanical and in fact should not own tools! I think you have just encountered one of the results of those people. Thank God for good honest machanics. A rare breed indeed.
Surfing RUclips feeling shit with the plague and came across this. Love the plain talking, mechanical advice and then success story. Subscribed.👍
Being a heavy diesel mechanic working on my first project bike, honda magna 1983 v45 750 x2 American bikes in Australia I definitely picked up to not shortcut a thing on the carbs and be very patient and spot on. The carbs are truly the heart of the bike.
Inspired ty.
As another place had it for 8 months, they had time to get a set of JIS screwdrivers to not chew up those floatbowl screws. You're brave taking on other places "cant fix this" bikes as there could been all sorts of fuckery commited. But fair play to you and a great video.
After 8 months I would think that 2 weeks at Jim’s would be a pretty decent turnaround time
As it was apparently a dealer they should have already had them, I have a feeling it was in someone's garage for eight months not at a dealership, I feel someone was passing the buck there.
Great job ! The dealership should have been able to repair it as you did ! Knowledgeable honest mechanics are few and far between. 👍
Given probably 70% of all motorcycles in the world are Japanese and use JIS screws, I'd say the place that had it was probably a mate-of-a-mate type deal rather than a legit bike shop. Any mechanic worth anything has a set of JIS screwdrivers. Hell, I'm not a mechanic and I've never worked on a bike but I have a set. Quite a lot of Japanese cars (I'm lookin' at you Honda) have JIS screws everywhere too.
@@woopimagpie Japanese Industrial Standard
I'm glad there are good and honest mechanics/technicians like you out there. I also am glad I don't work on anything except vintage and veteran bikes, these Japanese, Italian and so on modern machines are way too technical for me.
I hear ya , I'm the same but with classic old /sports cars , modern EFI stuff just does my head in sometimes , stuffing arround with scanners and misleading fault codes and crap . Give me old school any day , these things have character , are repairable - Not disposable . 👍
Jim, your not only an “artist”, but a trained,experienced, honest true engineer, with years of knowledge and understanding of manufacturers thoughts of design and production, INVALUABLE, whatever you charge,i doubt its enough, You know you will die doing this work! But its what you love doing, ITS YOUR ADRENALIN RUSH.
What an uplifting moment when the motorcycle comes back to life after such a long time.
Great work.
I'm in Australia, Jim, but you've just got another subscriber. I've been riding since 1966, lots of bikes since then. One of my favourites was a 1981 Suzuki GS1000G for its sense of presence on the road. I bought it used and a previous owner had cone filters on it and it ran like shite. I had a mechanic who was an expert in older carb bikes and he got it back to airbox etc and running perfectly. People send him bikes from all over Australia to get back in running condition. He's got a reputation among older model Ducati owners for correcting similar errors that previous owners did. He's in a tiny town called Wattle Flat (almost middle of nowhere but on a great bike road) and works from an old shed, but inside is a dyno tuner and shelves of specialist stuff. People like him and you are hidden gems.
Cone filters on a bike like that hey , slight vacuum problems I'm tipping . It's like all these tossers putting pod filters on cars , pulling in hot air from the motor instead of cold air through a factory air box and infact "Decreasing Their Horsepower" . Who cares if it's illegal or loosing power from it , it looks sick mate ! Factory engineer's put thousands of hours into their work and testing to balance performance , quiet operation , efficiency and longevity for a reason . People that are not in the industry have no understanding of this (Eg; Cold air makes good power) and more often than not , create headaches . Backyarders should stick to cutting the grass ! Only recently I pulled off the middle of the road , two random intake boots with a pod filter attached , , , with gaffer tape ? Now that's a performance gain if I ever saw it , tipping a P Plater not hearing it fly out of his engine bay amongst the doof doof ! 😁 Good to hear you found someone proficient to sort your bike mate 👍🇦🇺
Yeah, he’s in a ‘tiny town’ but you could advertise him properly. (Name of the workshop etc.)
Great video. I love watching somebody that knows what the hell they're doing. Hello from the great northwest of the United States.
Great work and video! Please don't assume that ALL dealers are muppets cos they are not. I have purchased bikes and servicing for the last 30 odd years from Alf England in the Midlands and after maybe 35 bikes I have NEVER had nor seen anything but honesty. I still have 4 bikes, all Yamahas. The quality of the bikes AND the dealer are 100 percent. Any dealer who keeps a bike for months is not a serious outfit.
