Troubleshooting Carburetors

Carb screw removal tool by NITF

V-Star 650 Carb Screw Tool

 

    Historically the carb screws have caused us great frustration and most of us end up using vice grips or a cutting tool to get them all out.  After reading that a hammer drill or drill with a torque limiting clutch could be used to remove them more easily I tried it out with great success.  But even this method couldn't be used on a couple of the screws due to the tight confines of the engine fins and frame, what I needed was a very skinny screwdriver extension that could bend around obstacles but still deliver the hammer drill effect to the screw.

    A prototype was made and it was successfully tested on DonnyBahama's bike, allowing us to swap out the carb screws in about 5 minutes.

    In order to make this page I made another tool and refined the process slightly, let me know if it works for you over at the 650 CC&D Forum.

 These are the items you will need to make the tool:

      1. Brand new Phillips #2 screw driver bit

      2. 6" piece of 1/8" steel rod

      3. Dremel with cutting disc (standard or fiber reinforced)

      4. JB Weld   

       

          

      Put the screw driver bit in a vice and cut a vertical groove into the back of it about 1/16" wide and 1/4" deep.

       

      Using a hammer and anvil like item smash one end of the steel rod and then using the Dremel grind it until it is a snug fit into the groove you just made.

      Once the rod fits snuggly into the groove secure the bit in a vice and hammer the rod in until it rests against the bottom.

       

       

      Aligning the tool is very important, I use a straight line on a piece of cardboard to guide me.  In this photo you can see that the alignment is off and the bit is pointing upwards slightly.  After I get everything aligned on the ground I put it in a drill and give it a spin, this will show off any further misalignment.

      It may take bending the steel rod or adjusting the rod in the groove to get it as straight as possible.  The better the alignment the easier the tool will be to use and the longer it will last.

       

       

      Once you have it aligned properly mix up some JB Weld and try to force it into all the gaps in the groove.  The JB Weld will want to drip down the rod while it hardens so I like to leave the epoxy in the mixing cup for a while to let it set up before applying.  Let it harden overnight and you can use a little sandpaper to clean it up and you are ready for action.

       

      How to use it:

      To remove the screws just chuck this tool up in your cordless drill and set the torque limiting clutch to it's lowest setting, get the bit set firmly into one of the easier to reach carb screws and give the trigger a full pull.  If the screw does not move set the clutch up one setting and try again, keep adjusting the clutch until the screw starts coming out.  

      Once you find the right setting you can hit the rest of the carb screws with ease.