Balancing Throttle bodies; is it really that difficult?

[Taipan]

Hi All

When reading stuff on the internet about the R series, invariably there will be comments about badly adjusted TBs and loads of articles on how to get it right. I doubt you can find a site that doesn’t have loads about TB balancing!.

It also appears that lots of bikes come out of dealers all the worse for the dealer having balanced the TBs.

Ok, I cocked the balancing of my TBs up on my 1100 but that was due to a sticky carbtune. But dealers should have good equipment that used regularly and not left in a damp shed for 5 years like mine right?

I have just bought a Rockster which has just been serviced by a Dealer. It’s very vibey and not smooth at all. I assume they've cocked up the balancing as this is exactly what my 1100 ran like when I got it wrong.

I know they can be got right as there are articles on the net on how to get them spot on by people that have. My own 1100 ran lovely and smooth after Steptoe set it up. So why do so many dealers get this wrong?

What sort of equipment do dealers balance TBs with? If you balance your own and get it right, what sort of equipment do you use?

Many thanks.

 

[cookie]

piece of piss.

i use a morgan carbtune. i suspect a twinmax might be more accurate, but near enough is...well, you know

 

[Steve]

piece of piss.

Exactly. More likely that they didn't take much care doing the valve clearances, which IS a more fiddley job.

 

[Taipan]

Hmm, I wonder if it cocking the valve clearances up then?

What do BMW dealers use to balance the TBs, anyone know?

 

[cookie]

What do BMW dealers use to balance the TBs, anyone know?

wild guess....

 

[Taipan]

Made I larf that did!

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Carbtune adequate but takes a little longer than Twinmax.

Twinmax - 10 minutes max on warm engine.
Hook it on, adjust idle to 1100rpm using bypass screws.
Adjust part throttle balance at around 4,000 rpm by tighteningor slackeningrhs cable.

Before doing job, I recommend removing the brass air bypass screws and cleaning / greasing them.
Also, vacuum tit covers may be perished, worth having a new pair to hand.

Usual advice - check cables are seated properly in ferrules and that there is freeplay in cables at idle.

 

[Taipan]

I think I'll have to get a twinmax. Who's got the best deal on twinmaxes?

 

[ROJAZ]

There's not too many distributors ne'mind 'deals'. Calamander is your best bet.

 

[Wraithwrider]

Carbtune adequate but takes a little longer than Twinmax.

Why?



Peter

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

make your own twinmax.

clear 5mm bore plastic pipe - 1/2 fill with hydraulic oil.

cylinders balance the liquid levels - much much easier than anything else.

search on here for manometer

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Twinmax - no orientation issues, no stiction issues, built in zero and sensitivity adj.,
Bought mine from Calamander, very happy with it.
Carbtune is ok, oil manometer is ok, but Twinmax slures ko.

 

[MiGSel]

I agree.

You can buy a Twinmax online here for 75 euros.
If your French is half decent

And you can download a little manual I made (in English) at the bottom of this page.

Cheers,
Michel

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

I'm not even sure that BMW do balance the TB's at all after the inital bike set-up at the factory - IIRC it's not listed on the service schedule?

Agree with above about Twinmax - even I can manage that job without messing everything up!! Easy peasy.

 

[trotsky]

I agree.

You can buy a Twinmax online here for 75 euros.
If your French is half decent

I found that one when I discovered that Twinmax was fabrique en France but a quick look at current credit card exhange rates and the page whch details the "livraison hors France metropolotaine" on the Selectronic site suggests the total cost will be around £63 - £65 including delivery. If Calamander have them in stock (and I'll be ringing to find out after 09:00 when they open) then the cost is about the same from them unless you want it tomorrow...

Whereabouts in Essex are you Taipan? I'm down at the London end at the Waterworks roundabout on the North Circular and working near the bottom end of Islington - if you want you can borrow mine (note: this offer is conditional on me getting one when I place an order today, getting the valve clearances on my bike set and balancing my own throttle bodies - no guarantee can be given as too when this will get done... ) if you can wait a bit.


EDIT - Called Calamander - the Twinmax is in stock and £59.95 plus £6.00 delivery. I've ordered mine.

 

[Taipan]

Whereabouts in Essex are you Taipan? I'm down at the London end at the Waterworks roundabout on the North Circular and working near the bottom end of Islington - if you want you can borrow mine (note: this offer is conditional on me getting one when I place an order today, getting the valve clearances on my bike set and balancing my own throttle bodies - no guarantee can be given as too when this will get done... ) if you can wait a bit.


EDIT - Called Calamander - the Twinmax is in stock and £59.95 plus £6.00 delivery. I've ordered mine.

Hi,

Thanks for the offer, I appreciate it. But based on all the recommendations on here and this glowing product review, I went ahead and ordered one myself this morning.

As my bike runs rough at present I think I should get Steptoe to set it up properly and then at least I have a datum point to work from when I start doing it myself, IYSWIM?

Interesting point about BMW dont list balancing in their service schedules!

Thanks for all the replies.

Dave

 

[Taipan]

And you can download a little manual I made (in English) at the bottom of this page.

Cheers,
Michel

Hi Michel

I couldn't open teh english PDF ile on your site? teh Dutch version opens ok, but i cant read Dutch. Just thought I'd let you know.

Rgds

Dave.

 

[MasterDabber]

Hi Michel

I couldn't open teh english PDF ile on your site? teh Dutch version opens ok, but i cant read Dutch. Just thought I'd let you know.

Rgds

Dave.

It worked OK for me.

 

[simonm]

Interesting point about BMW dont list balancing in their service schedules!

Might not be in the schedule but I've seen it being done.
BMW techs use the Moditec - the balence scale is five or six fat LCD bars. I'm not an expert but the resolution doesn't look that great. I'm sure they get it in spec but I think the point of doing it yourself is that you can get it as close to perfect as you can\want - even if it takes all day.

 

[MiGSel]

I couldn't open teh english PDF ile on your site?

Yea it works fine here too Dave.

I suppose you need an Adobe Reader update.
You can get it for free here.

Cheers,
Michel