First I want to say thanks to everyone who has answered my many posts in the last few days. I am  new to the board and I really appreciate all of your  help. I am new to the Savage as well but I have a lot of experience with Vespas and other small engines. I just purchased a 2001 savage and I am getting ready to install a straight pipe (dont try to talk me out of it because I have made up my mind). The straight pipe would be most similar to the MAC slip on.  I have read post after post and it seems that there are 3 carb modifications that I can make:
1. drill out the plug and adjust the slow idle screw
2. remove the white spacer on the needle jet
3. change the main jet to 150, 152.5, or 155
From what I have read, it makes complete sense to dril out the plug and adjust the slow idle screw, as afterall it is adjustable and easy to change. My real question is, if you change the main jet to say a 155, then should you remove or modify the spacer. It seems here that most people do one or the other. I dont mind doing both, but It would be a real help to hear it from someone that has already had success or failure with it.

Thanks so much for everyones help
mike C

Mike wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:


.
I assume you have a good set of tools if you have wrenched on the scooters.
Here's what I would do.

1st, Go get a 155 jet.
Next, Pull the float bowl off the carb.
Loosen the clamp on the intake rubber and twist the carb to the side you are working from if you must.
Kick the bottom of the carb left and remover the left 2 screws then kick it right and do the right 2 screws.
You may wind up removing the carb and letting it hang.
Swap the 145 main jet for a 155.
I would start w/ the 155 1st.
Replace the crummy phillips head screws w/ allens.
Ride it.
If you test this in cold weather it may be rich come summer and a 152.5 my work better.

If it is still too lean then I would file the white nylon spacer 1st before removing it completely. Let me know if the 155 is 'fat', I have a spare 152
I posted some pictures and all the dimensions awhile back.
I have a Supertrapp w/ competition open end reverse megaphone and my next move is to swap the 157.5 for a 155. Greg and I both seemed too think the 157 is rich.
I was hoping to prevent blueing.
I have posted my experience building up a NOS carb last summer here. BTW; My Supertrapp is bluing (golding?) even w/ the fat jet in it, but the metallic-ceramic coated head pipe was fine. I pulled the batterylast week and she is parked 'til springtime as it is not insured December thru Feb. (Progressive)

Essentially I agree with the above posting by Mr 650.  I did not need to twist the carb at all though I may have been lucky.  I accessed the float bowl screws with an offset phillips driver and was able to access the top set easily with the gas tank off.  When reassembling, I replaced all 8 with stainless allen screws for future ease.

thats good advise. If you could post your results that would be fantastic. I have been researching this subject all day and I think that you are correct. I found this link that is very helpful.

http://www.dansmc.com/carbs2.htm

There's good carb pics on the technical section of this forum.  As far as swiveling the carb, on my S40 at least it can be done after the top of the carb is removed but it scratches the frame paint.  Without the top off it looks like it would be hard.  But I was doing my valve lash maintenance so the tank is off anyways.  I'd try and swivel it like the above directions but if you can't the tank is easy enough.  Once you do the tank once, you'll find it's a 10 minute job:  

Remove seat

remove rear bolts holding tank

unhook feul line and prime line from petcock on tank

unscrew speedo cable

pull back tank slightly to get at the one electrical connection and unhook it

pull tank off, back and to the left

you also might have another hose to disconnect to get to the top of the carb, can't remember why I disconnected it but you'll see

This is for the 05 S40, your results may vary but I doubt by much  

Ed L.
Let me know how your Savage runs up top with the mods You have done, thanks.

Clive W  

I can say mine's like a whole different bike too.  I have the MAC muffler, the stock type K&N air filter, a 155 main jet, and a Dynojet needle set at the 5th notch from the end with the white spacer installed (though I don't recommend buying the DJ kit because of the expense; you can get the same effect by thinning/replacing/eliminating the white spacer).

No gaskets needed for this.