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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> I have a question -just out of curiosity
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Message started by Z on 06/23/11 at 14:08:55

Title: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Z on 06/23/11 at 14:08:55

How long does it take for someone who is supposed to know what they are doing to tear apart a carb? No I'm not doing anything like that or even planning on it. The bike is running great. I was just curious. I know what the place we were going to take it (back when all of my issues first started) was going to charge us and I wondered if they were trying to screw us.

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Edgar on 06/23/11 at 14:14:53

I took mine apart in an hour. That was my first time messing with it and before that, the most mechanical thing I'd ever done was change the oil in my car. Cleaning it correctly takes longer though. I'd say I took a few hours soaking parts in carb cleaner, then another hour and a half for re assembly and reinstalling it....which was the most pita part of it. Don't know how fast a shop should do it though. The only shop I went to before I decided to do it myself was going to charge me $80 flat

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Gyrobob on 06/23/11 at 18:17:00

Z,... If you have little experience with mechanical things, taking apart a carb is a little intimidating, and there are lots of things to do wrong.

If you have twisted a wrench now and again (changed your own oil, replaced some drive belts, sharpened your lawn-mower blade, installed a ready-made trailer hitch, etc.) then it isn't all that hard to do if you have a forum like this available with several discussions on how to carefully do the various tasks correctly, and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Taking a carb apart doesn't take a lot of strength, either, assuming the phillips head screws holding the float bowl, diaphragm cover, etc., on come loose fairly easily. Even if they are stubborn, there are techniques you can use that still don't need a lot of hand/arm strength.

The Savage carb is pretty simple. To disassemble it, clean it out, replace the normally replaceable parts (gaskets, float valve, etc.) and reassemble it, would take a skilled person who is familiar with this carb an hour or so. If are you are mechanically competent, and you have never looked at this carb,... maybe two hours. If you don't know much about carbs at all, maybe a whole evening.

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Max_Morley on 06/23/11 at 19:17:57

Used to be a step by step guide done by Savage Wahine in the tech section. Max

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by drums1 on 06/23/11 at 19:20:05

The shop I go to charged me 1 hour ($65) to disassemble it, get my frozen mixture screw out and replaced, clean and reassemble. Soak time took longer but he still only charged me 1 hour.

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by verslagen1 on 06/23/11 at 20:23:24

1A362F081A38253B322E570 wrote:

Used to be a step by step guide done by Savage Wahine in the tech section. Max

still is...
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=tech;action=display;num=1191899985

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by stinger on 06/24/11 at 01:05:21

Savage Greg removed and rejetted and remounted my carb in about a hour. The dealer told me to do this they had to remove the engine and wanted around $450 to rejet. That is why most in here like to repair their own bikes. pretty simple and straight forward bike to learn some mechanical skills.

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Z on 06/24/11 at 03:41:42

Thanks for the info. The shop we were going to take it to when I first started having issues said it would take 1 1/2 hours just to tear it apart to look at it and then another 1 1/2 hours to put it back together AFTER however long it took to fix it. Of course they also said that it couldn't possible be the petcock as they don't go bad. :-? I'm so glad #1 that this site exists and #2 that I found it! [smiley=laugh.gif]

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Arnold on 06/24/11 at 07:39:41

What a ripoff, remove the engine??? Tank comes off with 2 bolts...

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by VAFarmer on 06/24/11 at 07:56:31

Ha.....I would say attempt it yourself,and then pay someone only if you get stuck.

what a ripoff, man I feel so bad for folks that get taken advantage of, and not just mechanically.

A friend of mine just took a bike down to one of the areas "dealership garages", and they charged him around 120 bucks to mount-balance-and install the new tire BACKWARDS. :-?

Good luck on the endeavor, and God bless,

Farmer

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Arnold on 06/24/11 at 08:09:40

I am lucky to have a Suzuki dealership near me and they are very reasonable. Tire mount is like $20.

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by spacepirates on 06/24/11 at 08:39:42

174D0 wrote:

With the stock airbox it takes a little work to get it loose, but not that much time. If you know what you are doing you can rejet without even taking the carb off, you just kinda tilt it to the side a bit.

