Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: michtag on August 11, 2020, 12:41:45 PM
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Hi guys,
I've been chasing gremlins (and possibly ghosts) on my 1977 CB550K3 ever since I got it 20 months ago. Done very little riding (almost none), lots of tinkering, got burnt by a mechanic that did some things right and some other he messed up completely, I cleaned the carbs several times, changed spark plugs and caps, air filter, manifold o-rings, new condensers.....basically everything I could think of that could cause my problems.
Aaaanyway, with 30 years of Vespa riding, I am a novice when it comes to Hondas. I have a great passion for mechanics and I believe I have done all I should have done so far (mostly a 3k tune-up) to a decent level, BUT, I have nobody to be able to check that for me, so I may be chasing my tail forever.
The bike starts fine, just a little choke, and idles ok, but as soon as it warms up (2 mins or less) the idle fluctuates, with no input from me, between 1000 and up to 3000 rpms. This is a great improvement to what it was as it used to shoot up to 5k and would hang in between gear shifts, which made it unridable.
The battery is fully charged....but then again, I am not riding this often at all and have recharged several times, so it may well be the battery itself giving me problems, but I need to eliminate other things before I think about replacing that.
The last 2 things I "believe" I need at this point are
-Timing set with strobe light (I have done the static, but assuming the advance mech. springs may be a bit weak only the strobe lamp will shed true light on this (sorry, this is a terrible "dad" joke....my kids would be ashamed)
- Carb sync: I have the necessary gauge tool and I have watched several videos on how to, however I have never done before and I don't have a proper space to do it (without annoying a few neighbours...)
My question to the audience:
Anyone in North London area (I am in N5) who could help me with these last 2 tasks? I have an old strobe light and the gauges set for the sync, but never really used them before and I would appreciate an expert and watchful eye from a more experienced member.
I tend not to trust my bike too much (it's probably all in my mind) and I am weary of getting stuck on the side of the road, but there are worst things in life and I will of course travel 10-20 miles to reach you.
I will also wear a facemask and keep social distancing, needless to say.
Anyone available around here?
Alternatively, anyone knows a good mechanic around here who would do it (and knows how to) without skinning me alive?
Cheers
Michele
[Edit]
Went for a short ride today (4 miles, city roads) and I have a feeling the bike is not as sharp as it should be, it feels it can't get all the power out (and I am just opening the throttle in 1st, 2nd or 3rd) a bit like when you have something stuck in your throat and your voice's not clear.
So, re-checking points gaps and timing (will try using my strobe light) will be my priority this week.
Any other suggestions are welcome, as I said, I have no real term of reference in my experience....
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If you've not anything sorted in a while I'll go over it with you, but on holiday for a couple of weeks unless we get covidded? out of our family camping trip to Cornwall :D
Can work with your kit to familiarize and build your knowledge.
Back about 29th August, let us know after if you still want help.
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Thank you so much K2-K6!!!!
I'll see what I manage to do (or re-do) in the next couple of weeks and then get back to you on this. It would be great to have an expert check what I am doing :)
Cheers
Michele
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"[Edit]
Went for a short ride today (4 miles, city roads) and I have a feeling the bike is not as sharp as it should be, it feels it can't get all the power out (and I am just opening the throttle in 1st, 2nd or 3rd) a bit like when you have something stuck in your throat and your voice's not clear.
So, re-checking points gaps and timing (will try using my strobe light) will be my priority this week.
Any other suggestions are welcome, as I said, I have no real term of reference in my experience...."
To help in the interim, it's sounds possible from your above observations that you may have a cylinder not firing. The points each run two cylinders so if either is a problem you get both from that supply stopping and it's even hard to pull away, so doubt if it's that.
More likely it could be just one. If you start it from cold and run for about 20 seconds, switch off and then feel each of the exhaust pipes youll tell if you've a cold one ( that will feel more like the "something stuck in your throat" you describe) if that's the case then ordinarily you're looking at a fault of the HT part of the system from coil through plug cap to plug itself as initial suspect.
Anyway, post how you get on and shout if you wish to have help.
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Are you positive you don’t have an air leak between carbs and head. That would also cause similar problems. Try spraying carb cleaner around the joints when running. I had exactly the same tickover issues with revs suddenly rising and fixed it with new inlet rubbers. I also used jubilee clips (thin stainless ones) as opposed to the old Honda clips as even the replacement ones I got (not aftermarket ) from DSS were no sealing well.
