Service won't work on carbs without the origional air box...

Posted by timblin on Aug 21, 2012; 9:36pm
URL: http://vintage-and-classic-hondas.81.s1.nabble.com/Service-won-t-work-on-carbs-without-the-origional-air-box-tp4027675.html

I purchased a 1979 cb750k 10th Anniversary edition bike that has a little over 13,000 miles on it. The bike had been sitting in this guys garage for a couple years, and I think had hardly been started or ridden on. He had the master cylinder replaced, new fork seals put on, and the bikes condition was good cosmetically (no rust, original pipes etc.) The bike starts first try every time, with no issues what-so-ever.

But here's the problem. He had put pod air filters the bike and removed the stock airbox, he said he had the carbs worked on by a personal friend who (supposedly) rebuilt the carbs and put in larger jets (I don't know if this is true, and I also don't know if he stepped the size of the jets up properly). The bike idles and rides great until you input full throttle, where the bike bogs down and has a dramatic decrease of RPM / power. My limited knowledge of carburetors tells me that this is a main jet issue.

I have taken the bike to two different places to try and get the problem fixed. The first place, a local vintage bike mechanic (who has been literally, I'm not kidding, recommended by everyone in Tulsa, OK), told me he could / would not work on the carbs unless the bike had the stock air-box; and the second, was the Honda Power Sports dealership (who recommended the local mechanic when I came to them with the issue), and also said the same thing.

Is this true, that the carbs really can't / shouldn't be worked on without the airbox? I mean, what major differences are faced when working on carbs with and without the stock airbox? Would you not be turning the same screws, and replacing the same parts regardless?

Personally I like the pod filters, and the idea that I would get a slight increase of power, BUT if buying a stock airbox is what it takes to get the bike fixed I'll do that. If I had someone to teach me, or had a "good" carb to take apart and compare my work off of, I would attempt to fix the carbs myself. BUT being that this is my first bike, I'd like it done right especially since it's a special model. I've never worked on a carb before.


Thanks for any input!!