example, all ttic standard window type valves have a prefix 25 BP-591 A, ftillriw'ed by a

sut4ix nuniber l’rom 25 t o 11)5, in increments o)’ I I). A x;t Jve wit h the numher 25 BP-59
I A-45 wtiuld open whcn the manifoId vacumm drops to 4.5 in of Hg, A va lvc numbered
25 RP-59 I A- 1()5 w'ould tipcn ui a vacuum of 10.5 in Hg.
Holley' also make tu’o-stage power valves but these should not be used in carburettors
ti tted to pc rt’orni;i ncc vehicles,
To dctcrm itic what size power value vt› u need in the primary side t›f the carburettor,
s'ou will have tti carr) out a serics of tests wit h a vacuu in garide rind accuraiel y record
Ihe resells.
If the engine is fitted with a wild cam, you should note the manil’old vacuum at idle. If
the gauge reads 6 in Hgat idle then you will have to install a 45[4.6 in VI g )poe'er
v’alveso thtit the vats’e isn’t open atl ol’1hc time. The valvc should alw’ays open at a lower
vacuum pressurc than the vacuum at idle,
If the engine has an idle vacuum ot more than 10 in Hg, then the vacuum shou Id
be checked when the accelerator is f1ot›red, as during an overtaking manoeuvre. Note
the lowest vacuum reading and then fit a valve thnt opens at a vacuum I to I .5 in
higher. If the

TABI.E 3.25 Holley secondary metering plates - metering restrictions

Plate :No Main feed (in) Idle feed (in)
I’lale,No Ma in teed (inJ tdle feed (in)
" lb.tJ52
M1 0,076 f026
34 lb.052 0.029 22 0.076 0.028
3 t1.UPS D.02: 4? 0.076 0.t)29
4 0.059 0.02 l2 0.U7f› 0.OSI
32 0,059 6 0.07d 0.035
41a II.0f9 0.029 28 0.U7h t),040
5 0,063 0.035 18 ().078 0.029
18 0.tJG4 0.026 JJ 0.tJ79 U.03I
10 0.US4 U.02$ 24 0.079 0.011
ID t).0f›4 0.029 44 0.081 0, 029
3? 0.064 2l 0,(l8 I 0.U4£l
8 (J.l)h7 8.043 3l 0.081 0.052
21 fT,067 0026 29 0.081 (I.063
76 ().057 0.Ti28 46 ID.082 tl.031
9 0.0h7 0.029 25 0.086 0.043
3h I).Uf›7 5 9.089 0.037
6 ().t)7() 0,033 27 €1.059 0.040
19 0.070 0.026 2f› 0,0$9 t1.(i43
20 ().()7() 0.028 4 o.oss o.mo
4I 0.07(1 0.03 I 15 0.094 0.070
35 £i.07 I II.053 45 0.096 (I.f14U
39 0073 0.029 14 Hi.095 0.U70
?7 0.071 0.029 42 0.tl3 0.026
17 U.U73 U,03 5792 0,059 and 0.076 0,076
I 10- 1 0.063 and 0.073 11.l)70
0.040 5790 0.070 And 0.t173 0.fJ70
622t 0.07b anti 11.082 ti.l)40
6217 0.089 and 0,093 0.040
96 4452 U.ti94 and U.u99 0.070
 C'arhuraiion

vacuum is a minimum of’ 7 in Hg, use power valve number 55, which will open when the
vacu uin fa11s to 8.5 in log.
As a donEtc check to ensure ihat you haveselec ted thecorrect power valve, keep an
eye on the vacuu in game Ior a few davs when you are clim bing Iong hills a1 close to ful I
throttle. If’ the gauge regularly reads say 7 - 5 in Hg, thcn your b5 powcr val ve will provide
the needed enrichment in t his circ uinstance. H owe ver, il the vacuu in stays lairl y close
to 8 - 9 in Hi,
then you wil I have to replace the 55 valve wit h a 95 va I ve.
Anyone involved in dfag racing should check the v’acuum during the run, and
particularly as they apprt›ach the traps at the end. If the valve closes toward the end of
the run they could very easily hole a piston because ol’the resulting lean rni xture
condition. for examplc, if thc manifold vacu uin thruugh the traps is 4 in Hi then a 55 or65
va we should be fitted, but keep in mind that the valve must be closed at idle, as in the
first example.
Carburettors with power valves on the secondaries are normally Iitted with a va I ve
which opens at a manifold vacuum 2 in lower than the pi imarv valve. Therefore if the
primary valve is an d5, a 65 will be used in the secondary. There are cxceptions to this
general rule. HoI ley caIibrate a sma11 number of their carburettors with ihe same number
primary and seconda rv val ve or evcn wilh a prima ry valve of a lower number ihan thiit ‹›f
the secondary val x'e.
When it comes to tuning the accclcrator pump on thc Holley there are a number
of factors to consider.
Firstly, Holley ofl’er two different pumps. The standard pump is a 3 cc(or 30 cc
per 10 shots) unit. They also have available an optional 5 cc (50 cc per 10 shots) pump
which is fittest as standard on the seconda i ies o1 all their double pumper mecha nica I
secondary carburetto rs. The 5 cc pump should be used in a11 sem i and t ulI race applicat
inns.
Two other components, the pump cam and the discharge nozzle, actually regulate the
pump deliver v. The total lift of the cam controls the pump strokc and the profile of the
cam frects the phasing of the pump.
The puinp cam can be attached i n two positions. In the more usua I No. 2 posit ion
the pump provides a greater init ial delivery of fuel and less final volume; the No. I posit
ion gives a inoderate inilia I delivery and more final votu me.
The shape of the punip cam is of’litt Ie importance in drag racing providing that a cam
giving a sufficientl y long pump stroke is used. However, on the road or racing circuit the
shape of the cam has a greai effect on throttle responsi vcness. A sharp nose cam gives a
quick pump anion while a cam wit h a more gentle shape does not give such quick action.
Hot ie)' puinp cams are coIour coded. TABLE 3.26 indicatcs which cam supplics the inost
tireI (rich cam) and which cam supplies the least, in both the No. I and No. 2 positions.
In most instances the richest cam supplies about double the volume of fuel of the lcanest
cam . ’the accclerai or punip discharges through t he discharge nozztc (shoote r} which is
available in a number of sizes. The number stamped on the nozzlc indicates the bore
size in
thousa ndths of an inch, ie. a 2d nozzle has a 0,025 in discharge holc.
A small discharge nozZle lengthens the delivery durat inn and a large nozzle provides
a larger initial volume ot’ fuel. Therefore a car fitted with a large motor in relation to
its weight and a numcric8lly large ax Ie ratio will need a large discharge nozzle.
When it comes to tuning, find which nozzle gives the crispest ihrottle response and
then try the different cam.s to see ift he response can be innproved. Ifa better cam is found,
then go through the discharge nozzle.s a second lime to be sure that you have found the
com bination
Ihat will give the best performs rice. 97
 4 .Stroke Performance Tuning

There a i e a couplc of important points to keepan eye on when working with the
Holley accelerator pump. First Jy, the pump over -ride spring must never be adjusted
so thai it iscoil bound. The spring musi always he compressable to avoici damage to
the pump or pump diaphragm.
Also, be sure tocheck that there is noctearnance between the pumpactuating lever
and the pump cam. Just changing the idle speed can move the cam away from the lever
which wil I delay' the discharge ol’fuel trom the pump. When you re-adjust thc pump
Jeverad justing screw to make contact with the cam, be sure to check that at wide open
Ihrott te the diaphragm lever ca n travel an additional 0.Ill 5-0.020 in by inserting a
feeler gauge between the lever and the adjusting screw.
HolJeys with vacuum-operated secon‹Jary barrcls should not be changed over tti
mechanics I operation. Some people feel that this must impr‹a ve performance because all
of the racinp Hot leys have mechanical lv-opened secondary throttles, bi3t remember that
these are douhle pumper carburettors and the secondary pump is ahle to prevent a lean
condition when the seconda ries are blasted open.

