MADE FINALLY MY VACUUMMETER ...........

[FLATSIX]

I am really happy that I fixed finally my "home-made-vacuummeter" together. You will see on the photos that I added a vertical tube - this is for easy filling - defilling , for easy getting rid eventual enclosed air and to make it a more complicated machine 

When I finished it I suddenly realised that I had to test it - putting the same vacuum from 1 source to the six tubes : so got to make also a small testmachine with pipe that I had with me - that is the reason why they are so big - but big or small I will be able to tested my machine.

Tomorrow I fill her up and try if the six levels go up all six with the same value - then I will be able to do the carb synchro...

I keep you informed about the results if there will be any ?

[Ricky-D]

Hey, alright.  It's a snuggling monster, isn't it?

[FLATSIX]

It is a snuggleing monster to take care of the monster in my lady - I only hope that it will work.

Made the machine high enough (I think) - 7 feet high - higher would not fit in my garage and did not want to higher the ceiling 

[KCvalk]

hey let me know if you actually need all that 7 feet  but thats really a pretty cool design addition

if it works please send me the directions and parts you used  especially the small parts

ill make one this coming weekend

also you gotta think up a name for damn thing......

[Grandpot]

Looks real good.  Nice job.

I used automatic transmission fluid in mine and it worked well.  Be careful the first time you start the engine with the tubes connected.  If one of the carbs is pulling much more than the others, it may suck the fluid all the way up that one tube.  Be ready to shut down the engine and then adjust that carb down a little and try again.

Good luck.

[CajunRider]

I used automatic transmission fluid in mine and it worked well. 

Any reason for tranny fluid? Or was that the one that had the viscosity you wanted??

Curious minds want to know so we can build one ourselves.   

My immediate thought would be a heavy weight engine oil to avoid the oil bouncing around a lot... but I could be WAY off on that...   

[franco6]

i thought it needed some kind of adustable valve on each tube to control the amount of vacuum?

[Kingbee]

Here's a video of mine, where I learned you cannot hold a video camera sideways.  DUH!

Also note how the synch changes with throttle movement

Synch speed	powered by Aeva

[Bugslayer]

It is a snuggleing monster to take care of the monster in my lady - I only hope that it will work.

Made the machine high enough (I think) - 7 feet high - higher would not fit in my garage and did not want to higher the ceiling 

Just curious... Is there a reason why you built it so tall? Will a shorter one (maybe four feet or so) work just as well?

[FLATSIX]

I made it so tall because I can always cut a piece away - and the longer the meter is, the more range I get to mesure .

When you see the second photo with the image of the whole meter, then you find little plastic aquarium-valves at the ends of the hoses- this is to make the pulsations smaller.

I am brandcurious to test the machine, but cannot as I am unable to find the rubberhoses inside diam.5/32" (4mm.) - I went everywhere, nobody has it! Need it because want to add +/- 2feet of that rubberhose at each end of the pvc-hoses to avoid melting when it should accidently touch hot things - and also to put 6 short rubber hoses on the oem nipples to be able to adjust without having trouble with those chrome valance-covers .

On the internet I found a Netherland-company who sells silicone vacuumhoses (blue color...)- perhaps I order it there if tomorrow I still cannot find it here in Belgium.

At what rpm should I make the adjustment of carbs - first do synchro at 900 rpm - then turn to 3000 rpm and adjust at that 3000 rpm - or what is your advice to do for the best ??

[Bugslayer]

Thanks for the info. My '97 Tour has never had it's carb's synced. I figure after twelve years, it might be time for a check up. I plan on putting one together next week.

[FLATSIX]

So I filled up my supersucker with the nice red ATF-oil - just more then 1 liter went in the mean-machine.

Then I plugged all 6 onto the testing pipe ending in 1 nipple - put that nipple in my mouth and sucked on it as my life was depending on it - I think it had to do with the vapours of oil and glue that in my head I felt myself baby again sucking at mothers brist...- but back at the point :  YES IT DID REACT VERY GOOD - ALL 6 RED LEVELS RISED TOGETHER AS 1 TEAM - when I blowed into my nipple -they all 6 went quick down : so I played for a while : SUCK-BLOW . SUCK-BLOW till I got enough off the oiltaste in my mouth.

CONCLUSION: the machine should work on the FAT LADY !!!

Did a second test :  I had bought 6 plastic airvalves at an aquariumshop to be able to turn them down to reduce bouncing of the level :now hear what happened!

I put them on one buy one, each time sucking at that particular hose-end and turning the valvelever till I saw react the ATF-fluid - did this with all 6 and put them on my "testtube" - then I sucked again at the testnipple with whom I am very familiar now... did the SUCK and unbelievable, one level goes up, 2 others go down, it was no harmony at all - it reacted if I had connected it all to my lady and all carbs were out !!

I too away those cursed little green valves and conected all hoses back on the testtube - the suckker in me came above again and there it was again:  full harmony of the 6 levels, they followed each others if there were triple-twins.

