changing carbs

[art]

I know it been done but I need some imput an info on removing the carbs an making new intake manifolds an using an automotive carb or carbs.Thank s for any help,Art

[DFragn]

It's called a SuperCharger and'll prolly cost $4k-$6k + 

[1fastbob]

I know it been done but I need some imput an info on removing the carbs an making new intake manifolds an using an automotive carb or carbs.Thank s for any help,Art

I'm in for this.  I'd like to make a manifold and use maybe a Holley 2 barrel and do away with those 6 pain in the ass carbs.  Let me know if you figure out how to do it!

[Momz]

Sounds like an expensive experiment. But you may be a good fabricator. Why go for a carberator? If you are serious about this project, think a Holley TBI unit would be a better choice. You would need two oxygen sensors and bungs welded into the exhaust. The Honda ECU should work with associated electronics.

Why do you want to change?

Another alternative woud be to use the Gold Wing 1500 dual carb set-up and manifold. But you'd lose HP.

[Robert]

Someone did that already  but opted for fuel injection and he supercharged it but the manifold could have been used for a regular carb.  Jeff K probably has some pics of it but like other suggested injection would be the only way to go. Thats allot of work to go through just to eliminate the carbs and they do happen to be what aesthetically improves the look.

[Pete]

Swapping 1 or 2 carbs for the 6 that come on a Valk! I guess I do not see the point or the reason. Swapping the carbs for 1 or 2 TBI units would be easiest and least expensive (but even that will be expensive), but makes more sense than using a carb. Of course the best injection unit would be individual injectors for each cylinder (TPI).

 I suspect the simplest and least expensive way would be to adapt a Goldwing injection to the Valk. That should bolt up with a few modifications, but will require a custom fuel map to run correctly. I doubt that it will run any better or faster. The advantage would be that the bike could sit longer without incurring slow jet issues.

The port injection unit seen with the blower kits could be adapted to use a mass air flow sensor without the blower may be a place to start also. Again custom fuel map required.

Good luck and pack a HEAVY wallet. Thanks Pete.

[Patrick]

This has been done.. Some one years ago made a manifold for an automotive 4bbl carburetor,, seems like I saw one available not long ago on ebay.. Why some one would want to do this is beyond me,,but,, to each his own.. I think a big reason many of us bought these monsters was because of those kewl looking carburetors.. These carburetors are not a problem, have been very reliable, and require hardly any maintenance.. The carburetor problems I see are owner related..

[JimC]

Art,
What you are talking about has been attempted many times in the classic goldwing ranks.
The classic goldwingers, mainly the 75-83 1000 and 1100 folks have serious issues with their old carbs gumming up and not running properly and that is what has prompted the attempts. I don't know if we will ever have the same problems or not and if we do, it is hard to tell if they will be as bad. The classic wings just plain will not run well enough to add anything into the fuel to help clean them out. That has opened up a cottage industry of carb rebuilders that are anything but cheap. I paid almost $500 for a set of rebuilt carbs off an 1100 a few years ago, and that is for 4 carbs!
 
Some people have been able to make the single carb work, most ended up with issues that were not worth the effort. Here is a link to a manifold set on ebay right now. Ckeck the links in that auction to Randaks home page, he is the guru of carbs for the classic wingers, and has done many tests himself. He also has done many experiments with single and dual carbs on his own bikes. The guy is good.

 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160377661019&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Another link that you can do a search about single carbs and the issues that came up like uneven flow, icing of the manifold, tuning, loss of power, etc. is
www.nakedgoldwings.com

All in all if you throw enough money at it, it will work. If you think about it what you will be doing is sacrificing something. Lets face it, Honda's engineers did a pretty good job when the laid out the Valk and the newer goldwings. The best thing I can think of for the Valkyrie is to keep our present carbs clean and working properly by adding some cleaning agent and riding them.
Jim

[Pete]

Having owned 2 1975s, 1978 and 1982 Goldwings and having put many miles on them as well as having serviced many others, then and now. The carb problems and solutions then and now are most often the same.

Keep them clean and sync-ed.
Nothing poured down them works as well as a good dis-assembly and cleaning.
Rusty gas tanks are a carbs worst enemy.
If the bike is going to set up DRAIN the carbs.
Vaccum leaks must be resolved to run well.

That is the way it was then for the Goldwing, the same goes for the Valkyrie today.
Thanks Pete.

[Pete]

Search on the web for "goldwing weber" for more information about single carb kits and issues. Lots of info both good and bad.

The last group that I was aware of working on a TBI unit conversion, seems to have disappeared, there site is no longer available. Thanks Pete.

[art]

thanks Pete I am getting new o ring kits for the valve ass. on the side of the carbs.It seems like some of theo rings are not doing the job an one is missing.I got all the carbs off an will be checking everthing an cleaning.What got me pissed off was that I had a [mechanic] take them apart an rebuild them last year.You just cannot get things done unless you do it yourself.this has been going on for about a year an a half.I hope that when I get it done it will ren better .These carbs an simple to work on theres not to much to them just a lot of o rings an vac hoses.The needles are stock an clean an no clogged jets.Thanks again.Art

[Pete]

Art, just make real sure that the pilot jet/slow jet is really clean "all holes", not just the center jet. Take your time and be surgical clean. You can do it. Is your gas tank inside in good shape, not introducing rust or scale into the carbs? That can make you pull you hair out by "re-infecting" the carbs. Good luck hope it all works out.
Thanks Pete.

P.S. To often a carb cleaning to some mechanics means pouring a can of cleaner down the fuel hose, letting it set and draining it. One would think they would learn, that most of the time it does not solve the problem long term.

[art]

my tank is clean an yes I did pull out ihe pilots an all the jets an they are clean.To make sure I checked them all with a microscope an everthing looked like new an all holes are clear.I'm also going to check the engine for any posible vac. leaks since I desmoged it.Art

[Pete]

Sounds like you are getting there, good luck and let us know how it works out. Pete.

[Bagger John - #3785]

Having owned 2 1975s, 1978 and 1982 Goldwings and having put many miles on them as well as having serviced many others, then and now. The carb problems and solutions then and now are most often the same.

Keep them clean and sync-ed.
Nothing poured down them works as well as a good dis-assembly and cleaning.
Rusty gas tanks are a carbs worst enemy.
If the bike is going to set up DRAIN the carbs.
Vaccum leaks must be resolved to run well.

That is the way it was then for the Goldwing, the same goes for the Valkyrie today.

This.

Additionally, many of us have found that changing the slow jets to #38 (rather than the stock #35) results in a bit less plugging due to fuel-system contaminants.

Blondie's Standard is due for such a swap, as is my Tourer. If you're handy with a wrench, the whole process can be accomplished inside of a day - and that's assuming you take time to clean and detail things while the carbs are off the bike.

Change your air filter element, vacuum hoses and intake runner "O" rings when you remove the carbs. Those air/fuel-system components are the other keys to a smooth-running Valkyrie.

I changed the slow jets in my I/S last year and the accompanying increase in performance/smoothness at idle has been rather noticeable, albeit at a cost of slightly reduced fuel mileage. Keep your hand out of the throttle unless absolutely necessary (riiiight...) and the bike won't get too thirsty.