TABLE 3.26 Holley accelerator pump cams

N‹› 2 Nu 1 position
pn5ltion wh i I e
bI»ck b) ue
w h ite red
rcJ orange
richer blue black
orange green
green
p in k

Other people like the ‘kick in the pants’ Feel that you usually grt wljcn you change from
vacuum cont rot to mecha nica1. What you are actual lv feeling is a flat spot fellowed by a
surye of power as the fuel supply catches up with the air flow into the motor.
To allow you to ‘tune in’ the secondary opening and the rate of opening. Holley
provicle a selection of diaphragm springs. A light spring witt allow the seconda ries to
open sooner and more quick lv then a heavy spring. A light car wiih a large powerful
motor will use a lighter spring than a heavier car with the same motor and rears xis i
rAarss.ii indicates the range of springs avai Jable. Most Holleys have a green, purple
or red spi ing fitted ai the factory.
The way io find which spring will give the best performance is to time your
acceleration from about 3000 - 3500 rpm to maximum engine speed. Obviously the
optimum springis the one that shows the quickest time. To rcduce the numbcr of variables
to a minimum, carry out the test in top pear and over the same stretch of road.
As rncntione‹4 earl ier, flJore is no ot her modification that ynu shnulJ Jo to mprove’
the secondary throttle operati‹in. Change the springs bv all means, but leave everythin#
else a lone,
A t times, vacuu in-operated sccondary thrott les can be slow o rst icky in operation, due
99 to the accuinulaiion of goin and carbon on the throttle shat t. Requ lanv, and hefore you
 TABLE 3.27 Holley vacuum secondary springs

x Bliick

x Plain (un p‹t intcJ)

str‹›n er Green

Pink
Red

x Yellow (short spring)

x Whitc

attempt any iuning, you musi hold the primary wide open and manually open the
secondaries. There should not be any stiffness encountered anfi the secondaries should
close sinnot h Iy, unassisted.
If, after you have manually opened and closed the secondaries several times,
resistance is still present, you can be reasonably certain that the binding is due to
incorrect or uneven lightening of the carburettor base nuts. This can be a problem when a
phenolic heat insulator is used between thc carburettor and the manifo Id. The insulator is
necessary to isolate engine heat from t he carburettor but take care to tighten each nut a
little at a timeso that the carb base tightens down evenly. without distortion. The use of
thick or multiple base gasket.s is to be avoided as 1hi.s can lead to base distortion and
shall binding.
The idle mctering system on Holleys is non—ad }ustable, except fo r the mixture scrcw.
There are pressed-in brass air bleeds in the air horn and fuel flow restrictors in the
metering blocks. The only way' around the problem is drilling the air bleeds (to lean the
mixt ure) or the id Ie feed restrict ion ( to ric hen the mixture), This is deft nite ly not a jo b
for t he average cnthusiast.
In the majority of’ road applicalions no changes to the idle system metering witl
be necessary, btit racing engines will requ ire some change. If you do not have the patience
or ski11 to attcinpt this very l’ine work, find someone who can do t he modificat ions, or
be prepared to spend a lot of money on ruined metering blocks.
flyon find lhat thc engine won’t idle, first ensure that there is not something else
wrong. Air leaks. loose scre ws, incorrect float or fuel lcve I etc. will a11 cause you some
probIein and distort the picture, After von have thoroughl y checked everv thing, and only
then. should you inodifv the carburettor in any way.
Keep an accurate and complete record of’ every move you make from this point.
Remove the carburettor from the manifold and with the throttle lever held against the
stop (lirst wind Ihc scrcw bac k to the factory selt ing) measure the throttle plate to th rott
ie bore cleara nce in both primary bores, using a feeler gauge.
Refit ihe carburettor and siari the engine. Note how many turns von have to give the
idIe speed screes to keep the engine running and then attempt to adjust the mixt ure
screws to innprove the idle ( Ii is innportant thal you first ligh t lJ seat both .screws and
then turn thein out an equa I amount). II turning both screws an eg ual amount does not
seem to improve the
idIe, record that fact. 99
 4 Strokr PerParmance Tuning

If you haven’t already checked the idle vacuum and fitted a power valve that wi11 stay
closed at idle do it now, and check the idle after ihe change.
Rent ove the carburettor if ihere is little or no innpro vemcnt and tum it upside down.
Then measure how much of the transfer slot is visible abovc the ihrottle plate. I t ther e
is inore than 0.040 in visible, drill a / , in hoIe in each t hrottle plate (printa ry side onIy J
about in idway between the t hrattle shal’t anil the edge oI Ihe thrott ie plate (D ri II the tits
lc run the same side ct’ the plate as the transtér slot).
Some Holleys mlready have th rott lc ptatc holes trom the factory so in th is instancc ii
will be necessary to enlarge the holes by the equivalent of a '/„ in hole in area. ie. if the
standard hole is '/ „ increase the hone size to 0.055 in (or ’/ in closest eg u ivalcnt. )
Before refitting the carbiircttor, adjust the idle speed screw to ohtain ihe factory set
clcara rice bet ween the ihrott ie plate and throiile bore (This is Ihe 1’irst incasurcme ni
thai yoti recorded).
Refit the carburetior and start ihe engine. If;tftcr adjust ing the in ixture the idle speed
is righ I, t hen t he holes are o1’ the correct size. If too slow, [:irp•cr hcims arc required or
i1 too fast solder over the holes and redrill them a smatter size.
When you are sure thai the throiile plate holes arc the correct size. check h‹›w
much change occurs to Ihe idle speed by turning the inixt ure screws out to richen the in
ixture (Ntote on srime H ollevs you turn the screw in to richen the inixture). I f’t he engine
speed drops and the engine ruus rough, then the id Ie feed restrict ion in the metering
block is the correct sizc.
However, if’ the mixture screws appear to have little or no control of’ the idle mi
tu re richness, the idle lécd restriction hole will have to be enlarged nut il Iurning t we na
ixt ure screws ca use the engine io run rough. T he id Ie feed restriction hote should be
cnlargcd on I) in steps of 0.002 in, using numbered wit e dry[ Is and a pin vice,
O rice the mixt ure screws have some cont rol ot’the idle inixt ure, very sIow l v turn
the id ie spced scre w to bring the engine speed up io about 3000 rpm, or he low ihe poiiat
whcre ihe main system comes into operat inn . Be certain io increase thc engine speed
verj sIow I y s‹› thiit fucl will not issue l’rom the accelerator pump and cover up the lean
mixturc for which we are look ing,
If the engine beat becomes splashy, or it seems to stumb Ie as the speed is increased,
kt lean Inixlu re condition is indicated. Try to cc rrect the lean conditit›n by tuning out Ihe
mixiure screws. II’ the sci ews have to be backed out more t Iran /. a tum from Ihe mixturc
sett ing previously established. then von will have to continue open ing otit the idle feed
restriction hole.s 0.002 in at a time until there is no miss up to 3000 rpm.
Once the mixture iscorrect up to 3000 rpm wit h no load , you are rcady to test the
engine at a Iight load. Accelerate the car as sJow I y as possible from 15 to 35 inph in thc
highest gea r in which ii will run without excessive transmissio n snatc h. If it surges, the
inixt urc is lean. As a cross-c heck, hold the car on a very light t larottlc at a stcad y 20 mph.
then a steady 25 inph and so on up to 35 in ph. in the highest gear possible, for ha ll’a
inileat each spccd on a sinoot h and level road, II the engine tcnd s to surge, t ry turning
the mixture screw ‹›ut a /› turn. JI inore than '/. a turn is req u i red to t ix t he problem
then ii’s back io increasing the idle feed rest rict ion hole size in 0.002 in stcps to i tchen up
the idIe inixt ure.
Whcn you arc carryi ng ottt ull n£thc iJ]e in i xture testing and light Road runt1i:zg y‹›u
wit! have tc› use f”air)y warm srark pl ugs tu uvniJ thee results t”ron f”ueI f”c›uIcd plug.s.
“I”hrec i'vpes o i” l”uel b‹ ' Is arc usecJ on ‹r r‹›ur hnrrel Hnl]e\ carhurettnr5. M‹›5t h\yh
100 pcrfnrmancc models usc adual inlet. ccntrc piv‹›f fl‹›ut. witl1 eeternal float level adjuMme at.
This type of float and bowl is best suited to ro‹id circuit and speedway racing where high
cornering forces are involved.
Manv models use the side hung fJoal and bowl, wiih external fioat level
adjustment. Usua fly this dcsign is preferred for tJrag racing. The other type also uses a
side hung float, bui it does noi liax'e an external f)oai level adjustment. Instead, the
float level is sei by bcnding the tonguc contacting thc nccdlc valve until the proper
clearance (lhis varies with dil’lércnt models) is obtained between the float and the top
inside edge of the bowl. This nieasu remenl iiiust be taken witty the bowl inverted so twat
the weight of the float closes the neec)Je valve.
The bow’ls wiih externally adjustable floats have a sight plug in both the primary
and secondary fuei bowls. With the plugs removed, fucl sh‹›uld just be visible along the
bottom of’ the thrcads when the engine is running. The level is adjusted by loosening
the external needle va Jre lockn ut and turning the assembly upordown until the fuel level
is correct. If the engine idte is very rough. the idle spced will have to be increased when
this adjustment is bcing executed. otherwise the rocking of the engine could give a
false fucl level.
As Hollcy c;irburcttiirs ;ire use‹J mainly on large displacement engines requiring a
high fuel flow. needle valves with sufficient flow capacity must always be used. In
TABLE 3.28 I have set out the approximate how capabilities of the various Hotted'
needle valve assemblies.
Hollev market a couple of’ special ‹devices to aid in fuel control within the float
bowl. Some models at ready incorporate these 'l’ixes’ right from the factory but if your
particular carbui ettor does not have them fitted then you should fit them for
improved performance.
A vent ‘whistle’ (Part No. 59BP-9 I ) should be used in the primary fuel bowl
toprevent fuel sloshing into the vent and upsetting the mixture du ring ses ere
acceleration. The vent whistle extends the bowl vent path over and above ihc fuel, to
provide continuous venting o1 the primarv bowl.
Ma in .i• t sltisla tubc.s(Part No. I 4BP-505 ) are used in the secondary ma in jets for
racing and s er› high performa ncc engines. On ma ximuin iiccclcration, fuel moves to the
rear of the be\r I and awav l‘rom the seconda rv main jets. W he ti st osh tubcs a re t itted,
fuel starvation is eliminated.
5owe model H ohey carburettors have st ul’l’ers fitted in the IIDat bowls and metering
blocks to reel new the I net bowl capacity. This is piirel v an emission device which should
be removed when these mode15 are used ‹›n inodified engines. Serious Iuel starvation will
result it‘ rhe stuf’lers a re left in place.
When ii comes to bolt ing up a new' He Hey on your manifoId there are few problcms