From the sound of it this is more likely the problem
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To help in the interim, it's sounds possible from your above observations that you may have a cylinder not firing. The points each run two cylinders so if either is a problem you get both from that supply stopping and it's even hard to pull away, so doubt if it's that.
More likely it could be just one. If you start it from cold and run for about 20 seconds, switch off and then feel each of the exhaust pipes youll tell if you've a cold one ( that will feel more like the "something stuck in your throat" you describe) if that's the case then ordinarily you're looking at a fault of the HT part of the system from coil through plug cap to plug itself as initial suspect.
Anyway, post how you get on and shout if you wish to have help.
Thanks K2-K6, all 4 are firing, I check by default every time I run the bike for 20 secs or so as I did have that problem in the past (but it was carb related).
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Are you positive you don’t have an air leak between carbs and head. That would also cause similar problems. Try spraying carb cleaner around the joints when running. I had exactly the same tickover issues with revs suddenly rising and fixed it with new inlet rubbers. I also used jubilee clips (thin stainless ones) as opposed to the old Honda clips as even the replacement ones I got (not aftermarket ) from DSS were no sealing well.
From the sound of it this is more likely the problem
Thanks Paul, I have not really tried spraying carb cleaner because I have new inlet rubbers and new O-rings on the inlet manifolds, so I believe I have taken care of that possibility. I still use the old clips though, so I may as well give it a try. FYI, I will soon post a video of how erratically it idles today, just to give as much info as I can.
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Update of the day:
Just before thunderstorms hit (although it's still well sunny here) I decided to have a check at the timing.
-Points gaps were at 0.3mm and 0.35mm, so I made them both 0.3mm now.
-Static timing is spot-on for 1-4 and 2-3
I have tried using my strobe but the idling seems too unstable that I am not sure about anything, so I have not tried to adjust anything. I will try again just to see if I notice it being too far advanced at higher revs, but from first examination it does not look that way. It may be that it advances too soon though. I have tried in the past to use different spring combos in the advance mechanism but never really solved anything, so I reverted to the original setup (I was probably jumping the gun anyway).
Here's a video I shot today, just to give you an idea of what it sounds like when idling. Note that unless you see my hand on the throttle or idle screw, she's doing everything else by herself!
https://youtu.be/ESx_E8mv2vM
Carbs are standard PD46A with. standard jetting, This may not be ideal for the Delkevic 4 into 1 the PO put in, but it should not give problems when idling
As suggested above, I will try spraying carb cleaner on and around the inlet manifolds to check for air leaks there, but I have new manifods and o-rings so I doubt it will be that.
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What spark plugs are you using?
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What spark plugs are you using?
Just plain NGK DR7ES they are fairly new, maybe have 30 miles on them. I cleaned them from carbon deposit because the mechanic I trusted to solve my troubles actually made it incredibly rich (4th groove on et needle!!) and as a consequence exhaust and plugs just got covered in black soot. BTW, I moved the needles back to the 2nd groove...
Not sure I have a new set of plugs to try if any difference now, would that be worth it?
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What spark plugs are you using?
Just plain NGK DR7ES they are fairly new, maybe have 30 miles on them. I cleaned them from carbon deposit because the mechanic I trusted to solve my troubles actually made it incredibly rich (4th groove on et needle!!) and as a consequence exhaust and plugs just got covered in black soot. BTW, I moved the needles back to the 2nd groove...
Not sure I have a new set of plugs to try if any difference now, would that be worth it?
Remove the resisted plugs and fit non resisted (D7ES or D7EA) . You only need resisted plugs fitted if you have non resisted plug caps fitted. Too much resistance weakens the spark. I don't think it will solve your problems but having both plugs and caps fitted with resistors won't help.
The DR7ES were the standard fit with the metal, non resistor caps, which were changed at PDI usually (well, thrown in the bin as I understand it).
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Remove the resisted plugs and fit non resisted (D7ES or D7EA) . You only need resisted plugs fitted if you have non resisted plug caps fitted. Too much resistance weakens the spark. I don't think it will solve your problems but having both plugs and caps fitted with resistors won't help.
The DR7ES were the standard fit with the metal, non resistor caps, which were changed at PDI usually (well, thrown in the bin as I understand it).
