10 replies to this topic

[TYREDNGRUMPEE]

I saw a DIY project for an electronic carburetor balancer on this thread here and decided to give it a go myself with some mixed results.

 

 

Video here

 

The original project centered about a Yamaha Venture Royale (with cheese). I've experimented with bar graph displays and a low pass filter to smooth out the readings.

 

It seemed to work, when it did, but I've managed to damage two sensors on cyl one, twice now.

 

I think it may be down to a shock the 1 bar sensors experience everytime the engine first starts, due to the 270 firing order and the 425ccs of each cylinder.

 

The sensor on cylinder one has failed each time. The high peak reading on C1 is the sensor having been overstressed and about to fail.

 

I think the solution would be to put a restrictor inline with each hose. That or buy 2bar sensors. Ouch.

 

In the end I opted to use a pair of tall/narrow olive oil bottles. I got the transmission fluid level to stay stable for over 4 mins so I reckon you can't argue with that. Much cheaper too!

Edited by TYREDNGRUMPEE, 15 July 2014 - 08:04 am.

[celticbiker]

How about putting some inline taps in the system, starting the bike with them closed, then opening them slowly to avoid shocking the sensors?

[leehenty]

simple is always best and probably cheaper.

[TYREDNGRUMPEE]

simple is always best and probably cheaper.

 

Agree.

 

I've always said that you can't beat a looped hose, vacuum and gravity. Definitely cheaper and dead on accurate.

So this is why I have made another two variants of the bottle and transmission fluid variety. They are best for TDM mode IMO as they can be left as the engine idles away for minutes on end and show how good the setup is across a range of operating temps.

 

But I had to do this.

I've learnt how an Arduino works, that I can still code, what a low pass filter is and the full range of compromises that have to be made to get some sort of real world result.

 

Taps next and then a Raspberry Pi. If I can think of how I can utilize one of these in the bike dash I'll give it a go. Maybe a countdown timer till big end failure?

 

As if to emphasize your point, taps/regulators aren't needed in the homemade variety of fluid based carb balancer, so therefore even more expense spared.

 

I can balance a TDM in 10-20 minutes now without removing the fuel tank and usually after only five attempts. It involves a lot of bending over and squinting, but I've a screwdriver that reaches and know to remember to retrieve the torch before I bolt everything down again.

 

So it has been worth it

 

Edited by TYREDNGRUMPEE, 15 July 2014 - 12:47 pm.

[RolfieB]

Shame the sensors keep going down mate. Are you giving up on it, or doing some more mods to the system.

[TYREDNGRUMPEE]

Shame the sensors keep going down mate. Are you giving up on it, or doing some more mods to the system.

 

I'll keep going. One of the sensors has come back to life, presumably the ambient air pressure has straightened it out. Need those inline tap/regulators though.

Just like yours, they also need to be screwed down to the max. GPz good?

 

I'll be paying attention to ensuring the device gets a regular power supply through a 9 volt battery and looking into better filtering modes.

Then there's options for 3 cyls, 4 cyls and making it all self contained once I'm confident that it can be trusted.

Edited by TYREDNGRUMPEE, 15 July 2014 - 04:37 pm.

[sidestand]

Best one I've seen is an American one called a Harmonizer Balancer - a bloke set my airhead carbs up in about 3 minutes with one when we over in Belgium last year. 

The supply is very temperamental though.

 

They recon the equivalent is this 

 

http://www.accumate.co.uk/carbmate.htm

[Quartermaster]

What's a "carb"?

[sidestand]

What's a "carb"?

Them's the things that pour petrol into your enjin without all that nasty snatchiness 

 

You find them on all the good bikes - TDM 850's, Fazer FZS1000's, BMW Airheads 

[Quartermaster]

Them's the things that pour petrol into your enjin without all that nasty snatchiness 

 

You find them on all the good bikes - TDM 850's, Fazer FZS1000's, BMW Airheads 

No, sorry you've lost me there. 900s rule!

[Studley Ramrod]

Apart from the low speed stutter.