TABLE 3.28 Holley needle valves - fuel flow

l'alve diameter (iii) Fuel flow at Fuel finw at

4 psi (lbZhr) 6 psi (lbZhrJ
1 55 205
175 225
I). I fl I 195 255
(\. I 10 230 275
235 295
240 305

\'o/‹'. //‹ ‹' f/r \ /I'm /t/nrt rr/ '‹ ' /iai r di.\chnr,qt° tt i//n'o› s and ///r s’molIci’ siz‹•.s /f» e dis‹hui,¿‹• mo/‹J. l0J
4 Slrokr Per]‘orman‹'e Tuning

iii at you are likely to encounter. However. before von slam the h ord closed after fitting
the new carburettor, ensure that there is sufficient clearance between the hood and
the carburcttor. Also clv cck that the accelerate r pu trip lever is not fouling the mani1’old.
W hen the 5t) cc pump is uscd, it is often necessar y Io use a /, in spacer to raise the
carburct ior. Lastly. have srimeone hold the accelerator peda I flat while you chcck that t he
thrott Ie plaies are opening fully.
In the world ot‘ inotorcycles the M ikuni carburettor reigns the present k ing. Other
carburettors are able to equa I or even surpass the M ik uni in ccrtain respects, but overkill
ihe M i k uni has much tr› offer those interested in a good powcr range and ease ct’ tuning.
Ro‹id inotorcycles should not have carburettors largert han standard fitted. even
when wild camshafls and/or a big bore cylinder k it is used. Larger carburetto re will
certainly improve high rpm power but the bike will no hunger be fun t‹› ride(except on t
he race t rack ) because of the serious loss of low speed traceability and increased
transmission snatch at low speed.
Big bore carburettors are in order on a racing machine but the optimum size will
depend more on the layout of the race circ u it and rider ability. ralher than w hat is requ
ired forpeakpowe .
Mikunis use two types of main jeis. The hex-head jcts are flow rated in cc per minute.
.Iet5 from size 50 to 195 are available in steps of 5. and size 200 to 500 arc in steps ct [ 0.
The round head main jets are apert ure sized. The largest je1 available is a 250,
with an apcriu re size of 2.50 mm.
The needle .i t uses a cone toidentify its size. The Iirst number indicates thcjet
series. eg. a 159 series jet fits a 30 - 36 mm spigot mount Mikuni (TA BLE 3.29). The
letter-nuitibcr combination below the series number shrews the fuel hole size. The letter
denotes the size in increment s of‘ 0.05 mm a nd the numbers signify size increments of
0.0 I trim. eg. a P-4 jet would have a htile size of‘ 2.67(l mm, There is one exception to
lhis; the size - 5 needle jet is
0.005 mm luryer than the - 4 i•‹ (TABLE 3.30),

TABLE 3.29 Mikuni needle jet application

Series No Type Main Jet Sizex at'ailable

Carb type
159 P Hex O-O to R-8
30 - 36 min spigot
l6f› P Hex O-O to R-5 35 mm xpiiot
71 P Hex O-O ie› Q-5
30 mm llange
w
oo
oo

176 B Hex
30-36 mm spigot
?
?

lb3 B Hex
35 mm spigot
188 P Hex o-O t › 9-8
193 P Hex N—O to Q-
196 P $ O-O t‹›
Hex 9-8 34 mn1 I)›ItJgc
TO-1h mm xpig‹›t
N-O to Q-
8

)’he nced les a re rden i i n d by a c‹›de su eh ax b DPS. The H rs t n u m der ind icates
lh e need le series, The followi ng letter/s ind iceie t h e neeclle taper. I f’ Ihere is one let ic
r, I he tape r is uni Ha rm alo ng i he lcngt h ol’ thc nced Ic. but il’ t here are t wc lctte rs, t hit i
net ica tee t hiit i he
 Carhura lion