A-ha! that is useful info indeed, I had not realised. Well it may not solve this problem, but it can't hurt and it is more correct. In fact from older pics I can see my bike came with D7EA, so I must have bought DR7ES just reading old specs around.
Thank you Nurse Julie!!
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I have the original metal plug caps one of my 500s. They all measure 5-6k ohms. I've used resistor and non-resistor plugs and never had an issue. Original plug caps on my US 500K0 are 7.5k.
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I have the original metal plug caps one of my 500s. They all measure 5-6k ohms. I've used resistor and non-resistor plugs and never had an issue. Original plug caps on my US 500K0 are 7.5k.
I don't see it as a fault either. The general internet view is significantly skewed I feel with it usually resulting in a dead end argument of never the two should meet :D
Granted you get a different effect, particularly it appears to lengthen spark, which is useful IF you can make advantage of the characteristic.
The theory that it generates less spark appears to be derived within magneto systems, but used in error for coil based system.
It'll be interesting to see if there's any improvements by changing the plugs, but think there's potential circumstances under which that would indicate another error.
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Michele, a long shot, but is the petcock gauze clear. I had erratic fuel flow and cleaned it in vinegar and very gentle brush with an old toothbrush. Then a column of water from a tap would pass freely through it uninterrupted.
I find even when all clean, fuel often only manages to flow through one pipe at a time, so eg from empty, carbs 1&2 and 3&4 don’t both get full flow at the same time, and maybe a slight restriction could cause flow to fluctuate.
As I say very much a long shot, but quick and easy to check, and always good to know it’s ok.
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It'll be interesting to see if there's any improvements by changing the plugs, but think there's potential circumstances under which that would indicate another error.
Well, there's only one way to find out 😁
Still, it would make sense to have the "correct" resistance all along the line. Some time ago I checked all my coils and leads and changed the caps as a consequence as they seemed to offer too much resistance (and they gave 4 different readings). Did I notice a change? Not really, but I think the problems I have been having are a sum of little "off" things, so I am trying to chip at them all, one by one. It's a process of elimination.
Once I get the timing sorted with a strobe light and the carbs synced I'll see if the idling gets consistent. If not, I'll keep poking around...
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Michele, a long shot, but is the petcock gauze clear. I had erratic fuel flow and cleaned it in vinegar and very gentle brush with an old toothbrush. Then a column of water from a tap would pass freely through it uninterrupted.
I find even when all clean, fuel often only manages to flow through one pipe at a time, so eg from empty, carbs 1&2 and 3&4 don’t both get full flow at the same time, and maybe a slight restriction could cause flow to fluctuate.
As I say very much a long shot, but quick and easy to check, and always good to know it’s ok.
Hi Jeremy, that has been one of the many things I have tried in the past. I have a new petcock filter (the one inside the tank), but I must admit I have not opened the petcock as it's not one of those that can be opened via a couple of screws. Petrol flow seems fine and constant though (I have observed while filling a bottle straight from the petcock) and I have a new fuel line, with no kinks and no inline filter.
I have therefore eliminated this as a possible source of my problems.
Cheers
Michele
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Ah ok, different to the 500/4 too.
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Update of the day:
Just before thunderstorms hit (although it's still well sunny here) I decided to have a check at the timing.
-Points gaps were at 0.3mm and 0.35mm, so I made them both 0.3mm now.
-Static timing is spot-on for 1-4 and 2-3
I have tried using my strobe but the idling seems too unstable that I am not sure about anything, so I have not tried to adjust anything. I will try again just to see if I notice it being too far advanced at higher revs, but from first examination it does not look that way. It may be that it advances too soon though. I have tried in the past to use different spring combos in the advance mechanism but never really solved anything, so I reverted to the original setup (I was probably jumping the gun anyway).
Here's a video I shot today, just to give you an idea of what it sounds like when idling. Note that unless you see my hand on the throttle or idle screw, she's doing everything else by herself!
https://youtu.be/ESx_E8mv2vM
Carbs are standard PD46A with. standard jetting, This may not be ideal for the Delkevic 4 into 1 the PO put in, but it should not give problems when idling
As suggested above, I will try spraying carb cleaner on and around the inlet manifolds to check for air leaks there, but I have new manifods and o-rings so I doubt it will be that.
