stuck jet extraction

i think my pilot jets are clogged, because my bike dies when i take
off the choke, and needs a little throttle to start.

i took off the carbs and soaked the jets in wd40 for a day or so. i
managed to get one out, but the other won't budge, and i really worry
about breaking it. any pointers? kroil? impact driver? i'm having
a hard timing finding a thin enough screwdriver that fits well...

what if i do break it? i tried extracting a broken one from an old
carb i have, but the reverse screw bit just chewed up the jet.

is there some good reason these things are made of brass instead of a
durable metal, or is it just a conspiracy to frustrate shadetree
mechanics?

thanks,

-- john

 

Gunsmiths use precision flat screwdrivers[1] in a finely graded array
of sizes. I have had occasion to break out my Chapman gunsmithing
screwdriver set to remove carb jets. You want a screwdriver blade
that fits *exactly* the width and thickness of the slot in the jet,
you won't need an impact driver. You might give the driver a tap
with a tack hammer to help jar the jet loose, but I'd be surprised
if that was necessary.

[1] The sides of the blade are ground exactly parallel, you do not
want a screwdriver that has any taper to the blade.

Scroll down to Kit No. 1000 on this page:

http://www.mytoolstore.com/chapman/chaguns.html

 

Now *that* is useful information.

Ooooh! Tool porn. Shiny, shiny!

I wonder if that's what I've got - I have a lovely little Chapman
ratchet set, very like that, in a canvas pouch. It was in the toolkit of
a bike I bought years ago, and I kept it.

Some slightly odd sizes of allen key and screwdriver in it. The mini
ratchet is a joy to use.

 

aluminum seems like it would be a decent middle ground

Mark, thanks for getting me on the screwdriver kick... I was about to
order that set you suggested, but the sizes didn't seem quite right.
So I grabbed a jet I'd already removed and ran down to Sears hardware.
I found a "precision" screwdriver w/ no taper that fit almost perfect
for 2.99. Grabbed it, ran home, stuck it in, prayed, and turned it as
hard as I could. The jet loosened, and after about 30 min of working
it back and forth, I got it out!

Got the jets soaking in carb cleaner to get them ungunked, and hope to
have the bike idling w/o choke tonight!!

Bummer you got beat to the brass. On the non-corroding ship kick...
If you're ever in southern jersey, head down to Cape May and you can
see a wrecked concrete ship. I don't think it'll be reclaimed by
water, salt, and oxidation anytime soon

 

Probably too thermally sensitive -- and maybe soft; who wants
jets changing size from temperature and/or the friction of fuel flow.

--

 

Is there some reason they could not be a hex head or a recessed allen?
Warren