 Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Oct 2006
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OP
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I am installing a new set of D&D slip-ons on my '06 America and they came with new main/pilot jets and .020 needle shim. The recommend adjusting the air/fuel screw to 3 turns.
My question is, I have found the location of the screw but am not sure if it has a cap or not. I looked on Dinqua's site and he mentions that for a '04 they have a 'D' shaped plug. Mine looks like a 'D' shape too.
Do you remove this and the screw itself is a 'flat' head screwdriver? Is there a tool for this? Can you adjust this/remove the cap with the carbs on?
Any help would be appreciated.
06 TBA Mulberry Red/Silver (SOLD!! 
2010 Thunderbird LE 1700 :-)
"We eat, sleep, breath, dream, live, love, and ride motorcycles ..."
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55 |
The D is the head of the screw, you either need a D tool or you can flatten the side of a piece of brake line to make one. A thir option is to use hemostats or small nedle nose pliers to remove the screw and carefully cut a slot in it for a flat head screw driver. I did the latter. If you are 3 turns out or more you should replace the pilot jet with a larger jet.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains. Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 179
Adjunct
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OP
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Thanks, just purchased the tool from FastEddy.
The main jet sent is a 115 and the Pilot is a 45.
Do you know if I have to remove the carbs to take out the pilot jet? I have removed the bowls before and replaced the main, but not the pilot.
Thanks for all the info (Dog too)
06 TBA Mulberry Red/Silver (SOLD!! 
2010 Thunderbird LE 1700 :-)
"We eat, sleep, breath, dream, live, love, and ride motorcycles ..."
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55 |
If you have a 115 main in there might as well order a bigger jet too. 45 is the main you want but you will probably need a 135 more or less if the air box is still stock if the air box is modified or removed then larger according to the amount of change done.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains. Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 179
Adjunct
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OP
Adjunct
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 179 |
Thats the jets that came with the pipes from D & D. They also sent a K & N filter which I already have. Also included was an AI removal kit which is already completed.
The airbox is stock except for the snorkle removed, ordered a bellmouth.
I'll start with them as they paired these with the pipes.
Thanks for your info.
06 TBA Mulberry Red/Silver (SOLD!! 
2010 Thunderbird LE 1700 :-)
"We eat, sleep, breath, dream, live, love, and ride motorcycles ..."
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,457
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,457 |
These bikes come stock with 120 mains. Should have gotten at least 130 with the pipes. With air box mods probably 135 or so. I used to run 130 mains with stock de-baffled pipes and a hole in the bottom of the air box. You don't have to remove the carbs to change the pilots.
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354 |
Lon, I ordered 130 mains 2 years ago. I haven't looked too closely at it yet (although it will need to be done after the Bubs are on), but do I have to remove the carbs to change the mains?? I think I have a pair of 45 pilots somewhere as well. I know I have the D-tool. Thanks in advance, Steve
Blue/White 2007 TBA, Thruxton needles, Unifilter, AI removed, Polaris Bellmouth, Bubs, Nology Coils/wires, Lightbar, Ricor Intiminators, Hagon Nitros, Tall Sissy Bar w/luggage rack, Dart flyscreen & Lowers. 130 Mains, TrueGel Battery MG12-BS.
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1
Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1 |
With a little patience and armed with the proper screwdriver (and I do mean a perfect fit for the pilot) and 8mm wrench you can drop the bowls and change all of the jets. A small mirror, like one from a woman's makeup compact, is an able assistant; also, a white towel on the engine cases to catch the errant screw can be very handy.
To me the most difficult moment came with the two float bowl screws that double as the idle adjustment holders. It's tight quarters and the screws just seem a skosh short for the job.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,457
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,457 |
Quote:
...but do I have to remove the carbs to change the mains?? I think I have a pair of 45 pilots somewhere as well.
You can do it without removing the carbs. The 8mm wrench mentioned above keeps the tube that the mains screw into from turning. If you unscrew that tube, a little brass piece will fall out and it will take you 40 minutes to find it behind the battery, then you won't know which way it goes back. Hold the hex end of that tube from moving while you loosen the main. The pilots are hidden up in a little tube with a slotted head. I had to make a screwdriver that fit the head, and was also exactly the right length. I used a mirror from the auto parts like a dental mirror to find them.
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354 |
Hmmm...sounds like it might be best to take the fuel tank off for easier access around the carbs. Maybe just pull the carbs, make things really easy!!! After struggling, this weekend, with trying to re-install 2 stupid bolts for the beautiful Dart flyscreen (now I know why they assemble the bikes in Thailand, they have small hands over there!!), I have no patience/tolerance for dealing with tight quarters or little brass pieces dropping on me.
I'll probably install the sweet looking black finned "carb caps", that Brent sells, at the same time. They should complement the black finned oil filler cap I put on.
Do I need to re-balance the carbs if I change the pilots and mains?
Blue/White 2007 TBA, Thruxton needles, Unifilter, AI removed, Polaris Bellmouth, Bubs, Nology Coils/wires, Lightbar, Ricor Intiminators, Hagon Nitros, Tall Sissy Bar w/luggage rack, Dart flyscreen & Lowers. 130 Mains, TrueGel Battery MG12-BS.