TABLE 3.30 Mikuni needle jet sizes

Size Eli ameter (mm) Size Diiimeter {mm J

N-0 2.550 P—5 2.675
N-2 2.560 P-6
N—4 2.57ti P-5
N-5 2.575 ()-0 2. 7IH
N—6 2.580 Q-2 2. 710
N-8 2.59€i Q—4 2. 720
O-0 2.600 Q—5 2.725
o-i z to 9—s 2.730
O—4 2.620 Q-8 2.740
O—5 2.625 R-0
0-6 ?.630 R—2 2.7U0
O-8 2. €›40 R-4 2.770
P-0 2.650 R—5 2.775
P-2 2.f›b0 R-b 2.7H()
P—4 ?. b 7() R-8 ?.790

taper changes midway a lorry the tapered section; ihe first letter indicates thc upper
taper end the second letter the lower taper.
Starting with letter A. which has a mean ing of 15 minutes of arc, each letter
in.sequence denotes an ad‹iiiionat 15 minutes to the angle between the two sides ot’the
need te. Therelore a DP taper has un angle of I" 0' on the top and 4" 0’ ‹›n ihe boitc m
taper (TABLE 3.3 I ).
The number at ter ihe letters is a manufacturing code which inciicates how fa rdowii
the needle the taper starts. eg. needles market GDP l and6DP5 have the snme iapcr,
biit6DP I is the richer needle as the taper starts 25.9 mm l’rom the top of the needle,
whereas the t‹iper begins 32. 1 mm down with the GDP5. TABl E 3.52 indicates the
dimensions ol the mt›re commonMikuninecd!cs.
A final num her separated by a dash or in parenthesis indiciltcs i he circIip groove
position, counting the top groove as number 1. eg. 6DP5-3.
The t hrottle slide cutaway size is indicaied by the number stamped on the slide.eg,2.5
signifies a 2.5 mm cut a way , The culawav affects off-icllc acceterai ion up to /. t hrottle. A
large cutawa) leans the mixture and a smaller cutav.'ay richens the mixture.
The idle jet Ior pi ioi jet) is available in sizes 15 to 80 in stcps of5. Fine adjuslrnent
ur‹hL idle inixlurc is by nica its ‹›f the idie air screw which richens ihe id Ie mi x ture when
turnccl in (clock wise).

TABLE 3.II Mikuni needle tnpers

wetter 1'»per
Letter Taper Cetter l'aper
A I)" If’
b (J" DU’
I 2"30’ S 4"45’
K 2"45’ T 5"t1’
()"45'
L 3"(1’
D I " tJ’
V ]”]()
F I " I?’
N 3" W 1" 41
F I"3(1'
30’ X 6”0’
C I"45’
Ff 2"()'
O ?" 45’ \’ t" 1 5’
P 4" 11’
Q 4"
JS’
R 4"
3fl’
 The float level is ad.i ste‹J with the l'iiel bowl removed and the carburettor
inverteci ( FICiUR E 3. 13). With the float tongue coniaciing ihe needle valve the
distance ‘A’ sht›ult1 be equal to the specificd float level. Usually, th is will be 25 to 35
mm, depending on the
carburcttor ty pc.
Some Mikuni carburettors have the float level adjusted lo dimension B’. In this
insta ncc the level is usua fly around 9 to 10 inin; again Ihis varies from model in model.
Many t uners begin tuning the Mikuni by trying to determine the correct main jet
size. 3 his procedure is the right one but on ly if the engine has not been extensively
modificd and the stock carbure1tt›risbeing used. If you find that large changes in the.size
of the main jet d‹› not seem to be having very much influence on the hall’ and l‘ull
throiiie mixture strength, then you can be fai rly certain that the needlc jet is too small.
When the engine has been cxtcnsivcly modified I prefer to begin testing (at’teradjusi
ing the l)o9t level) with the main jet removed. If the engine will just run at part
throttle, but floods as the th rotlle is opened, then the needle jet is close lo the right
size. However, ifvou li nd that ihe engine keeps going at / to full throttle, then yt›u can
be sure thai a larger needle
iet is required. This test should be done with the needle lowered to the No. I (ie. lean)
position.
After vtiu have found a needle and needlejetcombination that is too rich, you can
then irv various size main jets until you find one that allows the engine to run
reasonably well at full throttle. Don'1 worry about throttle response or acceleration for
the moment. Carry out this test with the ncedle raised to the middle posit ion.
Ncxi find what size idlcjet (pilot jet) is required. Start these adjustments by
backing out the idle speed screws until the throttle slides are completely closed and then
turn the screws back in until the slides just open.
Having done that, close the idle air screws completely and back each one out I to I
/. turns. Start the engine and attempt to obtain a smooth 1000 rpm idle byjuggling the
idle air

TABLE 3.32a Mikuni series 4 needles

To fit all 18 mm carburettors and 22 and 24 mm flange mount carburettors
heedle X Y 10 20 .10 40 50
4D3 50.3 25.3 2.5 I I 2.5 I I 2.421 2.253 2. 100
4D6 50.3 22,8 2.519 2.3 t9 2.351 2,21 1 2.000
4EI 50.3 28.0 2.51 5 2.5 15 2.345 2. 127 I ,924
4 DG6 50.3 24.0 2,518 2.518 2.4tJ5 2.1 19 1.850
4 DH 7 50.3 23,0 2.518 2.518 2.386 2.095 1.790
4 F 15 5I).3 26.5 2.512 2.512 2,400 2. 120 1.58 1
4.1 13 50.2 24.ID 2.513 2.513 2.230 I .800 I .400
4L6 50.3 24.5 2.515 2.515 2. I ?S I .660 I . 190
4F6 50.5 25.3 2.514 2.514 2.406 2.145 I .876
4 L 13 45. I 25.0 2.5 i 8 2.516 2.339 I .842
4FJ 0 50.2 24.5 2.5 13 2.513 2.385 2. 1 35 I .877
4J 1 1 4 I .5 2 i .3 2.512 ?.506 2. 188 I . 776
4P3 50.5 25.0 2.510 2.506 2.436 2.284 2, 122

NoR . X is the ovt roll lenyth of the nec‹lle in mm.

Y i‘.s the Jiritenslon from r6e top n[ihe next:He to thr start of ihr tayrr.
The nvmbrr.s' 1(1, 2t), .10 etc. Indicate thr needle diimeter in inin at a yoint 1(i, 20, 31a mm i i‹
l (14 f’rom
ifir toy o[the needle.
 Carburaiion

TABLE 3.32b Mikuni series 5 needles

To fit all 26 - 32 mm spigot mount and all 28 - 34 mm flange mount carburettors
Needle X Y 10 20 30 40 50
5D6 59.3 27.5 2.515 2.515 2.460 2.290 2.120
5FJ9 59.2 35,0 2.517 2.517 2.51 7 2.364 2.02 I
5D120 59.1 28.2 2.520 2.520 2,479 2.31 1 1.9110
5 F3 58,0 27.4 2.519 2.519 2,419 2,135 I .863
5EH 7 57.6 28.5 2.317 2.517 2.473 2.210 1.848
5E13 57.5 29.5 2,515 2.515 2.484 2.197 1.803
SEI i 3 57.8 26.5 2.519 2.519 2.43 I 2.210 1.766
5DL 33 60.2 32.0 2.515 2.515 2,5 IS 2.362 1.922 1.463
5EJ I I 60.3 28.5 2.5 IS 2.515 2.5 IS 2.241 1.839 I .420
5EL9 60.3 27.0 2,517 2.517 2.441 2.221 I .780 I .248
5FL 11 60.3 28.2 2.518 2.318 2.438 2.175 1.740 1.256
5EP8 60.2 33.0 2.513 2.I 13 2.513 2.245 I ,780 1. 120
5FL 14 58.0 28.0 2.520 2.520 2.440 2.170 1.735
5FL7 58.0 28.0 2.518 2.518 2,440 2.170 I .735
5DP7 57.6 26.4 2,512 2,512 2.440 2.259 1.580
5J6 58.0 27.5 2.518 2.518 2.340 1.890 1.450
5L I 58.0 27.0 2.518 2.518 2.330 1.811 1.297
5C4 55.1 24.0 2.516 2.516 2.448 2.310 2.179
RFI 8 58.0 27.0 2.521 2.521 2.515 2.257 2.006
5JS 58.0 27.0 2.522 2.520 2.432 1.996 1.505
5FI2 51.5 23.3 2.02 I 2.02J I.882 I .631 I.375
5D1 53.5 27.6 2.510 2.5 10 2.496 2.338 2.169
5DP2 60.3 32.4 2.515 2.514 2.513 2.418 2.067 1.418
514 60.0 27.0 2.514 2.509 2,442 2.071 1.690 I .332
SDS 57.6 30.0 2.513 2.5 13 2.510 2.366 2.205

Note. X is the overoll length of the needle in mm.

