How do you finesse those darn carbs off???

[BayArchitect]

I've taken months to worm my way through this remodel (81 CBX with only 3K miles). One of the last items is the carbs. The previous owner paid over $1000 to have the carbs rebuilt--about a year ago. There's not a mark on them--like they were never touched (funny, isn't it?). Naturally, I want to take them apart--mostly because the bike just doesn't idle well until it warms up--like it's running perpetually lean. I bought all the books--read them twice. The 7th Diety--Mike Nixon--seems to describe very clearly how to take the carbs apart and examine them, but he doesn't mention how to get them off the bike. Even the shop manual doesn't actually tell you how to remove carbs from the bike, once the engine is tilted, and the cables are loose. When finesse is required, the manual fails me. I removed the air box, loosened the carb clamps to the point of removing the screws, and wiggled the carbs--gently. Then wiggled them again, and again. Now what? How do you actually break the carbs loose from the back of the engine, without bending or otherwise damaging them? Then, once they're off, what is the best way to tune these carbs to match my bike? The bike has all new stuff--Dyna ignition and coils, 7mm wires, K&N air filter (using stock box), Pingel petcock, and Supertrapp 6-into-1 pipes. Motor is like new, and the bike hasn't even been started with all this new stuff on it. Please pick your topic and give it to me straight. Your suggestions are MUCH appreciated. Regards,
Leon

[dan1995]

if all your clamps are loose you just have to pry harder......gently if that makes sense usually wiggling them up and down works them loose...then you have to put them back on ,that when the fun starts

[cbxtacy]

I usually gently pry mine loose with a chunk of 2x4 (about 2' long). If the manifolds seem old and hard, I replace them with new ones. To re-install them, I'll pop one side on and tighten the clamp, then gently use the same chunk of 2x4 to coerce the other side on.

[nightowl]

i find finness has very little to do with getting the carbs off and back on a cbx has more to do with brute force cussing and lumber

[Chris]

I agree with Nightowl, cussing is important. :)

I use a liberal amount of cussing as well when I reinstall the throttle cables.

[Jeff Bennetts]

Be carefull not to contact the feed tubes between the carbs, they will dent.

Also heat the rubber manifolds with a heat gun on low to make them softer.

[Des Brown]

I have just done this yesterday
Firstly place a rag on the full length of the crankcase to stop scratching
slide carbs halfway in the put the throttle cables on, it is a lot easy this way (unless you have removed them from the bars first and they are already on)
Buy yourself a small strap and ratchet set,hook one end to your front wheel, bring the strap around your engine then around the carbs,
hook the ratchet to the other side of the wheel and line the carbs up and tighten slow moving the carbs up and down to ease them in.
I have done the method twice before and it worked fine

[EMS]

I think Leon tries to get them off first, not on, Des

[BayArchitect]

Whether getting it on or getting 'em off, Mike Nixon has the answer. He emailed me simple clear photos of his method, and those carbs practically removed themselves. I won't go into the details, because Mike can do that better than I. I urge you to urge him to write another book. I'll keep you all posted on the reassembly, and how the various jet combinations work.
Regards,
Leon