Carb set up
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From: Farnorcal
Update... Just wanted to say that I feel like the bike is pretty much dialed in right now. I got a wild hair the other night and pulled the carbs to see exactly where my mixtures screws were turned to.( hard to tell when using my tool.)
Before I had it running pretty close but had backfiring on decel. Not too bad. I was getting around 100 before the reserve light would come on.
Since from the looks of the plugs the front plug was good but a tad rich and the rear was still way rich. I ended up turning the front a 1/4 turn and rear 1/2 turn. Fixed the rear mixture screw cause I didnt do the best filing job making a slot for the adjustment tool.
Bolted it back together and did a test run.... WOW she is running the best she has to date. No back fire and smooth smooth smooth all the way up to redline.
Thanks again to all that have written on these forums that make it easier for the rest to get their hawks running great. Those changes have changed my bike tremendously. Now its onto riding it the rest of the year then suspension and brake upgrades over the winter... Which might be a long time from now since its still hot as hell here.
Before I had it running pretty close but had backfiring on decel. Not too bad. I was getting around 100 before the reserve light would come on.
Since from the looks of the plugs the front plug was good but a tad rich and the rear was still way rich. I ended up turning the front a 1/4 turn and rear 1/2 turn. Fixed the rear mixture screw cause I didnt do the best filing job making a slot for the adjustment tool.
Bolted it back together and did a test run.... WOW she is running the best she has to date. No back fire and smooth smooth smooth all the way up to redline.
Thanks again to all that have written on these forums that make it easier for the rest to get their hawks running great. Those changes have changed my bike tremendously. Now its onto riding it the rest of the year then suspension and brake upgrades over the winter... Which might be a long time from now since its still hot as hell here.
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Squid
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i dont know if this sight will help but a guy in my unit showed me this site and i think its pretty nice heres the link Jets R Us mikuni, keihin, hitachi, holley, jets and carb parts
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Squid
Joined: May 2012
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From: orem,ut
so i did the setup you described. i found my super hawk has fp needles and i was not sure what clips i needed them on. anyways i plugged the one whole in the carb put in 48 pilot jets but i installed 178 mains in both carbs because of my exhaust setup( basically a straight thru exhaust with a resistor can installed) bike runs 10 times better but still every once in a while get a cough in the front carb. So i guess what i am asking is what should i have my jet clips set at. Currently they are on the 3rd clip from the top. Also should i adjust the fuel mixture screws a little more. Just so you know the bike currently has a k&n filter and the snorkel removed. i know i know the k&n sucks but have no money to mod i have to stick with what i have
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From: altoona, pa
well i just did Hawk's set up also(and thanks to hawk for the great description on carb set-up). I have OEM mains, diff front and rear. don't know about clips, but .040 for front, .060 rear needles. Obviously important to treat front and rear carbs separately in terms of various settings.
Relative to the K&N, i know that there are disparate experiences herein and no doubt mostly negative. Strange to me because mine likely flows more air than a K&N and I've never had an issue til I went to a single exhaust recently and that's why I did Hawk's card set up.
Anyway, I cut the flap off the front, cut the paper filter out, but left the screen in and cut a piece of bed foam and slapped it in, then oiled it with K&N oil and their filter grease around the border. It's been in there for at least 20,000 miles and i just washed it for the first time yesterday.........Rot roh! Dumbass. Won't do that again. It was dirty for sure but evidently still breathing enough to run good til the 2 into 1 exh mod.
Relative to the K&N, i know that there are disparate experiences herein and no doubt mostly negative. Strange to me because mine likely flows more air than a K&N and I've never had an issue til I went to a single exhaust recently and that's why I did Hawk's card set up.
Anyway, I cut the flap off the front, cut the paper filter out, but left the screen in and cut a piece of bed foam and slapped it in, then oiled it with K&N oil and their filter grease around the border. It's been in there for at least 20,000 miles and i just washed it for the first time yesterday.........Rot roh! Dumbass. Won't do that again. It was dirty for sure but evidently still breathing enough to run good til the 2 into 1 exh mod.