Y is the dimension from ihr top of the nrrdle to the start of the toper.
The numbers 10, 20, 30 etc. indicate the needle diameter in mm at the point 10, 20, 30 mm
etc, from the top of the needle.

Floot or

Carburettor inverted,

Fig. 3. J3 Mikuni ftoat levelsing.

 4 Stroke Performance Tuning

TABLE 3.32 ci Mikuni series 6 needles

To fit a/f 36 - 38 mm spigni mwvui carburettors
Needle X Y 10 20 30 4t) 50 60
6H I 62.3 37.5 2.510 2.5 10 2.5 10 2.412 2.04 l I ,f›9é
f›DH2 62.3 28.0 2.5 I l 2,5 I I 2.466 2.29? 2.000 I .660
6F9 62.3 25.9 2.5 16 2.516 2.475 2.210 I .949 1 .b7S
6CF 1 6 I .5 29.3 2.5 I2 2.5 l2 2. 429 2.240 1,974 l./lU
6FJ6 62.3 35.2 2.505 2.505 2,505 2.37G 2.040 1 .606
PDH3 62.3 22,0 2.512 2.512 2.455 2.2bf› I ,948 i ,6u7
6J 3 62.3 36.7 2,5 IS 2.515 2,5 [ 5 2. 359 1 .912 I .456
6L I 62.3 37.0 2.512 2.512 2.512 2.335 I .826 I .313
6DP5 62.3 32.1 2.518 2.5 18 2.518 2.372 1 .834 I . 14 I
6N 1 62.3 37.0 2.514 2.5 14 2.514 2.278 I .672 I .058
6DP1 f›2.3 28.9 2.5 I I 2,5 [ 1 2.476 2.312 I ,745 I .II75
6F3 60.5 34.2 2,512 2.512 2.5 12 2.31 3 2.ti50
6DH4 62.3 25.1 2.520 2.520 2.441) 2.25S 1 .915 I .575
6J 1 64.U 36.2 2.517 2.517 2.5 l7 2.339 l .919 I .495
6 D H7 62.2 25.5 2.516 2.5 l6 2.505 2.3 ! 6 2,009 1 .68S

TABLE 3.32 cii Mikuni series 6 needles

To ]it all 30 - 38 mm spigot mount rarhuretlors
Need Ie X Y Z 10 20 30 d0 50 60
6rs 62.3 s s. i i9.0 2.515 2,45b 2.454 2.364 2.095 I .840
6F4 62.3 32.0 I9.4 2.515 2.442 2,436 2. 206 i .939 1 .678
fiF8 f›2.3 34.0 2 I .5 2.512 2.512 2.386 2.2 t4 i .945 1.685
6F.I 1 1 62.3 36.0 i 8,7 2.519 2.451 2.481 2, 367 2.03(l 1.610
6F 16 59. I 36,7 I 8.5 2.5 l9 2.459 2.489 2.372 2. 104
6DH2 I 52.3 3(l. I I 6.5 2,515 2.470 2.465 2.328 2.024
6F I ft 64.6 31 . 2 18.4 2,520 2.404 2,4tI(I 2, 20 I I .94 I I .679

screws und the idle speed screws in t urn. If you can get the cnginc io settle dow n to a good
idle, then synch ronise the throttle slides tising a sct of’ vacuum gauges or the multiple
column mercury b;ilancer described later.
I t the engine wiII not idle, it is probable that the idle jets a re wrong. Ie is that a re
too small are indicated by an increasing idle speed as the air screws are turned in.
Turn ing the screws in should cause the engine to run rich at some point (usually 1 to l /.
ttirns from being
106 f‘uJ ty closed) when the idle jcts arc of the correct size. An idlc jet that is too large is indicated
 Carburaiion

by an ever inc tensing id Ie speed as the a ir screws are backed tiirthe r and l’urther out.
The air scre w' ninet not be opened in‹›re tlaa n 5 l urns.
When lhc correcl idle jets have been establ ished, then the throttle slides shout d be
synchronised.
Once the slides have been synchronised, you can test that the cutaway is of the correct
height. The cutaway influences the mixturc most up to one quarter throttle so if the
engine tends to cough and die when the throti les are cracked open, change to st ides wit h
less cuiaway (ie. richer).
When you have settled on ihe correct slide, rec heck the slide sync hronisation and
determine that the idie jet is still the correc t size. Generally, a change in idle jet size is
necessary cmy when a large change in slide cutaway heigh t has been made.
Wit h the idle jets, needlejctsand slidesfinally selected and synch ronised, vou are rcadv
to begin fine tuniny.
First check that the main jet is approximately correci by testing the bi ke at )\ to
fu JA throti Ie. I f the engine runs well and the plugs read a good colour, then the main
jet is close enough to hcgin finding twe correct needle profile and/or position,
The needle taper and posit ion comrols the fuelZair mixt ure between '/, and /, t hrott
ie. To determine if a chame is requircd. test the bikc on a smooth and level road farai least
hall a mifeat /, throttle. and then ai /. and '/, throttle. If the engine snatches and
surgesat a steady thrott ie opening, the mixtti re is too rich , so lower the needle one
groove at a time unt il smooth rtinning is rea lised.
Next. t rv steady accelerations from /, io /. throttle and from /. to '/, thrott ie. a nd
note whc ther lhc engine appears to be rich o r lean. Repeat the tee t but snap the throttle
open each ti use.
Yo u may 1’ind iflat thC mixture is ledn at '/, throt Iie and changes to ric h between /.
and ’/, throttle. This w’ould indicate that the needle’s taper is too steep, sochange toa
needlc with a smaller anil e of’ taper. Obviousl v a mixt urc condi tion the opposite of this
would require a needle wit h more taper (ie. a larger angle).
Once the corrcct needle has been determined, lhe bike should be tested at three quarlcr
to l’ull thru tile, to find the righ I main jet diameter.
The tuniny procedure l’or any carburcttor using a needle metering system is alwa ys
slow and tediotis. Howex’er, by keeping clear notes and bv regularl v referring to TAB L E
3.33 to see what controls the metering at various throttle o penings, event ua II v you wi11 be
rewarded wit h smooth nnd respond ive carburatio u.
Most workshop manuals recommend the usc of vacuum gauges to balance
multiple motorcycle carburettors. However, I have tonnd these to give less than
perfect sync hronisat inn. As t hey cost a lot of monev, I feel that it is a better plan io make
your own mercury column balancer.
The inst rument that I wilI describe is illustratedGin Al UR E 3.1 4. It you own or intend
to bu y a six cy linder bike then yon will need a six. rather than a 1our. comm n manometer.
The lice board shou Id be Id in wide and 56 in laigh, wit h a matt black background and
w'tiitc scale lines cm aparl. The board shout d be perma nentls' t’ixed to a wa11 in your
werkshop or else mounted solid ty on a su it ubie base. so that it wilt nct t’at l or be blown
over.
The glass II tubes should have an inside diamcter of'/ in and be exactl y 61’t lotig.
You conf d buy the tu bes ‹already l‘ormed or else buy st raighi 6 ft iengt he ct’ tit be and
heat each with a gas torch until the glass becomes plast ic cnotigh to bend into a U shape
around a piece
ct 2 in pt pe. 107
4 Stroke Performance Tuning

End open to atmosphere.

Surg ical ru bbe r hose

Fil( tubes witn Hg.

to zero we

Glass ”U’ tubes level.

