Carbs rebuild kits, jets question

[pokrovsky]

So my bike didn’t get much use last year and the carbs are definitely clogged and needs good cleaning/rebuild.
Before I proceed with tear down, I’m putting all parts together and was wondering from the local experts on some options and opinions.
- redeye full kit isn't available now, but looks like most required parts can piecemealed. Any recommended alternatives?
- should I get slightly bigger jets given my bike has a custom 5” glass pack by Mark T with crossover installed? I also run Interstate ignition control module and springs in bowls
- before carbs got clogged bike ran beautifully smooth at any rpm and idled like silk but the gas mileage was gradually deteriorating over the last couple of years and fell below 30mpg from initial 36+
I’m desmogged and all new vacuum lines with no leaks. New petcock with good vacuum control, dan Marc valve installed. OEM air filter and box with all good runners
No leaks from fuel rail and not much smell of gasoline while running or parked after riding

Thanks!

[98valk]

does it run at all now? if it runs run a tank of Chemtool B12 cleaner, and then Sta-bil and TC-W3 which will clean everything in the intake tract and esp keeps the needles lubricated in the needle wells which are not replaceable.

the carbs do not need to be taken apart and rebuilt.  drop the bowls remove the pilot jet and main jet, clean/soak them and re-install.  
from not running the bowls need to be cleaned and pilot jets they will have the problems.

don't install bigger jets unless u want worst mpg and HP.

[pokrovsky]

Thank you!
Yes, it runs , a little rough idle and I can feel that that right bank is running way leaner and left is trying to overcompensate (I can put my hand at the end of exhaust and feel significant difference). Once warmed up (on a choke) it’s actually not terribly bad and above 2000rpm the difference is almost unnoticeable but the gas mileage is horrible (22-25mpg)

I ran two tanks with two full cans of B-12 and it didn’t really help much if at all

[98valk]

Thank you!
Yes, it runs , a little rough idle and I can feel that that right bank is running way leaner and left is trying to overcompensate (I can put my hand at the end of exhaust and feel significant difference). Once warmed up (on a choke) it’s actually not terribly bad and above 2000rpm the difference is almost unnoticeable but the gas mileage is horrible (22-25mpg)

I ran two tanks with two full cans of B-12 and it didn’t really help much if at all

then only the pilot jets need to be cleaned and most likely the bowls. bowl o-ring can be reused.
then always use sta-bil in fuel, todays fuel breaks down in a few wks.
mpg is low since at cruise the engine should be running on pilot jets only, since they are clogged u are running on the needles to stay running down the road, hence the reduced mpg
carb rebuild is not needed since its running.

[Jims99]

Personally I would pull them and do a good cleaning. If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, they’re great. Loosens up all the crap in the small, hard to get ares and air passages. Also if you haven’t in the past, replace the o-rings on the fuel and air rails. They may not leak now, but a cheap and easy prevention. I also upgrade the float needles (KL-18-8955) you already did the springs. Also check the vacuum caps, I have seen them crack and leak too. (Cheap automotive ones)

[Pluggy]

Hello, Pokrovsky.  Have you checked that the enricher function fully turns off on both sides?  Push the "choke" lever counterclockwise then reach down and try moving the mechanism a little further.  You can use your finger or a small screwdriver.

Motorcycle owners often want to rebuild the carbs when the solution is something simpler.

[pokrovsky]

thank you, I checked the choke operation and it seems to be working properly, I will keep on digging. will report back, but definitely will get new pilot jets of OEM size

[rug_burn]

  Another thing that happens is the diaphragms begin to l.ittle cracks in them from age (mine, '97 vintage).  It seems these can be glued back together for a while so they don't leak, extending when you gotta shell out about  $700 for a set.   And the needles can get a varnish-like coating on them.  In my case, I scratched this off with my thumbnail. 
  And imho best to just rebuild one at a time; egg cartons work good to keep parts sorted and straight.

[pokrovsky]

thank you all for a great troubleshooting tips and suggestions. It is indeed feels like just the pilots on the right hand side bank of cylinders are clogged so I will proceed with getting them replaced and will clean everything else while I'm in there.

[Mooskee]

Try opening the pilots 1/4 turn and run the bike down the road a bit. It will be rich, but it may wash away the gel plug that can form on the pilot needle because of sitting with ethanol fuel. If it blows clear, reset them to previous setting.

[pokrovsky]

that didn't help. I guess the pilots are gunned up pretty well. I removed the carb assembly from the bike yesterday, assembling all the parts to address everything I can possibly can while they are out.

