Electrical (or maybe not) problems

[element303]

thank you so much. i was searching for that post the past 10 minutes. im thinking about to replace the hoses too. maybe something is stuck in there too

[element303]

carb body line is basically the bowl gasket line right? i dont understand how it can be THAT off if im already below the recommended height of the manual (22mm). i guess the only thing i can do it bend it more to the extreme and check if the fuel level changes with the clear hose. im gonna go buy some new fuel hose too. the one i have is old.

[Mark Olson]

your fuel level is low..was the engine running when you checked it?

[FjLee]

carb body line is basically the bowl gasket line right? i dont understand how it can be THAT off if im already below the recommended height of the manual (22mm). i guess the only thing i can do it bend it more to the extreme and check if the fuel level changes with the clear hose. im gonna go buy some new fuel hose too. the one i have is old.

Element303......I think you are confusing "float measurement"  with  "fuel level measurement".  Those are 2 vastly different measurements.  Look in your manual, if you have one, for your year of FJ.  My Yamaha manual and my Haynes manual both have illustrations.

If/when you do the "fuel level" procedure  (recommended)  make sure that the engine is running while you do it.  If the transparent gas line you're watching appears to have a bubble in it, shake the line 'til it burps the bubble free.  DON'T BLOW ON THE LINE TO DISLODGE THE BUBBLE.  Blowing on the line won't work, and screws up the reading.

FjLee            84 FJ1100        Denver CO

[element303]

no i didnt confuse it. in the link it says the fuel level have to be 3mm more or less below the carb body. im just asking where exactly is the "line" of the carb body. i guess where the bowl is connected to the carb (bowl gasket height). just want to be sure i understand it right. i might wrote it confusing but i FIRST adjusted the float level of the bowls to the 22mm recommended in the manual and then today checked again the fuel level. the float was perfect and way too lean as the fuel level test confirms.

anyways, i took the carb out two more times. one time i bend it so far that the float already touched the bowl top when closing, installed it, and flooded. bend it back little more to the maximum possible position and STILL too lean. so the issue is the carb and fuel level still, but for some reason i dont understand, the carbs still run too lean even in max float setting. if the floats would fill with gas, which i know they dont, it would be too rich and not too lean right?

im really out of ideas and i think im gonna give up and just prepare for my asia trip instead. i wasted a week now and wasnt able to fix the issue and im pretty frustrated. im out of ideas..... i know its the float level... but i cant seem to adjust it.

[element303]

your fuel level is low..was the engine running when you checked it?

yes it was

[FjLee]

no i didnt confuse it. in the link it says the fuel level have to be 3mm more or less below the carb body. im just asking where exactly is the "line" of the carb body. i guess where the bowl is connected to the carb (bowl gasket height). just want to be sure i understand it right. i might wrote it confusing but i FIRST adjusted the float level of the bowls to the 22mm recommended in the manual and then today checked again the fuel level. the float was perfect and way too lean as the fuel level test confirms.

The  correct fuel level is what you ultimately want to achieve.  You want the fuel level in all 4 carbs to be the same, and you want the fuel level to be at the correct level.

When the above  2  "fuel level" conditions are met, the "float level measurement"  should be approx. as the manual says.  If it's not, then something is wrong.  Such as varying degrees of friction on the float
pivot pins.   Or the floats have varying weights.  Or  1 or more of the  float assemblies have  been twisted or warped and that has the float/floats rubbing on the carb body in some fashion.  The floats  _MUST_  be able to freely pivot up and down, with a minimum of resistance.  Or some wrong parts are installed, especially in the area of float needles & seats.  Or the float  needle seats are installed haphazardly.

A note here........on my USA 1984 FJ,  bending float tab .010 inch  changes fuel level about .040 inch.

FjLee           84 FJ1100         Denver CO

[element303]

yeah something is absolutely weird here. i wounldnt be surprised if those morons messed with the carbs too, who sold me the bike. they installed master cyl for the clutch and brake from some scooter and the clutch doesnt even disengage. everything looks fine to me inside the carb, everything moving freely, the needles work well. i just dont get it really... unless they installed floats from another carb but they seem to look the same like other pics. i just want it to have a good fuel/air ratio.

[Mark Olson]

yeah something is absolutely weird here. i wounldnt be surprised if those morons messed with the carbs too, who sold me the bike. they installed master cyl for the clutch and brake from some scooter and the clutch doesnt even disengage. everything looks fine to me inside the carb, everything moving freely, the needles work well. i just dont get it really... unless they installed floats from another carb but they seem to look the same like other pics. i just want it to have a good fuel/air ratio.

There are two kinds of fj carbs .... the gravity style and the fuel pump ones.  If they got switched up and put the wrong needle and seat you will run lean. or maybe you have the fuel pump carbs on a gravity fed FJ.

Take a picture of the carbs from the top ... looking for a dual fuel inlet to confirm gravity carbs.

If confirmed then install proper needle and seat for gravity fed carbs.  

This could be it , Hang in there .

also what size main jet and pilot jet is installed?   If they messed with it before you got it maybe it is wrong.

[element303]

right now its back installed. what i have to look for? dont remember the sizes yet. was hard to read. i mean it could be all kind of things, all the way to the valve clearance or possible ignition timing? as far as i saw on the pickups there was no way to adjust. but the first thing that need to be fixed is the fact that the fuel level in the floats is too low. until then everything else is a waste of time to check. are there any pics that show the difference between the 2 carb types? i really appreciate everybody trying to help. cant believe im 100 posts into it and still have the same issue.

[Pat Conlon]

It's simple, no picture needed, the gravity carbs have 2 fuel line inputs, one for carbs 1/2 and the second for carbs 3/4. The fuel pump carbs have only 1 fuel line input located in the center between carbs 2 and 3.

Here is the discussion on the differences in the float needle seat sizes between gravity vs fuel pump carbs: http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=9836.0

[element303]

oh ok well it have 2 inputs.

[Mark Olson]

oh ok well it have 2 inputs.

OK, so you have the correct gravity fed carbs.

Now order new needle and seat and install them.

I would highly recommend getting a complete carb kit from RPM.
It comes with all new stuff and solves worn out parts problems.
You can even get new jets included and adjustable main needles.

I believe the stock pilot jet is 37 and main 117.
If you have stock exhaust and air box , step up to 38.5 pilot ,118 main.

Hang in there..

[Pat Conlon]

I believe the stock pilot jet is 37 and main 117.
If you have stock exhaust and air box , step up to 38.5 pilot ,118 main.

The stock pilot on the USA bikes was 37.5.
Mikuni jets go in 2.5 increments so the next larger pilot is a 40.0 which is highly recommended on our FJ's.

[element303]

oh ok well it have 2 inputs.

OK, so you have the correct gravity fed carbs.

Now order new needle and seat and install them.

I would highly recommend getting a complete carb kit from RPM.
It comes with all new stuff and solves worn out parts problems.
You can even get new jets included and adjustable main needles.

I believe the stock pilot jet is 37 and main 117.
If you have stock exhaust and air box , step up to 38.5 pilot ,118 main.

Hang in there..

the needle seat is good, the o-ring is new, the needle condition is good as well. the floats are moving freely as they should... i honestly dont know if i should spend more than $100 if nothing of those kids is really in any bad condition or broken just to see that i have the same issue later. shouldnt it be flooding if they were bad and not be too lean?