SuzukiSavage.com - slide needle lockplate screws stripped

brian00513

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slide needle lockplate screws stripped
08/08/14 at 19:02:52

Hi all,
So it seems the nice person who last did anything to my carb stripped out the little screws that hold the needle lockplate down in the diaphragm and left them like that. They also stripped out every last screw holding the cover and the float bowl in but that was not a big deal. I just used an extractor and replaced them with allen key screws.
I am in the middle of rejetting the carb and now i am stuck. I replaced the main jet and the pilot jet but now I am unable to adjust the spacer to where it should be.
Has anyone else run into this problem?
I switched out the air filter to a unipod and replaced the straight pipe they had installed with a screaming eagle muffler off of a dyna. So I got a jet set off of lancer and replaced the main with a 155 and the pilot with a 55. I was about to put in the 3 washers in place of the spacer when I ran into this issue.
Any suggestions?
Or does anyone know where to get an entire new diaphragm assembly without spending a fortune? My local parts store wants $153.
Thanks!

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LANCER

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Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped
Reply #1 - 08/09/14 at 05:59:14

I don't know exactly how bad your screws are damaged, but the easiest way to access those tiny screws is with this driver.
It is found at Harbor Freight for just a few bucks. In fact, it is on sale now.
The long slim phillips head bit on the right fits those tiny screws perfectly and reaches down inside the "well" of the slide to get to them.
The slide should be set on a SOLID base (I use a short piece of 6x6 timber sitting on concrete). I drilled a hole in the timber for the needle to fit into so there is no pressure on it when I strike the impact driver. This way the needle is not damaged; the slide is not damaged; and the impact driver's force can be fully directed on the screws safely.
If your screws are REALLY BAD, like almost smooth on top, try drilling a tiny partial hole in the top/center of each screw. This amounts to just a dimple actually. If you go much more you will drill the head right off the screw shaft. If you can dimple to screw head, you MAY be able to get enough traction with this driver to get them out.
I have on 1 or 2 occasions, had the head of the screws come off, which enabled getting the needle out, but then I had to get the screw shafts out of the slide. I soaked them with pub for a while and then with the best needle nose I have got a good hold on the tiny bit of exposed shaft and fortunately was able to remove them.

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brian00513

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Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped
Reply #2 - 08/09/14 at 07:22:42

Thanks! I'll run up to harbor freight and give that a shot. Whoever had this bike before me was real heavy handed with a screwdriver, they stripped out the screws for the drive pulley guard also, and one of the rear turn signals.

It looks like when they were in the carb they left the #52.5 pilot jet but changed the main to a #150. I'm wondering what the chances are they actually got the spacer right for what I am doing...

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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped Reply #3 - 08/09/14 at 09:49:58 start with a pin punch & drive metal back into position, then poke that HF impact thingy in it..
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Seaweednh Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 132 Newbury, MA Gender:	Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped Reply #4 - 08/09/14 at 12:43:08 What I've found working on outboard motors and other engines that have steel screws in alum is to tighten the screw first, this eliminates twisting the heads off.
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brian00513 YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 7 columbus, ohio Gender:	Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped Reply #5 - 08/10/14 at 18:01:12 Thanks! That tool worked perfectly. I'm surprised I've never used one of those before. Ended up building this base to use for extraction and for putting everything back together.
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1st2know

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Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped
Reply #6 - 08/10/14 at 22:47:15

brian00513 wrote on 08/10/14 at 18:01:12:

... Ended up building this base to use for extraction and for putting everything back together. Cheesy

A piece of scrap wood with a whole in it and four deck screws. Another SuzukiSavage.com "Special Tool" is born.

I am so making myself one of these "Brians-mikuni-slide-holder-so-I-can-get-at-those-darn-screws" tools. Thanks Brian!

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Kaw VN1700, V-Strom 650, Coal powered Chevy Spark.

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brian00513 YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 7 columbus, ohio Gender:	Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped Reply #7 - 08/13/14 at 13:26:33 Well that didn't go well. The bike was running great but the carb drain plug vibrated loose and started a fire while I was riding it. Went up in seconds, luckily I was able to jump off before I caught.
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Tocsik Serious Thumper Offline the singularity Posts: 1161 Denver, CO Gender:	Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped Reply #8 - 08/13/14 at 14:16:54 Oh, hell no! darn. So sorry to hear/see this but glad you're OK.
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brian00513 YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 7 columbus, ohio Gender:	Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped Reply #9 - 08/13/14 at 15:40:51 Yeah at least I didn't end up looking like ghost rider. Oh well, time to grab some beer and start taking off the salvagable parts...
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28635 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped Reply #10 - 08/13/14 at 17:20:53 brian00513 wrote on 08/13/14 at 13:26:33: Well that didn't go well. Understatement of the year... ... Bummer...
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killeraxemannic YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 24	Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped Reply #11 - 08/19/14 at 14:05:51 Sorry about the loss of your bike :'( What exactly happened? Are you taking about the little screw on the bottom of the carb that has the hose going down to the underside of the bike? I am getting ready to do the spacer mod and I really really don't want this to happen to me.
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brian00513

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Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped
Reply #12 - 08/22/14 at 09:52:58

Sorry, I was out of town. Just caught this. It was the carb drain screw on the bottom of the float bowl. The previous owner had cross threaded it and when I backed it out and then screwed it back in it leaked a bit. So I cleaned up the threads and thought I had it back in there tight until I could replace it. Couldn't find the right threading at my local hardware store so I was going to run down to the used motorcycle place and pick one up. Thought I would take it for a short ride to test out the new carb jets and muffler before I left. It was running great, but then the screw vibrated back loose and leaked fuel onto my hot exhaust, and all of a sudden the bike was on fire. Now it's a parts bike.
New bike coming as soon as I get the financing together. Looking at a 2006 Boulevard S40.

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Dave

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Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped
Reply #13 - 08/22/14 at 10:21:16

Well, if you are in the market - we are right in the beginning of a really good time to go look for a bike. The recent wet weather and 50 temps are getting folks into the mood to sell.

Look at the Cincinnati Craigs list....there are always lots of S40/LS 650 bikes. Sometimes the search Suzuki 650 brings up the bikes that aren't listed as an S40 or LS650.

Dave

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killeraxemannic

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Re: slide needle lockplate screws stripped
Reply #14 - 08/24/14 at 08:37:48

brian00513 wrote on 08/22/14 at 09:52:58:

Sorry, I was out of town. Just caught this. It was the carb drain screw on the bottom of the float bowl. The previous owner had cross threaded it and when I backed it out and then screwed it back in it leaked a bit. So I cleaned up the threads and thought I had it back in there tight until I could replace it. Couldn't find the right threading at my local hardware store so I was going to run down to the used motorcycle place and pick one up. Thought I would take it for a short ride to test out the new carb jets and muffler before I left. It was running great, but then the screw vibrated back loose and leaked fuel onto my hot exhaust, and all of a sudden the bike was on fire. Now it's a parts bike.
New bike coming as soon as I get the financing together. Looking at a 2006 Boulevard S40.

I could see pretty easily how this could happen sadly. I did the spacer mod, jets, and dyna muffler on my bike the other day and I almost forgot to put that drain hose back in its little clip. It was hanging out right next to the exhaust pipe when I let it go after draining.

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