LESSON FOR ME:  never put any valves on the lines, because then you are synchronising your testmachie instead of your bike !

NOW I AM STILL SEARCHING FOR THE RUBBER OR SILICONE HOSE INSIDE 5/32" because then I will try it on my FAT LADY who is already waiting for her treatment.

[KCvalk]

clear washer hose is available in 4mm but you have to order/pick it up from a european car dealer

ebay has a roll of it from europe for L 2.50 so im sure you can order it from a japanese or european dealer

[FLATSIX]

Thanks KCValk, but in the meantime I found the rubber fuelhose with outside braided - that was the only thing I could find - 4,05Euro/meter.

This evening I will install the hoses on my Fat Girl and then try the mean-machine....

Keep you informed 

[Grandpot]

CajunRider:

I used ATF for two reasons.  First, if it gets sucked into a carb, it will burn off without causing damage.  Don't use mercury or colored water.  Second, the viscosity is just about right.  I get very little pulsing.

I do not use valves on the ends of the tubes because the opening at the end of each tube must be equal to all the others.  If you use valves you will get the same uneven results that Flatsix experienced.

This unit works well because of its simplicity.

There was one other thing I did that was helpful.  On the #6 tube, insert a 'T' fitting so you can connect the vaccuum tube from the fuel petcock.  This will keep the fuel flowing during the entire procedure.

[FLATSIX]

Here I am with the first testresults of the "mean-machine-vacuummeter" - I had lots of moments of disappointments and after testing and synchronising I really wished I had never began with this idea/job.

But now things are changed for me and am really glad that I wanted to make the tool + synchronise, I tell you why :


1) I put 6 rubber fuelhoses with inside diam. 4mm. to all 6 nipples where the rubber OEM caps are placed - 1 received a nylon T-piece for the connection with the fuelvalve - the hoses are 45 cm length and go to above betweek the V-stacks. There I put 6 nylon doub le hose-adaptors + put the 6 rubbercaps on the free end of the hosenipple (system Walt Kingbee to make carb.synchronisation a joy instead of maing scratches on the valance covers).

2) I put the mean-machine in place and attach all 6 lines to the 6 hoses I had placed in 1). With a little fear I cick the startbutton because I thought the ATF would hurry to go into my Ladies cylinders, but no - it all went very smooth : the 6 red lines into the PVC-tubes placed themselves and I saw the whole picture in the middle of my new tool - still plenty of space before it would reach the top.

Yes, they were far off, especially those at the left side (6,4 and 2). I thought it would be a piece of cake to make everything synchro , but 2 hours later I thought different...........

The right side (5,3,1) were a joy, easy to do and they kept +/- steady. But 90% of the time I was doing the 6,4,2 - especially the 2 and 6 - when it was all between 1/2" (the best I obtained, then suddenly without no reason I saw the 6 and 4 drop (so less vacuum) and then of course the other readings also changed. It was really hopeless and finally after redoing the synchro for the fiftiest time I shut down the BABY ans went to sleep.

 2 possibilities : or it was the mean-machine that had a vacuumleak, or it was the Lady herself.

So this evening I checked the vacuummonster - put her in an old bath that we have outside filled with rainwater for the plants - I put my son's bicyclepump on the six nipples and with a couple of bars pressure on the atf-oil put it under wather : nothing happened - no airbubbles coming up - so the mean-machine was fully leakproof!

Then I took away the 3 intake-manifolds (under the carbs) and replaced the O-rings + installed it back with 9Nm torque.

Then I looked to the exhaustbolds and the first bold of cylinder 2 almost fell in my hands - the oes of the left side were almost all loose !!!!!!!!!!! I tightened every bold with 10 Nm.

Fired up the Baby and went for a testride : she is much quiter when gas off - when turning the handle she pulls harder and more consistant, reacts also quicker and I think she will consume a lot of less energy as I don't have to turn much to let her move forwards!

So tomorrow I will put Baby on the mean-machine and try the synchro again and hope that this time levels won't drop all the time so that synchro will be possible.

As for the machine vacuum : this is a dream - very happy with it - levels are very clear and close to compare - they are not jumping hard - I recommend it !

More news for the second try tomorrow !

[Kingbee]

If you hook up the mean machine to a cold bike, you will find it interesting how the synch will change all by itself as the bike heats up.  Don't even bother trying to adjust until the bike is good & hot.  When you're done synching, just shut the bike off for 15 minutes.  In that short time it will throw the synch all off again.  Don't worry about it, though, all will be good again when it heats up.
It's interesting that you spent 2 hours at it.  That's about what I spend, and also DFragn.  The guys that use regular gauges just have no idea how sensitive this type of instrument is.  What looks good with gauges can still be off a couple of inches on these instruments. Is that difference truly meaningful? Perhaps not, but it's good feeling you're as close as humanly possible.

