Pilot jet question

[Gottaride]

Using a jewelers lupe to inspect the tiny pilot jet through passage. Shape of passage is circular but smaller diameter than I recollect as compared to the Keihins off my CB900 Custom. Soaked the jets in carb cleaner and am hesitant to do much else beside a final squirt of cleaner prior to reassembly. I know a high E guitar string is often suggested as a cleanout out but won't  apparently fit in this case.
What da ya figger?

[Gottaride]

Oh ya the needles came out with a tiny flat washer not shown on the Kawi FSM carb schematic. As the third owner of this California A9 would I be correct in guessing that someone has shimmed the jet needles? Haven't done much recent reading on jet needle mods ect .

[Steve in Sunny Fla]

the pilot jet is # 80 drill bit, measures .0135". there's no washer under the slide needles in stock configuration, but it's a common older mod. steve

[Gottaride]

Thanks Steve. Yeah my acoustic guitar high E string specs at .013" so it should just fit provided it gets carefully checked for any deformation after being cut. I won't be buying the #80 drill but appreciate the info all the same.
Ever look throught binoculars front to back....well that's what I did with the $1 Princess Auto jewels. Made the jet orifice look like a distant tunnel.
 Note to self: ventilate room when working with solvents.

Only have a few thousand miles on this bike having got it this past fall.  Likely be buying a jet kit from you this summer Steve. Catching up on your posts and R&D on Connie carbs has been interesting reading.

[Gottaride]

So my goal here is to return my carbs to good working order without modifications in order to get a baseline. My fuel mileage is in the mid to high 30s currently. Keihin jets are 132 and 35. Slide needles are shimmed. Cali Connie with emissions stuff removed. Block off plates real soon. Stock exhaust and air filter. New D8EA plugs gapped .025 I ride mostly mountain roads around 4 to 5000 ft elev. Touring down to Mexico and Cali in May so riding from sea level to 10,000ft. Good opportunity to assess the current set up. My priority is max fuel mileage, torque ect is secondary.
All that being the case is 1 3/4 turns out for the pilot correct?

[SteveJ.]

So my goal here is to return my carbs to good working order without modifications in order to get a baseline. My fuel mileage is in the mid to high 30s currently. Keihin jets are 132 and 35. Slide needles are shimmed. Cali Connie with emissions stuff removed. Block off plates real soon. Stock exhaust and air filter. New D8EA plugs gapped .025 I ride mostly mountain roads around 4 to 5000 ft elev. Touring down to Mexico and Cali in May so riding from sea level to 10,000ft. Good opportunity to assess the current set up. My priority is max fuel mileage, torque ect is secondary.
All that being the case is 1 3/4 turns out for the pilot correct?

I can't exactly aremember, but I think 125 was factory main on the 49 state Connies, and that was a bit on the fat side.

[Steve in Sunny Fla]

All i can say is don't expect any level of fuel economy with that setup, even at sea level. Steve

[Gottaride]

Yeah the service manual reads :
Main Jet.  125, Cal 130 (( 122, Cal 128))
Main Air Jet 130
Pilot Jet 35 ((32))

So for my carbs to have needle shims, fat 132 main jets and stock 35 pilot jets makes me think someone monkeyed with my baby. Oh well it runs OK. Actually just before I put it away for the winter I noticed the #4 header didn't warm up at idle...nothing. Open up throttle and voila. Sure enough the float needle was full of white powdery deposits. No other blockages or deposits noted.
OK so with my carbs as they are currently jetted and shimmed how many turns for the pilot and what height should I set the fuel level to? Help please.

[Gottaride]

At 132 gas guzzling is no surprise. I just can't change my iron horse's guts mid stream so to speak. Once back from my trip I'll have a good baseline to mod from.

[Steve in Sunny Fla]

well you could do that, or you could click the link in my sig line and take a look at my 2 minute mod jet kit - I've btdt, so to say... Steve

[George R. Young]

Per the manual, the main jet was initially specified as 125 (non calif) and the pilot jet 30 35.

Later versions of the bike specified 115 main jets.

I replaced my 125 mains with 120, and added one washer under each needle. Yields around 42 mpg (US).

Edit: rats, typo, the stock pilot jet is 35

[Gottaride]

Well in the absence of any specific advise relating to my huge 135 main jets and needle shims installed by or for a previous owner I'm going with SISF's often sited adjustments: 2 turns out and 18mm float measurement. Will follow up with the clear tube and gas float height test.
Funny how having a Connie parked in your living room starts to get real old come springtime. Once again thanks to this site for all the excellent info.

[redzgrider]

I've always heard and read that using drills to clean jets is a bad idea -- much to easy to modify diameters and orfice shapes. I've always found that strands from flexible copper wire in combination with carb cleaner will get them clean, without damaging the original brass.

[Steve in Sunny Fla]

I've always heard and read that using drills to clean jets is a bad idea -- much to easy to modify diameters and orfice shapes. I've always found that strands from flexible copper wire in combination with carb cleaner will get them clean, without damaging the original brass.

   Sure, if the individual really works the drill, etc. I have seen many pilot jets that are resticted but not closed, IMO the only way is to put the bit through it to be sure it's clear. I uses the back of the bit, and hold it with my fingers. I only use the drill end if it's REALLY clogged, and then still with my fingers so I'm not oversizing the orifice.  Steve