Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

This is where discussions of EFI systems, Dual Carbs, Single Carb mods and plans can be discussed and shared.

If you are working on or have a problem with stock carbs then your questions do not belong here, please post them in the Goldwing Tech Discussions Forum.

Moderators: sunnbobb, Neil, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
txtriathlete
Chrome Member
Chrome Member
Posts: 107
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:05 pm
Location: Rapid City, SD

Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

#1

Post by txtriathlete »

So, not really trying to necessarily replace the 4 banger on the 82, but I am gathering ideas as I prepare to transform the beast into a bagger over the winter. While on Randaks page looking for a carb kit, I ran across a "manifold" that basically supports twin Weber carbs located over the valve covers/heads - one each side. Which got me to thinking - why not? I'm planning a lot of other custom work on the sheet metal but haven't really thought to do much to the power plant. I do like the look of the two carbs (like on Lucky 13 for example).

A few years ago I built a PVC manifold for a single carb (from instructions on this site maybe?) on a 78 so I've had a throw at "custom carbs", linkages and cables before. I don't really want to go the solo carb route, I know there are a few different manifold designs for those out there, I'm more looking for a showy statement piece. The 4 banger carb pack will work fine and give good performance with a carb kit, I'm just trying to look for ideas.
A few of my favorite things...
82 GL1100 Interstate - The PhatGL - Current Project
77 GL1000 - Next on deck - will be converted to a dual sport
99 Vakyrie Interstate - Daily (when the weather is nice) Driver
78 GL1000 Vetter - Restored to original - Sold
79 GL1000 Vetter - Refurbished as a Driver - Sold
78 GL1000 Naked - Project I never got around to - Sold
78 GL1000 "Old Gold" - The one that started me on this crazy path- Sold

95 20th Anniversary 1500 Wing - Sold
99 Kawi Drifter "Faux Indian" - Sold
03 100th Anniversary Harley Heritage Springer Softail - Sold
digschopper
Titanium Member
Titanium Member
Posts: 304
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:33 pm
Location: Goatpoop ,florida

Re: Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

#2

Post by digschopper »

User avatar
ericheath
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 9580
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:20 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manituba

Re: Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

#3

Post by ericheath »

It takes time. Lots. For three years I’ve had a wild hair to try a set of progressive two barrels. Read all the various attempts of single or multiple carbs and started searching for small two barrels and found that perhaps the smallest is a Hitachi 306 dfg which has a 20mm primary and 26mm secondary. I decided that I wanted to go down that road. I played with various intake setups and decide to make something simple to see if it would work at all. Patience got the best of me the other day and I slammed it together. Not the right way to do it, but winter has come once already this year.

I haven’t been well lately. Doc says my “new hip” is loose and needs to be replaced. Yippee. If I work on the bike or car or truck, I’m pretty good until I try to stand and then it’s like I’m paralyzed for ten seconds. I can then move but lots of back and hip pain.

Waaa waaa waaa

Making my own throttle cables was a pita. First ride was very disappointing. After spending an hour getting them synced I went for a ride. Gutless dog! I came home, not even two miles. First checked my linkages and noticed my second barrels weren’t even being opened. But when I pulled the filters off, I noticed a choke stuck on. I wondered why that could be as I had them disconnected anyways. I fumbled with it but couldn’t get it open.

Why didn’t it open???? There was a silica packet between the choke plate and the Venturi speeders!! Nice. Must have fallen in there as boxes were moved around for a couple years. I had both carbs completely disassembled at some point and I didn’t put it there.

Reworked the linkages a bit so the two barrels opened and went for a spin. Didn’t run for beans down low, but when the two barrel kicked in it was pretty good.

I waved the propane bottle around and I have a pretty good vacuum leak on one manifold.

One thing to keep in mind is that Weber’s and others do come into play with your left knee. Right knee if you’re tall. I remember heavily moderated, Greg Foresi saying he slammed his a few times.

Not sure if I’ll get a chance to work on it for a while, much less ride it.
EC1CB7AD-31C6-4246-BFAC-7DB8EDD7083B.jpeg
EC1CB7AD-31C6-4246-BFAC-7DB8EDD7083B.jpeg (203.73 KiB) Viewed 648 times
BC47BC16-9B3D-40E1-96B8-20CC3AC9938F.jpeg
BC47BC16-9B3D-40E1-96B8-20CC3AC9938F.jpeg (233.25 KiB) Viewed 648 times
AAB2963C-3DCE-43FF-9A46-15971A1CBCAA.jpeg
AAB2963C-3DCE-43FF-9A46-15971A1CBCAA.jpeg (241.82 KiB) Viewed 648 times
B3CAFC29-8EDD-4250-B4BA-67D31B94E9B7.jpeg
B3CAFC29-8EDD-4250-B4BA-67D31B94E9B7.jpeg (244.38 KiB) Viewed 648 times
It’s gravity feed, and there isn’t much drop. I might need a pump. If I ever get it decent, I’ll make a better description. I’m still optimistic, but trying not to get my hopes up.

