Tips and observations

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:55 pm

Reading all these carb problem posts I thought I should post what my experience has been riding an early model and a Prolink. Having put over 50-60,000 miles between the two bikes and never having the carbs cleaned and synched only once, over 20,000 miles ago for each, I have never had a problem with them and this is why (I think). Of course, both were riders when I got them and not trailer/garage queens.

I always park them with a full tank of fuel, 89-91 octane, and almost always add a little carb cleaner to the tank and run it into the carbs. I also run the bikes on reserve to keep it functioning properly as it has a different (fuel draw) than the regular position. I've added almost six gallons of fuel more than once and I feel that draining the tank (thru the carbs) during normal riding has been quite beneficial. On cold starts I do still use the choke but after they're warmed up, there is no need for the choke. They start right away when warm. No leaks either. Never have drained the carbs or had the float bowls off. That's it I guess. Having the kind of luck that I've had with both bikes under all riding conditions, I feel that riding them the way I do is the payoff. Use em or lose em as they say. Hope this tidbit helps.

alimey4u2 · Post by **alimey4u2** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 4:34 pm

Excellent advice Terry, now only if the sun would come out....

cbxtacy · Post by **cbxtacy** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:39 pm

every once in a while when riding my bikes I'll put the fuel valve on reserve. Usually anything in your tank that is not gas is usually heavier then gas. Putting it on reserve sucks the c**p out of the bottom and puts it through the carbs or (hopefully) into the filter.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 7:54 pm

cbxtacy wrote:every once in a while when riding my bikes I'll put the fuel valve on reserve. Usually anything in your tank that is not gas is usually heavier then gas. Putting it on reserve sucks the c**p out of the bottom and puts it through the carbs or (hopefully) into the filter.

Exactly! BTW, I wonder what happens inside the floats when I go on reserve at say, freeway speeds? Suppose it gets the c**p out of the carbs? Hey, we can say crap can't we?

I forgot to mention that I have an inline filter on the 79 but haven't gotten around to installing one on the 82 yet.

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:10 pm

I hate to disappoint you guys, but nothing gets "sucked" out of the fuel tank on a CBX unless you have a fuel pump between the petcock and the carbs. It all happens because of good old gravity.
If you ever drained a tank through the petcock, you will know that quite a substantial amount (almost a quart) of "crap" will still sit in the tank after everything stops running through the petcock on reserve. I think that is intended to be so by design, so that no water will get into your carbs just in case you have to run on reserve.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:36 pm

I realize there is no fuel pump sucking the fuel from the tank but a whole quart of crap still stays inside? How can this be? Why wouldn't everything liquid 'fall' out of the tank when drained (gravity at work you know)? Are you saying that the tank would have to be turned upside down for it to empty completely?

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:44 pm

Yes! The petcock does not sit at the lowest spot. In addition, the tube that represents the reserve outlet has a certain height inside the strainer. This results in a level of fluid inside the tank that will never come out, unless you unscrew the petcock and/or turn the tank upside down and try to get it out trough the filler neck.

This is one of the reasons,

CBX tanks like to rust from inside out at the rear corners where all the water accumulates as it is heavier than fuel.