As everyone knows having any carb trouble with a VF is a major pain in the butt.My 86’FF has not been used for about 18 months as i bought a GTR1400 and then a Harley Wide Glide and had no time to use it.
I drained the carbs and took the battery off and covered it up and left it in my nice heated factory.
A few weeks ago as the winter months of not riding were getting me down i took the cover off and decided to get the bike ready for the new season.Battery was put on optimate 4 but would not take a charge,lobbed it in the bin and spent £70 on a good quality new one.Ignition on,fuel on and hit the button,engine turning over very fast with kill switch off to pump fuel into carbs.Kill switch on and fired up almost instantly,but only on 1 cylinder,looked at motor and fuel was pissing out of the overflow on carbs quicker than the pump could pump it in.The bike was called lots of nasty names as i knew this meant the carbs had to come off.
Now carbs come off a whole lot easier than they go back on,so the bike was stripped out in about an hour.Float bowls off and cleaned,all the jet were cleaned,float valves removed and cleaned and then all was put back together.Now the VF carbs only actually fit when they are in the home position,even a couple of mm out and they are knowhere near going back in the rubber manifiolds.One tip is never ever take the top plate that holds all the carbs in position off.The carbs will go back on easier with it off but not if you drop all the ‘o’ rings out whilst wiggling them into place,but the trumpets will not in a million years goes back into the top plate properly.
I connected the throttle cables back on,then turned carbs to locate the front two cylinders half into the rubbers which i had greased with red rubber grease,and then tried ease the rear ones into place.I had lifted the rear rubbers slightly to meet the carbs in the hope that they slip in better.I had a pry bar against the frame rail,both sides at the same time for even pressure,and one of my employees pressing on the carbs themselves.Press,release,wiggle a bit,press,release and wiggle a bit more,lots of swearing following more press,release and wiggle with " just get in there you piece of shite " and then it did.It just slipped in the back (oh er misses)and they were home.Air box back on,followed by the tank and side panels.Spun it over to fill carbs with fuel again and no leaks.She soon fired up and was ticking over nicley.Connected the vacuum gauges and balanced them up in an hour and now its running better than ever,its so responsive to the throttle and its really barking through the modded silencers.The job was a horrible job to do but i have been rewarded for my efforts and all the swearing and cursing is now in the past.VF’s are pigs to work on but i just love mine.Just need the sun to come out now and the temp to get above 7 degs.I refuse to ride if its less than 7 degs.
I agree 100% with leaving the alloy plate attached tightly to the carbs if you are trying to re-fit them, those little lugs that hold all four carbs together when the plate is off, well they don’t stand a chance with the force sometimes needed to get the carbs into the manifolds, even new rubber inlet boots.
I found out the hard way and it was disheartening to realise the reason for the carbs moving independently of each other when the throttle was twisted from closed to full throttle, they would kind of come closer together as the tension increased from the cables.
Fixed now, but a pain in the arse.
If you must, fit the carbs with the plate on, then once seated you can take the plate off for any other carb work.
Tony
[}:)]May I be the first to congratulate you on a successful carb rebuild
Not wanting to boost but I did mine on my own but I also fitted new rubbers and I am pretty heavy .
My bike wants to move to Topeka where its brother lives
Its a bit warmer there
If I ever leave the UK my VF goes as well as it knows about the endless open roads and sunshine.[:D]
Lloyd
Nice “how to do” posting there crooky, you just forgot the big sigh of relief when the carbs slip into position… and the even bigger one when they are all balanced up…
pete