Carb Syncing

[Oldnick]

I guess my Q is : how often should I sync the 98 Valk carbs? I would like to know because I can then go to the shop and ask how much to do it. If it's only once every year at my rate of travel then I would imagine that unless I want to do it for the fun of it, getting it done is the cheaper alternative.

On the other hand I understand mercury columns and how to tune carbs using them, including providing damping etc to prevent shudder and increase accuracy. However, again, building that device is fiddly and time-consuming and again if the shop needs only to do it yearly.......

Thanks

[Ramie]

Haven't synced mine yet, would like to just to see where they're at. I would think if you're having some problems you might want to check it.  No need to build your own, look at the Digi sync, http://thedigisync.com/

[Dusty]

Did my 99 in 2001 when I bought it used. It only had 700 miles on the bike so I assumed I was the first one to synch them.  Once done I have not done them again. Now at 125,000 kilometers.  Some were out by 1" of vacuum from the factory. They should be checked if your working on the carbs but once set they should not change much. My $.02

Dusty

[Attic Rat]

Once your carbs are set they usually don't change unless the o rings start to fail inside the carbs.

[WintrSol]

Since there is only one cable, and sync is done with screws against steel, it should go many, many miles without a change. Unless, of course, the screws loosen over time; I don't see that happening often, though, since there is spring pressure against the screws.

[BobB]

I have synced the carbs using a four gage system about every two years since I have owned my '98, but cross calibrating the gages has always been an issue.  I have also had BigBF sync them at two Inzanes and those were an obvious improvement.  Santa put a DigiSync under the Christmas tree with my name on it and I am looking forward to using it this spring...

[da prez]

Nick , get a digisync from Bons and do yourself and other Valk owners a favor.
  Honda does not use them. The best and easiest was to do the job.  You have other owners near by so you could recoup your cost. I have done several. A manometer will get the carbs within an inch or so. The digisync gets them within a tenth , and you do all the readings at the same time. You can see the fluctuation in the carbs and correct them.
  Not affiliated with BonS other than a digisync owner . (Bon is a Valk brother whom I know. )  


                        da prez

[WintrSol]

Another vote for the DigiSync - it turns a PITA job into a breeze. I would suggest the OP contact BonS first, though, to see if he can ship down under. Perhaps he can talk the shop owner into ordering one. If I were in business, I would certainly have one; oh, wait, I do have one!

[da prez]

I had attic rat build me a set of carbuerators  for the 98. Did not really   need them , but I was going thru the  bike and we worked out a deal. The bike ran great   when I got the new carbs in and checked the vacuum settings.  Very close for a bench set. I got the digisync and rerun the sync. They would not have needed setting , but I fine tuned them any way.
 With the vacuum gages , they were within an inch so so. With the digisync , I got   them to the tenth.
   Also , I got in a short ride today. Had a shoulder replaced nine weeks ago.

                            da.prez

[Sircharles]

Have had my fuel go bad once from sitting over the winter, and decided to remove and clean them. Syncing was not to bad. Recently had O rings go icky, and after taking them out and replacing them, I bought three vacuum gauges from Harbor freight, and made a little bracket for them, it worked brilliantly (after some fiddling). The results are very good, no pops on trail or anything odd. Very happy with the old girl. Such a sweet sound with all things working as they should. To be honest though, the O rings had made things so bad that it would be hard to credit the syncing with the big improvement.  In either case, its easy to do on a crappy winters afternoon. 

[Oldnick]

Thanbksw for all the repliesd.

hmmm...the Digisync wqould be NADI to$300Aud delivered. Given  that I am not a tweak freak ATM anmd you guys are saying tyhey are pretty set and forget, I will leave it for now. I know of only one other Valk in hailing distance and have seen only two others on the road in memory, so there is not a huge market for the 6-cylinder sync. I realise I could do lower numbers, but I am really nout of touch with the motorcycle community.

A question though. Why would a mercury manometer only be able to get to within 1"? Surely a werll-damped one should be pretty good.

[Sircharles]

You only need three. The Valk has a "set Carb, that you sync your others too. So I only use three gauges. I did one side at a time to establish a level, then set the idle RPM. It was very simple all in all. I don't think it cost my 60.00 U.S.  I found most of the information on this site, and some on Youtube.

