Old Post on Homemade Manometer?

[fj1289]

Wasn't there a post with good pictures about using a homemade manometer to synch carbs?  As I recall it was 8 or 12' of clear hose with ATF or similar in it doubled up and attached to two carbs at a time?  Trying to find it, but it is kicking my search skills pretty soundly...

[DB Cooper]

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=302.msg2227#msg2227
There are a few examples of DIY balancers on youtube.
Kevin

[Dads_FJ]

I use a simple 'U' with some 2-stroke oil in case it get sucked in.  On top is a small fuel tank.  First sync 1 & 2, then 3 & 4, then 2 & 3.

[andyb]

Done it both ways.  You can definitely get good results by making it yourself and going that route, and it's more sensitive than a premade version, but it's super fiddly.  Bought some motionpro mercury sticks, and after a move...well, you can't get mercury anymore, so nevermind.  Bought a morgan, and it's quite accurate and gives good results with minimal fuss.

[fj1289]

Thanks everyone for the assist.  Arnie also sent a schematic for a simple manometer - I can't figure out how to post it though

This should probably go into the carb files section too

The two stroke oil idea is good since it'll just burn if it gets sucked in - may be enough to foul the plug, but hopefully won't cause damage

Chris W.

[ribbert]

If you bike on a budget like I do there are many things on the wish list before a manometer, although I do want one.
This one has served me well and cost next to nothing.  The tube is fixed to a fence paling with plenty of height to allow for initial out of balance.
I cut some solid plastic rod into short lengths (  1/4" ) and drilled about a 2mm hole through the centre of each one and placed them in line, this acts a damper and decreases the speed the fluid (auto fluid) reacts to adjustments and prevents the risk of fluid being sucked into the motor.
I can bungy cord the fuel bottle to the head stem and ride it if I want.
The fans are from a supermarket dairy cabinet that was being thrown out.
The thicker plastic tube at the carby end is loosely put over the vac lines to stop them kinking with engine heat.





Noel

[Dads_FJ]

Fans.  Don't forget the fans...

[Brook]

..... is there any chance, I could get someone to bring over from the misc. FJ photos,   page 4, row 8 and 9 the two pic's of the two jar with atf pic's.     
    Obviously, the Homemade Manometer that we are talking about...... works.        I don't see how!!
When I synch. my flatslides, and using the two jar trans. fluid method.. and when I turn the slide adjustment screw to far one way or the other, the vacuum sucks the trans. fluid from one of the jars very quickly. [about 10-12oz]
      [maybe, I am doing something wrong, and I am only, adjusting one slide at a time]
    Do not see how the homemade manometer would work........... unless unless, there is a difference in balancing stock carbs. vs flatslides. Is there anyone in the group, that has used a Homemade Manometer on flatslides??
     

[shortcut]

I built a homemade manometer years ago to balance a goldwing. It worked better than gauges(more accruate) 1 ft wide 3 ft long piece of hard board, the bkind drilledfor peg board brackets like to hang tool hooks on. Attach 4 equal length pieces of flexible clear tubing to upper edge of board securly and attach once per foot down the front of the board until near the bottom, bend the tube 180 and and attach back up to near the top. use the remaining tube to reach the carbs when the board is hung by a wire to the side of a tool box or what ever is near the bike. fill the tubes with exactly the same amount of colored liquid (the lighter the liquid weight the more sensitive the device. I used colored water and tuned a lot of 4 cylinder engines that ran smoother than mercury or gage tuned just before they came in. Critical " the loops hould be only 1/2 or less full and the open end (first attachment to top of board ) must be plugged. not sort of but truly plugged or liquid will be sucked out" using a peg board with holes works best because the height of  the level between the cyls is easy to reference across the holes in the board. 

