Carb balancer

[Symon27]

Looking at getting a carb balancer to do the bandit.
Seen this one on of e-bay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CARBURETTOR-CARB-VACUUM-GAUGE-BALANCER-2-4-CYLINDER-MOTORBIKE-MOTORCYCLE-CAR-/400578013115?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item5d444f67bb

Anyone used it? Is it any good?
Dont no whether to go for the 4 gauge or the 2 and switch them over.
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Honda Nsr 125 - Sold
Zxr 400 - Sold
Bandit 600 - Current (Y)

[Fizzer Thou]

I have owned my set of four gauges since my first 4 cylinder bike in 1978 and they have been used regularly ever since,particularly on my Exup and the R1.More recently I have used them to set up the carbs on the CB125T2 as well.But for the money I would seriously go for the bank of four gauges and not a pair,as you will not get the best result with only two.

Before balancing

https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Workshop/Picture561.jpg

After a five minute twiddle

https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Workshop/Picture566.jpg

I also use an auxiliary tank

https://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv23/WiNot_Rhencullen/Workshop/2013-11-14164634_zps4d7a6be8.jpg

These are available on eblag for about £25 or so
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[chickenstrip]

Any advantages with the mercury-type gauges?

[Fizzer Thou]

A friend had some mercury type gauges,but in the end we reverted back to using my dial type ones after the mercury was spilt after a gentle drop on the floor.

With the analogue dial type there is no need to keep them vertical as with the mercury ones.
____________________
Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[chickenstrip]

I've only used dial type myself, but heard that mercury ones were more stable? I know you get the damper screws with the dials, but don't the mercs give greater accuracy?

[Ariel Badger]

[bladerunner]

The ones in the link do work.....but expect to add some valves to damp them down a bit to stop them jumping about all over the place....100 quid for better dial gauges...and I always plug mine in and run the motor then swap the lines over to make sure they are calibrated if I ain't used them for a while...no point balancing carbs to find out your gauges are shot! Usually find kwaks and yams need balancing more often than Honda's and suzukis fir some reason....16 years of carved fireblade ownership and the carbs never needed balancing...which was a shame as I had the kit to do it!
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[bladerunner]

The ones in the link do work.....but expect to add some valves to damp them down a bit to stop them jumping about all over the place....100 quid for better dial gauges...and I always plug mine in and run the motor then swap the lines over to make sure they are calibrated if I ain't used them for a while...no point balancing carbs to find out your gauges are shot! Usually find kwaks and yams need balancing more often than Honda's and suzukis fir some reason....16 years of carved fireblade ownership and the carbs never needed balancing...which was a shame as I had the kit to do it!
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[Fizzer Thou]

The ones in the link appear to be supplied with 'T' piece restrictors.

My gauges have a very crude way of damping the pulses by clamping down the very small jubilee clips onto a small length of material inside of the pipe.But it does work okay.

As for going out of calibration,I do not see that this is a problem.If the gauges start off at zero and after adjusting the carbs the engine sounds smoother and the pickup is quicker,then what is there to question??
I suppose that if the gauges were to be dropped/knocked/abused,then I would suspect the accuracy.But I do not lend out my tools and they have never been dropped.£40 back in 1978 was quite a bit of money,so I tend to look after my possessions
____________________
Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[Ariel Badger]

I am not saying they are a bad item to buy but bourden tube pressure gauges can go out of calibration.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Symon27]

Cheers for the reply, the ones in the link do come with damperens. It's ethier these or the Morgan carb balancers.
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Honda Nsr 125 - Sold
Zxr 400 - Sold
Bandit 600 - Current (Y)

[bladerunner]

Dp
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[RhynoCZ]

I'd just make my own manometer from some transparent hoses and coloured water. Very accurate, basically for free. You do not need to know the numbers, at all.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[DrDonnyBrago]

Morgan carbtune are supposed to be good.

Although I haven't yet used the set sitting in my garage.

[bladerunner]

£40 in 1978 that's a quality set of gauges! I think I paid £140 for mine in 2008 and they are spot on. I did used to use a set like in the link which did the job just not as easy to read but they do the job with practice... As for going out of calibration...cheaper gauges tend to corrode on moving parts more than the more costly items......and the worst I've seen is someone leaving a set on a radiator and the heat killed them....not a cheap set either!
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Current bikes...cbr929, KDX200's, Rd125lc mk2, RGV250's

[Hugh Farking Cant]

For what you will save in money versus the time /grief/faff. go for the 4 guage set as opposed to two.

New manometer guages are no longer mercury filled; it is now classed as hazardous.

The Morgan Carbtune II is very easy to use and only slightly more expensive.

All types of guage should be tested before use by attaching each tube in turn separately to the same cylinder and noting the results.

The first vacuum gauges I ever used (1970) were part of the Honda Service kit
that dealers were required to have when appointed and would have been about 10x a senior mechanics weekly wage.

https://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p626/willandrip/Scrn044_zps71735e3d.jpg

[Bubbs]

** Little thread hijack here **

What are the symptoms of a bike that would need re-calibrating?

Also...

Is this difficult to learn to do?

Thanks


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Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Bubbs]

[TheSmiler]

Got a set of dial gauges myself, never used them as my bikes have only had one carb recently. Never needed it on the CB125. Still handy to have though.
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
A2 completed 23/07/15 Ready for the Golden Crisp Packet

[Vincent]

[Vincent]

[TheSmiler]