New member with a big leak.

[KTRT]

Hello everyone.

I bought my Valkyrie back in February, and been riding regularly for a while.
In early June I noticed the fuel Petcock was leaking, so I replaced it. On removing the old Petcock, I noticed there was no filter on the tube going inside the fuel tank. Meaning I probably ran for a while with stuff getting flushed down in the carbs.

More recently, I’ve been having a *big* leak when starting the engine. It appears to come from the middle of the carb bank. Last time it fixed itself after hitting a slight speed bump.

Also, sorry for not posting photos, I just can’t get them to the right format and size.

I’m heavily suspecting a stuck float needle. I’ve read around the forum, before going full carb removal :

-remove the drain screws, spray carb cleaner down.
-just tap it, solve the problem (don’t think it’s a lasting solution)
-tighten the screws holding the carbs together (did it, apparently didn’t do much).

So, while I’m not too worried about removing the carbs, I’m kinda worried about having to do carb sync afterwards, since I’m lacking the proper gear. Also, I’m in western Europe, so finding a mechanic that can repair anything pre-2020 is kinda hard.

I thank you in advance for any advices you might provide.

[98valk]

""Meaning I probably ran for a while with stuff getting flushed down in the carbs. ""

How dirty do u think the gasoline from the pumps is?  American gas is not third world gas.


tighten the end nuts of the thru bolts that hold the carbs together. manual does require all nuts and bolts to be checked.

https://madisongroup.com/o-rings-an-effective-simple-and-versatile-sealing-solution/

""In order to seal reliably, a continuous “seal line” must be formed at the interface between the O-ring and the mating gland surface. The creation of this “seal line” is a result of a combination of the gland design, the O-ring cross-section, and the proper level of compression of the elastomeric material.""

[KTRT]

EU, not US, though I know our fuel has a fair bit of ethanol in it.

I know she sat for a while last year (about six months) with the fuel tank empty, but the carb bowls were probably not purged.

From what I can gather, the leak happen somewhere between between and behind carb 2 and 4.

That said, I’ll probably pull the carbs altogether, if only for peace of mind.

[Joe333x]

Download the service manual.
https://web.archive.org/web/20220328115011/https://valkyrienorway.com/download.html
Order a rebuild kit and follow the manual on the rebuild. The manual gives you a set number or turns that you can use for setting the air/fuel and and sync screws. Having a colortune and digisync would be better but doing it the service manual way should get you to good enough.

[Hook#3287]

I noticed there was no filter on the tube going inside the fuel tank. Meaning I probably ran for a while with stuff getting flushed down in the carbs.

Did you look up into the tank where the petcock was?  It's been reported that sometimes the fuel strainer screen will stay in the tank when removing the petcock.

[KTRT]

Yes. Wasn’t there.

[KTRT]

So, update.

I removed the carbs.

If someone know the trick for that plastic firewall, I’d like to know because that was without irony the hardest part.

I removed the bowl. They looked mostly clean, but upon closer inspection, there’s a white powder like deposit.
The float needles. Two of them had a sticky light orange deposit (varnish?)

I can already tell it’s been opened in the past, but I don’t think it’s been done particularly well since I can find dried bits of o rings and whatnot.

[Mooskee]

So, update.

I removed the carbs.

If someone know the trick for that plastic firewall, I’d like to know because that was without irony the hardest part.

I removed the bowl. They looked mostly clean, but upon closer inspection, there’s a white powder like deposit.
The float needles. Two of them had a sticky light orange deposit (varnish?)

I can already tell it’s been opened in the past, but I don’t think it’s been done particularly well since I can find dried bits of o rings and whatnot.

The Plastic air dam: The manual says to "Remove the rear upper engine mounting bolts, bracket bolts
and engine mounting brackets." They wont move far, but if you dislodge them and move them back a bit, you will get clearance for removal and installation of the carb bank past the plastic air dam.

If that is not quite enough, take the choke crossover cable loose on the right side. Remove the bank by lifting the right-side front up (#1) and the left side back down (#6).

