Here’s how to disassemble the upper part of the CX500 carbs – the first disassembly step we do for cleaning. You could separate the carb halves first if you wanted; this is just the order we do them in. This is the upper side:
Both sides are identical. The upper part is held in by two bolts (5x16mm with washer, part number 93892-0501608) – a Phillips No. 2 screwdriver is usually suitable:
Once both bolts are out the top lifts off like so – watch out, there’s a piston spring in there (part number 16050-415-003, eBay US
Underside:
The piston spring as it sits in the carb body:
Piston spring removed:
Next is the piston (also called the slide):
This simply lifts up:
Removed – you can see the jet needle sticking out the bottom, be careful not to damage it:
The piston sits on a plastic ring around the edge:
It has a flat and a ridged side; the flat side faces downward, into the carburetor body. Flat side:
Ridged, upper side:
Plastic ring removed, and we can clearly see the idle air bleeds:
On the left we have the slide guide (also called a banana plug) – remove it with the single bolt (bolt is a 4x14mm with washer, part number 93892-0401408, eBay US
Beneath that we have the primary main and secondary main air bleed ports:
If those ports are restricted – or blocked completely – not enough air will be drawn in through the main jets and the motor will be running rich. Note that the rubber banana plug has to provide a good seal, too, for the correct amount of air to be delivered. The hole on the engine side is the air inlet for the primary jet and the hole on the intake side is the inlet for the secondary jet. You can see a channel leading from the piston bore to beneath the banana plug:
Looking from the engine side – also the choke side – of the carburetor we see the needle jet and emulsion tube (and a lot of rubbish as these carbs haven’t been tidied up):
Needle jet:
Emulsion tube:
Top down view:
If you are doing this as part of the online carb cleaning guide, click here to go back to the main page.