Pilot jets stuck!

[magicmonkey]

I recently got my ZXR250 so I'm not the proud owner of a project, hopefully just a little one to get me started :)

So far I've removed all the stuff that gets in the way (farings, tank, radiator, air box) and got the carbs off. I'm in the middle of cleaning up the carbs and it's a bit of a tedious job but do-able none the less. The problem at the moment is that I can't get the pilot jets out of carbs 2 and 3. I'm a bit hesitant about tapping them with a hammer or any of the usual stuff I might try so I've let them soak in some carb cleaner and tried again but no joy. Does anyone know of any tricks to sort this out?

[CookMySock]

Firstly you must buy yourself a quality screwdriver set. A repco one is fine, but get a more expensive one. Cheapo crap screwdrivers are just impossible to get anything done with, and they strip and round-off screw heads real bad.

Sit the carb squarely down on a firm surface and find out which screwdriver fits the slot tightly. Don't be tempted to use a screwdriver that doesn't lock in real tight to the screw head. Now stand over the job and with both hands on the screwdriver handle, hold it very square and load up on it in an anti-clockwise direction and see if it pops. Take great care not to slip loose with it.

I don't think I would be hitting a jet in a carb. Perhaps you might give it a wee tap with a punch and small hammer.

Good on you for taking anything on.

Steve

[crazyhorse]

Firstly you must buy yourself a quality screwdriver set.


And here i was thinking you were gonna take the piss with this poor guy :lol:

[CookMySock]

And here i was thinking you were gonna take the piss with this poor guy :lol:Hehe, noooo.. mechanics forum! No joking around allowed here! ;)

Steve

[magicmonkey]

Firstly you must buy yourself a quality screwdriver set. A repco one is fine, but get a more expensive one. Cheapo crap screwdrivers are just impossible to get anything done with, and they strip and round-off screw heads real bad.

Sit the carb squarely down on a firm surface and find out which screwdriver fits the slot tightly. Don't be tempted to use a screwdriver that doesn't lock in real tight to the screw head. Now stand over the job and with both hands on the screwdriver handle, hold it very square and load up on it in an anti-clockwise direction and see if it pops. Take great care not to slip loose with it.

I don't think I would be hitting a jet in a carb. Perhaps you might give it a wee tap with a punch and small hammer.

Good on you for taking anything on.

Steve

Yeah, with the exception of the quality screwdriver, that's pretty much what I've been doing. I'm going to boil the carbs later as I've heard that's the best way to clean them from various internety types so I'll give them another go when they're warm and see what happens. If it's no go I'll head out and buy a better screwdriver tomottow...

[CookMySock]

Cool, never heard of boiling them. Let us know how you get on.

Steve

[magicmonkey]

Cool, never heard of boiling them. Let us know how you get on.

Steve

Well, boiling worked quite well for the jets but not so much the carb bodies, they were covered in engine gunk so I'll be spending some time cleaning them up (no point in putting them back on dirty!) As for the 2 pilot jets, they're still stuck in there but the boiling was a success other than that and a lot less work that using carb cleaner!

here's a before and after shot:

http://nzblog.poijoy.com/media/blogs/photo/P1000095.JPG

Excuse the blurry, had to sell my nice camera to afford the bike :p

[CookMySock]

here's a before and after shot:

http://nzblog.poijoy.com/media/blogs/photo/P1000095.JPGLooks great. How long did you boil them for? Did it make the jets easier to remove?

Steve

[magicmonkey]

Looks great. How long did you boil them for? Did it make the jets easier to remove?

Steve

I boiled for about 5-10 minutes and suspended everything in a seive as I was using a camping stove and didn't want to scorch things on the bottom of the pan, the pan and seive are now compeltely fubar and will only get used for garage stuff from now on! They parts all look a bit dull when they come out so I left them to dry and then gave them a quick wipe down with some carb cleaner which brightened them up a bit, not sure if that's needed or not but it made them look pretty ;)

No joy getting the pilot jets out though,. doh!

[imdying]

Yeah, boil those bitches in Rinso and they come out looking new :)

[onearmedbandit]

I keep seeing this thread and thinking that a Jet Pilot must've fucked you off, slept with your missus or something.

As you were.

[CookMySock]

Ah well when I try it I'll boil everything in an empty dog food tin.

Those jets should come out. Maybe heat the carb body (boiling water?) and zap the jet with some cold spray.

If it gives you much more grief, take it to someone experienced to crack them for you, or else you might eff it.


Steve

[Pixie]

Yeah, with the exception of the quality screwdriver, that's pretty much what I've been doing. I'm going to boil the carbs later as I've heard that's the best way to clean them from various internety types so I'll give them another go when they're warm and see what happens. If it's no go I'll head out and buy a better screwdriver tomottow...

A multi-bit screw driver with a quality bit that fits tight is a good option.
Cheap screwdriver handle from Bunnings is $ 5.00 and an Irwin or Magna bit to fit it is around $3.00

[magicmonkey]

A multi-bit screw driver with a quality bit that fits tight is a good option.
Cheap screwdriver handle from Bunnings is $ 5.00 and an Irwin or Magna bit to fit it is around $3.00

Unfortunately the hole the jet is in in too narrow to a screw driver bit, by about 1mm; I wasn't happy about that!!

I decided to leave them alone yesterday as I was completely shattered when I got home, will have a pop at them a bit later today though and let you know how I get on :)

[Grasshopperus]

Anticlockwise bro!

[quickbuck]

Anticlockwise bro!

That's Lefty - Loosey, Righty - Tighty.... We are the digital age now ;)

[roadracingoldfart]

One little trick i learned many years ago was as follows.......

If a thread of a soft material is a bit stuck (like a brass jet) , get a soldering iron and lean it against the alloy section it screws into . The resulting heat is (in many occasions) all thats needed to then get a good crack to start the threaded piece started turning.
I did it at work just recently with a stubborn brake caliper bleeder that was too close to the dust seal to use a gas torch(and the torch it too vicous anyway) .

Give it a try , it does work.

Paul.

[magicmonkey]

One little trick i learned many years ago was as follows.......

If a thread of a soft material is a bit stuck (like a brass jet) , get a soldering iron and lean it against the alloy section it screws into . The resulting heat is (in many occasions) all thats needed to then get a good crack to start the threaded piece started turning.
I did it at work just recently with a stubborn brake caliper bleeder that was too close to the dust seal to use a gas torch(and the torch it too vicous anyway) .

Give it a try , it does work.

Paul.

Now there's a bloody good idea! I'll be giving that one a go over the weekend :)

[magicmonkey]

Anticlockwise bro!

I knew I was doing something wrong :p