Agreed , I am a sole operator not from a dealership upbringing , and have tried to explain to people it's not always the business itself that's at fault , it's the individual that carries out the work . I have seen some real tools in my time and could not wait to see the back of them , not only as I have had to correct their work constantly with frustration trying to build a reputation , but it also can severely affect your income through poor reviews . There are many dodgy operators out there , but people cannot judge all by a few bad apples .
Another good one Jim. With all these dubious mechanics out there, you really need to take on an apprentice to pass on all your invaluable knowledge. Young ones need to learn from someone like you. Great tubes keep em coming.👍
100% The gravitas of your comment is otherworldly and this message cannot be stated enough.
Nice to see someone that actually knows what they are doing...unlike many a main dealer with their factory trained chimps.
Nice job. Lots of good information for this occasional rider. It's one thing to have access to the tools and equipment, but a whole different thing to know how to use them. It's also nice that you don't censor yourself but speak from the heart. Subscribed.
Your Carb cleaning Rack is incredible. Bit nicer than my T shirt pile I use
Youre a legend , love your vids. Got my 2001 r6 2 years ago running on 2 cyls , worried the worst. Watched your carb clean vid , sorted my carbs ! Only still had to replace the burnt reg / rec plug , replace ignition coils.. and plugs. Was still getting a tapping sound if i listened inside oil filler , was to scared to poke the acct tension reset .. saw someone say roll bike backwards in 6th gear , and wow it worked ! Tapping gone , engine timing fixed and bike is night and day from when i got it
This channel is worth its weight in gold !
Subbed . I am helping a friend with Dragstar 125 , a V twin piglet from yamaha , which suffered from a couple braking up as it sat for 18 years covered up outside in the UK . A new battery and tyres , only 1370 miles on the clock , and more ultrasonic cleaning than our nerves could stand ( still needed one new jet replacing ) has it pretty well sorted it seems . Oh , the petrol was like a beef and onion soup made with weed killer . The tank needs derusting and maybe sealing and the tap overhauled , If the hours of tender , experienced labour was counted this project would have never have started , but it is for another friend who needs a hand at the moment and that makes it worthwhile .
Thanks for the air-jet explanation and elaboration--I have been searching for a time now without finding ANYTHING and this cleared it for me.
I don't mind the waffling, Jim, it gives an insight into your thinking process. When my bikes are laid up for the winter, I always drain the tanks, then run them till they stall out, on the plus side, My royal Star |Venture carbs, can be removed in 10 minutes ( I timed myself once ) and every other year I give the carbs a strip and clean
You did it! 36.2k Subs today (11 July 2024) that bike sounded so nice after you'd ... well, cleaned it really. It needed a carb clean and an oil change.
I could watch you 'fixing' carbs for hours on end, no idea why I find it soooooo interesting. Keem 'em coming Jim 😎
GENIUS!!!!
I’ve learned so much in just 1 video!
I can’t imagine the joy that you have brought to the owner.
Bravo Jim! (I have subscribed!)
I love it when the RUclips algorithm gets it right. Smashing channel, I've binge-watched quite a few vids and feel like I've learnt loads. I'm pretty useless mechanically, although this is just down to lack of practise. Cheers, Dan.
Good to see someone who knows what they're doing with carbs. I used to have three identical bike, good memories
My local workshop is good with carbs and thats meant that they have lots of business from owners of older bikes including me.
I have only Met one Engineer who has your determination and knowhow to make it happen in all my years so its refreshing to see a Top man at work.
first time viewer to your channel and Had to sign up immediately .
Keep up the good work
I had a similar problem with my Yammy Fazer, and was told it’s likely to be the fuel had emulsified. I removed and completely cleaned out the carbs, and drained the fuel tank. Built it all back up again, filled the tank, and it ran superbly for the two years I kept it, without problems. Wish I still had it ! 😁👍🏼
I'm a 😢 boy who restores old brit bikes,have a 57 Cub,65 ss80 and an Arrow. I'm finding you videos so interesting and informative!
I've been working on bikes since the early eighties, I know carburetors inside and out. Back in the day we didn't have ultrasonic cleaners, we just use wires and carb cleaner. You got to look at the new mechanic who just came out of school who's never worked on a 4 carburetor bike before maybe he learned a little bit in school but he's not going to be well versed in it like an old school mechanic would. Just like when I got my first fuel injected bike it was a bit of a learning curve.
It would be nice to have a little section at the end of the video showing the people getting their bikes back if they are ok with it, love the vids and info.
