Adjusted the pilots NC30

[karl BKK]

As per Cammo's guide i have adjusted my pilot jets this evening and was shocked to find them wound out to 3.5 turns at 3 carbs and 4 turns on another!!
I have set all 4 carbs to 2.5 turns out and the bike seems to be a little sharper off throttle but far from the snappy, revvy response i was looking for.
The bike only has a slip on can, nothing special, probably just a generic Thai can. So i'm going to try the standard 2 or 2 1/4 turns tomorrow afternoon after work and see if that gives me what i'm looking for.
Until i move house and buy some better tools (coming from a full set of Snap-On gear), i'm reluctant to take the carbs off, so just adjusting the pilots is all i can really do for now...... right (carbs on the bike)??


Karl :)

[Hadies]

Get stuck in mate! Can't remember needing anything special to get down and dirty with the carbs.
Must have been a squeeze to get to your pilot screws without taking the carbs off the bike!

[Neosophist]

4 turns?

Are you counting your turns properly...?

A turn is 360 degrees.

(easier to put a dot on a screwdriver handle and turn it until its back to the start)

but imagine your pilot screw was horizontal, if you turned it until it was horizontal again that'd be half a turn, then turn it again until its horizontal would make it 1 complete turn.

As that would make your 4 turns two.. which sounds more common :S

[karl BKK]

3.5 turns and 4 turns, yes 100% correct mate :)
I used to be a mechanic (HGV's) but now i'm minus my tools and living out in Thailand, i'll sort my self out with some better tools soon and sort out the needle heights and balance the carbs using the drill bit method towards the end of the month :)

[karl BKK]

Get stuck in mate! Can't remember needing anything special to get down and dirty with the carbs.
Must have been a squeeze to get to your pilot screws without taking the carbs off the bike!

Not a squeez at all, plenty of space with the farings off and a long flat head screw driver :)

[Neosophist]

Agree, pilot screws are dead easy with a long driver.

In that case they were mega rich!

Maybe somebody was counting their turns wrong but the other way

[karl BKK]

Agree, pilot screws are dead easy with a long driver.

In that case they were mega rich!

Maybe somebody was counting their turns wrong but the other way

Yeah i think the guy before had a little play with the jets, the exhaust was pretty sooty to be honest, so at least i knew she wasn't running lean when buying her :)
As for now the bike seems to like 1 3/4 turns out....... too lean for the pilots i guess, so i'll turn them back to 2 turns tonight and see how the bike likes that again. :)

[Cammo]

As for now the bike seems to like 1 3/4 turns out....... too lean for the pilots i guess, so i'll turn them back to 2 turns tonight and see how the bike likes that again. :)

There is no magic setting, if 1.75 turns works for your bike then stick with it. Make sure you ride the bike after each adjustment to check it, revving in neutral may not put enough load on the engine to properly check.

Email sent re needle washer dimensions.

[karl BKK]

As for now the bike seems to like 1 3/4 turns out....... too lean for the pilots i guess, so i'll turn them back to 2 turns tonight and see how the bike likes that again. :)

There is no magic setting, if 1.75 turns works for your bike then stick with it. Make sure you ride the bike after each adjustment to check it, revving in neutral may not put enough load on the engine to properly check.

Email sent re needle washer dimensions.

Once again "thank you Cammo" your help is much appreciated :)
I might leave the pilot as it is then, the bike seems a bit happier than before.
I assume the pilot jets running at a value less than that of standard wouldn't damage the engine by running lean, as the main concern for an engine running lean (carb'd engine) is down to the main jets and emulsion tubes, correct me if i am wrong..... Ex diesel mechanic you see :D

[Cammo]

I assume the pilot jets running at a value less than that of standard wouldn't damage the engine by running lean, as the main concern for an engine running lean (carb'd engine) is down to the main jets and emulsion tubes, correct me if i am wrong..... Ex diesel mechanic you see :D

You are correct, very little damage can be done as the pilot screws control the fuel at very low engine speeds/loads. Just use the setting that works best for you.

The engine will ping (detonate) well before engine damage is done if you've leaned the pilot screws off too much - you'll hear it. Even at these low loads/rpm it will take something way off to cause damage (incorrect pilot crew settings won't do long term damage - these engines are strong).

Main jets (which control high rpm fuelling) can do damage if too lean (less so if too rich but can still cause damage over the long term).