The other thing others have mentioned is the sound change coming through the filters with a more direct path to your ears is rather intoxicating. It’s like a nice marriage of sound between the carbs and the exhaust.

If you go out on your own, be prepared to NOT get lucky. Dialing them in is time consuming if you’re just a hack tinkerer like me.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
User avatar
pidjones
SUPER BIKER!!!!
SUPER BIKER!!!!
Posts: 3237
Joined: Wed May 22, 2013 4:06 pm
Location: East TN

Re: Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

#4

Post by pidjones »

You want it real showy and no dollar limit? Go supercharged. Otherwise, IMHO, not much beats the look of well-polished GL carbs. The domes and intake runners in partcular. Perhaps some fancy plating on the linkages and a chromed air cleaner.
"Love 'em all.... let God sort 'em out!"
Ex 2006 GL1800 - the Black Pearl SOLD! to make room for:
2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited Dark Chalk Metallic
1975 Red GL1000 project - ex Pistol Pete project
1972 Triumph T150V Trident rescue - finished and FOR SALE!
1976 Yamaha RD400c
1978 GL1000 with '75 engine - the Hunley
Ex 1978 GL1000
Ex 1979 GL1000
Ex '79 CB750F rat bike
Ex '86 SEi
Ex '77 GL1000
Ex '76 RD400
Ex '72 Penton 125 set up for flat track
Ex '73 RD250
Ex '68 TR6C - chopped
socrace
Titanium Member
Titanium Member
Posts: 334
Joined: Sun Aug 16, 2009 11:46 pm
Location: Springfield, Ill.

Re: Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

#5

Post by socrace »

Overall, I think people have found you can get a 60's era single barrel truck carb to sorta kinda work ok, if you don't mind flat spots. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V72NZGB/re ... SDb9W5WD3Z Just keep in mind the GL1100 idles at about 10in intake manifold vacuum. So about the only carbs that can really be made to work at that low vacuum are racing carbs like Weber. Holly does make a 2 barrel for racing that might work, at least the jets are replaceable, although it's rated 350 cfm and 300+ hp. They also made a smaller 200cfm version for modified vw's called the bug spray. The gl1500 used a 2 barrel carb, but it was a tech nightmare covered with solenoids and had 2 brain boxes to run it. I could suggest going efi (one member here used a 2 barrel geo metro unit), but that's not exactly doing it the easy way either!
1981 Goldwing Standard - efi'd, other stuff
User avatar
ericheath
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 9580
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:20 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manituba

Re: Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

#6

Post by ericheath »

HOTT and Jake2012 both used Weber 32/36 carbs successfully. HOTT also helped another member use a single on each side. Hott has a write up on each of his and his latest using two Strombergs.

I’ve read about more unhappy than happy using VW carbs, but some seem to get them to work.

Both Holley and Motorcraft had rights to make Weber clones. There are a variety of Venturi and jetting combinations with those names. When you look at cfm, remember you’ll be operating at nearly twice the rpm than what most were designed for.

I monkeyed with mine some more today and finally realized I have no where near enough throttle pull for the stock throttle crank wheels I have. I wasn’t getting half of the throttle pull. I hate the thought of making some but I’m afraid that’s what I’ll have to do.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
User avatar
Easter
True Blue Steel Biker
True Blue Steel Biker
Posts: 2999
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:33 am
Location: South of Houston 100 miles

Re: Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

#7

Post by Easter »

Looks interesting. I still have my original hips but off and on I have had a similar response to yours when first standing up from a squat. Anyway good luck.
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
User avatar
Easter
True Blue Steel Biker
True Blue Steel Biker
Posts: 2999
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:33 am
Location: South of Houston 100 miles

Re: Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

#8

Post by Easter »

Oh and by the way. Maybe it might be easier to put some kind of multiplier (for lack of a technical term) in the cable to increase the pull at the carb. i.e. trade leverage for distance moved.
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
User avatar
ericheath
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 9580
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:20 am
Location: Winnipeg, Manituba

Re: Seeking Input on Carb Ideas

#9

Post by ericheath »

Yes, I’m gathering parts and I think I will get rid of the cheesy punched tin throttle wheels it currently has. One barrel is easy, making a progressive secondary a little trickier for me.

I tried Venhill’s products, and I think they’re junk.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Unique Carburetion”