TOPIC:

Hmmm... I know I had a question... Maybe I've breathed a few too many carb cleaner fumes, or perhaps I lost too much blood when I stabbed myself with the broken drill bit...

I know I was wondering if it's possible to set the float height with alcohol instead of gas, but I think I had something more pressing to ask.

Ah! That was it! Pilot screws! How do I set the pilot screws?!?! I forgot to count how many turns out when I pulled the left one, & the right was seated all the way when I pulled it. Clymer has nothing to say on the subject. Anybody spare a clue?

Thanks,
-Kit

For fuel screws (underneath the carb), I'm pretty sure it's 1 1/8 out from a light seating. Air screws, I've heard 1 7/8 out, but I'm not sure how much it varies from model to model. Hopefully someone will chime in to correct me here.

And as far as using alcohol instead of gas to adjust floats, I wouldn't. Most alcohols have a somewhat higher specific gravity than gasoline (meaning they're denser, or that the same volume weighs more as compared to gas). This means that the floats will ride somewhat higher in alcohol than it will in gasoline, which will definitely throw off your measurements.

For added fun, how *much* higher depends on the shape and weight (which determine practical density) of the floats, as well as the specific alcohol involved.

If you're just looking to get it close, alcohol is still *much* better than water for this purpose, but you won't get the accuracy that you'll get with actual gas. If you really want to try it, I'd probably try to get it to the point where the floats are a touch high with the alcohol, then test it with gas afterwards to make sure.

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Post edited by: hwms, at: 2005/12/18 15:24

For the 1976 KZ400D3 : pilot mixture screws 1 5/8 turn out from lightly seated.

In my Clymer manual this is listed under Tune-up spesifications on page 74.

And they are neither fuel or air screws, but mixture screws.

ive allways found 1 1/2 turns to be a good starting point for anything then you fine tune it from there. as far as using alcohal to adjust floats ive found by the 4-5 strawberry margarita my float levels are all screwed up and i have to make several trips to the bathroom to make minor adjustments!ha-ha

Post edited by: wireguy, at: 2005/12/18 17:34

Chet: Thanks! I may try setting it high w/ alcohol, since I have to this in my apartment.

Harry: Neat, but nothing stronger than a beer when I'm working on complicated stuff like carbs.

Ibby: Thanks yet again! I was looking in the carb chapter; didn't even occur to me to look under tune-up.

Wireguy: I'm mostly a beer drinker, so I have to do major adjustments after 2 or 3. After 4-5 I'd be worried about my overflow tube leaking!

Cheers,
-Kit