[98valk]

Personally I would pull them and do a good cleaning. If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, they’re great. Loosens up all the crap in the small, hard to get ares and air passages. Also if you haven’t in the past, replace the o-rings on the fuel and air rails. They may not leak now, but a cheap and easy prevention. I also upgrade the float needles (KL-18-8955) you already did the springs. Also check the vacuum caps, I have seen them crack and leak too. (Cheap automotive ones)

some bad info right there.  fuel rails leak because the end nuts of through bolts that hold the carbs together get loose. they need to be tightened and any leaks stop. its not the o-rings.

[Joe333x]

Personally I would pull them and do a good cleaning. If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, they’re great. Loosens up all the crap in the small, hard to get ares and air passages. Also if you haven’t in the past, replace the o-rings on the fuel and air rails. They may not leak now, but a cheap and easy prevention. I also upgrade the float needles (KL-18-8955) you already did the springs. Also check the vacuum caps, I have seen them crack and leak too. (Cheap automotive ones)

some bad info right there.  fuel rails leak because the end nuts of through bolts that hold the carbs together get loose. they need to be tightened and any leaks stop. its not the o-rings.

That might be a temporary fix but when I took apart my carbs my o rings in the fuel rails were toast and even the air rail ones were flattened. Any Valkyrie that hasnt had a full carb rebuild including the rails will be needing one. The youngest valk now is 21 years old, that rubber does not last forever. All your doing is pushing the rail into the carb harder by tightening the nuts but if the o rings are in good shape they won't leak as long as the o rings are in the holes that they slide into on the carbs

[98valk]

Personally I would pull them and do a good cleaning. If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, they’re great. Loosens up all the crap in the small, hard to get ares and air passages. Also if you haven’t in the past, replace the o-rings on the fuel and air rails. They may not leak now, but a cheap and easy prevention. I also upgrade the float needles (KL-18-8955) you already did the springs. Also check the vacuum caps, I have seen them crack and leak too. (Cheap automotive ones)

some bad info right there.  fuel rails leak because the end nuts of through bolts that hold the carbs together get loose. they need to be tightened and any leaks stop. its not the o-rings.

That might be a temporary fix but when I took apart my carbs my o rings in the fuel rails were toast and even the air rail ones were flattened. Any Valkyrie that hasnt had a full carb rebuild including the rails will be needing one. The youngest valk now is 21 years old, that rubber does not last forever.

really? not a temporary fix. my '98 I bought new as a leftover in '00, in 83k miles zero leaks except twice those nuts got loose. after tightening zero leaks for yrs.
 please post engineering testing that shows installed Buna-N o-rings go bad in 21 yrs? testing that shows fuel additive chemicals that cause buna-n to fail were not used? carbs were not in a flood or carbs were left outside in the sun, dry for yrs?
 please don't post shelf life of o-rings which has zero to do with in-service life.

[Joe333x]

Personally I would pull them and do a good cleaning. If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, they’re great. Loosens up all the crap in the small, hard to get ares and air passages. Also if you haven’t in the past, replace the o-rings on the fuel and air rails. They may not leak now, but a cheap and easy prevention. I also upgrade the float needles (KL-18-8955) you already did the springs. Also check the vacuum caps, I have seen them crack and leak too. (Cheap automotive ones)

some bad info right there.  fuel rails leak because the end nuts of through bolts that hold the carbs together get loose. they need to be tightened and any leaks stop. its not the o-rings.

That might be a temporary fix but when I took apart my carbs my o rings in the fuel rails were toast and even the air rail ones were flattened. Any Valkyrie that hasnt had a full carb rebuild including the rails will be needing one. The youngest valk now is 21 years old, that rubber does not last forever.

really? not a temporary fix. my '98 I bought new as a leftover in '00, in 83k miles zero leaks except twice those nuts got loose. after tightening zero leaks for yrs.
 please post engineering testing that shows installed Buna-N o-rings go bad in 21 yrs? testing that shows fuel additive chemicals that cause buna-n to fail were not used? carbs were not in a flood or carbs were left outside in the sun, dry for yrs?
 please don't post shelf life of o-rings which has zero to do with in-service life.

I don't need to post engineering results, I can speak from experience of tearing down a set of carbs. Ill post a picture below and you can see what a fuel rail o ring looks like, sure you could try tightening it so that maybe its metal on metal jamming it in the carb creating a seal but if the tube is in the hole and its leaking then the o ring is shot. I replaced every o ring in all the carbs, all were dried out, cracked, or at the very least just lost their elasticity so that are no longer round and just sit flat. I understand the need to hope that you never need to do a rebuild but its not a matter of if, its just a matter of when, I wouldn't trust a Valkyrie that is still running the stock o rings, they will be leaking if not already.

[98valk]

Personally I would pull them and do a good cleaning. If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, they’re great. Loosens up all the crap in the small, hard to get ares and air passages. Also if you haven’t in the past, replace the o-rings on the fuel and air rails. They may not leak now, but a cheap and easy prevention. I also upgrade the float needles (KL-18-8955) you already did the springs. Also check the vacuum caps, I have seen them crack and leak too. (Cheap automotive ones)

some bad info right there.  fuel rails leak because the end nuts of through bolts that hold the carbs together get loose. they need to be tightened and any leaks stop. its not the o-rings.