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From: altoona, pa
Okay folks...here's my .02 for 8541's carb setup on my '05 SH. After pulling the carbs about 10x and having the whole procedure down to about 15 minutes for total removal, I decided I would try it per 8541's recipe. I pm'ed him about an issue and then followed what he prescribes as it is written. It worked like a charm and I was thrilled. My bike is all stock and I've done the de-pair, tps setting, etc. I was wanting to try to get the carbs where I thought they should be and, at least on my 05, 8541's carb setup is the final answer.
For my '01, I followed Hawkrider's prescription and it worked perfect for that particular bike (all stock, also) but that wouldn't work for the '05.
My setup on the '05 is as follows:
#48 slows installed in both carbs (thanks HRCA#1!)
total shim stack on front needle-.040
total shim stack on rear needle-.060
front screw-2.25 turns
rear screw-2.50 turns
one hole plugged on front slide
Couple things I do when removing the carbs that can ease any probs...I connect the two fuel lines together with a piece of tubing after I pull em off the tank to keep gas from going everywhere and I connect the coolant lines the same way after I pull em off the carbs to keep coolant from spilling. Instead of removing the choke cables from the carbs, I take the nut off the choke cable bracket and remove the entire cable with the carbs. The choke **** slides under everything easily and is not difficult to get back in place.
Hope this helps...and thanks to all who participate on this site. It sure has helped me coz I know I can find the answers here.
Thanks to 8541Hawk and Hawkrider for all you do!
For my '01, I followed Hawkrider's prescription and it worked perfect for that particular bike (all stock, also) but that wouldn't work for the '05.
My setup on the '05 is as follows:
#48 slows installed in both carbs (thanks HRCA#1!)
total shim stack on front needle-.040
total shim stack on rear needle-.060
front screw-2.25 turns
rear screw-2.50 turns
one hole plugged on front slide
Couple things I do when removing the carbs that can ease any probs...I connect the two fuel lines together with a piece of tubing after I pull em off the tank to keep gas from going everywhere and I connect the coolant lines the same way after I pull em off the carbs to keep coolant from spilling. Instead of removing the choke cables from the carbs, I take the nut off the choke cable bracket and remove the entire cable with the carbs. The choke **** slides under everything easily and is not difficult to get back in place.
Hope this helps...and thanks to all who participate on this site. It sure has helped me coz I know I can find the answers here.
Thanks to 8541Hawk and Hawkrider for all you do!
and thanks to you tbartley for posting these little tricks with the fuel/coolant lines and, esp leaving the choke intact, which definitely facilitates this procedure considerably. The value of repitition, which often seems, useless, boring and time-consuming, cannot be overstated in terms of learning and improving, for some at least, and the rest of us are able to benefit when these insights are shared. PIA screwing around getting those choke leads reassembled for elderly blind-asses like myself.
Further, I know younger members can't appreciate what i am about to enter here because many have not been without the technology we have now, but............personally, having spent most of my life without it, I am wowed, amazed, and thankful for the computer, internet, and technology that enables this connection with folks all over the world who can rant, rave and inform on a mimute by minute basis. Those of us old enough to have spent the majority of our lives with non-interactive, untimely libraries, encyclopedias and essentially dead media can really appreciate this relaltively recent ability and all the practical and psychological benefits of being able to assimilate information valuable to us by merely accessing the internet and punching a few keys.
