Carb tuning/spark.

VMAX  Forum

Help Support VMAX Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Vincent Maxwell Ribaldry

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
Messages
94
Reaction score
0
Location
Detroit
Anyone near Rockwood MI that can help trouble shoot my combustion issues?

Plugs look good on the left, fouled on the right.

Terrible on gas 67-78 miles per tank.

Installed COPs

Carbs were cleaned freshness up by Danny max don't have a carb tune but when I bottle sync them they appear ok. .

Plugs all read 4k ohms

Plug gap- .031

New fuel filter/ fuel lines

Stage1 needles on 4th clip with 147.5 mikuni jets, stock springs.

Thanks
 
With the COPs the plug gap should be .026 instead of .032-.035 (used with stock coils).
 
On the needles....is that 4th clip from the blunt end or the pointy end?

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk 2
 
I would start moving the clips on the needles closer to the blunt end. My set up is 150's....stage 1 needles 2nd clip from the blunt end. A/F screws 3 turns out....and a kerker 4-1. At idle the A/F is 14.1-14.6.....around town....15-16 to 1. At full throttle 3000 rpm....the A/F is 11-1.....and starts climbing....from 6000 rpm up....Im at almost a perfect 13-1.
Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk 2
 
Changed spark gap going to go for a ride and check plugs when I get back. Stark baking off the needle clips if I still look rich.
 
Something you could check as well that i just found on mine, float bowl gaskets. Been getting crappy mileage the last two tanks and found my #4 cylinder carb has a leaky float bowl gasket.
 
Thanks, mileage was crappy before carb overhaul and crappy now. Went for a ride waiting for the bike to cool down then I'll pull the plugs and see if closing up the gap helped.
 
Still fouled on the right side. Tried swapping the COPs didn't help. Next step is backing off on the needles. Since the COPs act the same when swapped out I'm leaning toward this being an ignition issue or a carb sync problem and my bottle sync method sucks. Since the plugs check out ok is this a reasonable conclusion? Bike pulled a lot better with the 165dj jets but I thought that was the original issue with fouling.
 
With the COPs the plug gap should be .026 instead of .032-.035 (used with stock coils).

Just wondering, how did you get the .026 gap value for COP's? Is that true with all COP's that can be used for the mod?
 
Just wondering, how did you get the .026 gap value for COP's? Is that true with all COP's that can be used for the mod?
That was the Gap recommended in the Instructions that came with the kit.
I'd guess it came from the recommended gap of the bike the COPs were originally used on.

I just googled for the plug gap on a 2001-2005 GSXR-1000 (the bike my Denso JO440 (129700-4400) Cops) came from and the gap is .026-.028 from what I could find.
So I'd set them at whatever Gap is recommended for the Bike your COPs came off of.
 
Last edited:
Well the 165 DJ really arent that big of a jet. They are basically between 152 and 155 MK.

Maybe this diagram of carb circuits will help as well. It will let you know what part of the carb your running off of, at what part of throttle. so if you tool around town...only using up to half throttle....and the plugs are still fouled....its not the main jets. Its some OTHER circuit in the carbs...like too much needle.

Dont forget...you tune from the top down.

This was posted on this forum before and this is from Factory pro.

Factory Pro, CV Carb Tuning

Follow steps in order....First, dial in:

1. Top end (full throttle / 7.5k to redline -

Best Main Jet must be selected before starting step 2 (needle height)!

Select Best Main Jet

To get the best, most even top end power (full throttle/after 7500 rpm), select the main jet that produces the highest top speed / pulls hardest at high rpm.

If the bike pulls harder at high rpm when cold and less hard when fully warmed up, the main jet is too large. Install a smaller main jet and retest until you find the main jet that pulls the hardest at high rpm when fully warmed up. This must be done first - before moving on to the other tuning ranges.

If the bike doesn't pull well at high rpm when cold and gets only slightly
better when fully warmed up, the main jet is too small.

