Is shimming the stock carb needle with small washers equivalent to increasing the main jet size?

 

NO-- NO --- the needle works through out the whole range

Get some jets

 

You're essentially increasing the mid jet by shimming the needle.

 

What needle are you using. Whats in your motor? What pipes? What kind of air cleaner? What are the letters on your needle?

 

You will also flood out the Idle circuit

 

If you look at the needle you will see two straight sections with a tapered part connecting them. Shimming the needle wil raise the tapered section which will richen the midrange, which is controlled by the taper. It will have no effect in the idle or full throttle.

Change the main jet.

 

Kind of what I'm looking for, but ordered a few new main jets anyway. Currently running a 44 slow and a 170 main. Runs good but plugs showed lean and it may have gotten a little hotter than usual. Going to go with a 46 slow and a 180-185 and see what happens.

 

If you want, and I don't know that you should, I have two adjustable needles you can play with. Each a different profile. I don't need them. My own experience with the non adjustable is that if you shim them some will catch and drag inside the needle jet. If yours is narrower it may not. Mine stuck and dragged when shimmed. Also I'd check the mixture screw, it's possible when you go 46 it's going to be too rich. I ended at 45 with 2.5-2.75 turns.

 

Order cv performance velocity needle and 46 idle 180 main. You will like it if you have a stock motor with pipes and air cleaner.

 

Which carb will give you the best potato potato sound at low idle?