Lectron vs. Keihin

[Evan]

Which do you think is better?
I tlaked to Tom at TC and he says the 36mm lectron is equal to a 39mm FCR keihin, and the 38mm lectron is better than a 41mm FCR? I have heard that with the lectron you have to clean the slide every so often. I have heard everything good about the FCR. What is your opinons?

In a shootout in atvaction they picked the 41mm fcr as the best carb. I makes alot more low-mid power then the 38mm lectron. But the lectron makes more top end power. In peak power the 41mm fcr made 43.5hp and the 38mm lectron made 43.6hp. So for most riders the fcr should be better.

[ChadEXer]

You going through the same thing as i did X rider,,you want to go with Tom but not sure about the Lectron deal!!! Tom is one of the best engine builders in the world, if he says lectron is the best the so be it. I decided to stop worrying about it!! Chris29 has a TC 416 with a Lectron and he really likes it!!!!

[fast440]

I just switched to a 39FCR and it was like night and day FCR had much more throttle response and low end power. Plus the Lectron has a hard and uncomfortable pull to it very awkward on your thumb , Has a longer push and is hard. FCR is like the stock Very comfortable. I have my Lectron for sale if you want it it is like new 38mm have the cable and a thumb throttle off 250r that works great

[ChadEXer]

Well you said it but I find it hard to believe, the Lectron 38mm makes more HP than the 41mm FCR,,,I just dont see how the 39FCR would make more power!!!

[Bart]

For more info, check out:

http://209.120.142.52/showthread.php?threadid=10952

he didnt say it made more power overall, but he said the fcr 39 makes more in the low end, iv heard the STOCK carbs pums more out on thelow end

[ChadEXer]

Honestly I dont know what to think about them!!!
but i do know Toms bikes win a race every day and if he says Lectron then so be it!!!!
Its hard for me to see how a 38mm carb is going to make less low end than the stock 35.5 mm carb. Tom told me it doesnt make less power but it isnt the highest on LOW end. he also said the 400 has enough low end already (especially with his built motors) and it doesnt need anymore!! the Lectron makes more power in race situations(which is WOT most of the time) and Tom does build race engines!!!

I would say the fcr is better. All of the high tech racing thumpers come with them.(yzf426 and crf450) Also most racing shops uses them on the 400ex including curtis sparks. Sparks says the fcr have much better throttle and make more useable power. And i hear the lectron are hard to get running right.

[smokin01'400]

alright..this is prolly the stupidest ? ever asked but here it goes...If I was to just buy a slip on pipe for example an HMF, along with a carb..would i experience a good gain with the filter and jetting too? i wanna go faster for cheaper...im not gonna do this prolly but i was just curious..thanks

You won't gain much for a carb until you get into engine work.

[fast440]

Well even if the lectron made a 2 whole horsepower more than the FCR your not gonna be able to feel it I said that it feel so much more responsive which it does it was like a punch in the face! Plus it is not a thumb killer Switch to a FCR and feel the difference

[Evan]

Well I have defintely made up my mind(as if it wasnt already) Defintely dont get an lectron. I watched a friend get a DNF b/c of a lectron tonight. He jumped a jump and and the carbs lousy attachment, made it slip from the intake. Definetly get a FCR, unless you only have 250 bucks and will not make another penny the rest of your life, then get the FCR. The lectron was not designed for quads and defitnly not for MX. They have to be cleaned every so often and will not idle correct. And whats up witht the thing being turned at 1oclock. Never seen a carb turned like that, I mean I wonder how that can help it? Plus they are too short for the space between the airbox and intake.

[400exJOE]

I believe the reason for the 1 o'clock position is so that it fits under the gas tank.

[Sandragggen]

Anyone care to put a $$$ amount on the learning curve.

[400exJOE]

the lectron runs about $289 I believe and the FCR is closer to $500.

[chris29]

First of all if the Lectron Carb is installed correctly it will not fall off during a race when is the last time you seen Doug Gust's lectron carb fall off during a race? Mine never has. The lectron carb does slant to the side a little and you must move the airbox forward. The Lectron is best for mx. If you a having a TC motor built for you then yes you should use his lectron carb. Tom builds his motor to work with all his componets and if you use something different it will throw the engine off. I'm not saying it is the best carb you can buy but I love it. If you ride trails and only trail ride I do not recomend it. This carb is made to run. It performs best when the throttle is open and your hauling a**. I think for trails the FCR might be a better carb but for racing I would go with the lectron.