In order to properly tune the midrange and low rpm carburetion, THE MAIN JET
MUST FIRST BE PROPERLY SELECTED after 10 to 15 minutes of hard use!

Do not pay too much attention to the low-end richness when you are changing
main jets - you still need to be using the main jets that produce the best
power at high rpm. You will deal with the low-end / cruise later - after step 2.

2. Midrange (full throttle /5k-7k)

Step 1 (Best Main Jet) must be selected before starting step 2!

Select best needle clip position

To get the best power at full throttle / 5k-7k rpm, adjust the needle height,
after you have already selected the best main jet.

If the engine pulls better or is smoother at full throttle/5k-7k in a full
throttle roll-on starting at <3k when cool but soft and/or rough when at full
operating temperature, it is too rich in the midrange and the needle should be lowered.

If the engine pulls better when fully warmed up but still not great between
5k-7k, try raising the needle to richen 5k-7k.

If the engine pulls equally well between 5k-7k when cooler as compared to fully warmed up, the needle height is probably properly set.

Do not pay too much attention to the low-end richness when you are changing
needle clip positions - you still need to be using the clip position that
produces the best full throttle / 5k-7k power in conjunction with the main jets (Step 1) that produce the best power at high rpm. You will deal with the
low-end / cruise next.

3. Low end (full throttle / 2k-3k)

Step 1 (Best Main Jet) and Step 2 (needle height) must be selected before
starting step 3!

Float height (AKA fuel level & how to...)

To get best low-end power, set float height (fuel level) so that the engine
will accept full throttle, without missing or stumbling, in 2nd gear from 2.5k to 3k rpm at minimum.

Float heights, unless otherwise specified in the installation guide, are
measured from the "gasket surface" of the carb body to the highest part of the top of the float - with the float tang touching but not compressing the float valve spring.

If the engine has a "wet" rhythmic, soggy area at full throttle / 3k-4k rpm,
that gets worse as the engine heats up, lower the fuel level by resetting the
float height 1mm greater (if the original was 13mm - go to 14mm). This will
lower the fuel level, making full throttle / 2k-3k rpm leaner.

If the engine is "dry" and flat between 2k to 3k rpm, raise the fuel level.

Example: change float height from 15mm to 14mm to richen up that area.

REMEMBER, since the main jet WILL affect low speed operation, the MAIN JET has to be within 1 or 2 sizes of correct before final float setting.

Warning: If the engine is left with the fuel level too high,, the engine may
foul plugs on the street and will be "soft" and boggy at part throttle
operation. Adjust Floats to raise/ lower the Fuel Level.

Base settings are usually given if a particular application has a history of fuel level criticalness. The Fuel level height in the float bowl affects full
throttle/low rpm and, also, richness or leanness at cruise/low rpm.

Reference: a bike that runs cleanly at small throttle openings when cold, but
starts to show signs of richness as it heats up to full operating temperature, will usually be leaned out enough to be correct if the fuel level is LOWERED 1mm. Check out and RESET all: Suzuki (all), Yamaha (all) and Kawasaki (if low speed problems occur). Needless to say, FUEL LEVEL IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!!

If there are low-end richness problems, even after lowering the fuel level much more than 1.5mm from our initial settings, check for needle wear and needle jet(part of the emulsion tube). See Worn Needle and Worn Needle Jet diagram. It is VERY common for the brass needle jets (in the top of the "emulsion tube") in 36mm, 38mm and 40mm Mikuni CV carbs to wear out in as little as 5,000 miles. Check them for "oblong" wear - the needle jet orifice starts out round! Factory Pro produces stock replacement needle jets / emulsion tubes for 36mm and 38mm Mikuni carbs.