The manual also says to remove the #1/2 coil out of the way. I never do. I seem to be able to get them out without messing with the coil.

Float needle deposit.:
Sounds like the ethanol fuel is breaking down and starting to leave deposits. You might get away with cleaning her up a bit. Whatever you do, do not spray carb cleaner into the carbs. It may very well attack the rubber in the Air Cut Valves, and the CV diaphragms, both very expensive components.

ALSO, do not blow compressed air into the carbs with the ACVs or CV diaphragms attached.

I can't see what you are looking at. However, I have seen many carb sets where ethanol fuel is in various stages of breaking down. Your description sounds like it is in the early stages and may be recoverable without a complete tear down.

Pull the jets and look through them to make sure they are open. If you have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, clean them or replace them if they are clogged.

Since you indicated there is a possibility of the float bowl needle valves sticking, personally I would replace the float bowl needle valves with K&L 18-8955 K3 needles. At the very least clean the ones you have. Make sure the floats are sitting at the proper height by turning the carbs upside down. The floats should sit with the little raised circular mark centered right on the edge of the bowl. There is a measurement, but that is where it ends up. If the FBNVs springs have weakened, the floats will sit too low. Very common after so many years. The weakened spring and possibly worn tip on the FBNV will cause the fuel in the bowl to be too high. and possibly allow the FBNV to let fuel in when it should close.

I am trying to give you steps to recover without rebuilding.

IF you determine that the fuel leak is on the fuel rail from the tees or tubes. Try tightening the nuts on the connecting rods (7 ft lbs. torque). If you still have a leak you will have to break apart the carbs to replace the fuel rail O-rings. At that point you might as well rebuild them.

I do it all the time, so it is easy for me, but the manual has good instructions. If you are a decent mechanic, you can do it. Just take your time and pay attention to detail. The biggest part of it is doing the same thing 6 times. An ultrasonic cleaner will certainly help. If you decide to do it, I can send you my inspection checklist, as well as other info.

Balancing:
You will need to balance the carbs if you take them apart. The tolerance is 1.6 in mercury. #3 is fixed and the other 5 are balanced to it. You will need a good set of gauges, or ideally a Digi Sync.

Tuning:
Tuning is more forgiving than balancing. Balancing must be done first. Then tuning. You can get away with setting the pilot screws to the starting point in the manual. It won't be perfect, but it will be in the ball park.

Here is a link to my Youtube channel with a video of me describing balancing and tuning on my test engine.

https://youtu.be/LrbXjakM-TI?si=MkCH2H77Ej4W71yy

[KTRT]

Thank for all your advices. I will try all that later today.  

I was thinking of simply pouring fuel down the hoses (with the carbs closed, of course) to see it the leak comes from the fuel rail. Sounds good?

Ah, I forgot. While removing the drain screws, I noticed only a few still had a pointy clean tip. The other look corroded, covered in brown hard stuff (rust from water sitting down?), so I guess those will need replacing.

[KTRT]

Found the leak.

The T shaped plastic piece on the left bank, between carb between carb 4 and 6 if I’m not mistaken

Yup, so it was definitely the o-rings. They were so dry they all snapped in two when I wanted to remove them.

[Mooskee]

Found the leak.

The T shaped plastic piece on the left bank, between carb between carb 4 and 6 if I’m not mistaken

Yup, so it was definitely the o-rings. They were so dry they all snapped in two when I wanted to remove them.

Yep. Very common unfortunately.

[KTRT]

Eh, I like wrenching, and I knew from the get go I’d have to clean the carbs anyway.

Besides, while I’m waiting for the kit, I was able to find some tubing to do some vacuum lines, those were horrible too, and I’ll replace the timing belts, just in case.

[KTRT]

Okay, small dumb question as I’m busying myself with the hoses.

https://oem-bike-parts.com/en/parts/honda/1100cc/gl-1500-gold-wing/gl1500ctw-valkyrie-1998/e-20-1-carburetor-pipe

Number 14, what are those hoses linked to?