This def sounds like a fuelling issue not an electrical issue. As I said check for air leaks very carefully
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PD46, just about guarantee the pilot jets or pathways are blocked
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PD46, just about guarantee the pilot jets or pathways are blocked
Yes, I've known about the pitfalls of PD46s for a while now....but these have been gone through/into/over so many times that I feel confident they should be fine. Of course I could be wrong so if I find myself at a dead-end I will start from the carbs over again.
I will triple-check for air-leaks as soon as I have the chance :)
cheers guys, much appreciated!
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Small update:
Bike runs fine from cold, for about 2-3 minutes. Then, once warmed up, the erratic idle starts showing. I have (abundantly) sprayed carb cleaner on intake manifolds with no change at all, so for now I tend to exclude an air leak as I could not find any evidence of it (and both rubber intakes and manifold o-rings are new).
I keep on thinking it could be something in the timing (or rather advance mechanism springs, maybe kicking in too soon) and/or unbalanced carbs (only bench synced visually, with a drill bit).
Maybe I'll start playing with the spring combination again, after all I am keeping the original ones as they are and just adding different ones, so anything I do can be undone quite easily.
Cheers
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Small update:
Bike runs fine from cold, for about 2-3 minutes. Then, once warmed up, the erratic idle starts showing. I have (abundantly) sprayed carb cleaner on intake manifolds with no change at all, so for now I tend to exclude an air leak as I could not find any evidence of it (and both rubber intakes and manifold o-rings are new).
I keep on thinking it could be something in the timing (or rather advance mechanism springs, maybe kicking in too soon) and/or unbalanced carbs (only bench synced visually, with a drill bit).
Maybe I'll start playing with the spring combination again, after all I am keeping the original ones as they are and just adding different ones, so anything I do can be undone quite easily.
Cheers
This was exactly the same as mine, I sprayed carb cleaner all over and didn’t show a leak but there must have been one there. I replaced the clips with thin stainless jubilee clips. Word of warning is not to over tighten the clips or there is a danger of the clips splitting the rubber.
I am convinced you have an air leak. One thing you can try is when bike is running get hold of the carbs and pull/push them up and down. Give em a really good waggle around
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This was exactly the same as mine, I sprayed carb cleaner all over and didn’t show a leak but there must have been one there. I replaced the clips with thin stainless jubilee clips. Word of warning is not to over tighten the clips or there is a danger of the clips splitting the rubber.
I am convinced you have an air leak. One thing you can try is when bike is running get hold of the carbs and pull/push them up and down. Give em a really good waggle around
OK, that is good info, thank you Paul, I will definitely give it a try. One more question, what do your Jubilee clips look like?
cheers
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I have tried to wiggle (vigorously) the carbs when the engine was warm and indeed it did rev up when I pulled the left side up and rev down if I pulled it back down....4-5 times, so there seemed to be a connection there. Other than that it kept on being erratic by itself.
I will definitely have a look at the rubber manifolds and get some new jubilee clips: could I have put them on backwards (front to back)? They seem to be fitting snugly and properly, but hey, I am a novice what do i know? More stuff to re-check....again :-\
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This was exactly the same as mine, I sprayed carb cleaner all over and didn’t show a leak but there must have been one there. I replaced the clips with thin stainless jubilee clips. Word of warning is not to over tighten the clips or there is a danger of the clips splitting the rubber.
I am convinced you have an air leak. One thing you can try is when bike is running get hold of the carbs and pull/push them up and down. Give em a really good waggle around
OK, that is good info, thank you Paul, I will definitely give it a try. One more question, what do your Jubilee clips look like?
cheers
You need 8mm narrow band stainless ones. I got mine from Inox Fasteners in Southampton
http://www.inoxbolt.co.uk/zen/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=475_498 (http://www.inoxbolt.co.uk/zen/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=475_498)
http://
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You need 8mm narrow band stainless ones. I got mine from Inox Fasteners in Southampton
http://www.inoxbolt.co.uk/zen/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=475_498 (http://www.inoxbolt.co.uk/zen/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=475_498)
Thank you Paul, I have ordered mine! Keeping my fingers crossed it will be as simple as that.
Cheers
Michele
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You need 8mm narrow band stainless ones. I got mine from Inox Fasteners in Southampton
http://www.inoxbolt.co.uk/zen/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=475_498 (http://www.inoxbolt.co.uk/zen/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=475_498)
Thank you Paul, I have ordered mine! Keeping my fingers crossed it will be as simple as that.