That might be a temporary fix but when I took apart my carbs my o rings in the fuel rails were toast and even the air rail ones were flattened. Any Valkyrie that hasnt had a full carb rebuild including the rails will be needing one. The youngest valk now is 21 years old, that rubber does not last forever.

really? not a temporary fix. my '98 I bought new as a leftover in '00, in 83k miles zero leaks except twice those nuts got loose. after tightening zero leaks for yrs.
 please post engineering testing that shows installed Buna-N o-rings go bad in 21 yrs? testing that shows fuel additive chemicals that cause buna-n to fail were not used? carbs were not in a flood or carbs were left outside in the sun, dry for yrs?
 please don't post shelf life of o-rings which has zero to do with in-service life.

I don't need to post engineering results, I can speak from experience of tearing down a set of carbs. Ill post a picture below and you can see what a fuel rail o ring looks like, sure you could try tightening it so that maybe its metal on metal jamming it in the carb creating a seal but if the tube is in the hole and its leaking then the o ring is shot. I replaced every o ring in all the carbs, all were dried out, cracked, or at the very least just lost their elasticity so that are no longer round and just sit flat. I understand the need to hope that you never need to do a rebuild but its not a matter of if, its just a matter of when, I wouldn't trust a Valkyrie that is still running the stock o rings, they will be leaking if not already.

of course u didn't answer my questions, esp since it looks like a few of those o-rings melted due to fuel additives, mainly seafoam which also shrinks buna-n.   
just stating everybody needs to change out the o-rings due to age is just bad advice. or are u a carb rebuilder business?
Am done with this thread.

[Joe333x]

Personally I would pull them and do a good cleaning. If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, they’re great. Loosens up all the crap in the small, hard to get ares and air passages. Also if you haven’t in the past, replace the o-rings on the fuel and air rails. They may not leak now, but a cheap and easy prevention. I also upgrade the float needles (KL-18-8955) you already did the springs. Also check the vacuum caps, I have seen them crack and leak too. (Cheap automotive ones)

some bad info right there.  fuel rails leak because the end nuts of through bolts that hold the carbs together get loose. they need to be tightened and any leaks stop. its not the o-rings.

That might be a temporary fix but when I took apart my carbs my o rings in the fuel rails were toast and even the air rail ones were flattened. Any Valkyrie that hasnt had a full carb rebuild including the rails will be needing one. The youngest valk now is 21 years old, that rubber does not last forever.

really? not a temporary fix. my '98 I bought new as a leftover in '00, in 83k miles zero leaks except twice those nuts got loose. after tightening zero leaks for yrs.
 please post engineering testing that shows installed Buna-N o-rings go bad in 21 yrs? testing that shows fuel additive chemicals that cause buna-n to fail were not used? carbs were not in a flood or carbs were left outside in the sun, dry for yrs?
 please don't post shelf life of o-rings which has zero to do with in-service life.

I don't need to post engineering results, I can speak from experience of tearing down a set of carbs. Ill post a picture below and you can see what a fuel rail o ring looks like, sure you could try tightening it so that maybe its metal on metal jamming it in the carb creating a seal but if the tube is in the hole and its leaking then the o ring is shot. I replaced every o ring in all the carbs, all were dried out, cracked, or at the very least just lost their elasticity so that are no longer round and just sit flat. I understand the need to hope that you never need to do a rebuild but its not a matter of if, its just a matter of when, I wouldn't trust a Valkyrie that is still running the stock o rings, they will be leaking if not already.

of course u didn't answer my questions, esp since it looks like a few of those o-rings melted due to fuel additives, mainly seafoam which also shrinks buna-n.  
just stating everybody needs to change out the o-rings due to age is just bad advice. or are u a carb rebuilder business?
Am done with this thread.

I am not not in the carb rebuilding business, just the i dont want my bike catching on fire business because I'm too cheap to replace wear parts like o rings. My carbs were leaking fuel onto the engine and leaving the tell tale sign of evaporated gasoline(picture below). So I reached out to the Facebook group where I met Dave Wilder, who is probably the most knowledgeable person you could speak to on valk carbs and he told me everything I will need to do the job correctly, I purchased everything I needed, ultrasonic cleaner, digisync, colortune, o rings, needles, jets, electric fuel shut off, manual petcock ect. Now my bike leaks no fuel and is also protected against hydrolock. The picture of the fuel rail I posted is just from 20+ years of ethanol fuel, in my area all you can get is E10. Maybe you would have an argument if all you run through your bike is ethanol free but in todays world thats very hard to do in many areas. I spent the money on parts and equipment and did all the work myself, now the bike runs great, doesn't leak and I can trust it on long rides that I wont be catching on fire.