[Ricky-D]

A couple of things I would add is: Spray all of the linkage with a silicone spay or something like that to be sure when you turn the screw that the linkage is actually moving.  Realize that the adjustments needed when you get it close are slight, in the area of 1/4 turn or less. Large swings from a slight turning of a screw are indicative of outside forces coming into play like for instance pushing too hard with the screw driver.

[Kingbee]

To make it even more difficult, the darn end of the screw is not uniform, like where the starting thread is.  One could take the screws out and grind a uniform dome on the end of the screw to make the effect of turning the screw more consistant.

[FLATSIX]

Hallo guys, here I am with some strange news about the synchronising of my Lady.

So the first time I spent 2 hours in turning the screws of the left side of the motor (6,4,2) - the right side (531) was very easy to do and no problem.

Therefore I thought that I had some leak left - took off all 6 intakes + new O-rings and checked exhaustnuts were I found some very loose.

Now this evening I put the "mean-machine" back on the Lady and what result? YES, THE SAME AS BEFORE AND ANOTHER 2 HOURS SPENT 99,9% AT THE CARBS 6 and !!

After I time I manage to get all 6 the same (1/2 inch max. difference) - then I turn the throttle quick till 4000 - 5000 rpm - and then I see the 6,4 and 2 going slowly down till a distance between the right side of +/- 30 cm (= 1 foot !)

And then it starts all over - trying to get them back up - then too high and turning it all down till finally they are 1/2" close - then suddenly you see those left 3 going down and again off....

Each time I turn a screw I bliep a little with the throttle - everyting is done like it should.

What I will do next is taking the 3 pvc tubes that I put at the left - this time at the right and vice versa.

Thus I will see if the phenomene is due to my vacuummeter or really is a problem with the left side of the motor.
When I reverse the tubes and I see exactly the same happening : the left side going each time down then it is the motor of the Lady with a problem - when this time I see it happen at the right side (going down) then my vacuummeter has somewhere a leak.

I'll let you kow what - but have to find out what is wrong.

In the meantime I am surprised : my Lady puls much harder - in 4 and 5th gear at 2000 rpm gives more power - acts more agressive. So it seems that the synchronising is better then before - but the problem with the 3 of one side beiing unstable has to be solved first.

[Kingbee]

Don't bother switching your meter lines.  You've already tested it, and it is fine.  What you are seeing is very common for anyone who has such a sensitive meter.  I believe the issue lies with the connecting bar between the left and right banks.  The synch is very sensitive to temperature change, among other things.  Did you read my previous post, and before that, look at the video?

Another thing - DFragn melted/warped his alternator cover during a 2 hour synch - he advises removing it during prolonged idling, and I second that suggestion.

[FLATSIX]

Hi Walt,

I did not know tat there was a connection between the left and the right carburatorbanks. So it could be tha

[FLATSIX]

Sorry, by typing touched the wrong button .......... So it could be that what I experience with the dropping all the time of my left bank could be normal.

I did not know that there was conection between the left and right carb-banks? Thought only between the carburators of the left side and those of the right side, but not between the 2 groups?

Did not elt anything yet 

Will come back with result of switching meterlines left to right.

[FLATSIX]

Here are some questions where I don't have an answer to :

-I have added 6 rubber fuelhoses (those with outside braid) inside 4m and each with lenght of 18 inches. On top of these I have put a nylon double hose-adaptor + closed the hoses with the original OEM rubbercaps. I did not use any clamps or other - just slipped it all together.

REMARKS:

When I went for a ride to warm my Lady up - I began to synchronise : so unplugged the rubbertop-ends and noticed that all of these hoses were filled with fuel - the fueldrops fell on the floor next to me - so it seems that the little small hole in the intakes - where the hosenipples sits and that we use for synchronising - blow fuel when we drive.

QUESTION:

SHOULD I PUT HOSECLAMPS ON ALL CONNECTIONS (at the intake - above at the hoseadaptor and finally 1 clamp on the rubbercap - to prevent from loosing while driving, because when this happens then the hoses that I added will blow fuel on my hot motor??

IS IT NORMAL THAT THE INTAKE HOLE BLOWS FUEL OUT?


I must say that the Lady never has been so full of power and pulls at my arms when accelerating - when it idles and I turned a quick throttlemovement with my wrist I obtained 3.500 to 4.000 rpm before my synchronisation - now when I make the same wrist movement with the throttle I obtain 5.000 and more rpm - to explain how the Lady got more throttle sensitive.

It is not all in my head , because I made a testride with my daughter (20 years old) - she rides often with me for short rides - always when motor warm I open the throttle and give full acceleration as I and she enjou it- so she is used at the acceleration of the Lady.
After synchro I went for a ride with her as she did not believe me that there was such a difference in behaviour and acceleration  of my Baby - went for 5 km to warm up (she did not feel much difference and was already disappointed) then I nice straight road where suddenly I fired her up 1nd- 2nd-3d -4th -5th - the result : her heart got a heartbeat and the machine pulled and kept pulling like she never experienced - her comment :  before we had a fast chopper - now we have a racemachine !!

Could all this be caused simply by a good synchronisation - it's hard to believe !