How do I adjust my idle?

[tory]

The idle on my 1992 FJ1200 is a bit low. How do I adjust it up?
I expected a idle adjustment screw somewhere on the linkage like my other bikes but can not find it.

[Mark Olson]

The idle on my 1992 FJ1200 is a bit low. How do I adjust it up?
I expected a idle adjustment screw somewhere on the linkage like my other bikes but can not find it.

The adjustment knob is underneath the carbs and is reached by removing the side panel and reaching in from the right side.
Best to adjust with engine warm, beware of burning your hand.
set to 1100 rpm for best results.
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=4281.msg37746#msg37746

[tory]

Thank you. It's at about 800 now. I looked but did not see a knob. Is it buried up in there?

[Country Joe]

It is pretty hard to see. It is between carbs 2 & 3, I find it helpful to practice finding it with the engine cold then putting on a Mechanics glove once I warm up the engine for the final adjustment.

[PaulG]

The heat shield may be blocking it. Give the shield a slight push back and you should see the knurled knob there. You can reach it with your hand- even with a glove on.  Don't know why you should have to remove the sidecover. Don't crank it. It's very sensitive. A 1/8 or 1/4 turn should do. Also, are carbs synched and balanced?

If you still can't find it, it may have vibrated loose and fallen out. From experience... 

[simi_ed]

When I've needed to adjust idle speed, I typically use a long flat blade screwdriver, tucked between the carbs & the cylinders, to push either side of the knob.  You can adjust w/o cooking your paw.  It becomes a quick tweak if/when needed.
As suggested earlier, check it when cold so you know where you need to reach when the engine is warm and ready to set.  

[FJmonkey]

I use to use a screw driver till I bent my adjuster. Now I reach in with a gloved hand, no need to remove the side covers. Even did it once stopped at a light, not recommended. Light turned green and damn near fell over getting my hand out in a hurry.

Item #33
http://www.ronayersmotorcycles.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=3937435&category=Motorcycles&make=Yamaha&year=1986&fveh=177129

[ribbert]

I use to use a screw driver till I bent my adjuster. Now I reach in with a gloved hand, no need to remove the side covers. Even did it once stopped at a light, not recommended.

I agree with the method Mark suggests. Once your fingers know where to go, you can, as he says, do it at the traffic lights.

However there is one tip to make it easier, crack the throttle a whisker while turning it, particularly if increasing the revs. This lifts the screw off the stop and takes the load off it while you adjust it, makes it waaay easier to turn.

Noel

[tory]

The heat shield may be blocking it. Give the shield a slight push back and you should see the knurled knob there. You can reach it with your hand- even with a glove on.  Don't know why you should have to remove the sidecover. Don't crank it. It's very sensitive. A 1/8 or 1/4 turn should do. Also, are carbs synched and balanced?

If you still can't find it, it may have vibrated loose and fallen out. From experience... 

Carbs have not been synched, but nothing has been done or changed. Should there be any reason to sync them? Certainly runs fine. Just idles low.

[Mark Olson]

Thank you. It's at about 800 now. I looked but did not see a knob. Is it buried up in there?

click the link I gave you ,,, has pictures.

[tory]

Yes, very good pictures thanks. I got hung up with reading all the reply and forgot to go back and look.

Is there any reason carbs would go out if sync on there own? I would assume once set right they would stay as long as nothing has been changed. I've sync plenty after rebuilds or initial assembly. Never went back to check them at latter dates.

[FJmonkey]

A carb sync is quick and easy if you have the tool handy and the tank is off. Why not treat it as preventative maintenance. Like checking the oil and air pressure. And to answer your question, the carbs are a bunch of moving parts subject to vibration. And a good sync will help keep the vibrations down when all cylinders are pulling equally.

[Charlie-brm]

. . .

However there is one tip to make it easier, crack the throttle a whisker while turning it, particularly if increasing the revs. This lifts the screw off the stop and takes the load off it while you adjust it, makes it waaay easier to turn.

Noel

That qualifies as the tip of the day for me. I'll try that next time.
I'm always just on the limit of being able to turn it by pushing the "wheel" with the tip of my index finger, as far in as my hand will go.

[ribbert]

. . .

However there is one tip to make it easier, crack the throttle a whisker while turning it, particularly if increasing the revs. This lifts the screw off the stop and takes the load off it while you adjust it, makes it waaay easier to turn.

Noel

That qualifies as the tip of the day for me. I'll try that next time.
I'm always just on the limit of being able to turn it by pushing the "wheel" with the tip of my index finger, as far in as my hand will go.

The screw has a spring on it to stop it vibrating around so there will still be a bit of resistance and is best done by turning with thumb and finger, not pushing with finger only.
Trying to turn any screw, no matter how loose, is difficult if just pushing with one finger.
Have another shot at it, there's plenty of room to for thumb and index finger.

Noel

[Nova]

I bought a sync tool and synced the carbs. Mine was idling a bit low as well. After I synced them the idle was back where it was supposed to be, everything ran MUCH smoother, and my mpg jumped from 34-35 to 41-42.

Only bad part was the Multi Pro Syncpro tool is a piece of crap. While trying to calibrate them I had to open one so much all the fluid was sucked out. I used two of the others to sync 1 and 2 and then 3 and 4, then synced 2 to 3. So they are synced, but it still pisses me off.