Required to remove carbs to get to jets?

[NMShooter]

Am wanting to check jet size today on my 1988 85hp force. Heading out to the garage in a few minutes.

I attempted to remove the bowls out the port side of the motor without removing the carbs, and seems there is too much interference.

1) Is it recommended to remove the carbs to do this?

2) Any tricks for preserving the synchronization of the carbs if removal is required?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Required to remove carbs to get to jets?

You are just giving up too easily! LOL

Yes it is a little difficult to remove the carb bowls on the three cylinder engines without removing the carbs but it can be done. As I remember, the bottom one will give the most trouble. Remove the E-clips from the carb tie bar and remove the tie bar. Use a good 7/16 combination box/open wrench. Once you get the bowl screws out about a turn or two, you will or should be able to unscrew them by hand. Then, just tilt the bowl to pull it out. If you don't loosen the tie-bar screws, carb synching should remain ok. Jets are on the starboard side at the bottom of the carb casting. You can't miss them.

Re-Synchronizing the carbs if you remove them is no big deal. Follow instructions in the FAQs sticky and you should be done in about ten minutes. You will not need to synch the carbs and timing, only the carbs to the throttle cam and to each other.

 

[NMShooter]

Re: Required to remove carbs to get to jets?

Ahhh! So you don't remove the screw to get the bowl off... Just loosen it, then tip the bowl and screw out together. I can see how the bottom one might be a bear.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Required to remove carbs to get to jets?

Ahhh! So you don't remove the screw to get the bowl off... Just loosen it, then tip the bowl and screw out together. I can see how the bottom one might be a bear.

Re-read! Yes, bowl screws do need to come all the way out. Be careful: There is a gasket both inside and outside of the bowl. Both are needed to seal it and prevent leakage past the high speed jet.

 

[NMShooter]

Re: Required to remove carbs to get to jets?

Tried this again, and became pretty frustrated pretty quick. Was able to remove the bowl screw only by wiggling the bowl around to get the screw a small amount of clearance from the carb below. Trying to then remove the bowl was unsuccessful, and I was concerned about damaging the float. The clearance between carbs is pretty minimal. I suspect that for a novice mechanic such as myself, the safe way and much faster way is to remove the carbs. I can't imagine trying to get around to the bottom of the bottom carb.

Thank you for the help.