GL1100 Cheap E-Z Single Carb Conversion

[dkl]

It is called a PVC Floor Flange, and you should buy schedule 80 1" socket glue. As he said above cut 1" couplings in half and glue on runners, they will fit rubber boots, the original clamps may not tighten enough so I used regular Hose Clamps. If you would like it to fit really snug do not use the 1" couplings, use a 1 1/4 by 1" socket bushing, it fits perfect but makes it harder to install. You said it was a 1200 it may be a little different, but that's what makes it fun. As for the furniture grade Tee fitting, in some areas a five way will not pass plumbing code, so they call it furniture grade, if you are looking at the full flow 5way tee it is schedule 40 and is a pressure fitting.
Don't worry so much........

[John Schmidt]

Snip: Don't worry so much........
===================================
Got it! I'm just not a fan of having to do something over if it's not done right from the start. I found everything needed on the FlexPVC site except for the floor stantion....unless I just didn't see it in the list on the left side. I'll order this evening so I'll have it to work with next week. Plenty of other stuff to do on the project anyway. Still watching for a decent priced 34PICT3 carb, plenty of Empis available for well under $200 but I'd like to find a Solex if possible. I can't imagine the Empi would be a problem however. Still have time.

[dkl]

I bought the cheapest one I could find, it is a off-brand, and it runs well. I bought it on-line from a dealer that specializes in dune buggy stuff. I figured if that was his forte' and he sold crappy stuff they wouldn't be successful.....but I do not have enough carb knowledge to say yes or no to what is best.

[83gl1200]

Snip: Don't worry so much........
===================================
Got it! I'm just not a fan of having to do something over if it's not done right from the start. I found everything needed on the FlexPVC site except for the floor stantion....unless I just didn't see it in the list on the left side. I'll order this evening so I'll have it to work with next week. Plenty of other stuff to do on the project anyway. Still watching for a decent priced 34PICT3 carb, plenty of Empis available for well under $200 but I'd like to find a Solex if possible. I can't imagine the Empi would be a problem however. Still have time.

The quality of my empi carb looks fine, it was used and obviouly worked for someone before me, but I can't say the same about the rebuild kit that came with the used carb. Rebuild kit was Napa brand. You'd think that would have been a good brand, but it had what looked like cheap gaskets and fewer parts than I saw in other kits. Mainly what Irked me was no replacement fuel mixture needle, instead just a new o-ring for your existing needle. The o-ring didn't fit tight, so I still need a new needle, but I don't want to have to buy a whole other kit just for the needle. It was just on vw sites that they diss non OEM non solex carbs, and its because all the new stuff comes from China and varies in quality like anything else.

My last motorcycle was a Chinese 250 rebel clone, which i thought id try since i got it practically for free.. it worked, but allowed me to see first hand the difference between Chinese "clones" of other countries designs. I used quotes on the word clones because not really a clone when you can visibly see such a difference in quality all over the bike. But for the record its carb seemed like a perfect clone, it was other stuff that was clearly not up to Honda standards.

My bike has a 1200 engine also, so regardless of which carb you buy I'm curious to hear how the stock jetting works on yours if you get yours running before me. I've been delayed over here with honey do projects and lack of funds. Yours might be done before mine, even though my carbs already installed.

[dkl]

To use the 34-3 carb on a 1200,,,,Go to Steve Saunders forum and search posts by 'SERGEY' , he runs same carb on his 1200, it is a stock carb. Looks like only difference is the vacuum hook-up. Any questions just ask him, he is a Good Guy.

[argosybob]

I pulled the trigger today an bought a Solex 34-3. Gathering the rest of the materials ... Can't wait!

[83gl1200]

To use the 34-3 carb on a 1200,,,,Go to Steve Saunders forum and search posts by 'SERGEY' , he runs same carb on his 1200, it is a stock carb. Looks like only difference is the vacuum hook-up. Any questions just ask him, he is a Good Guy.

Thanks, that helped. Fired her up today for the first time, and she smoked like mad from both sides, but it sure sounded good.

I learned from one of his threads or video's that he started the small mixture screw at 1.5 turns, and that seemed to calm down the smoking quite a bit. Sounds wonderful with these new pipes. Not like a bug or bus, sounds like a jeep, except even more so with these shorty mufflers.

I couldn't tune it yet. Still need to go to the hardware store again (for the umpteenth time) to get an o-ring for that loose mixture needle. Hopefully they'll have something better than this one.

I also learned I have to take the carb off to plug the hole in the butterfly so I won't have any lag in the throttle. Need to do that before any tuning.

But it runs and I'm so happy.
Thanks again dkl. It was worth it. No way would it have sounded this smooth with stock carbs until the carbs were properly synced and tuned, but even way out of whack it sounds great. Very promising.

[ericheath]

Good to see you're running.

[83gl1200]

Good to see you're running.

Yes, thanks. But it also seems to be getting hot and looks like it's overheating but no cooling fan coming on, so once again one step forward, two birds in the hand. Overheating could be partly the wobbly water pump.

[robin1731]

snip........... But it also seems to be getting hot and looks like it's overheating but no cooling fan coming on. Overheating could be partly the wobbly water pump.

I would bet no cooling fan would be a bigger factor. You can jump the plug for the fan at the switch to see if the fan itself works.

[83gl1200]

snip........... But it also seems to be getting hot and looks like it's overheating but no cooling fan coming on. Overheating could be partly the wobbly water pump.

I would bet no cooling fan would be a bigger factor. You can jump the plug for the fan at the switch to see if the fan itself works.

Thanks, I'll try that. It seems to me to just go from cold to hot too fast though, and the radiator only feels warm, so I suspect a coolant flow issue as well as fan issue. I know fuel mixture could be part of it, but I think the radiator should have felt as hot as the engine if coolant were flowing properly.
Correct me if I'm wrong though.

[dkl]

Take care of the heating issue before you move to anything else, or all your work will be for naught. I would not plug the hole in the butterfly until it is running and there is a problem. I did not have to plug the hole, and mine runs great completely stock. Congratulations, there is no greater feeling than taking a DOA, and maken' it run.

[83gl1200]

Take care of the heating issue before you move to anything else, or all your work will be for naught. I would not plug the hole in the butterfly until it is running and there is a problem. I did not have to plug the hole, and mine runs great completely stock. Congratulations, there is no greater feeling than taking a DOA, and maken' it run.

Agreed. Except riding a wreck that you made run has to be an even better feeling. Still have a long way to go before she's rideable though. Feeling glad I joined the forum and stuck with it for the first time since I started this huge money sucking/time consuming project.

I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

Do you recall what your mixture screw settings are without the butterfly plugged? (Just so I have another starting point to go from?)

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Mate, I'd check your thermostat, my 1200 was overheating in my driveway on a warm day until I did mine. I took the new one (genuine Honda part, but the guys here will point you out to a NAPA one that works as well for a fraction of the price) and the old one and put them in a pan of boiling water, the new one opened all the way right away, whereas the old one took longer to open, and only opened a fraction.

While I was at it I replaced both hoses with genuine Honda parts (we don't have NAPA in Oz and they don't ship internationally) and new coolant, and I haven't had a problem since. If you replace your stat, make sure you orient it with the jiggle hole at 12 O'Clock. Cheers, Terry. ;D

[dkl]

Another tip about this carb set-up,,,,,,Forget about the Honda Manual recommendation on Idle RPMs. Set your Idle after it warms up..somewhere between 1040-1100 RPMs. I stay as close to 1040 as possible. At this speed it will Idle all day and not run Hot, the carb is designed to operate at this flow.