4. Idle and low rpm cruise

Fuel Screw setting (AKA mixture screws)

There is usually a machined brass or aluminum cap over the fuel screws on all
but newer Honda. It's about the diameter of a pencil. Cap removal details.
Newer Honda carbs have no caps, but use a special "D" shaped driver, usually
supplied in the carb recal kit. We do have them available separately, too. 800 869-0497 to order -Set for smoothest idle and 2nd gear, 4k rpm, steady state cruise operation. Set mixture screws at recommended settings, as a starting point. For smoothest idle, 2nd gear 4000 rpm steady state cruise , and 1/8 throttle high rpm operation. (pj tuning information)

Pilot fuel mixture screw settings, float level (but, you've "fixed" the fuel
level in Step 3 - which you have already done!) AND pilot jet size are the
primary sources of mixture delivery during 4000 rpm steady state cruise
operation.

If lean surging is encountered, richen mixture screws (turn out) in 1/2 turn
increments. Alternative pilot jets are supplied when normally required.

Pilot fuel mixture screw settings, float level and pilot jet size also affect
high-rpm, 0 to 1/8 throttle maneuvers. Too lean, will cause surging problems
when the engine is operated at high rpm at small throttle openings! Opening the mixture screws and/or increasing pilot jet size will usually cure the problem.

NOTE: A rich problem gets worse as the engine heats up.

If the throttle is lightly "blipped" at idle, and the rpm drops below the set
idle speed, then rises up to the set idle speed, the low speed mixture screws
are probably set too rich: try 1/2 turn in, to lean the idle mixture.

NOTE: A lean problem gets better as the engine heats up.

If the throttle is lightly "blipped" at idle, and the rpm "hangs up" before
dropping to the set idle speed, and there are no intake leaks and the idle
speed is set at less than 1000 rpm, the mixture screws are probably too lean:
try 1/2 turn out, to richen mixture. Be sure there are no intake leaks and the idle speed is set at less than 1000 rpm!
 

Attachments

  • user1102_pic7435_1359540911.jpg
    user1102_pic7435_1359540911.jpg
    15.8 KB · Views: 15
  • carbcircuits.jpg
    carbcircuits.jpg
    51.3 KB · Views: 16
That was the Gap recommended in the Instructions that came with the kit.
I'd guess it came from the recommended gap of the bike the COPs were originally used on.

I just googled for the plug gap on a 2001-2005 GSXR-1000 (the bike my Denso JO440 (129700-4400) Cops) came from and the gap is .026-.028 from what I could find.
So I'd set them at whatever Gap is recpmmended for the Bike your COPs came off of.

Hey DMAN, forgive me if you knew this already, but I found this on Spark Plug Gap. The last paragraph is interesting. The youtube link also has a good explanation on the effects of the gap.

Performance and Technical information on setting spark plug gaps.

Are plugs pre-gapped from the factory?

Yes and no. A spark plug part number might fit hundreds of engines, and although the factory will typically set gap to a pre-selected setting, this gap may not be the right one for your particular engine, and may not take into account modifications that you may have performed to the engine.

Insufficient spark plug gap can cause pre-ignition, detonation, even engine damage. Too much gap can result in a higher rate of misfires, noticeable loss of power, plug fouling, and poor economy.

When you raise compression or add forced induction (a turbo system, nitrous, or supercharger kit), you must lower the gap (reduce gap about .004" for every 50 hp you add on an V-8 engine, for a Harley-Davidson V-2 engine every 12.5 hp you add). However, when you add a high power ignition system (such as those offered by MSD, Crane, Nology,) you can open the gap back up about .002"-.005".

As an example, let's use a hypothetical `96 350 Chevrolet LT1 engine build-up. The standard gap is .050" for an un-modified LT1. We'll add 150hp Nitrous, so we must lower the gap about .012" to .038". We then decide to add that killer MSD 6A/Crane Hi-6 box and, using our guidelines as outlined above, we can now open the gap up .002"-.005" to about .040"- .043". By following this basic guideline should get you very close.

Further experimentation may be necessary, but by always starting with a larger gap than it thought necessary to reduce the risk of detonation, you should be safe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFehqlFsUQA
 

Latest posts

Back
Top