Photos of evaporated gasoline

[98valk]

Joe, why do u think that is liquid gasoline leaking from the manifold O-ring? There is zero liquid gasoline in the manifold.  only thing in the manifold is an atomized air/fuel mixture from the carb.

that staining is the high-tac from the factory to hold the o-rings in place in the manifolds on the assembly line seeping out from constant heat over time. Yes my new '98 was doing it, so I pulled a manifold and right away I saw the problem. removed the high tac and reinstalled manifold, zero staining/leakage after that. It never ever was the OEM O-rings going bad and leaking gasoline. even though there is zero liquid gasoline there, if the O-rings were leaking that bad the result would be a severe vacuum leak causing erratic idle.
enjoy.

[Joe333x]

Joe, why do u think that is liquid gasoline leaking from the manifold O-ring? There is zero liquid gasoline in the manifold.  only thing in the manifold is an atomized air/fuel mixture from the carb.

that staining is the high-tac from the factory to hold the o-rings in place in the manifolds on the assembly line seeping out from constant heat over time. Yes my new '98 was doing it, so I pulled a manifold and right away I saw the problem. removed the high tac and reinstalled manifold, zero staining/leakage after that. It never ever was the OEM O-rings going bad and leaking gasoline. even though there is zero liquid gasoline there, if the O-rings were leaking that bad the result would be a severe vacuum leak causing erratic idle.
enjoy.

No that is just where the gas would pool. I would wipe it away and it would come back and leave a green colored stain again. As you could see before from my fuel rail the O rings where clearly shot and after dissembly of the carbs it was clear that a full rebuild was needed. You keep telling people that a carb rebuild is not needed but it most certainly is needed on these bikes, the original rings in every Valkyrie by now are all dried out and will be leaking if they are not already. O rings are wear items meant to be replaced they never were intended to last forever and ethanol fuel makes their life span shorter. Carb rebuilds are not that scary I uploaded youtube videos of mine in order to help others that need to do theirs.
https://youtu.be/tx3AnNUVahI
https://youtu.be/qiY2pCfTwMw
https://youtu.be/YeamHDdo2S4

[98valk]

Joe, why do u think that is liquid gasoline leaking from the manifold O-ring? There is zero liquid gasoline in the manifold.  only thing in the manifold is an atomized air/fuel mixture from the carb.

that staining is the high-tac from the factory to hold the o-rings in place in the manifolds on the assembly line seeping out from constant heat over time. Yes my new '98 was doing it, so I pulled a manifold and right away I saw the problem. removed the high tac and reinstalled manifold, zero staining/leakage after that. It never ever was the OEM O-rings going bad and leaking gasoline. even though there is zero liquid gasoline there, if the O-rings were leaking that bad the result would be a severe vacuum leak causing erratic idle.
enjoy.

No that is just where the gas would pool. I would wipe it away and it would come back and leave a green colored stain again. As you could see before from my fuel rail the O rings where clearly shot and after dissembly of the carbs it was clear that a full rebuild was needed. You keep telling people that a carb rebuild is not needed but it most certainly is needed on these bikes, the original rings in every Valkyrie by now are all dried out and will be leaking if they are not already. O rings are wear items meant to be replaced they never were intended to last forever and ethanol fuel makes their life span shorter. Carb rebuilds are not that scary I uploaded youtube videos of mine in order to help others that need to do theirs.
https://youtu.be/tx3AnNUVahI
https://youtu.be/qiY2pCfTwMw
https://youtu.be/YeamHDdo2S4

again it wasn't gasoline, there is zero liquid gasoline there, Again it was the factory high-tac that was melting and seeping out.
buna-n is not affected by todays gasoline
Buna o-rings:

    Excellent resistance to petroleum-based oils and fuels, silicone greases, hydraulic fluids, water and alcohols
    Low compression set
    High tensile strength
    Abrasion resistance
    Superior performance in ethanol/methanol blended gasoline

https://www.applerubber.com/blog/how-to-make-the-right-choice-between-viton-and-buna-o-rings/

[Joe333x]

Joe, why do u think that is liquid gasoline leaking from the manifold O-ring? There is zero liquid gasoline in the manifold.  only thing in the manifold is an atomized air/fuel mixture from the carb.

that staining is the high-tac from the factory to hold the o-rings in place in the manifolds on the assembly line seeping out from constant heat over time. Yes my new '98 was doing it, so I pulled a manifold and right away I saw the problem. removed the high tac and reinstalled manifold, zero staining/leakage after that. It never ever was the OEM O-rings going bad and leaking gasoline. even though there is zero liquid gasoline there, if the O-rings were leaking that bad the result would be a severe vacuum leak causing erratic idle.
enjoy.

