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Fri Jul 11, 2025 12:35 pm

So I got my engine pulled on the baja right now. I had to install a new main seal after I butchered the original trying to put it in by hand. I made my own little copy of the installer tool CB makes except I'm just using the gland nut to draw it in, not some lengthened bolt which would help.

But anywhoo, another task while I had it out was to swap the vents in the IDFs for smaller. Working inside my carbs requires pulling the engine. Fun fun.
Time ran a little short last night. I got the seal in but all I had time to do after was locate my spare vents in big totes of parts. I know that I had at least three sets but I wasn't sure what sizes. I'm pretty sure the 44's I'm working on have either 38's or 36's. I don't have it written in my carb notes which will have to change. Pretty sure they were 38's.

Then I had the set that came out of the 44's stock which I guessed would be 36's but turned out to be 32's and another set that are 28's that must have come out of my 40's. Last night I pulled the 32's out of the 40's and the 28 were loose in a box.

So i'm kinda arm-chairing here because I'm at work and anxious to know the outcome of swapping these sizes when I get home tonight.
My next step down will be a big drop to 32 whether Im at 36 or 38. I can't imagine putting 28's in 44's or if it'd even make sense if I could just put the 28's in my 40's and go back to the 40's. I guess any thing I do would make a small difference, it's just what difference is the question.

I don't remember 40's coming with 28's or 44's coming with 32's? It's going to be very interesting to see what my engine does with different vents.
For those who maybe haven't seen any of my posts over in performance, I have a flat spot RIGHT OFF idle and no amount of idle jetting or pump jetting will affect it. My theory is increased restriction in intake from new filter system and low vacuum or slow vacuum response from vents that are too big.

If anyone has an thoughts about any of this, SPEAK. :popcorn:

Fri Jul 11, 2025 12:54 pm

I don't see why you have to remove the engine to pull the carbs.

It's a Baja after all. Just pull the carbs and intake manifolds as one unit. That's a lot easier than trying to get the carb off the manifold or, removing the engine to do a simple vent swap.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 1:44 pm

Yes that would be true if it were 2019, but it's 2025 and we're looking like this now.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 1:46 pm

Fri Jul 11, 2025 1:51 pm

The air boxes are packed in there good. The hard part is loosening the eight nuts that hold them on top of the carbs. I tried. It took me longer than you'd even believe and because of the angles and not being able to get my hands in there I scratched things up and myself as well. The frustration and wear and tear on my arthritic hands is not worth it when in half an hour I can have it out and not swear and curse the jackass who did this to me. Ok it took me three hours to get them off in the car, I kid you not! So from now on the engine comes out. I swore to baby Jesus I would never do that again. 8 little 10mm nuts. It's cray cray.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 2:01 pm

And I'm just talking about getting to the point where I can take the top of the carb off or pull the main stacks out.
Since then I have added ports to the air boxes so that I can get at the main stacks to change main jets and airs, but vents need the engine out.

Everybody loves a blurry pic

Fri Jul 11, 2025 2:03 pm

how they started out life

Fri Jul 11, 2025 3:04 pm

Ok, you got me there Brian.
I couldn't recall if those filters and hats were on your Baja or the rail.
I stand corrected.

Arthritis sucks. I have it in both hips. Walking is no longer the pleasure it once was. :cry:

Fri Jul 11, 2025 3:08 pm

ORANGECRUSHer wrote: Yes that would be true if it were 2019, but it's 2025 and we're looking like this now.

I love those air cleaners, they remind me of little rocket launchers.
if you need to pull the engine to get the carbs off to change the vents , you better pick the right set. haha
I know ive run 28's in a single center mount set up to eliminate the bog, should've been on either an 1835 or 1915, I dont usually build anything smaller than that.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 3:24 pm

BFB wrote: ORANGECRUSHer wrote: Yes that would be true if it were 2019, but it's 2025 and we're looking like this now.

I love those air cleaners, they remind me of little rocket launchers.
if you need to pull the engine to get the carbs off to change the vents , you better pick the right set. haha
I know ive run 28's in a single center mount set up to eliminate the bog, should've been on either an 1835 or 1915, I dont usually build anything smaller than that.

So 28's in duals might not be out of the question you think?
Yes, you have to think things out before you do anything because it's work, but I really don't mind pulling the motor. The only real annoyance about it to me is slotting the time to do it when I got so much other things going on. I've been waiting a few weeks to do this pull. As it is I'm kinda pushing it. I got a transfer case to rebuild in the wife's LBZ this weekend, oh and a window regulator. We're taking it to MO next weekend.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 4:57 pm

Missouri? Well if you’re going through Springfield holler at me.
And i couldnt say about the 28’s on yours, i assume your talking about the 2110 in your signature?
A single center mount , in my experience, has more of a tendency to bog than duals. Single has a lot more intake to get that vacuum signal up.
I assume youve done all the other b.s. like raising the fuel level, jetting, blah blah blah?

Fri Jul 11, 2025 5:07 pm

BFB wrote: Missouri? Well if you’re going through Springfield holler at me.
And i couldnt say about the 28’s on yours, i assume your talking about the 2110 in your signature?
A single center mount , in my experience, has more of a tendency to bog than duals. Single has a lot more intake to get that vacuum signal up.
I assume youve done all the other b.s. like raising the fuel level, jetting, blah blah blah?