Cheers
Michele
REMEMBER DONT OVERTIGHTEN THEM IN CASE YOU SPLIT THE RUBBERS
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REMEMBER DONT OVERTIGHTEN THEM IN CASE YOU SPLIT THE RUBBERS
I'll be VERY careful :)
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Update:
So I have changed the boot clamps to very nice Jubilee clamps and tightened them carefully. They surely hold the rubber manifolds firmer, but I still have the same erratic behaviour, no noticeable change at all. As soon as the engine is warming up (1 or 2 minutes max) idle starts jumping a bit and then spikes to 3k...then down under 1k for no apparent reason. Throttle is responsive and there is no real hang if I blip it.
At this point I feel pretty confident it is not an air leak, so I will be tinkering with the advance mechanism springs, as an old post by Hondaman suggested weak springs (a common occurrence) could cause a similar behaviour.
At this point I would also be curious to swap my (original) coils with good working ones just to rule out they have anything to do with it, but I don't really want to buy new ones right now without the certainty I actually need them...
BTW I have tested mine with a voltmeter and they seem fine, but I wonder if they may start "acting up" once warm?
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Update:
So I have changed the boot clamps to very nice Jubilee clamps and tightened them carefully. They surely hold the rubber manifolds firmer, but I still have the same erratic behaviour, no noticeable change at all. As soon as the engine is warming up (1 or 2 minutes max) idle starts jumping a bit and then spikes to 3k...then down under 1k for no apparent reason. Throttle is responsive and there is no real hang if I blip it.
At this point I feel pretty confident it is not an air leak, so I will be tinkering with the advance mechanism springs, as an old post by Hondaman suggested weak springs (a common occurrence) could cause a similar behaviour.
At this point I would also be curious to swap my (original) coils with good working ones just to rule out they have anything to do with it, but I don't really want to buy new ones right now without the certainty I actually need them...
BTW I have tested mine with a voltmeter and they seem fine, but I wonder if they may start "acting up" once warm?
Having eliminated air leaks then it may we’ll be an issue with the advance mechanism, have you thought of hooking up a strobe timing light I think that would show if the timing was jumping around
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Having eliminated air leaks then it may we’ll be an issue with the advance mechanism, have you thought of hooking up a strobe timing light I think that would show if the timing was jumping around
I have thought about it but if the idle revs erratically would that not show the advance mech moving anyway, whatever the reason for the jumping up and down?
One more thing: could the tappet covers o-rings not sealing perfectly cause this? I am asking because I have noticed a little bit of oil just around the rim on 5-6 of them. It's really little, I have to swipe my finger to actually see that there is oil there. Of course, there should not be oil, so I will eventually change them, but i wonder if it could suck in "unmetered air" and if it would end up in the combustion chamber.
Cheers
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Nope.
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Nope.
Thanks for confirming; I thought it would be highly unlikely (I guess I would also be burning all of my oil if there was a straight passage to the cylinder) but it's always good to have expert confirmation.
Cheers
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As julie responded, through the tappet caps is not possible.
"but i wonder if it could suck in "unmetered air" and if it would end up in the combustion chamber." But via worn, damaged, broken piston rings, then potentially yes.
The crankcase is vented on most engines via a breather pipe , and usually on these ( I think) into the airbox or out behind the engine. This is supposed to vent OUT with any oil fumes burnt through the intake to avoid smoke output to environment.
But if the rings are badly compromised it can also suck air in via this route. It would be interesting to investigate this route to see if this is sucking.
You could clamp the pipe to see if the idle speed improves, or place the end of the pipe into a glass of oil to see if it sucks up the oil while running.
Worth having a look at Julie's 400 rebuild thread to appreciate how bad the rings can be with the bike running quite well.
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Thank you K2-K6, just for the sake of elimination I will try that (the breather tube on my bike goes back to the bottom of the airbox) but I really hope it will make no difference!!
cheers
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One thing I would like to add.....
I know how frustrating it can be chasing problems like this, I spent weeks chasing around with an issue that I thought was down to air leaks (but wasn’t in the end). My bike had never idled very well and was always quite and to start despite having rebuilt the carbs and changed the carb brassware.
In the end I got so fed up I bought a set of refurbished carbs from Gerben. Ok they cost 300 but I got 95 back in part ex for my old ones.
Result bike starts first kick, idles like a dream.
