Cleaning the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 carburetors
This is a work in progress and the order of things will be changing around quite a bit in 2017. Some of the done articles will be split up into smaller articles to keep load times down so don’t be surprised if links move around while it’s under development. An incomplete list of steps to come:
- Overview of the process
- Which bits are which on the carbs?
- Equipment you will need
- Carb removal process
- Identifying your careburetor
- Assessing the carburetor prior to disassembly
- Removing the jet needle
- Removing the accelerator pump (on some models)
- Removing the float bowl, no accelerator pump
- Removing the jets, idle screw and emulsion tubes
- Removing the press-in idle jet (optional)
- Removing the air cut off valve
- Separating the Honda CX500 carbs
- Separating the Honda GL500, CX400E, CX500E carbs
- Separating the Honda CX650E, GL650, CX400C (’83) carbs
- Further disassembly of the carb body
- Assessing the carbs
- Cleaning the jets and emulsion tubes
- Cleaning the vacuum piston
- Soaking the carbs in lemon juice
- Soaking the carbs in carb dip
- Clearing the carb passageways
- Using an ultrasonic cleaner to clean the carbs
- Reassembling the carbs – an overview
- Installing the ACVs
- Bypassing the ACVs
- Re-joining the carbs
- Reinstalling the jets, emulsion tubes and screws
- Reinstalling the idle passage plugs
- Setting the float height
- Installing the float bowl gaskets
- Reassembling the upper carbs
- Where are the vacuum ports and where is the sync screw?
- Bench syncing
- Reinstalling the carbs
- Reinstalling the cables
- Adjusting the cable slack
- Syncing or balancing the carbs