No that is just where the gas would pool. I would wipe it away and it would come back and leave a green colored stain again. As you could see before from my fuel rail the O rings where clearly shot and after dissembly of the carbs it was clear that a full rebuild was needed. You keep telling people that a carb rebuild is not needed but it most certainly is needed on these bikes, the original rings in every Valkyrie by now are all dried out and will be leaking if they are not already. O rings are wear items meant to be replaced they never were intended to last forever and ethanol fuel makes their life span shorter. Carb rebuilds are not that scary I uploaded youtube videos of mine in order to help others that need to do theirs.
https://youtu.be/tx3AnNUVahI
https://youtu.be/qiY2pCfTwMw
https://youtu.be/YeamHDdo2S4

again it wasn't gasoline, there is zero liquid gasoline there, Again it was the factory high-tac that was melting and seeping out.
buna-n is not affected by todays gasoline
Buna o-rings:

    Excellent resistance to petroleum-based oils and fuels, silicone greases, hydraulic fluids, water and alcohols
    Low compression set
    High tensile strength
    Abrasion resistance
    Superior performance in ethanol/methanol blended gasoline

https://www.applerubber.com/blog/how-to-make-the-right-choice-between-viton-and-buna-o-rings/

That stain is from a fuel leak. If it's just around the intake, it's the intake 0-ring leaking. If the leak is from your fuel rail, it can run down and evaporate in that area as well, fuel leaves that stain as it evaporates. As I showed you, the rings in my fuel rail were toast, after seeing that photo are you telling me that those o ring are actually okay because a website told you they are excellent? The fact of the matter is many people with actual first hand experience have rebuilt these carbs because the o rings fail and they start leaking. It's not the end of the world and it makes way more sense to just do it and get it out of the way than wait until you have a massive fuel leak and your bike catches fire which has happened. These were posted on the facebook group recently, caused by a carb leak.


Here is the link to the post.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/2jKLXf8oBY1LQj9T/?mibextid=oFDknk

[98valk]

Joe, why do u think that is liquid gasoline leaking from the manifold O-ring? There is zero liquid gasoline in the manifold.  only thing in the manifold is an atomized air/fuel mixture from the carb.

that staining is the high-tac from the factory to hold the o-rings in place in the manifolds on the assembly line seeping out from constant heat over time. Yes my new '98 was doing it, so I pulled a manifold and right away I saw the problem. removed the high tac and reinstalled manifold, zero staining/leakage after that. It never ever was the OEM O-rings going bad and leaking gasoline. even though there is zero liquid gasoline there, if the O-rings were leaking that bad the result would be a severe vacuum leak causing erratic idle.
enjoy.

No that is just where the gas would pool. I would wipe it away and it would come back and leave a green colored stain again. As you could see before from my fuel rail the O rings where clearly shot and after dissembly of the carbs it was clear that a full rebuild was needed. You keep telling people that a carb rebuild is not needed but it most certainly is needed on these bikes, the original rings in every Valkyrie by now are all dried out and will be leaking if they are not already. O rings are wear items meant to be replaced they never were intended to last forever and ethanol fuel makes their life span shorter. Carb rebuilds are not that scary I uploaded youtube videos of mine in order to help others that need to do theirs.
https://youtu.be/tx3AnNUVahI
https://youtu.be/qiY2pCfTwMw
https://youtu.be/YeamHDdo2S4

again it wasn't gasoline, there is zero liquid gasoline there, Again it was the factory high-tac that was melting and seeping out.
buna-n is not affected by todays gasoline
Buna o-rings:

    Excellent resistance to petroleum-based oils and fuels, silicone greases, hydraulic fluids, water and alcohols
    Low compression set
    High tensile strength
    Abrasion resistance
    Superior performance in ethanol/methanol blended gasoline

https://www.applerubber.com/blog/how-to-make-the-right-choice-between-viton-and-buna-o-rings/

That stain is from a fuel leak. If it's just around the intake, it's the intake 0-ring leaking. If the leak is from your fuel rail, it can run down and evaporate in that area as well, fuel leaves that stain as it evaporates. As I showed you, the rings in my fuel rail were toast, after seeing that photo are you telling me that those o ring are actually okay because a website told you they are excellent? The fact of the matter is many people with actual first hand experience have rebuilt these carbs because the o rings fail and they start leaking. It's not the end of the world and it makes way more sense to just do it and get it out of the way than wait until you have a massive fuel leak and your bike catches fire which has happened. These were posted on the facebook group recently, caused by a carb leak.