Just subscribed, it's nice watching someone that knows what they are doing
Hallelujah! Another one fixed. I think you talked it in to submission this time. 😉
I’m new to your content and have to say it’s brilliant I love that you take us along for the first ride after fixing the problem, it’s very satisfying 👌
i agree with the comment about the self proclaimed "pros" unfortunately the world is full of them - i bet the owner is happy as can be after your save, what a great result !
I never took none of my motorcycles to any dealer used to do them myself self-taught from the early 2 strokes 4strokes up to rrw fireblades I loved it rebuilding them.
Knowing who did the work could save countless bikers a real pain trying to get there bike fixed.
It’s worrying how many people take the time to comment saying they don’t like swearing and think that it’ll change a thing. Keep it up Jim, anyone who’s actually been in a bike workshop will know this is tame in comparison.
Good job Sir. I had a Thunderace for 6 years from new and loved it. The wife still says it was the most comfortable bike too. Very fond memories of that grunty low revs engine
Its the thing with good sealed air filtration, without it, the pilot circuit on the carb's is the first thing that gets blocked resulting in delayed starting, rough idle and transitioning off idle. A good way to clean is to airline with cleaning fluid into the very tiny holes, just past the butterfly where it seats in the venturi on the engine side. I generally do this in conjunction with an ultrasound cleaner, which is a full strip down and immersion in white spirits.
An excellent video Jim...love it when it all comes together....Bet the owner was over the moon....fantastic.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing! when I worked in the workshop I dreaded hearing things like, my mates, dads brother once fixed a pushbike puncture so we took it to him to fix it, that was usually the top of a very slippery slope!
Yes, always clean out the spark plug wells as you said. I prefer to use soapy water and a hose if possible to flush the area before using the air as that quickly confirms if the drain holes are clear and the soap tends to loosen more debris than air alone. Then use air to dry. It is good to see you being thorough and checking things like the drain holes. So many techs just do the minimum to get by and leave things like clogged drain holes to cause future grief.
Highly professional approach , liked your comments and approbate profanities, 👍👏👏👏👏
Been riding since September 1995.
Taken my brand new bikes to main dealers 2 times ever.
Both times was a free first service, both times the result was shocking.
Loved my Thunderace, it's just a great all round sports bike that I could actually fit on and use as a daily, unlike its successor that was just too small.
Thanks for that very useful and informative vid , I have had 2 thunderaces over the last 12 years. The latest one runs cleanly 2k+ rpm but idles roughly on about 3 cylinders , Video gave a few things to try before pulling carbs off . I have done it in the past on my ace that got knicked but its really a pain on the ace with my big meat hooks.
Jim, when you take on these tasks which the customer claims have been with a dealer or independent, you should make contact with that place a requirement. Get the story from both the customer and the mechanic that way. It will likely help cut down on your time and will reveal any lies told and billed for, when you get to work.
just stumbled upon this and it tweaked my interest as I used to own a thunderace many years ago, I got to say, really informative stuff and i love your straight talking - good job! subscription added 👍
Too many people buy jets and modern ones can be sized incorrectly, when jets do not wear out. Most get damaged when things are poked into them. JIS screw drivers and suddenly all the screws are easy to undo. Who knew?? Anyhow. Great video with valuable lessons to learn.
The one important thing I learned from doing maintenance on a moped being 16 years old; keep the carb(s) clean! 98 fuel was still pretty common back then. Modern 'organic' fuel is becoming garbage.
You deserve way more than 30k subs …
Now has 42.2, your magic worked 👍.
I love 90s superbikes, I fancied a thunderace once but it was just a bit cramped for my old knees. I still have my 1999 zx9r c2 though and been all over Europe on it in the past so there's no way I'll ever part with that. I've had it since it was just over a year old and I still love it. It's not a mint garage queen but I'm thinking of stripping it all down and refreshing it (and getting rid of all the spare nuts and bolts as I always seem to have left over when I've worked on it 😂) as soon as I've finished building the new garage.
Love watching your videos m8, all the best for Christmas and the new year 😊👍👍
Hi mate, my yzf did a similar thing.
I could see fuel leaking down the inside of the # 1 carb from out of the side of the needle. A carby pull down and clean would fix it for a little while, then it would return.
You could smell it running rich when the leak would return.
Rough idle as well. If you let the bike sit for more than a few days it would even make that horrible hydraulic lock sound when you would go to start it.
A cylinder full of fuel and fuel in the oil!
Apparently the brass hole that the needle passes through, can go out of round, allowing fuel to bypass the needle when it's seated.
