Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Any Buffalo Locals Willing To Help A Mech-ignorami

Ok...big ask here. I've never been much of a mech and I get this sinking feeling in my stomach every time I take a piece of the bike off. I realize how sad this sounds to those of us who wrench on their bikes constantly but what can I say. I was doing...well, "other things" as a kid and I just never developed the skill set. Any ways...to the point. I installed new black after market throttle/carb covers on my TBA and they look great. However, the inscrutable choice on Trump's part to go with putty gray for our engine parts now stands out like a sore thumb. What would make it look perfect (in my feng shui way of thinking) is if the carb box were black. So...the questions....from the ignorant.

1. Is there any reason I cannot remove the carb box and paint it black? Any connections or anything?
2. And importantly...is there anyone in or near enough to the Buffalo NY area that would be willing to come and help me get them off then come back two days later to help me reinstall them after I paint bomb them? From what I've read the carbs come off fairly easy on this bike and I also realize this is probably elementary level wrenching but I simply do not trust my knowledge base. The chances that I'd screw something up are pretty high.

Key Points:

I would be planning on this during the off season when the riding is more or less done.

I am willing to compensate in some manner and straight up loot is certainly an option. I can also pay in good cheer, bon homme', single malt scotch, beer of choice, gift certificate to Bocces Pizza or Duffs Wings, etc.

I realize some well intentioned folk might be inclined to offer tips and guidelines under the notion that it's really not that hard and can do it myself...after all I'm not really doing anything to them other than paint the housing...but still...what I need is someone to stand there with me, give me a hand or just do it while I play scrappy apprentice and hand them the tools.

I realize I'm asking is an imposition on our valuable time but I figured I'd ask. I know there are those of us who just sort of live to wrench and I mean...I'm good company at the very least.

Thanks...
Tad

What do you mean by "carb boxes"? The bowls on the bottom of each carb? If so, they are easier than the top caps, under the top caps are rubber diaphrams that need to be seated perfectly so the slides rise and fall as they should. The bowls house the floats and stay in place when the bowl is dropped as long as the float pin stays in place. The screws strip easily so you may want to remove the carbs to do it, you don't have to just might make it easier for you. If you strip one needlenose vise grips can be used to get them out. Take one to the hardware store and get stainless allen head screws to avoid that issue in the future.

Ian, I'm referring to the entire carb unit. Hose clamps off, disengaged from the rubber unions, detached from the motor, off the bike entirely...sitting on a table...So I can paint it. At least part of my question is can I do that? I would presume it's possible. But like I said...I'm not much of a mechanic. As often as not I don't even have the right words for the parts I'm trying to describe, as your question indicates. As a result of the wisdom and help of people here I probably know more about my bike than I do cars. I learn as I go but still...sitting on the back of a bike for 41,000 miles doesn't impart any knowledge or experience on how to take it apart or put it back together. So, again...my questions could be so elementary as to make people laugh at the level of ignorance I display but ... there it is.

In my opinion the cables are the hardest part to deal with when removing the carbs completely. To paint them I would assume you would want to split them apart, also not too bad of a job to do but you will need to sync them after re-assembly requiring a manometer. You can easily make one yourself for very little cash.

Ian, Your response is illuminating my ignorance. In looking at the schematics it appears that they are assembled as and can be removed as a single unit. (This is the part...well...A part...I'm not sure about) I have no need to separate them or to disassemble any part of the carbs themselves. I'm not doing anything to jets or anything else. So my questions remain. Can I take the entire carb unit off the bike, leaving them connected to each other? And if I can, are there any openings or connections that I would damage or compromise by spraying paint at them?

IMO it's easiest to take them off as a unit, I never tried to take one at a time off.

Definitely take them both off at one time, the linkage and fuel lines connecting them make it easier to keep them together.

Outstanding...now I just need to find someone close enough willing to lend a hand. Thanks for the help guys...