Dumb question of the day - or just ageing problem?
 

Well, here's what I've done so far, followed by what I've gotten stuck on -

TPS reset to 465 Ohms
Exhaust restriction ground out
Bafflectomy
Bike ('98 VTR) came with K&N filter siliconed into the box- I can live with it
Iowa (Sea level)

Stuck on-

Want to move mixture screws 2.25 turns out. Honda manual, page 5-12, shows carb exploded view, but no mixture screw. OK, I'm just dense. Or anal.

Also, the pilot screw is D shaped where it should be cut for a flat-type screwdriver, or the special Honda-tool. Anyone have any experience with this?

In other words - Help!

Scott

mixture and pilot are one in the same and it needs a special tool or so have made there own tool

Some have also slotted the D, like with a dremel.

They are a PITA because they are underneath. IMO, releasing the carbs from their mounts but not removing them from the bike is easy and I'd do it that way. IOW, leave the cables and hoses on and just flip them over to do the work (plug the intakes with rags).

It's the only way you are going to slot them anyway if you go that route.

Gee, and to think it all seemed so easy when I was just - lurking.

Tonight I see how agile I can get with the Dremel!

Hi Scott,
I couldn’t get a photo until tonight, but I made a simple tool to work with the method Doug laid out. I took a 4” long piece of ¼” aluminum tubing, stuck a pair of needle nose pliers in the end and tapped it with a hammer to get a flat side on it. The tube wall is .035”. It took a little filing inside and out to fit on the pilot screw, but it does work.

Thanks for all the replies! The dremel idea was doomed from the start, and I was getting impatient(can I say that here?), soooo...

I found a nail whose head fit into the pilot screw(s) well, then bent one side over, like an Aussie's hat. Put the shank into a set of vise grips, and did the adjustment. Did I mention that I rode Harley's in the 70s-80s? Cobble engineering at it's finest!

I'll be getting some tubing and making the too you describe, Greg. Thanks.

Next thing - When I read about putting the clip in the middle position, am I correct in assuming that applies to Factory of DJ needles, and not Mr Honda's? My stock needle has no notches....

Feel free to guffaw at will....

You can shim the stock needle with small washers, approx. 0.030" each. Try one at a time. With the bafflectomy you might be able to go to 2 washers depending on your altitude. I bought the correct washers at True Value. Brought calipers with me to make sure I got sets of the same thickness.

IAGEEZER, what do you mean by exhaust restriction ground out? I didn't know that the exhaust was restricted. Well unless you still have the stock cans.

If you pull off your right-side pipe, you'll notice material, at a weld, that, if ground off, appears to make the exhaust flow better... that is, unless, of course, a PO has already removed it.

IAGeezer - Nice to know another Iowan on here finally. I pick up my SH in 3 weeks, so I am a noob! Sorry to go off-topic!