[Oldnick]

AH. OK I did not realise that. I was going to look at doing it with 4, leaving one as a reference, but if there is a set carb then that changes things. Interestting

[Ricky-D]

A much needed but rarely performed maintenance is to remove the protective chrome rail covers

and generously spray the linkages with a good silicone spray to clean and lubricate all the

small little springs, connections, and connectors. This will go a long way to keeping everything

in good adjustment and working order.

***

[gordonv]

A much needed but rarely performed maintenance is to remove the protective chrome rail covers

and generously spray the linkages with a good silicone spray to clean and lubricate all the

small little springs, connections, and connectors. This will go a long way to keeping everything

in good adjustment and working order.

***

Thanks Ricky, I don't think I recall anyone else saying that before. It's up there with the front IS speaker pod screws, remove and antiseize.

[WintrSol]

A much needed but rarely performed maintenance is to remove the protective chrome rail covers

and generously spray the linkages with a good silicone spray to clean and lubricate all the

small little springs, connections, and connectors. This will go a long way to keeping everything

in good adjustment and working order.

***

That includes verifying that the choke sliders are in sync, and fully close.

[Blackduck]

Nick,
I have a set of 4 gauges already setup, could come up and check for you
Cheers Steve

[Ken Tarver]

Oldnick
I made a 6 vacuum gauge system several years ago and it works pretty dog-gone good, damped down the needle fluctuation with some air valves. Before assembling all, I checked each gauge on the constant #3 intake to be sure they were all calibrated the same. One of them was out of range, so took it back for an exchange....but i do want one of those digisync setups real bad.

Ken

[Wewaman]

I sync'd mine using 1 vac guage worked great,  Thanks to Patrick

[Oldnick]

Nick,
I have a set of 4 gauges already setup, could come up and check for you
Cheers Steve

'';

HAH!Well there goes the only chance I know of to recoup a cost of buying a Digi Sync . The only other Valk owner I know of in Perth already has a set of vacuum gauges!

That's generous of you mate! But somewhere I have a set of 4 vacuum gauges, mounted on a board, with little screws and washers on the plastic tube to damp them. I need to get off my bum and find them, but I will let you know....mind you, they are now 30+ years old.They may well be stuffed.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Oldnick
I made a 6 vacuum gauge system several years ago and it works pretty dog-gone good, damped down the needle fluctuation with some air valves. Before assembling all, I checked each gauge on the constant #3 intake to be sure they were all calibrated the same. One of them was out of range, so took it back for an exchange....but i do want one of those digisync setups real bad.

Ken

Go for it, you won't regret it. 

[da prez]

Nick, go for the offer just to meet a brother or sister  rider. The next time   we are in Australia , we will try to contact you.
  We have met other Valk family in Ireland .  We will give you enough  notice so you can hide.

           da.prez

[Oldnick]

Nick, go for the offer just to meet a brother or sister  rider. The next time   we are in Australia , we will try to contact you.
  We have met other Valk family in Ireland .  We will give you enough  notice so you can hide.

           da.prez

Nah I've already met Steve. Where's the gain in that? ....no......I really should, I guess. Steve has helped me before, with ideas about the exhaust system and my ste of gauges is well buried. It is a generous offer as it's a longish ride to my place from his.

Just remember guys, before you all get too friendly my "Valk" has a Ford rear end. I am a trike driver, not a biker  . In my favour I bought the trike _because_ it's a Valk...and I am not sorry.

[Blackduck]

Nick,
Not a problem, be nice to get away from the chores around here and always nice to ride through the back road  twisties getting there. May have a look at the DigiSync myself. Mate has a bike repair business and maybe able to get him to chip in.
Cheers Steve

[Oldnick]

Ta muchly Steve. I'll PM you and we'llpick a day that's not too hot!

[Patrick]

This is an old and probably forgotten thread as I don't spend much time here anymore, but, Honda got this right. This carburetor setup is pretty bullet-proof.

I use a plain vanilla single vacuum gauge and it takes longer to write this than it does to do the job.

If the engine won't pass the nickel test then its probably time for a sync check.

Honda has a pretty broad spec [ 1.6 in/hg] and these can easily be set to within a needle width on the gauge [ .5 in/hg].

Keep everything clean and lubed correctly and you're good to go for a long time.