Fig. 3 . 14 Four column motorcycle carburet.tor bolancer .

Mount the tubes on the face board with the tops of each tube protruding
appro.ximately 1 in past the top of the board. The bottoms of the tubes must be level.
The tubes may be mounted by drilling a number of /, in holes in the board
andinserting copper wire through the holes and around each glass tube.
Once the U tubes are secure, they should be filled to the zero line (the halfway
point) with mercury. You will require about 10 cc in each column. Mercury is a very
dangerous accumulative poison and as such it is not easily obtained in many countries. At
times it can be bought from laboratory supply firms but generally you will have to
know someone who has the right contacts. ie. achemistry teache roran electrician who
has access toold mercury switches.
Because mercury isdeadly, never handle it orbreathe itsvapour. I tappears to be
stable but actually it is very volatile, giving off poisonous vapour continually. Therefore
when the balancer is not in use, stop up the ends of the tubes or connect the two ends
together with rubber hose, to prevent the escape and buildup of vapour in your
workshop. Always keep the balancer locked away from children or pets. Remember
the poison is accumulative, which means that it builds up in your body. When the
concentration reaches acertain level it will cause blindness, insanity or death.
To connect the U tubes to the inlet manifold you will need 9 ft lengths of '/ in iZd
surgical rubber hose. This length and type of hose provides the necessary damping without
 Carbvmtion

impairing the accuracy of the readings. Note that the hose is connected to one end of the U
tube and the other end is open to the air.
The final connection from the hose to thC vacuum test holes in the manifold is
made using adaptors produced for thispurpose by the manufacturer of yourmachine,
or you may choose to rnake a set of adaptors yourself.
The balancer is very easy to use. You merely adjust the slide opening of each
carburettor to get an even reading in each mercury column. Once the slides have been
sy nchronised, the idle speed and inixture are then adjusted for the best idle.
Bikes with an individual throttle cable to each carburettor can be a problem, so
after the initial synchronisation, the carburettors should be checked for balance at
several rpm levels. Changes in balance indicate sticky slides or uneven cable pulls.
This balancer is not just for bikes. The triple and quad Weber setups and those
carburettors with air screws are also best tuned using this multi-column manometer.

TABLE 3.33 Mikuni metering guide

Throttle opening Position

Slide cutaway A A B B C D
Pilot or idle jet A A B C D D
Pilot air screw A A B C D D
Needle jet B A A C D D
Needle size C B A A C C
Needle position B B A A C D
Main jet D D C C B A

These letters indicate metering effrrtiveness at various slide openinps.

A - most effective
B - fairly ef[eciivr
U - small influence
D - no in77uezice
 Chapter
The Exhaust System
CN TH case of the exhaust syste »rr »arances can be misleacling. It may be
visually impressii’c beca use of its shape but to inanv it is still just a bundle of pipes
that direct hot gas from the cy linder s. Informed modifie rs. howeve r. tea I i se full wel l
the importance of tuning the exhaust plumbing to improve pcrftirm‹incc. As with all
other arcas of the high performance engine, the exhaust systcna cannot be regarded as
on individual etitit y ; it is influenced by, and in turn al’lécts. other areas. so it must be
considered asa pa rt of the whole. Wha t we are aiming lot is that thc c ylindcrs be
completely scavengcd of exhaust gas. On all— out racing engines the exhaust xvstcm is
tuned so that the exhaust gas moment um and pressure waves actually ‘suck’ the
intake charge into ihe cylinder. In this way the cylindcr can act ually be over1’il led ie. a
v‹ilumetric efficiency of 10 I - 105°/r . Camshal’t valve overlap and the induction svslem
both have a part to plav 1’or this io he pop.sible.
Before we discuss the black ai t ot’ pulse tuning, we will look ai what can be done
to efficientl y scas’ense the cylinder tif exhaust gas by gas moment um or inertia
tuning. T’he principle of inertia tuning is tha t exhaust gases have weight soonce we get
thegas ‘rolling’ it will cont intic to flow e vcn af’ter ihe exha ust va lve has closed. This
creates a part ia I v'ac uurn
with a resulta ni suciion action which we can use to scaven ge ila e cy linder. As eng ine
speeds increase, Ihe time availab Ie foreftect ive cy finder exhaust ing wit Idccreuse. hence
ihe nced to use this suit its n act ion to em pty the cJ'li nder of ex ha ust gas more quick Iy.
Obvious I y if we have a gas pi essti re of’20 psi in the ex heus t manilold when the exhaust
valve opens, ihis wi11 restrict gas IIow o ut of thai cylinder , On the tit lacr hand il manifoid
press urc is - 5 t c› 0 psi the flow rest rict ion whiff bc much less. Ftir t his reason wc use the
extractor ty pe header with indi vidtia I pi pes, rather than a common nan nit’old. The basic idea
is to arra nge the pipes so the exha ust gas of onecylinder will not pressurise another cv Iinder,
for e xamplc, look at what ccc url in a liiur c\’linder engine where aI[ cylinders share a
comm on ma iiit’oJd l UG URE 4, I ). T’he liring order we will assu me to be 1 —3 —4 - 2. A t the
end of its ex hausi strta ke No 2 tends to be pressurised by N o I . N o 4 will pressurise N o3
and so on. For thix reason modern ed cams are a waste of time if twig tvpc of manifolcJ is
retained.
110 For mv n v years racing cn#incs have used indi vidua l pipes for each cvli nder. but it is
 Fig. 4.1 Exhaust valve overlap between cyf inders 1 & 3.

now a wet lestablished l‘aci that in most instances it is more beiiet icial tojoin these
individual pipes tc›gether, using a collector to which we attach cither a straighi tailpipe
or a megaphone. This arrangement picks up p‹iwerand as an added bonus it improves the
power range. F IGUR E 4.2 shows the various header designs for four, six and eight
cylinder engines. The six and eight cylinder exhaust should always be split into two
scparaie systems, while the f’‹›ur cylinder engine, whether in line, vee. ter fiat, works
best with the individual pipes collected into one.
(.ook ing Gat FI U R E 4,2 you will note there are two basie header designs for l’our
cy:linder engines. The system giving the bes power is the 4 into 1 arrangement, where
the lour pritnarj pipes coliect into one ta ilpipe. H‹iwever there are disadva ntagcs; this
type weighs inore and there are usnail y cleara nce problems when trying to fit four
exhaust tubes betwee ia the side of’ the mcior iind steering gea r. A noiher téctor to he
considered. particiilarl v where l’our cv Iinder enhines are in volved, is t he effect ‹if ihe 4
into I system restrict ing ihe power bend. II good inid-ra nge power is req uired, then the 4
inlo 2 into I svsiem is the wa y to go, alihough maximum power can be down by as
much as 5 - 7fir in cr› inparison to that obtainabie when using a 4 into I system.
The tether two 1uui cy linder designs are for BMC type engines with a siamese cent
re port. T he header wit h t he long centre brarich is thc o ne to use as t he inci eusc in
volume tends t‹a kccp the pulsc frequency of the ccntrc pipe i n tune wit h ihc ot her two
branchcs. The second clesign is rea11 y only suitable il’ a miId ca in is used.
V8 engines pose a prot›lcm in hat most use a 90° two-ptane crankshaft. I
80"crossover headers will give t he bcst pow’c r but how you fit ihem under the hood of
the average car is beyond me. Fo r this rciison the 4 into 1 system for single-plane 180"
cranks isgenerall y used. A balance pipe is necessary. It should be 1.5 times the
diameter of the primary pipes and bc fitted somewhere close tt› the collector.
N ow that we hiive had a look at the basic headcr pipe designs to iake advantage of
ex haust gas inertia, we next inust determine the individua I pipe length and diameter. This
is where pu Isc t uning or acourt ical tuning enters the scenc. The exha ust gas is expelled
from thc cy linder at a velocity r between 200 and 300 It per second, but putsesor pressure
waves are moving through that gas at around 1 500 to 1 70() It per second. By
understanding the behaviour of’ these waves, we can use them to improve cylinder
scavenginy and to increase cy lintlcr 1’i Iling with fuelZa ir niixture.
As Ihe init ial charge of’ burnt gas bursts from the cylinder into the ex haust system, it
creates a wave of positive pressure which travelsat the speed of sound through the gas
to the end ct the pipe, As it surges into the atmosphere, the positive wave dissipates and
produces
 4 Stroke Performance Tuning

