Hello, I’m a member for many years, with few contributions, but I hope this forum’s wonderful experts can help… I’m in Australia, have an Australian-delivered 1000R. Runs well (quiet engine), I’ve spent many hours and angles figuring out my overheating problems, now working on fuelling… Carbs are restored, and the bike runs well. Until higher revs & big throttle, then it totally flatspots. Everything in the carbs checks out, no blockages, good diaphrams. I think maybe main jets are wrong (just installed open mufflers, thought it must be running rich, but that made no difference!). It’s got 145 mainjets, front & rear. I’ve ordered some smaller jets (140, 137.5 and 135) to try them. Plugs don’t look sooty (after longer ride, not when it happens). Is it likely that reducing jet size may help (so many different jet sizes are mentioned in forum discussions, but mostly seem to use smaller than 145s):
Extra question- Which emulsion tubes go front vs. back? They’re not 5-hole vs 4-hole tubes- instead they’ve got their holes in different spots along the tubes (crap photo):
I just don’t have the time to take the carbs off repeatedly to ‘tune’ this thing, it’s such a chore. So many other projects. So I hope to get a noticeable improvement with a jet change, that’ll keep my enthusiasm up (!). This bike rides really well, I love it, but it’s taking a long time to sort out its problems (I’ve already changed head gaskets, rings, cams etc). Thanks to anyone who can share their experience!
Whereabout in Aus are you..?? The Aussie “R’s” came with #140’s I believe. The diaphragm springs are a different length front to rear cyls, the rear cyls are slightly longer as the rear carbs are more “upright”.
Your spark plugs look ok, not too rich…and definitely not too lean, a nice tan colour. To get an idea if the mains are the right size….do a full throttle 2nd or 3rd gear pull to fairly high rpm, 9-10k so you’re on the mains, pull the clutch and instantly shut the engine down, now check the plugs for rich or lean condition….this will give a good idea if you have a main jet sizing issue.
I have a “Factory-Pro” jet kit in mine and they use #145’s front and rear, with new needles…they also get you to drill the pistons and cut the longer springs to match the shorter ones….throttle response is much improved.
To eliminate the fuel pump as an issue, remove or by-pass it and use gravity feed.
Hi,your plug colour as Smithy has said looks spot on,your jet size is correct at 145,your plugs however are DPR7’s these are recommended for use in low temperatures 5 degrees C and below,standard plugs for an RE are DPR8’s.
While you may not think it they do make a difference.
The emulsion tubes are also correct,the ones with the holes nearest to the thread are on the front cylinders those with the holes starting lower down are fitted to the rear cylinders.
The above information is correct for an RE fitted with VD83A carbs
Best regards Bif
Hey thanks Smithy. I’m on the beach, just south of the Qld border. That main jet test- won’t accelerate to those revs, just bogs down. So maybe it’s fuel starve, or fuel pump, or even leads/coils/other… Think I’ll lift the needles a bit, put it back together & start eliminating, starting with making sure it’s getting lots of fuel into those carbs. The springs are all the same length, but I’m hesitant to start cutting any, how much difference could that make??? Thanks a heap for your input.
I can drop in one day on my way to my old friend’s place in Caloundra! Today I ordered new plugs, caps and leads, as well as a new chinee petrol cap for its rubber. I’m redirecting the fuel to bypass the pump, and re-inspecting every bit of the carbs. When all that comes together, it’ll be finally running on all 100bhp’s Or if not, it’ll be time to look at coils, pulse generators and spark box thingys.
Would be excellent if you could drop in one day, very rare to see two VF1000RE’s in one place..! A nicely running stock VF1000RE will sometimes do a tad over 100hp at the wheel on the dyno. I also replaced all my plugs, leads coils and “spark box thingy’s”. I made my own leads and used new 3 ohm coils from an Aussie mob called “Tri-Spark”…and new “spark box thingys” from Carmo in the Netherlands. I’ve yet to replace the pulse generators, I have a set but not fitted them…I might do them when I fit the new clutch whilst I’ve got the clutch cover off.
Wa-hey nice coils, bro!! I can’t really afford to spend a fortune on this, at least until I know it’s a reliable runner. Just spent $2k on electronic ignition & 12v rewire for my 450 Desmo, and now saving for stuff to convert my stage 3 MT-01 to full-fairing mode. So many projects, so little time for a 68 year old I had 2 1000R’s until recently, sold one to help fund this one. Here it is (was) leaving. Sad day…
Hey Bif- the manuals I’ve got say that spark plugs should be “standard DPR9EA-9, for cold climate DPR8EA-9”. I got a set of the former ones, are they gonna be running too cold (never gets very cold here). Appreciate your input. David
Later models,FF/Gand RF/G however do use 9’s as standard.
