I have a 2005 S40 with 3500kms on it. At the next service I plan to get all the mods done to make it backfire less and have more power. I am mechanicaly clueless and can afford to get the bike shop to do the work. So what I need is a list of what I want done to give them.
Based on what I have read here this is the list:

1 New exhaust (will get one made up by a local outfit who do this - Wellington NZ)
2 White space mod, file down to half
3 Carb rejet 152.5
4 Slow mixture screw out 1.5-2 turns
5 K & N Filter

I see some people talk about pilot cap drilling - what does that mean and do I need it?

So what do I tell the bike shop (I have already run the fact that I plan to do mods past them - no problems there) so I don't sound like a complete blonde and get the result I am after.
I know this subject has been discussed to death, but there seem to be some conflicts about what is best, and a lot of the technical talk goes over my head....
Thanks in advance  

i bought a k&n rc-1250 and it fits directly onto the carb where the snorkel was, greg has the same i beleive..  you can buy it at http://shop.knfilters.com/KNShop/Product.aspx?pid=RC-1250

The drop-in is the way to go if someone else is doing the work. Performance International has the Savage drop-in for $35.75 delivered.

I'd only take the spacer to about 2/3 instead of 1/2.  The idle mixture has a brass cap covering it in most cases (at least in the USA).  This cap has a small pinhole in it and sometimes a dab of white paint on it.  You drill it very lightly (to avoid drilling through into the soft brass screw inside) and then twist a sheetmetal screw into the enlarged hole in the cap, grab it with pliers and pull it out.

I didnt bother drilling the idle mix plug hole any larger, I just screwed a sheetmetel screw right in there, it made its own hole a little larger, worked great, and my adjustment screw was completely unharmed entirely, I dont see a point in drilling unless you dont have a hole there already

Hey - Always nice to meet others in the same town with the same bike! What year and colour is your baby?

All happenning this Friday! I am getting the 5k service at the same time. At Wellington Motorcycles where I bought the bike from.
Ended up buying a Jardine exhaust online, along with K&N filter - from www.onlineparts.com. Ill post an update and let you all know how it went.

GOOD NEWS - BAD NEWS
Had the work done, Jardine pipe, K&N Filter, spacer filed 1/2, 152.5 main jet, idle speed, mixture screw.
I have lots more power, really feels like having another gear.  BUT the exhaust is way too loud for me. I had no idea it would be that loud. And although no more backfiring on switching off, nor does it sound like a rifle shot, it is MORE noticeable changing down round town. And a really noticeable going downhill. The mechanics said they did what they could to reduce it but without putting it on the dyno it was hard to get rid of completely on a single banger !!

HELP NEEDED
Questions.
1 Can I just put stock exhaust back on and the leave the rest as is?  Is changing one thing at a time is a good start?
2    The backfiring I am getting now is quite a "popping" Could that be related to the pipe, or is it something that should not be happening and needs attention? Because of the loud pipe it is more noticeable.
3     My boyfriend had offered to help put old pipe back on. Is it a realitively straight forward job, will we need some sort of sealant or will it bolt straight on?


I'd really like to keep the extra power but get rid of the noise and backfire. I realise by decreasing air flow that I will lose some power but I don't want to have to go back to everything stock if I can avoid it.

Many thanks.

you can go to a longer straight through muffler, to reduce noise. harley has longer mufflers on the hard side bag models: street glide, road glide, etc. i dont know what is available downunder