how rich is normal at idle?

[Locomotive]

As far as I know from the prior owner, who owned my well-kept 18k miles '99 (that I bought in Feb. '18 and brought home about a month ago) for the last ten years, and from what he was told by the first owner, the bike is 100% OEM. But when I go to start it, it floods easily, even without any choke, and at idle the exhaust reeks dramatically of rich fuel mixture like nothing I have been near other than a very heavily modded '60s muscle car.

I'm expecting that the carburetors will benefit from a good cleaning, and a syncing (I bought a Digi-Sync), and some fresh float needles, and maybe those things will correct some of what I am finding, but I am also wondering if some one messed with the jets.

What I am wondering is 'how rich is normal' at idle?

Thanks

[The emperor has no clothes]

It's possible that someone changed the jets. But it's more likely in my opinion your cabs need a good cleaning. 18,000 miles in 19 years means it sat a lot. It seems almost nothing is worse for our fuel system than non use. Many swear by the cleaner additives. I never had much luck with them. I had to take the carbs out and apart and manually clean them.

[Locomotive]

It's possible that someone changed the jets. But it's more likely in my opinion your cabs need a good cleaning. 18,000 miles in 19 years means it sat a lot. It seems almost nothing is worse for our fuel system than non use. Many swear by the cleaner additives. I never had much luck with them. I had to take the carbs out and apart and manually clean them.

Thanks- I filled it up with non-ethanol 91 octane plus doses of Seafoam and Techron and it seems a bit better (the idle was very uneven, after running the better fuel and cleaners it is a little better) - I definitely plan to dive in full bore on the carbs, but at the moment I can't bring myself to incapacitate this bike that I just barely got, and I have projects I have to finish up for family before I would have time to do the Valk's carbs in a focused and quick manner.

Thanks for the input!

[longrider]

The po may have adjusted the pilots. They should be open between two and two and a quarter turns. Then sync

[sandy]

I too bought a valk that stunk pretty bad. WAY too rich and a bad idle. After several gallons of seafoam and B12 it got a bit better but I gave up. I finally pulled the carbs and soaked them overnight. Blew air thru them and reassembled with new bowl gaskets. Pilots are 2 turns out. No more smell and it runs like a Buick on steroids. BTW: Premium fuel does nothing for a low compression engine. You're throwing your money away.

[Locomotive]

I too bought a valk that stunk pretty bad. WAY too rich and a bad idle. After several gallons of seafoam and B12 it got a bit better but I gave up. I finally pulled the carbs and soaked them overnight. Blew air thru them and reassembled with new bowl gaskets. Pilots are 2 turns out. No more smell and it runs like a Buick on steroids. BTW: Premium fuel does nothing for a low compression engine. You're throwing your money away.

Thanks- the only reason for the 91 octane is that where I live, that's the only grade that (and at only a few stations) is available with zero ethanol. I realize that the octane level itself does nothing for our application, but I prefer when I can to get the zero ethanol fuel.

[da prez]

Its riding season. As a try to fix , a strong dose of Berrymans B-12. Put in a half can on a fuel stop. Run the bike for 20 or so miles. Park it and leave it sit for a day.  Then take it out and run it. Run the tank out and re fuel. If it helps , repeat the process. A rebuild (complete) is the best idea. Getting thru the riding season seems to be what you are looking for. The carbs are dirty and no run thru cleaner will do the job.

                                                da ptrz

[sandy]

I too bought a valk that stunk pretty bad. WAY too rich and a bad idle. After several gallons of seafoam and B12 it got a bit better but I gave up. I finally pulled the carbs and soaked them overnight. Blew air thru them and reassembled with new bowl gaskets. Pilots are 2 turns out. No more smell and it runs like a Buick on steroids. BTW: Premium fuel does nothing for a low compression engine. You're throwing your money away.

I reread my post and meant to say soak the jets, not the whole carb rack. Jeez I'm getting old!!