Guys,
I want to remove my carbs because my bike idles up and down.
Idles to low when cold 1000rpm, idles to high when hot 2000rpm.
I am not sure the carb is the problem.
My air cleaner broke up during the summer and I had to scoop lumps of it out of the air box.
I would like to clean the carb and inspect the inlet rubbers.
Runs good other than that.
I never removed a carb from anything.
If I remove it and clean it (I not sure how to clean carb either).
What are my odds that I may do more damage than good when I know f**k about a xt carbs?

Just take your time, take notes whilst dismantling - or better still get a manual & take some digital photo's to help re-assembly.
Use proper carb cleaner and go gently - carbs & fittings are quite delicate.
Don 't go poking the orifaces (snigger) with bits of wire. Try not to change current settings of anything (the pilot screw - etc).
Buy a decent carb kit before stripping carb - this should include the fuel valve & gaskets and jets - they're usually less than £20 and worth doing if the bike hasn't been touched for a while.

Hey Moore03 welcome to the Hub!

FIRSTLY --- each time I've thought there was something wrong with the carbs, taken them off, serviced & cleaned them ---- I found out later it was something else. (4 different engines)

So - first check all your hoses for leaks. Fuel and air. Check your fuel pump (if you have one?).

YOU CAN CHECK FOR LEAKS ON THE INLET RUBBERS WITHOUT TAKING THE CARBS OFF: While the bike is idling, spray some quick start spray (WD40 aparently works too) around the area. If the revs increase (i.e. cos its sucking in 'fuel' from outside) there's a leak.
SECONDLY -- don't fear -- if a GIRL can do it, so can you! I can send you a VIDEO of how to do it... if you're really stuck!

HOWEVER -- from my own experience, I would say DONT TAKE THE ACTUAL CARBS APART, unless you're pretty sure its the problem... the less you mess with things, the better.

You can buy carb spray cleaner which does an okay job - you don't even have to remove the carbs to use this, actually.

Everything Pigford said - PLUS be careful when you pull them off the inlet rubbers and also when you tighten the clips around the rubbers again. I tore mine, by tigthening the clips too much.


If you DO take them apart - DONT follow the Haynes manual's instructions blindly, because that way, you will disassemble the ENTIRE thing... and that's rarely necessary! (they even make you unscrew the little clips that hold the hoses!)

FINALLY --- tell us how it went, when its all done!

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PS: Not sure if you've got a 1vj... cos that would be a 1986.

Is yours kick start or electric? If its both, its probably a 1VJ - then you do have a fuel pump.

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Yeah, it has vacuum fuel pump.
Whats the method for testing this?

The best way I found, is to bypass the pump and run the bike for a couple of miles. (dont just rely on revving it while stationery... maybe obvious, but being a girl, I thought that's the same than going down the road.)

(You CAN test whether its working by simply disconnecting the fuel OUTLET pipe from the pump, and turning the engine over...fuel should 'spurt' out the hose. But I have found that this shows you the pump is WORKING... but not necessarily working WELL and ALL THE TIME.)

If the bike runs better WITHOUT the pump connected at all, you know the problem is in the pump.


A few things to remember:

1. Your tank needs to be quite full (more than 10 liters) when you bypass the pump, cos you're now working on gravity alone.

2. Dont remove the pump, or any hoses other than what is explained below. Just leave everything in situ. [if you do, you cause an air leak from the crank case]

3. Just do the following:

- Remove the hose that runs from the pump into the carb. [fuel out hose]

- Remove the hose that runs from the fuel tank (after the t-junction) into the pump. [fuel in hose]

- Now connect the hose the runs from the fuel tank (after the t-junction) straight to the carb (where you've just removed the hose from the pump)


Just for clarity - you should now feed fuel straight from your tank, into the carb, rather than via the pump.


This is actually a good opportunity to properly check the hoses on the pump... cos they're so inaccessible, its sometimes hard to see if there's leaks.

Maybe just replace the hoses anyways? Its only a few quid, and then you have peace of mind.

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Hi Folks,
I have an XT600 2002 that has the same problem, slow idle for the first few minutes then the idle climbs to 2000 as the engine heats up.
The other day the idle was at 2000 as I was on the highway for a couple of hours then it started to rain and got right cold out 10C or so, (I am in Guatemala), when I pulled over to don the rubber suit, I realized the idle was down to 1400 where it should be, so it is definatly the engine temp causing my problem,, but how, I don't know yet.
I would appreciate any input as to what may be causing this and how I can get it sorted out.

BTW an easy way to check for vacum leaks around an engine is to use a propane or butane torch, (not lit of course)same as the WD the RPM will increase from the additional fuel, and you can pinpoint a leak pretty good with the tip of the torch.
I am going out to check that now.

Thanks TONS ,,,, Steve

Just be aware if you disconnect the outlet to see if the fuel pump is working, it can be defective yet still pump out loads of fuel but when connected back up the prssure increase can still stall the pump. I had this a few times esp with YZFR1s. Look in the manuel and get the fuel pump outlet pressure and try and get a gauge on it.
Good Luck Steve

Hey xt girl, i'm jus wondering about the way you said you need more then 10 litres if your pump disconnected. My pump was from the day i bought bike an due to slight fuel tank leak i've never had 10 litres in. (field bike) If doing high speed for about 7 or 8 mins the bike starts choking and unless i ease off big time it dies,let it sit for few mins an away again. I was thinkin it was prob lack of fuel pump,or ya think could be something else? Oh and Moore, i had carbs apart without having done it before and had no problems just took it very slow and steady. It helped me big time but the bike had been running dog rough before i did it.