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55 |
Personally I advise to remove the carbs the first time so you can familiarize yourself with them and the layout of the parts also makes getting the screws out the first time much easier. I would then replace the bowl screws with stainless allen head screws for ease of future work.
Wouldn't hurt to balance.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains. Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,354 |
Quote:
Personally I advise to remove the carbs the first time so you can familiarize yourself with them and the layout of the parts also makes getting the screws out the first time much easier. I would then replace the bowl screws with stainless allen head screws for ease of future work.
Wouldn't hurt to balance.
Yep, that's what I figured Ian, thanks very much! Fortunately, if I go with it, the finned "carb cap" comes with screws. If I don't, I'm not sure what size allen head screws, although I know it's been mentioned before.
Blue/White 2007 TBA, Thruxton needles, Unifilter, AI removed, Polaris Bellmouth, Bubs, Nology Coils/wires, Lightbar, Ricor Intiminators, Hagon Nitros, Tall Sissy Bar w/luggage rack, Dart flyscreen & Lowers. 130 Mains, TrueGel Battery MG12-BS.
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,186 Likes: 55 |
Be careful with the length since some can bottom out and strip easily, I had to grind just a little off of some of the ones I bought. Can't remember the length anymore but the thread is 4mm X 0.7.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains. Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1
Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1 |
If you're going to pull the carbs (which I think is a great idea) you can't go wrong with Pat's most excellent pictoral tutorial.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,726
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,726 |
Quote: Wouldn't hurt to balance.
I've gotten to where I check the carb balance after making any adjustment to the carbs. I check it at idle and run it up to around 3400 steady and average between the two if different. It makes a world of difference cutting vibration and running smoother.
Bob
2005 America, 904cc - sold. 2014 Trophy SE.
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 179
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OP
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OK, I started to work on the carbs, Figuired I start with the left side, seemed to be the hardest, anyway, I started with installng the shims first, unscrew the cap, pull the spring and holder, pull the needle out, put on shim, put back together. Go around to the right side and do same thing but when I pull the needle out I see something on the needle. What's this? a shim? What this about?  I had TORS installed on the bike by the Dealer before I picked it up. Did they put the shim on? Do they come stock with shims? What happened to the one in the left side if there was one? If there was its most likley in the bottom of the needle area. I didn't see one but there could have been. Also, the top sections of the needles had a lot of black 'soot' on them. (Running rich I guess) I think I'll have to redo the left side again to check for a shim. They appear to be fatter than the ones I am installing (.020) Any thoughts?
06 TBA Mulberry Red/Silver (SOLD!! 
2010 Thunderbird LE 1700 :-)
"We eat, sleep, breath, dream, live, love, and ride motorcycles ..."
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: May 2008
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I have TORs too and when I did mine it was exactly the same,no shim on the left and one on the right side.That cant be a coincidence(can it)  I wonder if it was a dealer standard practice....cant be right,it makes no sense.
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Oct 2006
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OP
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Yeah, I agree, My left pipe did blue abit and the right is ok.
I'll check this weekend to see if I 'dropped' the left side in the body.
06 TBA Mulberry Red/Silver (SOLD!! 
2010 Thunderbird LE 1700 :-)
"We eat, sleep, breath, dream, live, love, and ride motorcycles ..."
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 179
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OP
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Yep, it was there in the bottom. 
06 TBA Mulberry Red/Silver (SOLD!! 
2010 Thunderbird LE 1700 :-)
"We eat, sleep, breath, dream, live, love, and ride motorcycles ..."
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,124 Likes: 13
Should be Riding
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Should be Riding
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,124 Likes: 13 |
Quote:
Thats the jets that came with the pipes from D & D. They also sent a K & N filter which I already have. Also included was an AI removal kit which is already completed.
The airbox is stock except for the snorkle removed, ordered a bellmouth.
I'll start with them as they paired these with the pipes.
Thanks for your info.
Kevin,
Cinnamon Girl is running D&Ds. Awesome pipes btw.
115s are too skinny for stock...
Cinnamon Girl history: 120/42 oem jet needle, stock pipes 125/42 oem jet needle, D&D pipes 130/42 oem jet needle, D&D pipes 130/42 oem jet needle, D&D pipes, K&N drop in 130/42 oem jet needle/1shim, D&D pipes, K&N drop in, main snorkel pulled, Polaris bellmouth 130/42 TBS jet needle/1shim, D&D pipes, K&N drop in, main snorkel pulled, Polaris bellmouth
I need to up the pilots to 45s, and replace the oem needles using one shim under each.
Still thinking about keeping the 115s? 
Blowing gravel off rural roads
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 Re: Air/Fuel Mixture screw
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Joined: Oct 2006
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Thanks Moe for the advice. Looks like you have done some 'tinkering'? Never put the 115's in. Running 135 mains and 45 pilots. stock needles with a .020 shim. Seems to be running fine. Air screws at three turns out. I have the K & N with the Bell Mouth Yes, the D & D's do 'Growl' don't they? 
Last edited by Pokey; 03/10/2010 9:54 PM.
06 TBA Mulberry Red/Silver (SOLD!! 
2010 Thunderbird LE 1700 :-)
"We eat, sleep, breath, dream, live, love, and ride motorcycles ..."
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