Sometimes it just pays to have a professional service the carbs that uses good quality brassware was my take home
Mine is a 500 by the way with 069A carbs not a 550.
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One thing I would like to add.....
I know how frustrating it can be chasing problems like this, I spent weeks chasing around with an issue that I thought was down to air leaks (but wasn’t in the end). My bike had never idled very well and was always quite and to start despite having rebuilt the carbs and changed the carb brassware.
In the end I got so fed up I bought a set of refurbished carbs from Gerben. Ok they cost 300 but I got 95 back in part ex for my old ones.
Result bike starts first kick, idles like a dream.
Sometimes it just pays to have a professional service the carbs that uses good quality brassware was my take home
Mine is a 500 by the way with 069A carbs not a 550.
Hi Paul, yes, I have been tempted to go down that route myself, but if I spent that kind of money on my bike (again) I think my wife would show her disappointment by poisoning my coffee or reshaping my head with a blunt instrument.
So I will try to play with the advance springs and see if I can get it to stabilise somewhat enough to proceed with using a strobe light and then syncing properly.
Ideally I would like to try another set of PD carbs before committing to buy a refurbished set, so at least I can have a reasonable certainty that they are the problem.
Cheers
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Listening to that video, does that ultra short high chirping sound, every now and then, not indicate some electric shorting? Or is it just the keys vibrating on the handlebars? I suppose there's no harm in checking if there's any intermittent arcing going on between plugcaps (and/or HT leads) and the head. Best seen in the dark.
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Listening to that video, does that ultra short high chirping sound, every now and then, not indicate some electric shorting? Or is it just the keys vibrating on the handlebars? I suppose there's no harm in checking if there's any intermittent arcing going on between plugcaps (and/or HT leads) and the head. Best seen in the dark.
Hey Deltarider, thank you for your reply and apologies! I have noticed it only now, but I have put all this on the back burner since I was made redundant and completely stopped looking into it :/
Anyway, I had not noticed that chirping sound and it may just be the phone mic picking up or distorting something else (or maybe it's the keys) but I will try again in the dark to see if any sparks appear. having said that, I really doubt it as all plug caps are new....but who knows...coils and leads are still the original ones.
I have also managed to get new return springs for the advance mechanism, so I'll be able to test if those have any impact at all.
Failing all the above, I fear i will have to take the carbs down (again) and get them professionally cleaned to make sure everything is as clean and open as it should be.
many thanks
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Did you ever manage to get the carbs synced using a set of four gauges?
I have a set but I’m in Cobham, Surrey.
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Did you ever manage to get the carbs synced using a set of four gauges?
I have a set but I’m in Cobham, Surrey.
Nah... I haven't really even tried yet, but thank you for asking. I actually have my set of gauges, I just needed someone to guide me through the process as I am getting tired of trial and error, despite the tons of good videos available and good posts...
Anyway, with all that's been going on and especially after losing my job, this has gone on the back burner (in fact, the back of the back burner). Last week I tried to check for arcing in the HT leads or plug caps (although these are new), but the battery was dead, so I took it off and charged it.
Then it started raining and I have not been able to manage my time to make it coincide with a dry spell. Then another small DIY emergency had to take precedence, so at the moment I have a charged battery at home and a sleeping Honda under a tarp downstairs...
I need to "pull my finger out" and just take these last steps, but I must admit my motivation is not running very high at the moment...
Like everything, this will pass and I'll get there, but until then I'll just be a bit more grumpy than usual.... :/
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Sure it will pass, and been there more than once. Constantly damp roads don’t help either.
My idle was hanging until I adjusted the carbs.
Just some tips from my limited experience.
I’d do the carbs first.
I put the tank on the platform of an old step ladder and ran clear plastic hoses to the carb hoses.
My gauges came with little plastic damping screws which they may not all have, but help a lot.
Warm first and don’t use choke with the gauges as mine says it can damage them.
The Honda workshop manual seems to say balance at tickover 1050 rpm or something, which makes sense as that will be at low slide position and give the smoothest tickover. (Like the drill bit tip)
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Did you ever manage to get the carbs synced using a set of four gauges?
I have a set but I’m in Cobham, Surrey.
My late father used a listening tube to synchronise multiple carburetted engines, he used to great effect on twin SU's & Strombergs on my early cars. I've never tried it with 4 Carbs - sadly my hearing aids are not really up to the job! ;) ;)
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Amazing skill!