GL1100 Cheap E-Z Single Carb Conversion

[Casper]

Looking good dkl. Love to see a picture with your golf clubs mounted, that will be cool. You are an 'out of the box' dude, and I really like that. Keep it up.

Cheers,

[dkl]

This is how I make a seat fit without much modification. Only works on plastic pans. I am hav'n more fun than the Law allows.

[83gl1200]

Thanks for posting this. I'm about to build a pvc manifold and was looking for an example. I want to keep the carburetor down low, is there any reason I shouldn't copy the flatter one you did first (the one you replaced) but do it out of 1" pipe? I see maybe it was harder to build with custom cutting, and I don't get what those bands are around some joints?

Also is this the right polaris manifold
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kimpex-0710046- ... bb&vxp=mtr

Or this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CARBURETOR-CARB ... a9&vxp=mtr

they don't look the same size, not sure...

[dkl]

The mounting flange came from Parts Unlimited 'CARB MOUNTING FLANGE' for 30-34mm Carbs. The bands you see on manifold are just hose clamps around saddle tee to make absolutely sure there are no Leaks. I am working on another upgrade that will make the manifold sit flat across engine and still be super easy to build. I am hoping to be through Sunday, waiting on two Fittings.

[83gl1200]

The mounting flange came from Parts Unlimited 'CARB MOUNTING FLANGE' for 30-34mm Carbs. The bands you see on manifold are just hose clamps around saddle tee to make absolutely sure there are no Leaks. I am working on another upgrade that will make the manifold sit flat across engine and still be super easy to build. I am hoping to be through Sunday, waiting on two Fittings.

Ok, thanks.
I look forward to seeing the new one.

[Terry in Australia]

Me too!

[geojr]

Me too!

Me too, too

[dkl]

Sorry, I worked the 'Relay For Life' to raise money for the American Cancer Society last night to midnight.....Great cause, but I am not work'n on a motorcycle today. Be next week till I get it assembled, post it then.

[83gl1200]

No problem.

Here are a couple video's for inspiration.

How to bend pvc:
(amateur, home method)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6JZep-jST4
Pro method:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0qr-EfOa3Q


How to make your own joints:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKkMM_b_Mc8

I just found these kind of inspirational idea wise, thought maybe some of you would too. If you get them warm enough they're as pliable as a garden hose, and you can do anything with them.

If you lay a mold like this you could shape an entire manifold perfectly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xejvy0HOAw

These also made me wonder about what would happen if you tried to have a heated pvc manifold. I guess you couldn't. What coolant temps do goldwings reach at maximum? PVC is pliable at just over 200f.

These tricks might be useful even if you do typical pvc construction but just need a slight adjustment to get things to align and fit properly.

You can also melt pvc shavings into pvc cement to make a pvc paste, that you can then weld very strong thick joints with. Or use a plastic welding kit from harbor freight.

I was trying to think of a form which makes even intake runners, with the smoothest bends, still working on that though.

[dkl]

Finally found time to get back on project. 1" fittings and 1" flex pvc. Gonna work perfect. Fittings are dry fit right now, I have not cut pipe to correct length yet, but everything lines up.

[83gl1200]

Perfect.
I was looking at a 5 way T just like that on amazon, said it was for furniture and not plumbing. I wondered why the disclaimer, but thought it looked like just the ticket.

I'm going to go full on Carlos Mencia on you and copy your work with a slight twist rigid pipe bent with heat, and claim it as my own idea, since I almost thought of the same thing before you made yours and after seeing your post.

[dkl]

GO FOR IT!!!!!!! I'm a hardware guy, so pay attention, buy a full flow side outlet cross. Flex PVC website offers a side outlet cross that is furniture grade, but will handle pressure, it will not pass code in some plumbing applications so it is called furniture grade. There are many other places that sell really cheap quality fittings, and I would not scrimp when messin with gas.

[83gl1200]

GO FOR IT!!!!!!! I'm a hardware guy, so pay attention, buy a full flow side outlet cross. Flex PVC website offers a side outlet cross that is furniture grade, but will handle pressure, it will not pass code in some plumbing applications so it is called furniture grade. There are many other places that sell really cheap quality fittings, and I would not scrimp when messin with gas.

That explains the disclaimer, sounds important, glad I didn't order the one on amazon yet.
Honestly the only reason I didn't already buy that one is because I'm just concerned about icing in cold/wet weather, since I'm in oregon and it's always cold and wet at least mornings and evenings, aside from a few good days.

Instead I cleaned the original carbs, put off ordering the rest of the pvc, but have the single carb already here just as backup in case the original carbs give me issues. Even if these carbs work out I do want to have this single carb and intake ready to bolt right up. Might as well, since I already bought most of the stuff. I'd like to see if your carb ends up sitting low enough to see it from the sides of the bike. If so, I'm going to polish the whole carb and detail mine and paint the Empi raised lettering on it so it looks nice.

I'm still curious about heating a pvc manifold. I had intended to try snorkeling hot air into the air cleaner from behind the radiator and taking off it's heat shield, and insulating the pvc, but that might not be enough. Might have to modify a header and take air off one of them VW style to make that idea actually warm the intake enough.

I read in your first post you hadn't heard of any failures with single carb pvc manifolds... Actually I just saw one sell on craigslist the other day with a seized engine. I suspect they just had too lean a mixture and didn't properly check it, but in the back of my mind I was also looking at it's very unequal intake lengths and thinking that could easily have made certain cylinders run lean. The bike was super custom, down to welded in standard backbone, welded in custom solo seat that was part of the new backbone and rigid rear frame, he must have spent more than one winter building it. Just from the looks of it, you'd think he knew full well how to check for proper mixture. Ad said he had only just finished it and then it seized, and then never got around to fixing it later...

Technically that was a commonly avail aluminum intake you'd see on ebay, not pvc, the most unequally non balanced non heated aluminum one selling for $300. I mention it though because the same could happen with pvc. Yours doesn't look like it would have any mixture balance issues like that though, it's much more equally laid out than the aluminum one he had. Probably not as equal as your first tall design though.

[dkl]

Cut my runners to fit, installed carb, routed cable, cranked immediately, idled perfectly in less than a minute, rode it for 25 miles, ran great........STICK A FORK IN THIS PROJECT---IT IS DONE.......Cheaper than cheap, and anybody can do it....... Bye

[Terry in Australia]

Looks good mate, how's the accelleration, is it as good as with the stock 4 carbs? I couldn't imagine that it is, but I'm only guessing. Cheers, Terry.