Here is the link to the post.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/2jKLXf8oBY1LQj9T/?mibextid=oFDknk

clearly u just want to argue.  u don't read what I wrote, u do not know how the carb/manifold system works, etc., u just want to argue because u read something incorrect yrs ago from somebody else who didn't know what the stain is from, etc.,etc. good bye, your beyond help, believe false engineering and engine operation and what ruins o-rings, your free to do so. But I see u didn't comment when I proved your comment that ethanol fuel ruins O-rings is 110% wrong esp since RIGHT in your owners manual Honda states 10% ethanol is always safe to use.  just so u know there are different grades of buna-n o-rings, honda would have used the best grade. I'm DONE! good bye!

[Joe333x]

Joe, why do u think that is liquid gasoline leaking from the manifold O-ring? There is zero liquid gasoline in the manifold.  only thing in the manifold is an atomized air/fuel mixture from the carb.

that staining is the high-tac from the factory to hold the o-rings in place in the manifolds on the assembly line seeping out from constant heat over time. Yes my new '98 was doing it, so I pulled a manifold and right away I saw the problem. removed the high tac and reinstalled manifold, zero staining/leakage after that. It never ever was the OEM O-rings going bad and leaking gasoline. even though there is zero liquid gasoline there, if the O-rings were leaking that bad the result would be a severe vacuum leak causing erratic idle.
enjoy.

No that is just where the gas would pool. I would wipe it away and it would come back and leave a green colored stain again. As you could see before from my fuel rail the O rings where clearly shot and after dissembly of the carbs it was clear that a full rebuild was needed. You keep telling people that a carb rebuild is not needed but it most certainly is needed on these bikes, the original rings in every Valkyrie by now are all dried out and will be leaking if they are not already. O rings are wear items meant to be replaced they never were intended to last forever and ethanol fuel makes their life span shorter. Carb rebuilds are not that scary I uploaded youtube videos of mine in order to help others that need to do theirs.
https://youtu.be/tx3AnNUVahI
https://youtu.be/qiY2pCfTwMw
https://youtu.be/YeamHDdo2S4

again it wasn't gasoline, there is zero liquid gasoline there, Again it was the factory high-tac that was melting and seeping out.
buna-n is not affected by todays gasoline
Buna o-rings:

    Excellent resistance to petroleum-based oils and fuels, silicone greases, hydraulic fluids, water and alcohols
    Low compression set
    High tensile strength
    Abrasion resistance
    Superior performance in ethanol/methanol blended gasoline

https://www.applerubber.com/blog/how-to-make-the-right-choice-between-viton-and-buna-o-rings/

That stain is from a fuel leak. If it's just around the intake, it's the intake 0-ring leaking. If the leak is from your fuel rail, it can run down and evaporate in that area as well, fuel leaves that stain as it evaporates. As I showed you, the rings in my fuel rail were toast, after seeing that photo are you telling me that those o ring are actually okay because a website told you they are excellent? The fact of the matter is many people with actual first hand experience have rebuilt these carbs because the o rings fail and they start leaking. It's not the end of the world and it makes way more sense to just do it and get it out of the way than wait until you have a massive fuel leak and your bike catches fire which has happened. These were posted on the facebook group recently, caused by a carb leak.


Here is the link to the post.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/2jKLXf8oBY1LQj9T/?mibextid=oFDknk

clearly u just want to argue.  u don't read what I wrote, u do not know how the carb/manifold system works, etc., u just want to argue because u read something incorrect yrs ago from somebody else who didn't know what the stain is from, etc.,etc. good bye, your beyond help, believe false engineering and engine operation and what ruins o-rings, your free to do so. But I see u didn't comment when I proved your comment that ethanol fuel ruins O-rings is 110% wrong esp since RIGHT in your owners manual Honda states 10% ethanol is always safe to use.  just so u know there are different grades of buna-n o-rings, honda would have used the best grade. I'm DONE! good bye!

No sir. You are the one with no first hand experience with what you are talking about and I read these forums regularly. All you do is argue with everyone and contribute nothing to the actual discussion. You post the same links over and over about how great the o rings are meanwhile people have leaking carbs and as you see in what I posted someones bike actually caught fire, but keep telling people to just tighten them bolts down.

[98valk]

Joe, why do u think that is liquid gasoline leaking from the manifold O-ring? There is zero liquid gasoline in the manifold.  only thing in the manifold is an atomized air/fuel mixture from the carb.

that staining is the high-tac from the factory to hold the o-rings in place in the manifolds on the assembly line seeping out from constant heat over time. Yes my new '98 was doing it, so I pulled a manifold and right away I saw the problem. removed the high tac and reinstalled manifold, zero staining/leakage after that. It never ever was the OEM O-rings going bad and leaking gasoline. even though there is zero liquid gasoline there, if the O-rings were leaking that bad the result would be a severe vacuum leak causing erratic idle.
enjoy.

