Dial-a-jet report

[ludedude]

Well got a weekend in using the dial-a-jet. Rebuilt the top end Thursday and started jetting Thursday evening. Though I had it spot on right off the bat...but that's too good to be true. It was running well though...stood herself up on end on the pavement.

We played in so mauch mud and water this weekend that I need to check my air filter, clean it and redo the jetting, if it's as dirty as I fear.

Anyhow.

Installation is easy. I did this with the carb off. I don't see how or why you'd want to try and do it with it installed...but I think they say you can. You can install the fuel supply tube in the air box boot or in the carb's air intake.

I'll take some pictures at a lter date and link to them in the gallery. I did not like the idea of the tube in the boot...personal preference, but was a bit leary of drilling a hole on the carb too, but that's where I ended up doing it.

Drill a hole where the dial-a-jet can lay flat the best, and install the box (dial-a-jet), once screw! Drill a hole in the bowl plug, and install the fuel supply tube. Connect the tube to the box. Install the snorkel kit...you need it. It's a rubber boot that slips over the air intake of the box and uses a hose with a foam filter on the end for air supply.

Dial-a-jet says to go down 2 sizes on your main jet. I stayed as is, as I knew I was a tad lean. I eneded up going from a 160 to a 155 and it runs great now..I have to see where I eneded up on the dial, I may need to change as I want to be in the middle of the dial's range for spring...then I should be good for year round without changing jets, just adjusting the dial. Which is muh easier than changing jets in the winter when the boost are cold and stiff  :roll:

It's still a bit awkward to adjust, as the colant lines are in the way a bit, and I can't see the markings on the box well where the car is on the pilot. But once set it should not need to be adjusted, if so I, just refer to the diagram on the instructions to see which way to click

The range of the box is supposed to be such, that for the temp difference we experience here I should not have to touch it.

I used to have a couple flat spots in the rpm range that I could not get rid of on my pilot....they're gone. It now rips from idle to wide open.

How it works...simple form

It pulls fuel from the carb bowl and inject sit into the intake side of the carb. It's supposed to be a faster fuel path then the others in the carb , so it adds fuel before the other circuits get a chance. the box has 5 different sized holes that you "dial" to adjust the amount of aior being mixed with this fuel from the bowl. Smallest hole= richest setting and vice versa. Go here for a tech article: http://www.thunderproducts.com/dial_a_jet_techpaper.htm

So, summary

fairly easy install
bit tricky to adjust, only due to visibility issues on the pilot
works well
for 69.95+9.95 for snorkel kit..I'm getting 2 more for the other pilots

[PilotHawK]

Great report. I am anxious to hear how the final tuning goes. If its not easy to adjust though then why bother???

[redrider]

Would tuning of the dial-a-jet be easier with the radiator relocated?    I just had to add that!  I still think this is one of the best mods to do to a Pilot since it makes the carb (and engine in general) more accessible.  
I may be doing another relocate in the near future.  If and when I do it, I'll make sure to take pics and create a how-to page so that others can see how easy it can be.

[LiveWire]

I installed a Dial-A-Jet on my YZ490 many years ago.

I liked what it did for the tune of the engine, but felt it needed refinement. It actually helps the jetting some without adjusting. It is supposed to allow you to run closer to the edge of too lean and not let that happen. I believe it does work because just as ludedude said, it gets rid of flat spots.  So if it is helping at some throttle positions, it probably is at others.

I found the filter to be very poor on the snorkle and ended up using a fuel filter instead.

Maybe they have changed it now, but I did not like having to loosen the screw to adjust the dial. Turning the screw turns the fuel tube that is in the carb. I wanted to locktite the tube so no dirt could suck past the threads but could not.

They have that remote install kit. It is basically another tube and a short chunk of hose. I thought about using that on an FL350 so the DJ was actually in the air box. I don't think you could move it as far as the Pilot air box, but might be able to locate it where it would be easier to adjust. The tube in the carb can then have locktite. There is probably enough twist in the hose to allow adjustment without the hose spinning on the tube.

[ludedude]

The filter is poor...piece of foam! I'm wondering about installing it inside the intake plenum with a pre-filter on that....

Yuo still have to loosen the screw to turn the dial. But once you're dialed in...you're set, it supposed to have a larger range than a main jet so I'm hoping I won't even have to adjust it....

I'll have to look at the remote kit...I like that idea

[mudbogger]

I am very interested in this product as well, is there any type of carbs it wont fit on?

