Carburetor screw presets?

Speed Reycer

New Member
Curious if there was a factory baseline for the idle screw and air screw? I rebuilt both carbs on my 74 CT70 K3 and 74 ST90. I actually set the screws to the exact settings they were set when I dissembled them. Both carb air screws were set around 1.5 turns out and the idle screws around 2 turns out. Never started these bikes before. Trying to find any doucmentation for what the initial factory settings were. This info would be a good baseline for me.

Thanks
 

69ST

Well-Known Member
Pilot airbleed screw, 1.5 turns out from seated. Curb idle screw, look inside the venturi, turn the screw clockwise until you just see the throttle slide starting to open. Jet needle C-clip, middle groove. Those are all just initial settings, they rarely work perfectly from the get-go. Can't really dial-in a carb until the engine is up to full operating temperature & running. The optimal settings can change due to ambient air temperature, fuel formulation(s) and age. Carb castings are zinc; it's reasonably stable material but, it can oxidize over the decades depending upon the chemicals to which it is exposed and storage conditions. Usually, there's more than enough adjustment range to compensate for all of this.

If you're looking for something resembling EFI table numbers that will work...fugeddaboudit. Such an approach only works with electronic engine management. You're dealing with technology that's older than the bikes which, themselves, are currently near the half-century mark. Pretty amazing that these machines are still viable, imho.
 

Speed Reycer

New Member
Pilot airbleed screw, 1.5 turns out from seated. Curb idle screw, look inside the venturi, turn the screw clockwise until you just see the throttle slide starting to open. Jet needle C-clip, middle groove. Those are all just initial settings, they rarely work perfectly from the get-go. Can't really dial-in a carb until the engine is up to full operating temperature & running. The optimal settings can change due to ambient air temperature, fuel formulation(s) and age. Carb castings are zinc; it's reasonably stable material but, it can oxidize over the decades depending upon the chemicals to which it is exposed and storage conditions. Usually, there's more than enough adjustment range to compensate for all of this.

If you're looking for something resembling EFI table numbers that will work...fugeddaboudit. Such an approach only works with electronic engine management. You're dealing with technology that's older than the bikes which, themselves, are currently near the half-century mark. Pretty amazing that these machines are still viable, imho.

Thanks for the slide opening tip... I used to blow into the fuel lines in an RC nitro engine, waiting to hear the air sound as I opened the slide to preset.
 
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