Where are you in NW PA? I live in Pittsburgh but am from Erie. Kinda curious as to what shop you take it to. Never had to have mine into the shop for anything other than inspection, but my relatives take theirs to Jeff Crowlie's up in Erie. Decent work, honest, fair. Let my dad "store" his bike in their shop over the winter for free.

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by jdeluca on 06/24/11 at 09:59:52

Quote:

Actually, if you know what you're doing, you don't even need to tilt it, just drop the bowl! :)

I've seen the NW PA too and have wondered if you were in Erie as well, I travel for work and have done a lot of work at Hamot Medical Center. Maybe someday I'll have to ship my tools out and take the bike out that way...lol

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by jfsegar on 06/24/11 at 12:18:19

I used the post verslagen mentioned to take apart the carb. It was a little intimidating at first but once I removed the battery box, it wasn't too bad. Problem was the screws were stripped so I had to use a dremel tool to cut a slit and use a flathead screwdriver. Definitely recommend replacing the screws with hex bolts. I ended up changing the main jet a week later with the carb still on the bike and it was simple.

Before owning the Savage, I was not mechanically inclined to say the least. Now after following these posts, I've been able to do a lot to the bike. Thanks everyone for providing good info!

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Z on 06/24/11 at 13:21:00

I'm in the middle of nowhere. ;D I'm about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Erie, 3 hour drive from Pittsburgh, 5 hours from Philly. Clearfield is the town we were going to take it. That's about 1 hour away. I live in a tiny little town, right on Main st. It would be really easy to find me if someone nefarious wanted to so I am deliberately vague as to my exact location. There is a shop not even 5 minutes away. He says he will work on anything, but he prefers to work on Harelys and will talk down to anyone who brings anything else in. >:( We don't even go there for inspections. If I want to be insulted and talked down to I will go see my mother. ;D

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/24/11 at 15:46:44

If I want to be insulted and talked down to I will go see my mother.,

Well, If you ever want a change of pace, Ill hook you up with my moms number.. when shes done with you, you can call your mom & youll think shes just pourin Love on ya..

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by runwyrlph on 06/24/11 at 20:37:42

good thing about this site - even if you decide you don't want to get in that deep ... you can still get a pretty durn good idea what the mechanic really needs to do - won't buy a lot of BS

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by kimchris1 on 06/24/11 at 21:53:16

+1 .
I know thru the tech section as well as a little help from
a couple people, I have learned to change oii, filter, and
do my front brakes by myself.
The carb and valves kind of intimidate me, yet with hubby
it is something we can do without taking to a mechanic.
More money I can save in doing my own repairs and such,
more money I can use to buy accessories or new gear..:) kim

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/25/11 at 02:23:53

Doin valves requires a cool engine, so, it usually has to spend the nite at the shop. Wadda hassle,, Doin them at home saves money & hassle.

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Gyrobob on 06/25/11 at 05:50:48

382721263B3C0D3D0D35272B60520 wrote:

Well, If you ever want a change of pace, Ill hook you up with my moms number.. when shes done with you, you can call your mom & youll think shes just pourin Love on ya..

You folks have not met my wife, apparently,....

Title: Re: I have a question -just out of curiosity
Post by Oldfeller on 06/25/11 at 06:15:21

Arrrgh! What nonsense be this?

Ye be a proper pirate now, all properly shanghaied on to the HMS Raptor, yer hammock and locker all assigned ta ye and yer mess time assigned ta ye as well.

Ya need not be bothering about them there landlubber mechanics no more -- we'll wiggle yer hubby's fingers as needed to keep yer scooter scootin'.

;D

==========================

You do realize that all of your list oldtimers (save me) are up on the Dragon trying to kill them silly selves yet again?

Ye need to drop them a prayer fer safety as ye go along through yer week.

They needs it -- I done seen whut they gets up to up there all common like and normal -- and it would shiver yer timbers to watch them go about a doing it ....