[Evan]

Not to be a pisser, but this carb was intalled as good as you can get it, there are several problems with why it will not stay on properly, its not long enough to be used with the stock airbox so that means you have to run some sort of a spacer, and when you move the airbox forward, it raises up, then the seat hits it and it pushes it back away from the carb. If the carb works for you then thats great but I dont see how it could be better than a carb that comes stock on MX 4stroke dirt bikes. JMO

[stevengates45]

Originally posted by chris29
First of all if the Lectron Carb is installed correctly it will not fall off during a race when is the last time you seen Doug Gust's lectron carb fall off during a race? Mine never has. The lectron carb does slant to the side a little and you must move the airbox forward. The Lectron is best for mx. If you a having a TC motor built for you then yes you should use his lectron carb. Tom builds his motor to work with all his componets and if you use something different it will throw the engine off. I'm not saying it is the best carb you can buy but I love it. If you ride trails and only trail ride I do not recomend it. This carb is made to run. It performs best when the throttle is open and your hauling a**. I think for trails the FCR might be a better carb but for racing I would go with the lectron.

couldnt have been said better. The lectron is basically a race only carb. I think it does depend on how well its installed also. It all depends on how theyre installed.

[ChadEXer]

It sure is funny,,the people that have experience really like the lectron and have good things to say about it(Chris29)(stevengates),,the people whos got a momas sisters cousins dead aunt thats had a Lectron say they suck!!!(X-rider)
This hear say stuff really sucks!!! im getting a Lectron with my TC motor and im proud of it!!
X_Rider,,how do you know the carb was installed as good as you can get it??? Did you install it?? or you just assuming!!!!
Also how does the spacer move the aibox up??? You dont build a spacer to move it up,,you move it forward. I just made my aluminum airbox 1 inch longer for the carb!

[Evan]

Good for you chad! I hope you are one of the 2% of the people that like their lectron carb seein as how all you do is drag race. :rolleyes: Its funny you were an ordinary member untill you put that 416 kit in your 400 and then all of the sudden you became an expert dragracer.:rolleyes: I am sure you wont have a problem with your lectron falling off seeing as how you are vertically challenged. BUt you will have a problem with its finicky jetting, and you will have to clean the slide every 5 hours or your throttle will stick wide open, it will not idle properly. Its funny out of all the people I know personally that have lectrons none of them like em. And yet think of all the people that have them in the USA and hate em, just on this board there are 2 members that like them out of how many? 2members say they are good so you belive them yet everyone else hates em. I bet if Tom told you to drag race with flat tires youd do it. I aint postin hearsay either, junior, I saw it with my own eyes. I race MX which is lot harder than drag racin on parts so you know what works and what dont. I know the carb was installed properly b/c Legacy ATV in High point installed it, if they cant install a carb I dont know who can. The spacer that comes with them moves the airbox forward and that makes the airboot ride up on the frame causing the boot to be higher and when you put the seat on it pushes it tries to push it off.

Talk about hearsay, I bet youve never seen a lectron carb with your own eyes and hear you are listening to what everyone says about them. I will tell you nothing but the facts about any product I have no loyalty to any product, if it works it works if it dont it dont. I will not just make up some story to make someone not get a product so if you still want to get an lectron then go ahead and disregard everything I said as hearsay or whatever. I am sure you will have no problems out of the lectron, since you drag race.

[ChadEXer]

Well i think its funny that the only 2 people on here with good things to say about the lectron are the only 2 people who have used them themselves.
X_Rider, I got a little out of hand and im sorry, please dont be mad at me i just get upset when people post things they have no idea about!! I know there are bad things going around about the Lectron carbs but personally everyone that i have talked to that actually use them like em! Everyone knows I was worried like he!! about the Lectron but after talking to people with hands on experience Im not worried at all anymore. They might not be the best,,but their definately not the worst!! I trust Tom!

[Evan]

Its OK no hard feelings, If you go back and look at my posts you will see I am not one to post just based on hearsay. I personaly wont belive anything one person says untill I see it for myself. I was set on the lectron at first but after watching what happened the other night, and the guy that is the pro at the track has a FCR and he hasnt had any problems at all out of his, I changed my mind. I am sure you got enough money that if you dont like the lectron you can just buy an FCR and be done with it, I on the other hand dont have lots of money so I want to get the best the first time and not have to spend more money if something goes wrong.

[ChadEXer]

I have been thinking about getting me a FCR and setting it up for alky. I would only use it at the races!