All that aside we did early on in our VF journey come across something similar with a BolDor.Pete and I drove to the bottom side of London,through the night to pick up a very yellow Bol that had sat in a garden for 2yrs under a tarp.We had it up and running by 4pm that day but kiss its tail pipes it wouldn’t pull past 7k in any gear.
The solution?Swapped the carbs for a set from a parts bike we had picked up months previously.
I sold the original carb bodies on eBay so never actually found what caused the problem,but it was definitely carb related.
Anyone close with a set you could try?
Unfortunately not. I got a “Sigma jet kit” from someone here in Aust., so I’m trying a needle raise, pilot change 138→142 and leaving the main jets at 145. Plus new leads, caps and DPR8EA-9 plugs. Plus a new petrol (gas) cap rubber seal and making sure the cap vents OK. Plus bypassing the fuel pump & making sure that fuel runs freely. Phew! If that lot doesn’t fix it, then I’ll just ride the bloody bike slowly
Just one more question of the brains trust… My overheating issue seems to be less, but it still runs hot. At least it’s stopped spitting coolant out of the reservoir when the motor stops. While it’s apart, I figure I’ll drain the coolant & run this for awhile:
Is 5% dilution OK for this product? That’s what’s in there now.
Also, some discussions I’ve read talk about bleeding the air out of the system, but I can’t see anything in Mr Honda’s manual about that, and looks like all the air should be able to find its way up to the top without me doing much? Thanks for your attention to this matter David.
I’d leave the pilots at #38 unless she’s bogging just off idle or you have to open the mixture screw more than ~2.5 turns to get a nice smooth idle….. and the 145’s should be fine for the mains…only lift the needles if she’s lean at full throttle at higher rpms, ~6.5-7k rpm+. A “Full-Pull” run and check of the plugs will give a good idea of what’s happening with the mains. I leave the lower fairing off and find a remote road to do this, after a full pull and quick shut-down I can then easily pull the #4 plug on the side of the road to see what’s going on. Time consuming and a pain in the ar$e, but it will give peace of mind knowing it’s correct.
As our Bif mentioned, the DPR8 plugs are correct for the RE’s here in Aus. The DPR9’s are actually a colder plug for high rpm/speed running or racing duties. The DPR7’s are a hotter plug for especially cold climates which we don’t see much of in Aus unless you’re in the snowfields/high country in winter.
Are your carbs the “VD83A” variant..?? It’s stamped on the carb main body somewhere.
Yep they’re VD83A’s. Whatever that means. Today I did the tappets in the rear head. What a chore THAT is. Fiddly AF, and took 2 hours for 8 tappets, to get them all to .005”. Happy to have done it (some were way on the low side). Also re-tensioned the head, since I’ve now done 800km since the engine was in 1,000 pieces Now to get to the front head. Just getting at it is a pre-chore chore All while waiting for the pile of new bits to arrive. Fingers and toes crossed all this makes it run like it should…
…I should read the manual more. It says to ‘fill the system with a 50-50 mixture of distilled water and ethylene glycol’. That’s a shitload stronger mix than what’s in there. All I want is corrosion protection, not anti-freeze. Is 5% ethylene glycol OK for corrosion only?
I drained the coolant at the water pump drain, and removed the thermostat housing. I flushed the system with a water hose, backwards and forwards for several minutes until only clear water flow out. I removed the overflow reservoir and flushed it can cleaned it.
I installed the new switch, thermostat and o-ring. That flush is in a quart container states that it will treat 3 gallons. I poured all of it in the engine. I figured my system was extremely dirty and in poor condition and required aggressive treatment. Then I topped off the system with water until full, which was very little. I put the appropriate amount of water in the reservoir.
I rode the bike for about 3 hours on a couple of different outings and tried to keep the rpm’s up around 8,000, trying to keep heat in the engine. The flush was in the engine for five days.
Shining a light into the upper radiator, it looks brand new, shiny in fact.
I then flushed the system the same way as before and topped it off with a 50/50 mix.
Now after running it hard it doesn’t even get to the halfway mark on the gauge. And the junk that came out of the engine is disgusting.
I can’t really afford to spend a fortune on this, at least until I know it’s a reliable runner. Just spent $2k on electronic ignition & 12v rewire for my 450 Desmo, and now saving for stuff to convert my stage 3 MT-01 to full-fairing mode. So many projects, so little time for a 68 year old 
I had 2 1000R’s until recently, sold one to help fund this one. Here it is (was) leaving. Sad day…
Now to get to the front head. Just getting at it is a pre-chore chore 