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So I was synchronizing my carburetors on my boxer and for a final tweak took a 16 ounce water bottle with enough water drank down to cause the miniscus of the water to be at the broadest part of the bottle. I then put the bottle with its concave bottom on top of my convex gas cap. Perfect fit!! I observed the currents in the water to do final adjustments on the carburetors. Very simple, and I found it easy to "see" what I really couldn't feel. Anyone else ever use this method?

Rebel wrote:So I was synchronizing my carburetors on my boxer and for a final tweak took a 16 ounce water bottle with enough water drank down to cause the miniscus of the water to be at the broadest part of the bottle. I then put the bottle with its concave bottom on top of my convex gas cap. Perfect fit!! I observed the currents in the water to do final adjustments on the carburetors. Very simple, and I found it easy to "see" what I really couldn't feel. Anyone else ever use this method?

I'm a bit confused, Rebel. I gather you were NOT doing a differential test of vacuum, monitoring both carbs at the same time, one compared to the other. What I gather was that you had two tubes going through the bottle cap. One tube, exposed to the atmosphere, had it's other end immersed in the water. The other tube had one end connected to the vacuum outlet on the carb and it's other end terminating just below the bottle cap but above the water level. Thus you were able to judge the quantity and size of the bubbles and make comparisons with what you had seen on the other carb.

Am I on the right track? It sounds like a neat idea. If so, using two such bottles at once would give you a direct visual comparison.

Ken

I think he is using the water as an indicator of vibration. If he adjusts the carbs so is it visually smooth the carb must be in adjustment for it's smoothest flow. Pretty simple and I think effective.
Some tuners would place a nickel on edge on the hood of a running car and not fall over to show how smooth it would idle. Maybe that is mechanics legend, but idea is the same.

I DID use my mercury manometers for adjustment, but they DO fluctuate. I then used the bottle sitting on the gas tank to VISUALLY check for vibration currents in the water miniscus. I then "fine tuned" to this level.

Yeah, I got that you were simply using the water as a tool to make the vibrations visual.

No, I've never done this nor heard of anyone doing this, but it's a really interesting idea. Let us know if you think it has really given you better results than your past methods.

I've heard people say they put their hand on the tank as a monitor for vibration. Now, if you can keep a quarter standing on edge and tune the carbs, those would be a smooth running engine!!

Kurt in S.A.

April Fools

I've seen that done on a youtube video from Japan, I don't think it was April 1st.

SteveD wrote:Jeff puts a glass of beer on the seat!

It works OK but the level does fluctuate rapidly.
Actually, it was a stubbie on a piston.