Carburetor tools

[groupus]

After much searching on here looking for a DIY solution to my problem, what serendipity that I stumbled on this thread! Perhaps one of you has just the answer I need..
I am no stranger to improvising tools, and I have a selection of broken and ground-down screwdrivers that each serve a specific purpose. My friend and I share a loop of clear tubing roughly duct-taped to a board that has been used as a manometer to sync carbs a dozen different bikes. I made a smoke tester out of an old pickle jar with a sock soaked in mineral oil, but I found that a battery powered air mattress pump with a lit cigarillo stuck in the intake made much more smoke (unfortunately, now my car has a tobacco addiction!!). One of my most cherished "tools" is a bottom of a Coke bottle that slightly melted when the fuel it was holding caught fire (don't ask)! But now, it fits perfectly under the carb bowls of the GL1000 to drain remaining gas.

So this leads to my question: what "tool" do you use to drain the fuel from the carbs without spilling it everywhere? My trusty melted bottle works, but only holds about 1 oz of fuel before it needs emptied. Its a pain to get in and out from under the carbs without spilling at least some, but that's what I have used for years. Give me some ideas!

[Sugs]

I shape heavy duty tin foil into the shape I need to catch gas.

[dontwantapickle]

I don't use anything.
maybe a rag underneath the fuel line when I am disconnecting it.

I'll drain the bowls when they are off the bike.
usually on one of the old cookie sheets that I have out in the shop.

[mikenixon]

I use the Mororoso tool made especially for this. I'll attach a pix if i can find it. https://www.walmart.com/ip/MOROSO-65805 ... PsQAvD_BwE

I know, a little spendy but the thing is really pretty handy. And I hate making gas-soaked rags to be thrown out to avoid the hazard. And I like the encouragement this tool gives me to do the drain thing right and often. I have often wished Honda did not make these early drains "splash type".

[5speed]

I shut the fuel off, start the bike and let it empty the float bowls.

[robin1731]

I shut the fuel off, start the bike and let it empty the float bowls.

Still a good amount of fuel left in the bowls when you do that.

.

[Sidecar Bob]

I don't remember ever draining the carbs on the bike before removing them. There is no reason to tilt them any appreciable amount until you have them on the bench and at that point it is easy to sit them on a block and drain them into whatever container you want.
For storage I run them as dry as possible, then stuff a rag underneath to soak up what comes out when I open the drains (when I'm done I put the rag in the middle of the gravel driveway and have my "fall bonfire").

BTW: Randakk recommends pre-filling the carbs with 180cc of fuel before starting when they have been drained (instead of grinding away with the starter motor to fill them with the fuel pump), which is only 45cc (3 tablespoons) per carb. I don't think the bowls would normally have much more in them than that so you wouldn't need a very big container to catch it. Maybe a spray can lid cut to half height? (if you can find one without a hole)

[5speed]

I shut the fuel off, start the bike and let it empty the float bowls.

Still a good amount of fuel left in the bowls when you do that.

.

I soak that up with a rag. I never leave rags lying around on the bench or anywhere else. I hang them up on a nail when I'm done using them. When they get to dirty they either get burned or go out with the garbage.
If I soak one in gas it gets laid out outside until the gas evaporates then it gets hung on a nail over the bench.

[groupus]

I shut the fuel off, start the bike and let it empty the float bowls.

Still a good amount of fuel left in the bowls when you do that.

Right, this is why I'm looking for a better option for draining for winter storage. Mike, that tool looks handy, but not sure how well it would fit under the front carbs. The tin foil method is my style Thanks for the suggestions!

[robin1731]

I shut the fuel off, start the bike and let it empty the float bowls.

Still a good amount of fuel left in the bowls when you do that.

Right, this is why I'm looking for a better option for draining for winter storage. Mike, that tool looks handy, but not sure how well it would fit under the front carbs. The tin foil method is my style Thanks for the suggestions!

Or there is this option. https://www.amazon.com/flexible-funnel/ ... ble+funnel

[mikenixon]

I shut the fuel off, start the bike and let it empty the float bowls.

Still a good amount of fuel left in the bowls when you do that.

.

Yup.

[Sidecar Bob]

You need at least 3 tbsp of fuel in each float bowl for starting. When you run the carbs dry there has to be less than that. From my experience I would say that it is about 1 tbsp per carb, which I wouldn't consider "a good amount"...

[dontwantapickle]

... I put the rag in the middle of the gravel driveway,,,,

Ha, Me too!

[mikenixon]

You need at least 3 tbsp of fuel in each float bowl for starting. When you run the carbs dry there has to be less than that. From my experience I would say that it is about 1 tbsp per carb, which I wouldn't consider "a good amount"...

https://youtu.be/vGwNp1w5LGI

Different carburetor, but my experience is it isn't possible to actually run most Honda carbs dry, or as the video shows, even drain them dry. The Wing could be an exception, but since the VB series use identical float bowls...

[Sidecar Bob]

That is worth thinking about.

I normally don't add stabilizer if I am going to drain the tank but I've been using the bikes so little that I've been trying to get into the habit of adding it anyway so maybe this will be some incentive for that.

BTW: If you got less than 50cc of fuel from 6 carbs there would probably be about 30cc in 4 carbs, which is only 2 tbsp.