Well it turns out i had 36s in. Putting 32s im now. I thought i had my fuel level at 10mm but I recheck it and it was at 13mm on the side I did so far. I was positive I was at 10. This is why I'm starting to keep a log of my changes. 13 isn't where i wanted to be.

Sat Jul 12, 2025 10:22 am

Yeh i gotta keep logs on that stuff, im too damn forgetful.
Good luck!

Sat Jul 12, 2025 6:26 pm

You should be passing right past me. I-44, exit 269, about 20 miles out from the arch. If you had big rig airhorns, I could hear them. Just west of us 1 exit is route 66 state park, site of the largest epa superfund clean up site, and former town of times beach. Yea, we are just downwind of the dioxin incerator.
https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tTP1Tcwr...p;ie=UTF-8

Sat Jul 12, 2025 6:41 pm

Are you taking hgwy 19 south from I-44, or going to rolla before turning south.
You will be near flat nasty off road park while in eminence. My first time there we pulled down into the camping area and the first thing we saw was a jacked up golf cart with disco lites, a stripper pole on back, and was playing the theme song to sanford and son. Might be dating my self with knowledge of the the theme song.

Mon Jul 14, 2025 10:01 am

I haven't even looked at a map yet. This is actually my bro-in-law's wife's family reunion, we got invited because it's the same week as my wife's 50th and he didn't want to miss it and we needed something to do. We'll be meeting in Indiana and probably making a caravan down to the Current river in MO.
I've been so busy this summer with other vehicles I haven't had time to prepare any of my toys for this trip much less the T-trailer I had planned on building. I bought a cherry 2007 Silverado 2500 LBZ for the wife for her birthday and that thing has given me nothing but grief. Turned out the seller didn't feel like telling me about the transfer case that had the pump rub problem and was out of fluid or the half a dozen other little things that suddenly decided to go. So unfortunately not buggies this year. But I'm hoping they invite us back for next year and I can check out that park and maybe even meet some of you fine fellers.

Mon Jul 14, 2025 10:34 am

So I finally got to wrapping up the baja last night after finishing that transfer case rebuild.
I had several things going on that I found while installing the 32 vents.
First the fuel level was too low. I think this was why I was so big in my air jets (correct me if I'm wrong). Another thing that I'm embarrassed to admit is the main stack for #1 was unscrewed and just sitting in the hole. I find it hard to believe that I forgot to screw that down but it's just as hard to believe it unscrewed itself. I've never had one unscrew before. That could have been causing all kinds of issues. I think that was all I found unless I'm forgetting something.
So it was pretty late by the time the speed beagle and I took it for a test run. Of course, I made it two feet before a fuse blew and I was troubleshooting that. I had decided to install a switch to turn on the AEM AFR gauge as someone had told me he avoids ruining his O2 sensors by turning them off untill the engine warms up. So I must have loosened a wire that goes to my flasher relay while I was in there. My wiring under the hood is quite a fricken mess. I have plans to simplify it, just.... time.
Anyway, after I got it warmed up I stopped to adjust the idle screws. Then I went on the freeway. It was running good. Not much of any hesitation off idle like I had been dealing with. The only problem is now I was much richer at every point above idle. Having a smaller vent was definitely changing my mixture.
I almost wonder if I have improved my vacuum and hence, improved fuel delivery through the system? Either that or there's less air to mix with the gas. Now it's back to the drawing board with the jets.
32mm vents
52 idles
140 mains
200 airs
55 pumps
anti-drainback valves

First I will start with bringing my airs back down to my smallest. I think I have way to much overlap because I go from a AFR of 12.5@idle straight to 10AFR. And it pretty much stays there all the way up unless I let off the throttle. I'm kinda concerned about going any smaller in the mains. A lot of people have commented on how my mains seem too small all ready. I'm not sure I even have 135s. Hopefully it's all in my airs. I'm shooting for 12.5-13 everywhere with it going to 14+ at cruise. Perhaps I will be changing the vents again if I can't get it right with the 32's. The AFR is not leaning at higher rpms and that is odd. Way too rich.

Mon Jul 14, 2025 4:32 pm

These carbs are kickin my butt

Tue Jul 15, 2025 6:19 am

if the carbs were where you wanted them before, with the exception of that bog at tip in, then id go back to the 36's. I bet all your issues were from the unseated main and fuel level too low.
fuel level affects tip in , and id figure the unseated main would do all kinds of goofy shit. it should still work but if fuel flows around the main jet it'd be pig rich and tip in would be off because the emulsion tube holes are higher than they should be, the well would probably have a larger volume of fuel too.

Tue Jul 15, 2025 8:13 am

Yeah we'll see. I'm going to give these vents a tune and see what kind of results I get. There's probably guys in the performance forum who could tell me exactly what's going to happen, but I'm one of those people you can tell something a million times but it doesn't stick until I do it.

It won't be this week because too busy getting ready for vacation next week. So hopefully August I'll get some time to tune some more and just before driving season is over I might have the car running right lol. Sometimes I wonder why I live in Michigan. And then I remember, brown recluse, black widows, alligators, snakes, ect.ect...