CMS-Japanese Motorcycle Supply Parts

Cleaning the float bowls/main jet of rust - Murray's Carbs


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If you have a rusty fuel tank you will eventually end up with tiny particles of rust in your carbs... even with an in-line fuel filter. Murray's carbs are easy to clean, fortunately! The carbs:

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

You will spill less fuel if you turn your petcock off and let the bike run until it's dry; otherwise you'll be removing float bowls which are full of fuel. Loosen the clamp around the intakes:

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

You don't need to undo the throttle cable and remove the carbs from the bike if you don't want to; you can angle them to the side to do this.

Once you angle it, you can see the four screws holding the float bowl in underneath the carb:

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

Undo the screws - noting that one has a little metal guide for one of the drain tubes - don't lose it, and remember to put it back before tightening that bolt upon reassembly!

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

Float bowls removed - these have a little bit of fuel left in them:

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

There are a few specks in the bottom; not nearly as much as we have seen in other carbs, but these have had only a week of running with a rusty tank:

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

Remove the floats - take note of which way they are oriented - and spray the whole inside and the floats liberally with carb cleaner. Now, the rust can block the jet and accumulate around it;

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

You can use a small socket to remove this one - sorry, we didn't take note of the size;

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

Removed:

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

This one did have a little bit of rust in it:

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

Again, liberally spray with carb cleaner until you can see that it's clean. The brass ring around it can accumulate rust particles:

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

Same cleaning plan!

Float bowl and floats cleaned and ready to go back in:

Here's how to clean the float bowls of the Mikuni VM34 carburetors. The shown kit is the Murray's Carbs twin carb kit for the Honda CX500, GL500, CX650 and GL650 motorcycles but this applies to other VM34s as well.

The moral of this story is to sort out the rust in your tank before you clog up your new (or old) carbs with rust particles... the filter above the petcock and an in-line filter aren't able to catch everything.



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