And while I’m at it, does anyone has a trick for hoses that are stuck to plastic parts? I was trying to remove the draining hoses without breaking the plastic piece in the middle, and kinda stop before breaking it.

[Timbo1]

Okay, small dumb question as I’m busying myself with the hoses.

https://oem-bike-parts.com/en/parts/honda/1100cc/gl-1500-gold-wing/gl1500ctw-valkyrie-1998/e-20-1-carburetor-pipe

Number 14, what are those hoses linked to?

And while I’m at it, does anyone has a trick for hoses that are stuck to plastic parts? I was trying to remove the draining hoses without breaking the plastic piece in the middle, and kinda stop before breaking it.

I may be wrong but I believe those are vent / overflow tubes that go into the rear stay.
This kinda shows where they go if I'm thinking of the right part. Youtube Link


On stuck hoses for me it's 50/50 on if I can get them off without causing more damage.  I take a small pick or screwdriver and try to get it between the hose and connector then rotate it.  Sometimes the rubber has deteriorated to much and cracks.

[Mooskee]

Timbo is correct. The #14 hoses are vent tubes and remain open to atmosphere. When fuel enters the bowl, the air goes out those tubes. The are placed in the rear stay as Timbo stated.

[KTRT]

Right, so I’m mostly done on cleaning and preparing the carbs for being reinstalled.

Question, while I’m waiting on a sync tool, is there some sort of pre calibration suggested to get her running decently before fully syncing the carbs with the adequate tools?

[Joe333x]

Right, so I’m mostly done on cleaning and preparing the carbs for being reinstalled.

Question, while I’m waiting on a sync tool, is there some sort of pre calibration suggested to get her running decently before fully syncing the carbs with the adequate tools?

Unless you messed with the throttle sync screws they will be exactly where you had them when you took the carbs off. As far as the pilot screw the manual tells you to turn it until it until it lightly seats and then back it out 2 and 1/4 turns.

[KTRT]

Right, so I’m mostly done on cleaning and preparing the carbs for being reinstalled.

Question, while I’m waiting on a sync tool, is there some sort of pre calibration suggested to get her running decently before fully syncing the carbs with the adequate tools?

Unless you messed with the throttle sync screws they will be exactly where you had them when you took the carbs off. As far as the pilot screw the manual tells you to turn it until it until it lightly seats and then back it out 2 and 1/4 turns.

That’s what I did for the pilot screw indeed. But since i completely torn down the carbs, and I didn’t want to lose small parts, yeah I removed the throttle sync screw and associated springs.

[Timbo1]

Right, so I’m mostly done on cleaning and preparing the carbs for being reinstalled.

Question, while I’m waiting on a sync tool, is there some sort of pre calibration suggested to get her running decently before fully syncing the carbs with the adequate tools?

You can do this to get an initial sync. Mechanical sync

Once you have it all together you can then use your choice of vacuum gauges or a manometer to finish syncing.

[Joe333x]

Right, so I’m mostly done on cleaning and preparing the carbs for being reinstalled.

Question, while I’m waiting on a sync tool, is there some sort of pre calibration suggested to get her running decently before fully syncing the carbs with the adequate tools?

Unless you messed with the throttle sync screws they will be exactly where you had them when you took the carbs off. As far as the pilot screw the manual tells you to turn it until it until it lightly seats and then back it out 2 and 1/4 turns.

That’s what I did for the pilot screw indeed. But since i completely torn down the carbs, and I didn’t want to lose small parts, yeah I removed the throttle sync screw and associated springs.

Oh damn, yeah even the service manual doesn't give any help on that but the video posted from D ray seems like a good place to start. In case anyone is reading this in the future there's no need to take the throttle sync screws or springs off, the carbs can be cleaned and rebuilt with them still attached.

[KTRT]

Bike mostly back together, mostly.

Whoever designed the airbox, I wish they’ll step on a Lego every morning. Everything was fairly easy except putting that thing back on the carbs, I swear it was actively fighting me.

Very briefly started the engine, no problems apparently, no leaks and while I’m not done syncing the carbs, she sounded responsive.