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nath981
Amen!!!!! I'm only 61 but ride with a group of 70-80 year old guys and have become their go to guy for tech info,trouble shooting,E-Bay parts supplier for their bikes. All of them own 2 or 3 bikes. Thank God for the internet and forums. By the way, don't worry about getting to old to ride.Half of this group were pro ama racers in the 60's and 70's,dirt track,road race,mx and enduro.They can still fly!!!! It's amazing to see a new Goldwing throwing a rooster tail drifting thru a corner on a gravel road at 70 mph. Once a pro Always a pro. Bodies :70+ Minds :25
Out of my mind, back in 5
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From: Skurup, Sweden
Amen!!!!! I'm only 61 but ride with a group of 70-80 year old guys and have become their go to guy for tech info,trouble shooting,E-Bay parts supplier for their bikes. All of them own 2 or 3 bikes. Thank God for the internet and forums. By the way, don't worry about getting to old to ride.Half of this group were pro ama racers in the 60's and 70's,dirt track,road race,mx and enduro.They can still fly!!!! It's amazing to see a new Goldwing throwing a rooster tail drifting thru a corner on a gravel road at 70 mph. Once a pro Always a pro. Bodies :70+ Minds :25
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From: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Amen!!!!! I'm only 61 but ride with a group of 70-80 year old guys and have become their go to guy for tech info,trouble shooting,E-Bay parts supplier for their bikes. All of them own 2 or 3 bikes. Thank God for the internet and forums. By the way, don't worry about getting to old to ride.Half of this group were pro ama racers in the 60's and 70's,dirt track,road race,mx and enduro.They can still fly!!!! It's amazing to see a new Goldwing throwing a rooster tail drifting thru a corner on a gravel road at 70 mph. Once a pro Always a pro. Bodies :70+ Minds :25
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From: altoona, pa
haha,,,,,good story.I'm a couple months away from 70 there young man and I try to ride well below max because even at that, I have some narrow misses. Could well be a case of over-estimating what max is cause i suck at math. hah
i noticed your carb set-up in your sig reads .020. Is that to match your S20s or what?
Seems like should be greater as with pilot screws and mains but mine never were until this carb mod. Speakin of signatures, i need to redo mine.
i noticed your carb set-up in your sig reads .020. Is that to match your S20s or what?
Seems like should be greater as with pilot screws and mains but mine never were until this carb mod. Speakin of signatures, i need to redo mine.
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From: altoona, pa
Yeah, Dan Gurney lives in San Juan Capistrano, at the base of Ortega Highway.
As for riding at max, I still have 1/8" chicken strips on the S20s after 4,000 miles, and I've seen the photos of your rear tires.
I've ridden Ortega Highway 78 times so far this year, and it's at 2,700' elevation at the top. Plus we (my wife on her Gixxer 750 and me) ride mountain roads east of San Diego that top out at over 6,000'. With the carb setup I run, it's a compromise. I'm slightly lean at sea level and slightly rich at altitude. It works for me, and regardless of the altitude it pulls like a race horse at all revs. The only drawback is occasional carb farts at sea level.
My mixture screws are at about 2 1/2 turns out, stock main jets. And even though my bike never goes an entire week without being ridden, pulling and cleaning the carbs about once a year keeps it running strong.
edit: I see you've changed your avatar to showcase your rear tire wear. You're the man, nath.
As for riding at max, I still have 1/8" chicken strips on the S20s after 4,000 miles, and I've seen the photos of your rear tires.
I've ridden Ortega Highway 78 times so far this year, and it's at 2,700' elevation at the top. Plus we (my wife on her Gixxer 750 and me) ride mountain roads east of San Diego that top out at over 6,000'. With the carb setup I run, it's a compromise. I'm slightly lean at sea level and slightly rich at altitude. It works for me, and regardless of the altitude it pulls like a race horse at all revs. The only drawback is occasional carb farts at sea level.
My mixture screws are at about 2 1/2 turns out, stock main jets. And even though my bike never goes an entire week without being ridden, pulling and cleaning the carbs about once a year keeps it running strong.
edit: I see you've changed your avatar to showcase your rear tire wear. You're the man, nath.
If your carb set up works well at the diff elevations, that's all you need.
I was just wondering about the front/rear differential relative to the mains that was OEM. Why did they do that? I had mine set up like yours but for the 48s until the single pipe install and never had a problem but i'm staying under 3000ft. Ya have to get high other ways around here.hah
Ortega 78 times....... you are OCMD counting rides? Nah....Seriously, that's great! I loved Rt1 up the coast and some of thoses canyons toward the east. I was having too much fun on the coast hy til it got dark when the lights of those crazy Ca guys chasin me disoriented my vision.
Chicken strips......I never had chicken strips with 180s, but that's only because I ran around the parkin lot next to my house gymkana style just before the tire pics. I ride within the speed limit on all public roads I'll have ya know.
That's why I like the Q2 190 though, because i can lean as far as the 180 with a larger contact patch and still have a little left over at the edges. I'm greedy huh. Great tire for 3500 miles, then it's time for new ones, but that's enough heat cycles for me anyway.