[Dads_FJ]

..... is there any chance, I could get someone to bring over from the misc. FJ photos,   page 4, row 8 and 9 the two pic's of the two jar with atf pic's.     
    Obviously, the Homemade Manometer that we are talking about...... works.        I don't see how!!
When I synch. my flatslides, and using the two jar trans. fluid method.. and when I turn the slide adjustment screw to far one way or the other, the vacuum sucks the trans. fluid from one of the jars very quickly. [about 10-12oz]
      [maybe, I am doing something wrong, and I am only, adjusting one slide at a time]
    Do not see how the homemade manometer would work........... unless unless, there is a difference in balancing stock carbs. vs flatslides. Is there anyone in the group, that has used a Homemade Manometer on flatslides??
     

I haven't used mine with flat-slides, but it shouldn't matter because of the location of the vacuum port.  My dual (vs. quad) set up is pretty simple, it compares vacuum of one carb to another, and if one of the carbs is pulling more vacuum the oil will raise higher in that tube.  If they are really out of wack, it will rise enough to suck it into the engine, which may be your case...

[ribbert]

..... is there any chance, I could get someone to bring over from the misc. FJ photos,   page 4, row 8 and 9 the two pic's of the two jar with atf pic's.    
   Obviously, the Homemade Manometer that we are talking about...... works.        I don't see how!!
When I synch. my flatslides, and using the two jar trans. fluid method.. and when I turn the slide adjustment screw to far one way or the other, the vacuum sucks the trans. fluid from one of the jars very quickly. [about 10-12oz]
     [maybe, I am doing something wrong, and I am only, adjusting one slide at a time]
   Do not see how the homemade manometer would work........... unless unless, there is a difference in balancing stock carbs. vs flatslides. Is there anyone in the group, that has used a Homemade Manometer on flatslides??
   

If you look at my photo from yesterdays post you will see that the tubes are quite long ( ie vertical ).  A little bit out of sync will see the fluid rise a foot or two in one tube, therefore you need the height until you get the balance somewhere near and if you put plugs in the tubes with fine holes drilled in them it makes less sensitive and the fluid can't get through anyway.  The small holes will pass air but not fluid.
What the photo doesn't show is all the tubes are joined at the bottom, so you don't need a resevoir as such.
The idea is to balance the carbs against each other, not each one against the atmosphere.
You do need the height.
The damper plugs will make it easier.
Noel

[Brook]

.... ribbert, thanks for the info.
I did see, in the old post, where Randy said, a vent is very important.

    Dads_FJ,  That is exactly right, ..... The fluid is being sucked so fast, I do not have time to set the adjuster nut and tighten the set screw before the fluid is about to enter the intake.  [have to be quick]

  like what was said in the old post,..... the set screw that thightens the adjuster nut, should be almost tight. that's where the problem lie's. once you find the correct spot for the adjuster nut and then trying to tighten the set screw , it changes the setting.... have to start over.

what I have been doing is, get the adjuster nut close, [watching the fluid] and then tighten the set screw, hoping, that once the set screw is tight the setting will be correct.

  in the past, I have called many motorcycle shops, asking to have the carbs. synch..... and because, they are F/S carbs. they are saying,....... that they would rather not try it. [even with the better synch. tools.] 

[Arnie]

With my RG500 the procedure for syncing the carbs was to set the slide @ 1mm above the floor of the carb with the slide stop screw on each carb, then to set each slide at an equal height when the slides were at 1/2 throttle with the cable adjusters.
No vacuum indicator was used.
These were for Mikuni FS28's and the bike is a 4cyl 2-stroke, so this method may not be the best for a 4-stroke.  However, it worked well after you futzed with it for a while, it was a fiddly operation.  Setting vac sync on the FJ is much easier.

Arnie  

 in the past, I have called many motorcycle shops, asking to have the carbs. synch..... and because, they are F/S carbs. they are saying,....... that they would rather not try it. [even with the better synch. tools.]  

[Brook]

...... Arnie, I did try something like that,.... using a drill bit lying on the floor, to match the #3 slide.  do not remember the results, it's been a long time.