4 into 2 into 1 system.

p + 3”
Fig. 4. 2a 4 cylinder exhaust headers.

a negative pressure wave (suction wave), which ret urns along the exhaust pipe into
the cylinder. I t a rrives with a certain amount of evacuation power because its pressure i.s
much lower than the cylinder pressure. The art of exha ust tuning is to determine the
length and size of the exhaust pipe for this suction wave to arrive back at the cylinder
during the valve overlap period.
The formula to work out the Frimary pipe length is
1150 x ED
rpm
where rpm - engine speed exhaust is being tuned to
ED = 1110" plus the number of degrees the exhaust valve opens before BDC
To make the task .simpler, I have prepared TABLE 4.1, so thai the primary length
can
be read st raigh t off. Genera lly, road motors will require a manifold tuned to work at
maximum torque rpm. Racing motors on the other hand use a header tuned to work at
eithc r maximum horsepower rpm or at a speed inid way between maximu in torque and
1 12 aximum hp revs.
 The Exhaust System

3 into 1
monifold.

Long centre bronch

type manifo(d.
Fig, BM.C. 4 cylinder headers.

Once the primary pipe length has been determined, we can then work out the inside
diameter using the formula

ID = "
(P 3) X 25
where cc = cylinder volume in cc
P = primary length in inches
Headers for road engines usually work well enough if the pipes are of the same
diameter as the exhaust port. Racing engines demand more exactness than this if we
are io achieve ultimate pertormance. In using the above formula, sizes will have to be
worked to suii exhaust tu be that is availab[e commercial ly.
If a 4 into 2 into I system is preferred. we use the same formula or TABLE 4.1 to
work out the total length (P)of the header pipes, which will be the comhined length of
the primary (P1 ) plus the length of the secondary pipe (P2). The inside di:imeter can then
bedetermined for the four primary pipes (PI ) using the same formula
CC
ID =
(P -1- 3) : 23 x 2.1
Once the inside diameter of the primary pipes is calculated, we can then work out the
inside diarneter of the two secondary pipes (P2) by the formula

IDS — ID- N 2 x 0.93

where I D = the calculated inside diameter of’ the primary pipes ( l 113
 Fog 4. 2c 6 cyl !nrJer heoder .

Crossover heeded foe

TO

Hroder for 180°

single phone cronk

Bolance D!@0

114 Fig 2d VB exhaust heodera

 The Exhaust 5 Astern

TABLE 4.1 Exhaust primary pipe length (in)

Tuned Exhaust valve opening degrees before BDC
10" 5.s* 60a dS* 70a 7J* 80 85* 90°
4000 46.0 46.9 48.0 49.0 50.2 51,2 52,I 53,3 54.4
4500 40.5 41.3 42.3 43.2 44.3 45.1 46.1 47.1 48.1
50IX1 36.2 36.9 37.7 38,6 39.5 40.4 41,1 42.0 43.0
32,6 33.2 34.1 34.8 35.7 36.4 37.1 38.0 38.8
6000 29,6 30.3 31.9 31.7 32.3 33.1 33.8 34,5 35.4
6500 27.2 27.7 28.4 29.0 29.8 30.4 31.0 31.7 32.4
7000 25.0 25.5 26.1 26.7 27,4 28.0 28.6 29.2 29.5
7500 23,1 23.6 24.2 24.7 25.4 25.S 26.5 27.0 27.6
5000 2L5 21.9 22,5 23.0 23.6 24.1 24,6 25.2 25.8
8500 20.0 20.5 21.0 21.5 22.1 22.5 23.0 23,5 24.0
9000 18,7 19.2 19.6 20.1 20.6 2I.I 21.5 22.0 22,5
9500 17.6 18.0 18.4 18.9 19.4 19.8 20.2 20,7 21.2
10000 !6.5 16.9 17.4 17.8 18,3 18.6 J9.I I9.6 20.0
10500 15.6 16.0 J6.4 lb.8 17.2 17.6 IS.0 t8,4 18.5
11000 !4.8 l5.I JS.5 15.9 16.3 16.7 17.0 17.4 17.5
11500 [4.0 14.3 J4.7 IS.I 15.5 15,8 16.2 16.6 17.0
12000 13.3 13.6 14.0 14.3 14.7 15.0 i5.4 15.8 16.1

The length of the primary pipe.s (PI) should always be 15 in. The length of the secondary
pipes (P2) can be found by simple subtraction: P2 = P - PI.
The calculations for the 4 into 2 into 1 svstem are also used to determine the pipe
sizes for the long centre branch type BMC header. The only difference is that the
centre branch is the same diameter as the secondary pipe (IDS) for the full length (P).
In theory it looks very simple to arrive at a header design with pipes of precisely
the right length and diameter; unfortunately in practice it doesn’t often work out that
way. A header constructed to the formulae outlined will work reasonably well and
provide a good basis for further experimentation on thedynoorat the race track.
Howeverdue to variables in the design of cams, inlet manifolds, cylinder head porting
etc. the length and diameter of’ the header pipes will have to be changed about to
arrive at the ideal size for your engine.
If you find that the engine’s torque peak is at 7000 rpm and you want maximum
torque at 6000rpm then reduce the pipe diameter. Generally a reduction in primary
pipe diameter of 0. 125 in wit! move the torque peak down by 500 - 600 rpm in larger
engines, and by 650 - 800 rpm in motors smaller than 2 litres.
Conversely an increase in the diameter of the headers will raise the engine speed
at which maximum torque occurs, by approximately the same rpm for each 0. 125 in
increase.
Changing the length of the pipes tends to ‘rock’ the power curve of the engine,
around the point of maximum torque. Adding length to the primary pipes will increase
low speed and mid-range power. with a corresponding reduction in power at
maximum rpm. Shorter primaries give an increase in high speed power, at the expense
of a reduction in the midrange. However, there will be little change in peak torque or
theengine speed at which it occurs.
FIGURE 4.3 illustrates the way we connect the header pipes, using a collector. Thc
pipes should terminate abruptly at the collector otherwise our tuned pressure wave will
carry on into the tailpipe and all our calculations to get the negative wave back to the J15
 4 Slrakr PrrJ’ormanre Tuni’n.q

exhaust valve on time will be amiss. Factory headers leave much to be desired in this
respect, but as these are generally used only on street machines the problem is not so
serious. Some American competition headers I have seen use a small pyramid shaped
airfoil in the collector. A device like this has to beeithei a gimmick or i1’ it does work
there musl be some basiC desiyn error in the header to begin with.
I have found the best angle of taper 1’or the collectorto be 7 -8"( 14- 16" included
angle); certainly 9 - 10" must be considered the maximum taper and generally I have
l’ound th is angle to cause a slight power toss. Using the following formula we can
work out therequired length for the cDllector:

CL =
I D2 — IDS x Cot A
1D2 = diameter of collector inlet
ID3 = diameter of collector outlet
Cot A = cotangent ot‘ angle of taper (7" = 8, 144, 8" = 7. 115, 9" = 6.314, 10" = 5.671 )
Actually, we can’t work out the collector size until we calculate the tailpipe siZe.
The combined lengt h of the collector and tailpipe should always be the same length as the
primary pipe, plus 3 in(P + 3 in). In the case ofa st reet machine, the tailpipecan be Iwo,
three etc. times P 3 in, providing it is actually twoor three timesas long. We count the
tailpipe as finishing at the front of the muffler. The length of’pipeafterthemuffler does
not matter. The tailpipe inside diameter is calculated using the formula

7(P+3)x25
where cc = cylinder vo!ume in cc
P = primary length in inches
I f a tailpipe two or three times the P + 3 in is being used, lD3 can be reduced, if necessary.
Once we have determined the tailpipe diameter ( ID3) we can then calculate the collector
length (CL). The actua! tailpipe length can then be round bysubtraction, using the
formula TL = (P + 3) - CL.
So much for the straight tailpipe, but what about the tapered tailpipe or
megaphone? Firstly, lct me point out that a megaphone is not nearly as effective as
many believe it to be. In fact 1 have yet to find a megaphone give consistently higher
power when fitted to a multicylinder engine where the primary pipes are joined by a
collector to a single megaphone. On the other hand I have found a consisteni 5 - 89c
power increase if the primary pipes are kept separate, with a megaphone fitted to each
primary.

