97 48 state carbs and others

[pancho]

I've heard that the 97 48 state carbs were different. Is the difference the needles? Is there an advantage /disadvantage to having them? Do they make more/less power, torque emissions or what. Just wondering if anyone knows what's up with them if anything.

[Pete]

As best I can tell they run a little richer. I seemed to remember some internal carb part numbers were different part numbers and/or superseded parts.

[Mooskee]

I've heard that the 97 48 state carbs were different. Is the difference the needles? Is there an advantage /disadvantage to having them? Do they make more/less power, torque emissions or what. Just wondering if anyone knows what's up with them if anything.

This is from the Honda Maintenance Manual.
The body numbers for the 97 are different. I'm not sure what the differences are.
The body number for the CF is also different. Perhaps it is because of the main jet spring in the CF.
As you can see the Main Jet and the Slow jet are the same in all of them.
BUT the jet needle is different for the 97.

I know that the 97s produce more horse power. I thought it might be carbs and different cams, but Partzilla shows the cam part numbers for 97 and following to be the same (14110-MZO-670 for Right, and 14120-MZO-670 for the left) so maybe it is just the carbs.

When I rebuild 97 carbs, I always put the original main needles back in. On other years, depending on the rebuild kit, I replace the main needles.

It would be interesting to dyno a bike with a post 97 carb bank, and then with a 97, and see if it produces more HP.

[sandy]

When I bought my ‘97, it ran poorly. After a year of fuel cleaners, I finally disassembled the carbs and cleaned the jets. Runs like a top but got 32-35 MPGs. Last spring I installed an IS ICM, IS carb springs and some dynajet needles set on the 2nd notch down. Now I get 34-40 depending on my wrist. I wasn’t aware of 97 needles being special.

[pancho]

Did a search on the J6KG  needles and found some limited info from people who have queried about this and noted the needles measured .0005 thinner, but no hard info on how they actually affect performance. Just hoping someone has looked into this deeper. Going to go through the carbs again sometime soon and want to set them up as best as possible.

[Mooskee]

I have a set of 97 California carbs in the shop waiting rebuild. So I went out with the hope of micing the J6KG needles against the J6KJ needles. BUMMER! When I pulled the needle it had been replaced with an aftermarket needle with a clip. Sombody probably put Cobra 6into6 on it at some point. (and lost a bunch of horsepower)

I have another set of 97 carbs coming from my son in SC, but he is traveling currently. When I get them., I will try again. MAYBE they will be stock.

This has been a long running debate. Not sure we will ever prove anything. It would be interesting to tune up a 97 set of carbs, and one from another, then dyno a bike with each to see if it makes a difference. If it is only main needles running a little richer, it doesn't seem like it would make such a huge difference. Thats why I thought it might be cams too.

[valkmc]

When I bought my ‘97, it ran poorly. After a year of fuel cleaners, I finally disassembled the carbs and cleaned the jets. Runs like a top but got 32-35 MPGs. Last spring I installed an IS ICM, IS carb springs and some dynajet needles set on the 2nd notch down. Now I get 34-40 depending on my wrist. I wasn’t aware of 97 needles being special.

I purchased a 97 tour about 2 months ago and routinely get 32-34 MPG. The carbs were disassembled cleaned, adj. and synced. Runs great and I am not bothered by the MPG. I do remember the 98 std I owned from 98 until 2010 got better MPG.