What Did You Do With Your Nighthawk Today?

[Bob H]

I just ordered this one direct from China for about $22 on Ebay. It will take a few weeks to arrive and I haven't pulled my carbs yet - so I will post if it works out later.

[Pete in PA]

BTW: tire shine (the thick stuff) is awesome for coating the rubber boots so carbs slide in and out super easy.

Slather it all around the inside of all 8 boots.

[Pete in PA]

I just ordered this one direct from China for about $22 on Ebay. It will take a few weeks to arrive and I haven't pulled my carbs yet - so I will post if it works out later.

35mm with the bit might work.  You can still shorten the bit if needed.

[Gene]

 Hi,

So which tool that doesn't cost a fortune can I use to adjust my pilot jets? (Yes, I have removed the wretched stock ones with a "tang" to prevent me from adjusting them)

[Larry Fine]

I use this one at work:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-SHOCKWAVE-Impact-Duty-Right-Angle-Drill-Adapter-48-32-2390/309634715


Need more length?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-MAXFIT-Right-Angle-Magnetic-Attachment-with-MAXFIT-6-in-Bit-Extension-DWARA60WA6EXTMF/316938970


This one is pretty flat:

https://www.amazon.com/AUTOTOOLHOME-Magnetic-Flexible-Extension-Screwdriver/dp/B01KY5KVNQ/ref=asc_df_B01KY5KVNQ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309735728871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12975316026061998785&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9008464&hvtargid=pla-567942289622&psc=1

[Pete in PA]

It comes down to which bike you have which defines how much room you have under the carbs to get to the screws.

The 91-2003 750 HAS to have the least room.

You can get to #1.  The starter motor and oil lines block the rest.

I've been removing my carbs just to change pilot screw settings.🙄😡

[Pete in PA]

https://youtu.be/6ytG67fZLkQ

Found a video of atempting to get to the screws.

[Bob H]

Nice. They don't show the grief of getting to the center ones...
Pulled my carbs today, did it about 10 years ago but still grief.

Clearance to pull carbs can be increased by detaching rear inner fender, to allow air box to move back more than it does just from removing air box bolts. 
Factory manual for removing carbs shows 2 bolts for rear inner fender, the forward part of that plastic inner fender can be shoved down (detached from frame tubes) which helps.


Removing the 2 bolts at back of that inner fender helps more (nuts for those bolts are behind the small tool kit). The  Factory manual is very cryptic on this process, but at least mentions the rear inner fender. The Clymer manual is much more detailed for most of the procedure but fails to mention detaching the rear fender, which was vital for me to get enough clearance to remove the carbs  today.

Without removing those 2 back bolts and just shoving the front of inner fender down I gained about 1/4" (may have been enough). After pulling the bolts + shoving front down, and whacking the back of inner fender to free it up from it's position, I was able to gain about 3/4. For me it was worth the time to do that.

I will put some lube on the rubber for going back in.
I got a $90 ultrasonic cleaner from Amazon, very similar to the Harbor Freight one.

I am waiting on some gaskets, my fuel tubes were leaking. Got some super cheap ones (set of 4 complete carb gaskets) for under $20 from China, then decided I wanted better quality and ordered from Randakks, not in yet.

[Pete in PA]

I just pulled the airbox mount screws, the battery, and the fuse box.  Enough room for me.

As soon as you get the tubes from the airbox to the carbs free, remove those clamps. Keeps them from getting bent.

I slide the carbs out the right side after the clutch cable is disconnected. Then remove the throttle and choke cables.

You've got a bunch of other stuff though for your Cali. model. Yuck.

I wonder how much you can get rid of?

[Bob H]

You've got a bunch of other stuff though for your Cali. model. Yuck.

I wonder how much you can get rid of?

Yeah I am doing a deep dive into that right now.
There is essentially no write up on pulling it from this model, so I am looking at documentation to remove from other bikes to figure it out.

[Gene]

Getting ready to rebuild the carbs, all 4 of them. (Groan)

[Pete in PA]

Getting ready to rebuild the carbs, all 4 of them. (Groan)

While your in there jet it richer.

Carbjetkits.com   has you going from a 115 to a 118 main with a washer under each needle if fully stock.  Under $25.

Is the rest of bike stock?  Even so they're still lean from the factory.

[Pete in PA]

I just ordered this one direct from China for about $22 on Ebay. It will take a few weeks to arrive and I haven't pulled my carbs yet - so I will post if it works out later.


I ordered this one.  We'll see. Mine only has to come down from NY to PA.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125794850230?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=cyh5hswgtpq&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=IwajBBFPTpq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[Bob H]

Doing a carb overhaul, discovered vacuum diaphragm tear as described in this other thread.

Here you can see the initial kerosene cleaning of exterior, then Simple Green. Trying to reduce the crud floating around the Ultrasonic fluid.

One carb just fits in a quart zip lock that also has the jet holder and other small parts. 1/8 cup Simple Green added to the bag with hot water.
This is a new toy for me, and the dirt does come off "like smoke". This 2 1/2 liter unit is very similar to the Harbor Freight ones but I got it from Amazon.
My California model had 110 main jets, replaced with 115 per Carbjetkits.com as Pete suggested. The jets have same mfg ID stamp on them as the OEM Honda ones (the Keihin mark, like squashed star).
There is a bare-bones kit with only the main jets, I paid a bit more to get new Pilot Jets. Based on my stock pipes and stock air filter the site recommended upsizing the main jet but keeping stock pilot jets - but to replace them to ensure they are not clogged. The holes on the sides of those things are incredibly small, even compared to the emulsifier tube for the main jet - glad to replace them.

[mollusc]

I've never seen an ultrasonic cleaner used like that before.  I have the HF one and just fill it with whatever cleaning solution I'm using.  It has a heater and I don't know whether it would work if the liquid wasn't in contact with the walls/bottom.