[LiveWire]

You are just drilling a hole in the carb and tapping it. It would be harder to mount to a carb without a bell. The old diaphragm sled carbs are like that. I think PWC carbs don't have a bell. You could probably still find a place to do it.

I know their claims of a larger range than the main jet and based on my use of it, believe those claims. I still think that it would be nicer to have a needle valve that you could connect a speedometer cable to and run to the dash with a knob.

One of the pulling tractors I had, could be jetted on the dash. The required stock carb had a high speed needle. The jet faced back so a couple 1/4 drive universals was enough to have a hard shaft going to the dash. I added an EGT later to help dial it in. The hardest part was the total adjustment used was within 1/4 turn. Making the small adjustments needed was tricky while driving down the track. The thing with the pulling tractors was when jetted perfect on the track, they ran like crap off the track without a load.

Here is the remote mount kit:
http://www.thunderproducts.com/dial_a_jet_remote_mount.htm

[Odyknuck]

Liverwire have you tryed or founf the need for the dually setup on a larger carb like a 38mm Mikuni. The artical on the Dial-a-jet recommends them. I have a 38mm  I have been wanting to put on my Pilot. I have not done it because of the inherit top end leaning issues with the big bore carbs. The Dial-a-jet appears to fit the bill.  The stock carb runs fine however With the new Powerblock (thanks ludedude) I would be better off with the larger carb for the higher RPMs It will be running at.

[LiveWire]

I have run a 39 PWK on several 350s without problem.

The carb I installed one Dial-A-Jet on is a 38 Round Slide Mikuni. I also installed a UFO in it and shaved the carb slide cut-away .5mm to get rid of 'blubbering' around 1/4 throttle.

If someone thinks jetting is complicated, adding a DJ is not going to help. If a person thinks jetting is tedious, it might be an option. It is one more thing to take into consideration. It makes it more complex to get dialed in before it saves tedium later. In theory, adding two would increase the complexity, but reduce the tedium because it would cover all riding conditions. I think there was a rough estimate of position 1 to 5 being about the same as 2 mains. So two DJs would be roughly the range of 4 mains. You would have to verify that yourself. I bet it would be enough change with two that you would also have to change your needle, not just the clip position.

Since Brian has it installed with an EGT, he can probably get some better answers. I did not have an EGT on my bike. I believe he has a friend with a Pilot to do some side by side testing. An interesting one would be the EGT difference of each one towing the other. My 350s EGT goes up towing someone or climbing a hill versus riding on flat ground. It would be interesting to see if the DJ stops or reduces that.

[ludedude]

We have 3 pilots..but only i run an EGT right now, and my carb is different than the other 2.

I can try and run whatever tests you guys would like to see, time permitting

MY EGT used to go up when climbing hills too, it was jetted good too. I would still expect the EGT to rise during a hill climb, unless you jetted during a hill climb, it going to rise anytime you put more load onthen what you jetted for. Hence the reason I like EGT's...I don't do a lot of hill climbing, or towing, but I want to be able to do both, without jetting for that pupose. The EGT tells me (actually my new one does it for me) when to let off.

I agree, don't get a DJ to make jetting easier, theory wise. I got it to make the actual process easier, and in order to fill in flat spots.... I'll be looking into the remote kit.

[Odyknuck]

Its not that Jetting is  hard to do. The DJ appears to mke it easyer to make adjustments when needed. I also like the ideal of being able to set up the main on the lean side and the DJ having the ability to compensate for load conditions, elevation, air filter starting to clogg etc.

[LiveWire]

I guess what I meant was that if the DJ can compensate better, the EGT should rise less when towing or climbing a hill than one without, both being jetted correctly for normal riding. That be be an interesting test.

[rocketman]

I agree, that would be a good test for the effectiveness of the product.  I could have used the compensation for temp. changes and filter clogging when we rode at Durhamtown.  I look forward to hearing from LudeDudes further testing - sounds like a good product.

[ludedude]

I ordered the remote kit. I want to see if this makes it a little easier to get at. As well I liked Livewires idea of being able to loctite that fuel tube to the carb bell and leave it alone. I already notice mine is looser from the adjustments to date that I have made. Hope this helps. I'll update when I get and install it.

[ludedude]

Installed the remote kit. It allows you to mount the actual box/dial 2" (max) from the fuel tube that you install into the carb intake. I couldn't reach anything solid to mount to, but tie wrapped it for now to the fuel supply line to the carb. It is now pointing straight up and down and is easy to "dial".

Unless you have a carb that allows mounting the box directly on top, or you have clear access to a side mount, I would definitely order the remote kit for the extra $9.95.