Collector toper
10°.

Poc›r design.
Correct design
116 Fig, 4.3 Primary pipcs must terminate as shown.
 The Exhaust 5 yetem

This increase in power comes about due to the stronger negative pu Ise(sucticin
wave) created by the megaphone. Due to the megaphone taper controlling the exhaust
gas expansion. little pulse energy is lost to the atmospherc. The straight tailpipe loses
more pulse energy because of’ the more rapid gasexpansion, so the return negative wave is
weaker than lhc original positive wave.
From the work that I have done with two-stroke motors these past few years, and
as you probably know two-str‹ikcs five and die by the exhaust, I have found a
megaphone taper of 5" ( I I›" included angle) to give the best ret urn wave for power. A
taperof9’ will give slightly more power but cuts down the power range. A smaller
taperof 5- 7'will improve the power band but wil I restrict the power potential of the
engine. A sudden rush of power is very difficult lo control, especially on a bike, so a
variety of megaphones should be on hand to tune the exhaust to the circuit.
When a megaphone is fitted, the primary pipe length remains unchanged, so in
effect the megaphone works as a tailpipe. At times I have seen the primary pipe made
3 - 6 in longer, but usually this isdone to improve the midrange power when a
metaphoric with the wrong taper is being used.
To date I have not been able to arrive at a reliable formula tocalculate just how
long the megaphone should be. However, formy own testing I use arule of thumb that
states that the outlet diameter of the megaphotie should be 3 /, - 4 in. From there the
length of the megaphone can be worked out u.sing the formula
ML = ID4 — ID x Cot A
2
fD4 = metaphoric outlet inside diameter
ID = primary pipe inside diameter
Note: if a metaphoric is attached to a collector ID equals lhe collector out!et
diameter (1D3)
Coi A = cotangent of angle of taper(3'= 19.08,4'= 14.3,5°= 1 1.43, 6’ = 9.5 l4,7°—
S. 144, 8" = 7.115)
I have been surprised to find just how rnany megaphones give the type of power
band that I am looking 1’or when an out let of 3 /. - 4 in is used. However, I must add that
these megaphones have genera fly been connected to separate primary pipes and the
individual cylinder capacity has been 350 - 500 cc. The motors had a rev limit of 7500 -
8500 rpm.
To help restore as inuch inidrange power as possible, it is usua fly necessary to tit the
mcgaphone outlet with a reverse cone. This suppresses t he peak power but the increase in
inidrange power is of considerable benefit as it results in a inuch smoother and more easily
controlled machine (FIGURE 4.4).
The reverse cone is usually I '/, - I ’/, in long, with an outlet ’/, - I in smaller than
the megaphone diameier. The smallcr the outlet diameter, the harder the engine will pull in
tile midrange.
In TAB LE 4.2 you can see how the exhaust system with a reverse cone megaphone
produced almost identical power from 4500 to 6500 rpm as the straight primary pipe.
However at 7000 rpm the megaphone system isgiving obout 3Wq more powerand this
rises to a 7'°c. increase at 7500 rpm. You will also note that there is acorresponding power
reduction o)’8Fc at the bottom end of the scale.
In conclusion, let me make one final point that may save you a good deal of
money. Whilst we have had an in-dept h Iook at header tuned lengthsand sizes, do not get
too carried away applying this st:ience to a street machine. Any reasonable header will
work well witha
4 Stroke Perfurmance r«ning

road cam as pulse tuning is limited dueto the small valve overlap of this typeofcam.
Infactl hax’e found oa the dyno. using cams of up to 2900 duration and 70° overlap,
that headers 10% ‘out of tunc’ resulted in a power decrease of not more than 39c on
thesame motor with ‘in tune’ headers. However, I have also determined that once the
valve overlap increased to 100° - 130° the tuned length became very critical, to the
point Ihat a slightly out of tune header dropped power by 10 - 129c.

Mego phone toper

0
8 .

Peverse cone.

F-ig. 4. 4 Reverse cone megaphone exhaust.

TABLE 4.2 Standard Yamaha SR500 dyno test

Tes1 Test 2
3S@ 1 15.8
17.2
4000 2 .2 19,9
24.3 24.7
5000 28.5 28,5
550t 30.7
32.1 .32, 2
32.9 32.6
7000 33.7 34.6
7500 32.1 34.3

Test 1 — Crawford engine with modified air bo and stuffier retttoVei:I,

Test 2 - A› ob‹ive but »'ith a reverse cone meyayhone fitted to the engine pipe,
Chapter
Camshaft
and Valve Train
AMONG THE most importan t components in any pcrformance or racing engine
are the camshaft and val ve t rain assemb ly. Biisicall v, the camshaft is designed to open va
Ives before the piston starts a stroke and toclose them aftcr t he completion of the
stroke, in order to utilise the inertia or moment um ot the fast moving gases to fill and
empty the cylinder efficiently .
The inta ke val ve isopened before top deadcent re(TDC)on the induction stroke, to
get the valve moving off’ the seat before the piston starts down. We keep it open well
after bottom dead centre (BDC) to let the inert ia ot’ the high velocity fue1/a ir mixture
literally ram additional mixture in wh ite ihe piston is start ing up on the compression
stroke.
The exhaust valve we start to open long before the end of the combustion stroke.
Most of the e1l”ective expansion power of’ combusi ion is over by inid-st roke and opening
the ex haust valve earls lets the cv tinde r pressure ‘blow down’ before Ihe piston starts
upon the exha usr stroke. By leaving Ihe valve open after TDC we use the momentum of the
exhaust gases to sca vcnge the cylinder efficiently. As the inlet valvc is open during this
overlap pcriod, thc exhaust gas incrtia will act uall y assist cylinder filling by creat ing a
part ia I v;icu um in the cylinder and in let tract.
However. this theory is not going to work from idle to full engine rpm. At low
engine specks the fuel mixture coming inIn the cv linder has little velocity and
consequently littlc moment rim. In fact the piston wi II start to push the inixture out of the
cylinder back up the in let port as it comes up on thc compression stroke. A similar
situation occurs with the late closing of the ex haust valve. When the outgoing ex haust
Cases have Iow inertia at low rpm, the piston travelling down on the intake stroke will
cause the burned gases to turn around and be sucked back into the cylinder. The othcr
possibility is that of the fuelZair mixt ure IIowing straigh t past the exha u.st va I ve
during the overlapperiod. This ran be parlicula rly t rtaublcsome wiih hemi ;ind pent root’
type combustion chambers. It is obvious a compromise must be made to favour either
low ter high engine speeds. One cam can’t give you bot h , w'ii h maxim uin efficiency.
Today. with the advarices that have been made to innprove the breat hing ability of 119