Yup! Gary got me on that bandwagon. They’re nice quality.
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CruzinImage BS38 carburetor floats -- Review
- Thread starter TwoManyXS1Bs
- Start date
Yup! Gary got me on that bandwagon. They’re nice quality.
Let the carnage begin.
Roughing out a fixture...
Roughing out a fixture...
No. A crane...
↑ 
Baaaaazzzzinga!
Separated one of the floats, sketching out plans.
Clean/trim off the excess solder.
Find the weight of the unmolested float.
The weight of the 3 parts, without the excess solder.
Clean/trim off the excess solder.
Find the weight of the unmolested float.
The weight of the 3 parts, without the excess solder.
Parts for the assembly fixture.
Assembled.
The float pieces are fit into the bottom clamshell unit.
The top clamshell is fitted atop the float parts.
The flat/wavy spring applies gentle pressure on the crossbar, keeping it aligned and pressing against the floats. Rapid sweat-soldering should keep down the heat and amount of solder used. The aluminum clamshell fixture will be held closed with a couple of rubber bands wrapped around the ends. The fixture will act as a heatsink, keeping the floats from getting too hot. The floats are spaced about 2mm narrower than original, giving equal spacing to float bowl inner and sides.
Assembled.
The float pieces are fit into the bottom clamshell unit.
The top clamshell is fitted atop the float parts.
The flat/wavy spring applies gentle pressure on the crossbar, keeping it aligned and pressing against the floats. Rapid sweat-soldering should keep down the heat and amount of solder used. The aluminum clamshell fixture will be held closed with a couple of rubber bands wrapped around the ends. The fixture will act as a heatsink, keeping the floats from getting too hot. The floats are spaced about 2mm narrower than original, giving equal spacing to float bowl inner and sides.
Wow 2M! I can’t believe the engineering you put into this.
It’s always fun watching you re invent stuff!
It’s always fun watching you re invent stuff!
Very interesting. Nice work. I was looking at there piston sets for the Z1 but I think I will pass. Read a lot about the finish on them. Looks like the floats had the same problem
Very, very impressed TM!!!!
2M you crack me up........You will never die wondering 
Interesting comment on the pistons for the Z1, could you post a link or 2. The pistons they have made for the XS650 have had a comprehensive study on here and lots of sets sold and used. So far there have been no complaints, TMK.
Interesting comment on the pistons for the Z1, could you post a link or 2. The pistons they have made for the XS650 have had a comprehensive study on here and lots of sets sold and used. So far there have been no complaints, TMK.
Brilliant work as usual, 2M!
Guys, float level can be more and less critical depending on the carbs you're using, the demands you make on your motor, and how sensitive you are to what your motor is telling you. On one set of Mikuni flat slide pumpers I set the float level to lowest Mikuni spec., checked with a sight tube, and still had tlo lower the floats 1/4 mm. (.010") to raise fuel level to where it needed to be to get rid of a full throttle breakup that wouldn't clear with main jet changes. BTW book range for float level on BS series and most other Mikuni carburetors is +/- 1 mm. I regard that as a tuning range, not a tolerance; there's no way I'd set up a pair of carbs with .040" difference in float levels between them.
Guys, float level can be more and less critical depending on the carbs you're using, the demands you make on your motor, and how sensitive you are to what your motor is telling you. On one set of Mikuni flat slide pumpers I set the float level to lowest Mikuni spec., checked with a sight tube, and still had tlo lower the floats 1/4 mm. (.010") to raise fuel level to where it needed to be to get rid of a full throttle breakup that wouldn't clear with main jet changes. BTW book range for float level on BS series and most other Mikuni carburetors is +/- 1 mm. I regard that as a tuning range, not a tolerance; there's no way I'd set up a pair of carbs with .040" difference in float levels between them.
Excellect choice of words there, Tim. Given that I certainly wouldn't use these floats as-delivered, that may be a viable solution.
2M you crack me up........You will never die wondering
Interesting comment on the pistons for the Z1, could you post a link or 2. The pistons they have made for the XS650 have had a comprehensive study on here and lots of sets sold and used. So far there have been no complaints, TMK.
The posts I have read were on the one of the KZ sites and were from 2012-2014. I have also read many of the posts on this form about the guys using them and seems they have had good results. One of the posts on the Kz form was fron Jeff Saunders who used to own Z1enterprises.(now owned by the same company who owns MikeXS) Basically he was concernred about the overall finish and woud not sell them. Im sure they would work ok. One of the things I would be concerned about would be how close all 4 pistons would be in weight. With two pistons and the roughness of the 650 you probably would not notice it. On the Z1 you may. For the extra $130 i will stay with the Japanese pistons.
Bit of a design change on the fixture. Just use a knurled nut to clamp it together. Replaced the spring with a stiffer hold-down bracket.
Solder the thing. Used only 3 seconds of heat, solder reflowed fine.
The fixture rigidly holds the float assembly, allowing for post-solder trim and cleanup. Now, open it up.
And remove the modified float assembly.
The fixture rigidly holds the float assembly, allowing for post-solder trim and cleanup. Now, open it up.
And remove the modified float assembly.