I had a FZR1000 Exup in '91, the same engine, which I foolishly laid up for six months over Winter with around a 1/4 tank of fuel and trying to start it was a problem. It took a lot of cranking and ran dog rough with quite a bit of smoke when it eventually fired. I drained the tank and refilled it with fresh fuel and within 5 minutes it was back to normal. Carbs are prone to this problem far more than modern sealed FI system.
The chewed up carb screws come from using a Philips head driver and not a JIS head no doubt.
I had a T ACE in '96 but only had it a year and went back to a Fireblade. Another "issue" I found with the Yam engine was the need to keep the EXUP valve cables adjusted. If/when they get slack the valve can rattle and sounds like a major engine problem.
Loved my Thunderace if you couldn’t guess!
Best all round bike I’ve ever owned, did everything so well.
Just found the channel, keep up the good work!
It really is mind-blowing how many shops are out there that will just waste your time and string you along. I think less than there used to be, but there's still some out there.
Awesome video dude , best part is your explanation of what your doing , great job
Ok. I subscribed. I do like to hear someone swearing at the sort of things that get me. Ive got a 1986 Moto Guzzi Le Mans IV, Triumph Tiger 955i and XLH 1200 Harley. I do all my own repairs and maintainence and have since 1984 when i got my first socket set that i still have.
Well done that man, an honest bloke.
Most of my bikes are fuel injection but Ive gotca v old Suzi DR650 where I hope to be able to apply some of Jims teachings.
Thank you for your super clear explanations Jim!
i also got the same problems whit a dealer i decide to do it myself never touch one before only brakes and oil change but never repairs it works fine now.good job
Great vid thanks. I had an FZR1000 b back in the 2000's which was a rocket ship but did develope a weird lurching off power at about 3000rpm , it appeared to have oval warn holes in those brass tubes with the holes on the sides you showed that the needles go into. it wish i knew more about cleaning the jets etc as you have shown at the time. was still a great bike though. cheers from New Zealand. subscribed !
Hey mate, Kiwi here too, I'm restoring my 87 FZR1000 at the moment, just done my carbs and the emulsion tubes (the brass tubes with the holes) was also worn on them, luckily all the parts are still available to rebuild a set of these carbs.
Good work! I have been hearing that here in the USA that many bike shops will not even touch carbureted bikes and that is such a shame!
Nice video, great job on the fix! Been a while since I've been on a bike didn't realise i miss it so much, to hear it start up and just to be able to go for a ride! Now I find myself looking at bike sales!
Bike sound like its a new bike. .well done jim.
Well done 👏 most bikes I have played with have all needed carb cleaning too. I've been watching your videos for a while now and really enjoyed this one. I learned quite a bit!!! Very much appreciated also made me laugh a little too with your commentary. Good stuff!!!
Another random suggestion from RUclips that turned out to be fascinating, really enjoyed this
Brian
Nice fix. 👍
I wonder if the issue the other place had was because carbs are old school these days, the ‘chimp’ trying to fix it had little or no experience with carbs of any sort?
I am old enough to know what cabs are, and the theory.
When I had carb issues on my 1998 GSF600, when it was 25 years old (in 2023) the first thing I did was buy a second hand set from eBay, strip them fully, and reassemble.
No knowledge of those exact ones, so a set to practice on and familiarise myself on.
What goes where? What way up is it fitted? Once I was familiar with the layout, how to take them apart, and which springs duck off and hide if you are not careful, tackled the problem ones, the ones on the bike.
I found a fair amount of rust in the float bowels. The fuel tank has now been lined, and a small fuel filter fitted.
One float bowl was a microbial experiment. Full of, for lack of a better word, snot. Lots and lots of snot.
I sort of did what you did, so it’s nice to see that I, an experienced amateur, had basically the right approach.
I also replaced the rounded off made of toffee factory screws. Not sure if I did the right thing, but I went stainless for all screws/bolts, with Allen key heads.
One thing I wonder though. The green staining, that you attribute to ‘stale fuel/varnish’ to me looks like copper oxides from water traces in the fuel reacting with the brass components.
No disagreement that it needs to be cleaned off and removed - dirt it dirt, and needs to be gone.
But is it copper oxides or varnish? Or varnish impregnated with copper oxides? Who really cares, remove it and the problem is removed.
Interesting to see these carbs. I have a bike using an FZR1000 EXUP engine and carbs and having fun with the carbs on that.