What's in those carbs when you clean them. I got 42000 miles and I never cleaned them yet, but maybe i don't know what I'm lookin for. And I use stabil/other ATT. Of course i just went 20 thou on home-made air filter which definitely needed attention. Freakin bike will probably come unglued next week cause i'm a bad boy.
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From: altoona, pa
Front/rear differential is due to difference in air flow, with the angle of the carbs. At least that's my take on it.
My bike has 66,429 miles on it now. At about 38,000 I had #2 cylinder go dead in the middle of a ride. It had been occasionally cutting out for short periods (several seconds at a time) for maybe a year, but I was ignoring it. It was a completely plugged pilot jet (stock 45) in the rear carb. I had to soak it in Chemtool for 30 minutes to dissolve the crud out. California gas. I put the 48 pilots in a few months later, after getting the Yosh slip-ons.
That cleaning was the first time I had the carbs apart. When I shimmed my needles, I just lifted the carbs enough to get the front diaphragm cover off. I'm lazy. I'd rather ride than work on my bike. I do the roughly annual carb clean just for preventative maintenance. Nothing inside the bowls has ever "looked" dirty, even when that pilot jet was plugged.
My bike has 66,429 miles on it now. At about 38,000 I had #2 cylinder go dead in the middle of a ride. It had been occasionally cutting out for short periods (several seconds at a time) for maybe a year, but I was ignoring it. It was a completely plugged pilot jet (stock 45) in the rear carb. I had to soak it in Chemtool for 30 minutes to dissolve the crud out. California gas. I put the 48 pilots in a few months later, after getting the Yosh slip-ons.
That cleaning was the first time I had the carbs apart. When I shimmed my needles, I just lifted the carbs enough to get the front diaphragm cover off. I'm lazy. I'd rather ride than work on my bike. I do the roughly annual carb clean just for preventative maintenance. Nothing inside the bowls has ever "looked" dirty, even when that pilot jet was plugged.
Funny thing happened this summer when i rode into the campground and parked at our site. This young kid came over and asked if it was a two-stroke and I said no, why did you think that? He said he smelled the oil. A tiny capfull with half stabil, guy's got a good smeller. Said he was learning motorcycle mechanics.
I don't know, but i'm waitin for a break in the weather here to find out how Hawks carb set-up works through the rpm range with the single pipe.
Speakin of weather, Sandy made this happen with her high wind gusts a couple doors down:
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From: Phoenix, AZ
On the bottom of the bowls, you can see it when everything's assembled. Factory, it comes in a "d" shape that you need a special tool for, but you can dremel a flathead in in and use a standard screw driver.
See the "d" shaped brass screw on the very right? (It hasn't been drilled yet...)
See the "d" shaped brass screw on the very right? (It hasn't been drilled yet...)
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From: Phoenix, AZ
Yes- so when you put the bowl on it's the only screw showing. The proper way to adjust this is with an extender while the bike is running (called an "idle drop" method), but most people don't get that detailed and just turn the screws out as per Mike and adjust if necessary.
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Squid
Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Ireland
carbs
hi hawk
i have recently bought a 98 firestorm and found this site when looking for info
i have just read your very good thread on the carb settings and i'm trying to take all the info in
i was just wondering does this set up work as well on the euro bike i'm from Ireland and the general opinion is that the firestorm over here won't work well unless there's a d/j kit fitted i myself prefer to keep things as close to standard as possible but tinker with it to get it just right
i have a friend that reckons that he has gained 10 hp with a d/j kit would you say i would get the same sort of gain with out the pain using your settings
the bike is off the road at the moment so road testing is a little tricky
thanks macdee
i have recently bought a 98 firestorm and found this site when looking for info
i have just read your very good thread on the carb settings and i'm trying to take all the info in
i was just wondering does this set up work as well on the euro bike i'm from Ireland and the general opinion is that the firestorm over here won't work well unless there's a d/j kit fitted i myself prefer to keep things as close to standard as possible but tinker with it to get it just right
i have a friend that reckons that he has gained 10 hp with a d/j kit would you say i would get the same sort of gain with out the pain using your settings
the bike is off the road at the moment so road testing is a little tricky
thanks macdee
Last edited by macdee; Nov 9, 2012 at 05:28 PM.
