Carb adjustments and cold start routine

[e3steve]

Guys,

I've read a topic hereabouts regarding a "cold start procedure" for Superhawks / Scramblers -- I can't find the question now -- so I thought I'd throw in my own experiences & routine for good measure! All the ensuing scribe is assuming that the valves / carbs / timing are all correct, as laid out in various posts, that the plugs are indicating that you have the mixture absolutely spot-on and that you are satisfied with the idle speed once the motor is up to temp.

• 1. adjust the camchain tensioner, as per the handbook/manual
  2. adjust the valve clearances, as per the handbook/manual
  3. check that there's no valve train backlash as described in the attached pic

and in Ed's Tune-up Recipe

• 4. http://www.honda305.com/forum/index.htm and click on FAQ in the left pane; follow Ed's recipe

Mark the 'hot idle' position of each idle screw on its respective carb body with a dot using a fine-point indelible marker pen.
When the motor is cold (after an overnight rest) turn on the petcock, close the choke (lever up) fully,

• turn each idle screw exactly 1½-turns c/w
  start the motor using your preferred method -- no throttle
  immediately open the choke lever to about a 90%-closed position
  turn each idle screw exactly ½-turn a/c/w
  after about 30 secs, open the choke (lever down) fully

The motor should gradually rise to about 2000rpm (adjust the screws' partial-turns to your own motor's characteristics for your own routine) within a minute or so, depending on your locale's ambient temp; as the revs climb, back the idle screws a ¼-turn a/c/w until it idles smoothly around 1000-1500 (for my locale this whole procedure takes about 3-4 mins). At this point, the idle screws should be at 'hot idle' + ½-turn.

By the time I reach my first light junction -- about ½-mile -- I can back the screws a/c/w to ¼-turn; and at the next light -- another mile -- the screws can be returned to 'hot idle' and about 800-1000 rpm.

NB: Once my carbs were set as Ed suggests, I then warmed the motor to op-temp and 'fine-tuned' the balance (opening sync and idle sync) using a length of smallbore tubing as a stethoscope as follows:

• Remove the air filters & ducts.
  One end of a metre-length of 4mm-bore screenwasher tubing held adjacent to one ear canal (not in the canal!) with a biiiiig elastic band, the other end held 90º to the throat of each carb in turn in exactly the same position at the 6-o'clock point
  Feather the throttle gently to about ¼-open -- the induction rush should sound identical
  Allow the motor to idle and repeat the blue text -- adjust to a satisfactory idle, once again the induction rush should sound identical

Long-winded but satisfying!

[rgtaylor2]

Stever, I really need to see a picture of that.......LOL

[e3steve]

Arf! I'll see what I can do next time! I s'pose I look a bit like Sia Furler in her 'Buttons' vid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvd814WG2t4