You are 100% right on the vacuum gauge take off. On mine due to where the frame runs (bracing piece immediatly behind the carbs) I might even have to drop the engine to get at the vacuum take off points
Just came across your video, top watch. I love when people know what they are doing slate tosser tech guys ,spot on....👍
How refreshing to find a professional who tells it like it is!!! I subscribed as soon as I heard you say "...it suggests they were worked on by a chimp that has no clue what they're doing"!!😂. Most excellent sir👍🏻🥃... You are the bollocks.
I have an FZR600... the carbs are always worse on the left hand side, where the fuel sits due to the side stand. I always ley mine up after emptying the bowls (run the bike with the gas tap off until it stalls on its own).
Good stuff. Keep up the good work Mate. I work on motorcycles on the side. Just another nightmare that you turned into a pleasant dream. Great Job.
I've owned three of these Thunderace's over the years. Fantastic bikes, very underated. I always have to strip and clean the carbs because they're full of gunk. Never had a compression issue, but I know I'm a tiny subset of a gazillion bikes. Easy to work on, very powerful. I traded my last one in for a ZZR 1400. It too is fantastic but somehow not as 'nippy' as the Ace.
Well done. Just found your channel. I work on these bikes but mostly older as well. Can’t agree more about the air jet advice. Exactly what say in my videos. I love that digital fuel ratio meter. Have to get one of those. Soon as I saw the carb tune synchronizer I knew you were the real deal. I exclusively use a carb tune pro. The aerosol can I assume is powered by air pressure. I’m gonna have to build one of those. I shoot the cleaner in and watch for the proper outflow then verify with compressed air. You see the vapor blast to confirm. So, yea well done. Cheers.
WOW enjoying your work at the end. Not boring at all❤
Loads of automotive engines have rubber boots to fit over the spark plug hole that would help to keep the crude out of the spark plug tubes. Alternatively, basic Doughty washers from a roofing supplier work, they are high silicone content so should withstand the heat
I did exactly this job on my Ace a few years ago. Those float bowl screws are very tight and very soft, I chewed them up even with a JIS bit. I changed them all to socket head screws, though.
Worth saving !
I had a Thunderace..... incredible bike when running correctly, really quick bike, even by today's standards !
First time watcher here.
You sound like ME talking to myself on doing shit like this....lol
Love it!!! Good work, M8!!!
29:33 a do want to watch bro this was epic I would love to know and find someone to help like you brother your a legend
I'm subscribed. This is a great channel. Before I got into aircraft repair, I was a motorcycle mechanic at a Yamaha dealer in the 1980s. I am really thinking hard about going back into the field.
As a car mechanic here in Australia. I have seen this stuff from shops over and over. I have had my own managers lie through their teeth to people and it was disgusting. I don't know a lot about carbs as we didn't get taught much about them in training. But i know enough that ive fixed a few. Usually it is carb clean and compressed air, and do it to every single hole you see. It is really simple.
KEYSTER is tested....good for me .Thanks for the suggestion....runs fine on my zrx1200..and yes! my carbs were tampered with 2....
I worked in multi line dealerships for 20 plus years. I went to a factory endorsed training school to learn as much as I could. Your video reminded me of the things I saw on a daily basis. Bad work, broken parts, and just poor workmanship. I left the industry due to consistently low wages and lack of time to spend with my family( late hours and every weekend, wasn’t a problem as a single person).
Understanding how the circuits of your carbs work is a plus
It would be interesting to see your customers reactions when you say , Sorted mate after all the heartache they endure , Cheers fella 👍
I had been unsubscribed for some reason so have re-subscribed. I don’t know much about the mechanics of my but started having ago at doing my maintenance, services etc. I follow the periodic maintenance list and tackle any other issues I find. Look for RUclips videos for anything I’m unsure of just to give me a clue. A lot of what I’m doing I’m finding easy. I have saved a fortune so far by doing my service.
Great end to a week watching a master at his craft👍
Just wish I had some of that carb cleaning potion 😂
As for carb synch. I adjust the idle main adjuster so the butterfly valve comes flush to the idle fuel hole, and then I do the same for the 3 other butterfly valves and the engine runs way smoother than before and busses less and at a higher rpm. . 😁. .
Hi ya Jim. Just come across ya channel. And have to say after watching for a while now. Have to say great methodical clean and concise explanatory down to earth no balls barred viewing. Shall be following and supporting the channel. Awsome stuff. Not very often ya see decent stuff on here.
Absolutely brilliant view as always. Thanks for your efforts, subscribed a long time ago and do ‘sell’ this Fantastic channel.