My 1996 RVF400RT clean the jets?

[racytracy]

Hiya,

I have owned my RVF400RT for nearly 3 years now? That's gone quick! As far as I know the jets have never been cleaned & the bike is running OK. As I am having the bike thoroughly checked over & changing rubber bits, bearings etc.. anything that needs doing will be done. The bike is 13 years old, so just want to check everything on it.
So do the jets need cleaning or do I just leave it? I know it is a big job & was advised the jets would need soaking overnight in special treatment stuff to get the gunge off. What do you think??

Thanks
Tracy

[banoffee]

if it was mine and it was running well / used regularly (i.e. not been sat for ages) I'd probably just remove the air box etc and give a good blast with carb cleaner without taking the carbs off/apart etc

[Neosophist]

The 'gunge' is usually Petrol Varnish.. this is caused when the bike is left with fuel in it and not used for a period of time, the fuel evaporates and some of the chemicals in petrol stay behind as a sticky sludge.

If your bike is used regularly you probably don't have any of this so it's not worth cleaning the carbs.

It isn't a huge job, you need to remove the carburettors and strip them partially down and soak them in carb cleaner / kerosene and blow them out with compressed air.

You could clean them as a matter of course as theres a chance you might have a blocked jet here or there slightly limiting performance and you've become accustomed to it.

Faililng that i'd just leave them as they are.

[racytracy]

Thank you for the advice.