No that is just where the gas would pool. I would wipe it away and it would come back and leave a green colored stain again. As you could see before from my fuel rail the O rings where clearly shot and after dissembly of the carbs it was clear that a full rebuild was needed. You keep telling people that a carb rebuild is not needed but it most certainly is needed on these bikes, the original rings in every Valkyrie by now are all dried out and will be leaking if they are not already. O rings are wear items meant to be replaced they never were intended to last forever and ethanol fuel makes their life span shorter. Carb rebuilds are not that scary I uploaded youtube videos of mine in order to help others that need to do theirs.
https://youtu.be/tx3AnNUVahI
https://youtu.be/qiY2pCfTwMw
https://youtu.be/YeamHDdo2S4

again it wasn't gasoline, there is zero liquid gasoline there, Again it was the factory high-tac that was melting and seeping out.
buna-n is not affected by todays gasoline
Buna o-rings:

    Excellent resistance to petroleum-based oils and fuels, silicone greases, hydraulic fluids, water and alcohols
    Low compression set
    High tensile strength
    Abrasion resistance
    Superior performance in ethanol/methanol blended gasoline

https://www.applerubber.com/blog/how-to-make-the-right-choice-between-viton-and-buna-o-rings/

That stain is from a fuel leak. If it's just around the intake, it's the intake 0-ring leaking. If the leak is from your fuel rail, it can run down and evaporate in that area as well, fuel leaves that stain as it evaporates. As I showed you, the rings in my fuel rail were toast, after seeing that photo are you telling me that those o ring are actually okay because a website told you they are excellent? The fact of the matter is many people with actual first hand experience have rebuilt these carbs because the o rings fail and they start leaking. It's not the end of the world and it makes way more sense to just do it and get it out of the way than wait until you have a massive fuel leak and your bike catches fire which has happened. These were posted on the facebook group recently, caused by a carb leak.


Here is the link to the post.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/2jKLXf8oBY1LQj9T/?mibextid=oFDknk

clearly u just want to argue.  u don't read what I wrote, u do not know how the carb/manifold system works, etc., u just want to argue because u read something incorrect yrs ago from somebody else who didn't know what the stain is from, etc.,etc. good bye, your beyond help, believe false engineering and engine operation and what ruins o-rings, your free to do so. But I see u didn't comment when I proved your comment that ethanol fuel ruins O-rings is 110% wrong esp since RIGHT in your owners manual Honda states 10% ethanol is always safe to use.  just so u know there are different grades of buna-n o-rings, honda would have used the best grade. I'm DONE! good bye!

No sir. You are the one with no first hand experience with what you are talking about and I read these forums regularly. All you do is argue with everyone and contribute nothing to the actual discussion. You post the same links over and over about how great the o rings are meanwhile people have leaking carbs and as you see in what I posted someones bike actually caught fire, but keep telling people to just tighten them bolts down.

No experience? I've been tuning my carbs/air box/exhaust since new in '00 and esp since modifying the heads and installing R1 cams, etc. https://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,105991.0.html

so sad. u should read what the owner stated, he doesn't know how the fire started and there is no follow up by him.
more like it was an electrical fire that melted the fuel line/s.  if there was a major fuel leak he would have smelled it as soon as he sat on the scoot.
so Yea then it was a fuel fire after the fire melted the fuel lines.
from facebook
""Lowell Walker
How did the Valkyrie catch on fire?

Michael DraughnAuthor
Top contributor
Lowell Walker I started the bike , felt heat from under the tank..No fire extinguisher or water supply..No way to put it out..Fire dept put the fire out..New tires, rear diff rebuilt. Etc.

 Lowell Walker
Michael Draughn that doesn’t tell me how the fire started.

 Michael DraughnAuthor
Top contributor
Lowell Walker Don't know yet""

test shows seafoam shrinks buna-n o-rings over time. many swear by SF, is this their problem, IMO yes.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/my-o-ring-swelling-test.129732/

I posted before that there is a chemical in SF that deteriorates buna-n. many disagreed with my post yet many seem to have o-ring failures.
https://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,123521.0.html

[Joe333x]

Joe, why do u think that is liquid gasoline leaking from the manifold O-ring? There is zero liquid gasoline in the manifold.  only thing in the manifold is an atomized air/fuel mixture from the carb.

that staining is the high-tac from the factory to hold the o-rings in place in the manifolds on the assembly line seeping out from constant heat over time. Yes my new '98 was doing it, so I pulled a manifold and right away I saw the problem. removed the high tac and reinstalled manifold, zero staining/leakage after that. It never ever was the OEM O-rings going bad and leaking gasoline. even though there is zero liquid gasoline there, if the O-rings were leaking that bad the result would be a severe vacuum leak causing erratic idle.
enjoy.

