Ran Across These For Syncing Carbs

[bdholsin]

I was browsing CL today and ran across this gauge set for syncing carbs. Too rich for my blood but thought I'd pass this along to you guys.
http://centralmich.craigslist.org/mcy/2566301059.html

 

[Pure-Pork]

I've got a similar set that I bought from JC Whitney in the eighties. Works pretty good.

 

[manofsteele]

Check ebay, I got a similiar set but with two gauges brand new for like $40.

 

[bdholsin]

I was looking at sears.com and could probably build this for about $40 or so. Vacuum gauges run almost $12 each and throw in some tubing and I can "get 'er done".

 

[OakBehringer]

But they don't work as well as the simple, homemade, $3 manometer...

 

[gggGary]

You can't use those it say's right on the box HONDA! I have an inexpensive set of 4 gauges from flea bay with all the adapters, they work fine. The only trick to gauges is getting used to setting the damping valves just right. Back a few years ago I built a custom set of 6 gauges for doing KZ1300s but sold it when the last 1300 left the garage.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Why do riders want to use vacuum gauges? You're not measuring vacuum.

When syncing carbs, you want to measure (balance) the pressure between the 2 carb intakes. The amount of vacuum is of no interest.

Why would you want to spend $40.00 to $ 125.00 , when about $5.00 of clear plastic tubing (U tube manometer) will be much more accurate?

 

[gggGary]

Because;
A. I do 4 cylinder bikes too.
B. I don't need tubes full of oil hanging around.
C. It makes me look like a real growd up murder sykle mechanic in front of the rubes with lots of gauges and chrome and fancy carrying cases and, and, and gosh I think I gotta go synch a bike RIGHT NOW...................

 

[xjwmx]

With vacuum gauges you're reading balance because you don't care what the reading is ;0 Plus you can read vacuum if you ever want to. Diagnosing a motor with a vacuum gauge is a fine art.

 

[5twins]

That's a genuine Honda tool in that link, not some cheapo knock-off. If I was rich, I'd buy it, lol.

 

[mrriggs]

A vacuum gauge will tell you more than just balance. You can [and should] use the vacuum reading to set the idle mixture. A weak or erratic signal can help you pinpoint a bad ignition, leaky or sticking valve, vacuum leak, etc. Plus, with gauges there is no chance of sucking a cylinder full of oil when the balance is too far off.

The biggest advantage to the gauges is that you can mount them to the handle bars and see what the vacuum looks like while motoring down the road. That is what allowed me to zero in on the sticky slide in my PWK. I was able to see which slide was sticking and exactly what throttle position it was sticking at. There was also a noticable improvement when adjusting the dual cables based on cruise vacuum instead of the crack-the-throttle-in-neutral vacuum. The engine runs smoother, shifts better, and sounds cleaner.