[chris29]

Okay first of all you will have not jetting problems with the lectron. It has no jets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Second if your to lazy to clean out the carb and do regular manetice to your carb and quad then you should not own a quad. Its all about keeping it up. The people who don't like the lectrons are the ones who are too lazy to keep up the quads and don't like messing with all that. TC racing uses the carbs for a reason and they have no problems falling off. I have never seen Doug Gust, Dana Creech, or Jason Lumbrugh lectron carb fall off during a race and they got a DNF. Hey maybe Legacy fu*cked up. No one is perfect.

[Evan]

Yes I know it doesnt have jets, Second I am not to lazy to do maintence, but you cant tell me you love just taking your carb off and cleaning it every 5 hours? If I did that I would have to clean it after every ride. Yeah your right the people that dont want to mess with it have FCRs thats why Gust and ETC have them b/c they have mechanics to do it for them. And maybe youve never seen it happen but that doesnt mean it hasnt happened. Maybe Tom screwed up when he picked the lectron. Tom is not perfect either. Why would you want a street bike carb on a quad anyway. If your happy with the lectron then good for you, me I will not buy on after seeing what happened in Sat, race, but hey more power to the lectron, the more people that buy them and fall off then thats one less I have to pass.


BTW how much is a used lectron worth, this guy wants me to sell it for him. Hes already ordered the FCR from Sparks.

[400exRacerX]

The FCR 39mm carb is also a street bike carb buddy.

[Evan]

I know that but it also comes stock on the 426s and the CR450Fs. Which would you rather have? If its good enough for honda then its good enough for me. They havent found a better carb to put on the 450.

[ChadEXer]

Of course I have to agree with Chris29 here! Did you know that in 98(I think thats what year Tom said) all of the top 10 in the nationals had motors built by Tom, and they all had Lectrons!!! Thats gotta mean somethin!!!
Oh yeah X-rider, just last year I was riding my Honda 300 4x4 and the carb fell of the same way, it was installation error, things like that just happen, and just like what you said, just because you havent seen it dont mean it hasnt happened, just like as im typing this there is probably a FCR about to fall off somebodies bike and you wont see it!!!
If you prefer the FCR over the lectron then thats great, just leave the reviews of the Lectrons to the gys that run them!

both are good carb. Tc says lectron are better and curtis sparks says fcr's are better. The two best tumpers use the fcr and noone puts different carbs on them.

[chris29]

Yes both carbs are bad a**. X-rider I was not refering to you being lazy to maintain you quad, I was talking about anybody. I not trying to have a Piss contest here. I am just trying to let you know my opoion of the carbs. Yeah no body is perfect and I sure Tom has fu*ked up before too. I sure curtis sparks has everyone has a time or two. And yes I do like taking apart my carb every 5 hours to clean it. It is good for it and it a least I know that my sh*t will be running right and I will have no problems. I take more than the carb apart on my quad to clean it. I go over everything to make sure it is in good condition befroe I hit the track. So if lectrons would come stock on a yz426 or a crf450 would you use lectrons?? Its all about what you want. If you don't like lectrons then don't buy them. But don't get on here downing them saying there no good. I have not said one bad thing about the FCR. H*ll if I did not race I would have one to trailride. I like tom carson, I think he is the best da*n fourstoke engine builder in the country. But I also think that Curtis Sparks is one of the best damn 2-stoke builders in the country. But I ride four stokes so I am going with tom and the products he runs.

[KingRage12]

You know this is the real question, how much money do I spend on my machine trying to get the extra edge on someone else or trying to go faster. Well I can tell you from my own experience, and I have been racing and building racing engines privatly for 20 years and it all comes down to the rider. As an engine builder I try to tailor my engines to the rider by listening to him ride and comment. Some guys ride on the pipe and some like the grunt, and run the same speed, so it just boils down to rider speed. Every action on a machine has a reaction with the way it handles. Example, when you modify the engine to go faster, you will find that its harder to hold on to out of the corners, which in turn on a five lap moto slows you down due to fatigue. I take local guys here off of Rs and stick them on a 400 and they tell me, man this thing is slow, but amazingly enough their lap times are faster. To answer your question, I have seven 400s here just on my team and two have the electron, one eldobrock, and the others are stockers that I modified, and my riders including myself like the modified stock carb. Even on a TC 425. I personally ride a 425 with the TC mx cam, and raced it this year in the dome against Farr and Creech and found they didnt pull me in the straights, just plain outrode my old ***. Stick with what honda makes, its good and dependable and I finished in the top of the series with it. Just put on some good shocks and race that baby. Rage Racer#12