No that is just where the gas would pool. I would wipe it away and it would come back and leave a green colored stain again. As you could see before from my fuel rail the O rings where clearly shot and after dissembly of the carbs it was clear that a full rebuild was needed. You keep telling people that a carb rebuild is not needed but it most certainly is needed on these bikes, the original rings in every Valkyrie by now are all dried out and will be leaking if they are not already. O rings are wear items meant to be replaced they never were intended to last forever and ethanol fuel makes their life span shorter. Carb rebuilds are not that scary I uploaded youtube videos of mine in order to help others that need to do theirs.
https://youtu.be/tx3AnNUVahI
https://youtu.be/qiY2pCfTwMw
https://youtu.be/YeamHDdo2S4

again it wasn't gasoline, there is zero liquid gasoline there, Again it was the factory high-tac that was melting and seeping out.
buna-n is not affected by todays gasoline
Buna o-rings:

    Excellent resistance to petroleum-based oils and fuels, silicone greases, hydraulic fluids, water and alcohols
    Low compression set
    High tensile strength
    Abrasion resistance
    Superior performance in ethanol/methanol blended gasoline

https://www.applerubber.com/blog/how-to-make-the-right-choice-between-viton-and-buna-o-rings/

That stain is from a fuel leak. If it's just around the intake, it's the intake 0-ring leaking. If the leak is from your fuel rail, it can run down and evaporate in that area as well, fuel leaves that stain as it evaporates. As I showed you, the rings in my fuel rail were toast, after seeing that photo are you telling me that those o ring are actually okay because a website told you they are excellent? The fact of the matter is many people with actual first hand experience have rebuilt these carbs because the o rings fail and they start leaking. It's not the end of the world and it makes way more sense to just do it and get it out of the way than wait until you have a massive fuel leak and your bike catches fire which has happened. These were posted on the facebook group recently, caused by a carb leak.


Here is the link to the post.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/2jKLXf8oBY1LQj9T/?mibextid=oFDknk

clearly u just want to argue.  u don't read what I wrote, u do not know how the carb/manifold system works, etc., u just want to argue because u read something incorrect yrs ago from somebody else who didn't know what the stain is from, etc.,etc. good bye, your beyond help, believe false engineering and engine operation and what ruins o-rings, your free to do so. But I see u didn't comment when I proved your comment that ethanol fuel ruins O-rings is 110% wrong esp since RIGHT in your owners manual Honda states 10% ethanol is always safe to use.  just so u know there are different grades of buna-n o-rings, honda would have used the best grade. I'm DONE! good bye!

No sir. You are the one with no first hand experience with what you are talking about and I read these forums regularly. All you do is argue with everyone and contribute nothing to the actual discussion. You post the same links over and over about how great the o rings are meanwhile people have leaking carbs and as you see in what I posted someones bike actually caught fire, but keep telling people to just tighten them bolts down.

No experience? I've been tuning my carbs/air box/exhaust since new in '00 and esp since modifying the heads and installing R1 cams, etc. https://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,105991.0.html

so sad. u should read what the owner stated, he doesn't know how the fire started and there is no follow up by him.
more like it was an electrical fire that melted the fuel line/s.  if there was a major fuel leak he would have smelled it as soon as he sat on the scoot.
so Yea then it was a fuel fire after the fire melted the fuel lines.
from facebook
""Lowell Walker
How did the Valkyrie catch on fire?

Michael DraughnAuthor
Top contributor
Lowell Walker I started the bike , felt heat from under the tank..No fire extinguisher or water supply..No way to put it out..Fire dept put the fire out..New tires, rear diff rebuilt. Etc.

 Lowell Walker
Michael Draughn that doesn’t tell me how the fire started.

 Michael DraughnAuthor
Top contributor
Lowell Walker Don't know yet""

test shows seafoam shrinks buna-n o-rings over time. many swear by SF, is this their problem, IMO yes.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/my-o-ring-swelling-test.129732/

I posted before that there is a chemical in SF that deteriorates buna-n. many disagreed with my post yet many seem to have o-ring failures.
https://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,123521.0.html

The guy actually titled the post "carb leak" as you can see in the photo. You dont get a fire like that without fuel leaking. The first hand experience I was referring to is rebuilding carbs since clearly you dont have any or you would understand how brittle they are after 20+ years. I showed you a first hand picture of my disintegrated fuel rail o-ring to which you just wrote off, guess I should have just tightened my bolts down more and it would have fixed that. its great that your bike is not leaking but many have and is the reason carb rebuilding is a thing, people are not doing it for the fun of it. Unfortunately it's just part of owning a 20 plus year old bike with six carburetors You're going to have to deal with it sooner or later. You just telling people that the carburetors never have to be rebuilt because a website says the OEM O rings are great meanwhile their carbs are leaking is not actually helping anyone. Thank you for proving my point though that you just like to argue considering you said you were done with this post and keep coming back.