When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Thanks to the generosity of a fellow shovelhead FXR owner, I have four Keihin carbs for my 82 FXR restoration. One came with my bike, but may not be original. One is the original for Brian's 82 FXR, but the choke was removed. One is a later model with VOES and one is an earlier model with a single throttle cable. I plan to rebuild Brian's original carb and steal the choke from one of the others. One has a brass inlet elbow, but I will leave it alone and get a new one for my bike. I am also thinking of using the earlier bowl and accel pump because the newer ones were not as effective. Any advice? Jetting suggestions?
Here are the four carbs:
Here are the numbers off the carbs, does anyone know what they decode to?
Also, what is your preferred way to clean them?
Last edited by Joe12RK; Jun 27, 2022 at 08:59 PM.
Reason: They are Keihins not Bendix!
On my Keihin, I might spray with carb cleaner... Gumout. I will Check my old '82 Jetting and the Numbers on the Stock Carb.. In awhile.
In the mean time, Make sure the "plug" is out of whatever Ka-sneeze yer gonna use... the one covering the low speed needle jet screw...Top Middle above the Throttle Plate...
I decided to take Brian's advice and use his carb and added the choke from my old one. His is in better shape than mine, and the other two are not correct in various ways. I also used his original bowl and pump that were on the newer carb because of the numbers stamped on it.
First step was to completely disassemble and clean. I found that acetone and a plastic brush gave the best results. The throttle and choke plate screws were staked so they don't vibrate out. Notice the extended accelerator pump nozzle, it makes sense to use that too. Same flow as original but better position.
I have an old Eastwood paint system that looks like cad plating. I am thinking of trying that on something and if successful, maybe using it on the throttle parts. I also ordered a brass fuel inlet fitting from CV Performance. Even though it's not correct, it may be considered a safety upgrade.
Here is a picture I snagged off the internet, it looks pretty good.
My old paint system is dead, so I will leave the carb brackets as they are.
I have one more question. Reading an old Easy Rider tech tip describing fitting an old style accel pump with check valve on a newer carb included closing off this hole, which bleeds some of the squirt back into the bowl. One of the bowls had this done, but Brian's bowl with the older pump doesn't. Before I close it off, any words of advice for or against?
Thank you, yes, that is what is on the carb. It is basically the old style pump that has a check ball in the fill part. You can hear it rattling (after cleaning it up well).
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Keihin Butterfly Carbs