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From: Sofia, Bulgaria
Hi, i just did shim and slide mod
+0,6mm front needle
+1,2mm rear needle
one hole blocked on the front slide
(i used 0,3mm shims, the only one i found at the local shop)
The bike runs good, better than before...still not sure if this is its best pefromance. Here's a short video.
Just one question - do i have to balance the carbs again, as they were balanced just before the mod?
+0,6mm front needle
+1,2mm rear needle
one hole blocked on the front slide
(i used 0,3mm shims, the only one i found at the local shop)
The bike runs good, better than before...still not sure if this is its best pefromance. Here's a short video.
Just one question - do i have to balance the carbs again, as they were balanced just before the mod?
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From: altoona, pa
I did........seems everytime you touch the carbs, it's a good idea. Five minute job with the tank strapped up after carb install,,,,,, why not?
what the hell is that annoying strap flapping around. Tie that thing down right now, ya hear me. Right now! ha
what the hell is that annoying strap flapping around. Tie that thing down right now, ya hear me. Right now! ha
Last edited by nath981; Nov 14, 2012 at 05:40 AM.
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From: Sofia, Bulgaria
Ok, i will chack them again.
The strap i safety strap for the gopro camera - duct taped the camera mount to the tank, so there was a chance for the camera to fly away, so i add that strap to the tripple tree.
The xenon light was going off from time to time, pretty annoying when you accelerate to 100mhp and its getting dark...so i had to restart it from time to time, as you can see at the 14th second.
About the test run, what do you thing?Is she running good?
I was not pushing it to the limit though.
The strap i safety strap for the gopro camera - duct taped the camera mount to the tank, so there was a chance for the camera to fly away, so i add that strap to the tripple tree.
The xenon light was going off from time to time, pretty annoying when you accelerate to 100mhp and its getting dark...so i had to restart it from time to time, as you can see at the 14th second.
About the test run, what do you thing?Is she running good?
I was not pushing it to the limit though.
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From: altoona, pa
Can't tell from the vid, but mine ran better low end, but weaker at higher rpms in 5th and 6th. A few tanks of 93 octane improved top end acceleration, but I need to get back in there and change jets to larger.
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From: Sofia, Bulgaria
what?
I was waiting for you opinion on my set up?Is it good?Can it get better?
I am still thinking of 48 pilots and 178/180 mains
However here is about 5-10 C` so i wont be able ti ride it.
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From: altoona, pa
ha.........he may have choked on his popcorn while waitin for me to install larger pilot and mains.
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That is why I state the set up I posted is just a "base line" each bike is a little different so will require a slightly different set up.
Don't be afraid to make changes to see what works best for you.
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Squid
Joined: Apr 2011
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From: Canada
Hey guys I have read this post and multiple others prior to doing carb work for the first time. Just one question, you state that you use the "stock" jets and up the pilot to 48 but don't mention what those are, and I have found through probably too much reading that there are three different "stock" jet sizes 172/175, 175/178 and 178/180. So my question is what set of stock jets works best or what jets were you thinking of when upping the slow jet to 48's? And i realize I will have to tweak the needle height and maybe the fuel screws a little to get it dialled in perfectly.
Otherwise I have found this site to be a wealth of information to tackle any and every job and mod related to the superhawk.
Otherwise I have found this site to be a wealth of information to tackle any and every job and mod related to the superhawk.
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From: altoona, pa
Hey guys I have read this post and multiple others prior to doing carb work for the first time. Just one question, you state that you use the "stock" jets and up the pilot to 48 but don't mention what those are, and I have found through probably too much reading that there are three different "stock" jet sizes 172/175, 175/178 and 178/180. So my question is what set of stock jets works best or what jets were you thinking of when upping the slow jet to 48's? And i realize I will have to tweak the needle height and maybe the fuel screws a little to get it dialled in perfectly.
Otherwise I have found this site to be a wealth of information to tackle any and every job and mod related to the superhawk.
Otherwise I have found this site to be a wealth of information to tackle any and every job and mod related to the superhawk.
172,175 high alttitude
Last edited by nath981; Dec 10, 2012 at 04:03 PM.
