Running but not running right

[motorjock]

HELP!  I have not been for a ride on my bike for quite some time...been keeping it on a battery tender and went out to start her up and she is running, but just barely...My fuel valve is leaking like crazy now, but she sputters and acts like she is flooding out when I try to give her gas...smells awful!  What do I need to do to get her going again besides pull the tank and install a new fuel valve?  Honda shop here said I probably need to pull the bowls off of the carbs at least and clean them out and blow the jets out...

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

[Hook#3287]

Need more info, but it sounds like clogged slow jets is why it's running rough.   Where is the leak coming from?  The petcock?  Is it stock?   From a hose?  Any splits in them?

Where you located?

Sounds like time to pull the carbs, rebuild or replace the petcock and change out the hoses.

[Ricky-D]

I would not recommend pulling the carburetors off the motor. Plenty time to do that later if needed.

Evidently you did not use a fuel stabilizer since you did not mention that!

Get all the gas out of the tank and put it in your car.

Replace the fuel petcock and new fresh gas.

Drain the old gas out of each carburetor.

Then test for running again.

***

[Farther]

Put a bottle of Techron in with the new gas too.

[Hook#3287]

I would not recommend pulling the carburetors off the motor. Plenty time to do that later if needed.

I have to admit, pulling the carbs at this early time is premature.

It's just that I spent months trying to nail down my carb problems, years ago, when this ethanol gas crap started.

NOT that they know any better than the people on this board, but the dealer suggested pulling the bowls and cleaning the jets, which IMHO, is easier by pulling the carbs.  Maybe I think that way because I've done it 5 or 6 times.  I remember having a hard time removing the bowls screws with the carb bank upside down on a bench, can't imagine what it would have been like doing it with the carbs still on the bike.

Maybe a couple of cans of Seafoam might do it?

[motorjock]

Thanks for the quick reply guys!  No, I did not use stabilizer in the tank before I parked it...thought I would be riding it more, just got busy and forgot about it...The Petcock is original 2000, and it appears to be leaking from the bottom of that...doesn't look like a hose...I figure from what I have read, it is time to change it out anyway...

As far as the Seafoam, I have heard to try that stuff, but don't know where to try to find it at...I'm out in West Texas in Odessa, and haven't been able to locate any so far...

[salty1]

Wal-Mart will have the Seafoam. No doubt in my mind your slow speed jets are "crudded" up. You might get lucky after you change out your petcock, replace the old fuel with new (containg a full can of Seafoam), and flush fresh fuel thru the bowls as previously mentioned. The reason the bike runs badly is because a large number of the cylinders are getting little or no gas. IMO, I would pull the carb bank and  do it right. It's also a great time to replace vacuum lines, replace carb port plugs, pilot needle and intake O rings, air filter, etc. While your at it consider a Desmog of  the bike and installing a Dan Marc electronic shutoff gas valve. Sounds like a lot of work, but it's not all that bad, just takes time. Last but not least synchronize the carbs. I bet there are other Valk owners in the area that could help you if you need it. Keep us posted.    ???

[Grumpy]

To really clean the carbs, get a can of Berrymans B12, seafom and techron are cleaners, but not near as powerful as the b12. But be careful with it, it will remove paint in a heart beat. But it will disolve the crud in the carbs.

[salty1]

To really clean the carbs, get a can of Berrymans B12, seafom and techron are cleaners, but not near as powerful as the b12. But be careful with it, it will remove paint in a heart beat. But it will disolve the crud in the carbs.

+1, I agree B12 is quite good and less expensive. Wal-Mart also has Chemtool for sale. Don't let B12 be in contact with rubber parts very long either, it will degrade them. I use a can in a full tank periodically, but I take a ride that is long enough to go through the entire mixture. Then I fill the tank again to dilute any remaining fuel and put on another 10 miles so bowls have filled with straight fuel.

[gordonv]

I know this post is old, but I'm going through and reading what I've missed.

HELP!  I have not been for a ride on my bike for quite some time...been keeping it on a battery tender and went out to start her up and she is running, but just barely...My fuel valve is leaking like crazy now, but she sputters and acts like she is flooding out when I try to give her gas...smells awful!

First mentions fuel leaking from petcock. Most likely from the weep hole and is a hole in the diaphram.

Then mentions sputters and acts like flooding, with fuel smell. If we can ignore the leaking fuel from the petcock, and take it that the smell is from the back of the bike, then couldn't there be a or more stuck float and the engine is flooding.

I'm worried that it may come close to a hydro lock, which no one has mentioned yet.

Because it's now been over a month and I haven't noticed any follow up or new post, I would say hydro lock did not happend.

But did it get fixed yet, and how did you go about doing it?