Carb Jet Question

[z1eyedjack]

What's the best/quickest way to determine if the stock jets are installed on my bike?  I'm the 3rd owner of a '97 Standard with Cobra 6 into 6 and I don't know if it was ever re-jetted.  I'm just starting to toy around with the carbs and I'm wondering if there's any way to quickly know if anything was done as far as rejetting goes. 

I've also seen some posts about the springs.  Are those the springs that are just under the carb covers?  Would looking at those indicate whether there has been any mod to the carbs?


Thanks!

[Foozle]

If memory serves, the Cobra "jet kit" that accompanied the pipes contained needles only - no jets.  Since replacing the stock jets wasn't (and isn't) required to run the Cobras, it's unlikely yours were messed with - unless the previous owners were tinkerers.  Unfortunately, I know of no way to determine the jet configuration without physically examining the jets themselves.  The springs under the carb covers are not indicative of any other carb mods; many folks replace their Standard/Tourer springs with those from the I/S - which are thought to enhance throttle response.  You can do this in 5 minutes without ever touching the interior workings of the carbs.  Why are you concerned with the jets?  Do your plugs suggest your have a problem?  Terry

[z1eyedjack]

Why are you concerned with the jets?  Do your plugs suggest your have a problem?

It's not so much of a concern as it is out of curiosity.  Although, I'm still trying to solve an issue that I'm having with my bike.  Some who have responded to my previous post http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,15417.0.html have suggested that I change my slow jets rather than bother trying to clean them since I have the airbox off already.   I guess I'm going through the forums with a checklist of things that I can try to repair/replace while I have it all out in the open. 

Desmog, petcock repair or replace with Pingle, Cobra Jet Kit, intake o-rings, completley remove carb bank and clean like Scott in OK suggests, or just replace the jets as jrhorton recommends. 

I'm beginning to feel 

[Foozle]

Personally, I'd look at replacing the jets last - after you've done all the other proposed maintenance on your list.  Still, I can see why you'd want to do this once you've got the carb bank off.  Please let us know how things work out.  I'm in a somewhat similar situation with my own bike.  Terry

[Robert]

I dont know what kind of problem you are having with your bike I am assuming it a low speed or idling issue that you think is carb related. Please remember that most of the guys here have had their bikes for awhile and have done these things over a period of time. It makes doing this stuff alot easier when its not all lumped together in one service. Also I do agree that if you do have a problem and it is carb related to get it done in one shot. My recommendation is to get the Factory Pro kit that will come with instructions and all the jets needed main, idle, needles and you can call them for help. It just make the job easier when all the guess work is out of the equation. Details and the unknowing are the things that may make you a bit hesitant but its really not hard and you wont have to do things later, not to mention the results will be excellent.

[z1eyedjack]

I dont know what kind of problem you are having with your bike I am assuming it a low speed or idling issue that you think is carb related.

I've quoted below my description of the issues I've been having below from a previous thread that I started.  What are your thoughts on the matter?  I still have the airbox off and I'm going back and forth with either taking the carb banks off and cleaning/replacing jets vs. just putting it all back together and trying the Techron treatment, which I just bought the other day.

The bike had been sitting for most of the season last year.  I only had it out 3 times--tops!  I think I put less than 300 miles on it all year.  Stored it in the garage all winter in NY with a battery tender but no fuel stabilizer.  When it came time to start it this spring, she would not start.  I ended up finally getting her started after many failed attemts (and a lot of starter fluild) and she seemed to be running pretty good, Except that there was some strange feel when going from a dead stop.  Like I needed to give her more gas than usual after engaging first gear.  She had plently of power though once she got going.    But then, after about a 1 hr ride or so, just as I was pulling down my block, I felt as if something was seriously wrong.  It felt like the engine was hesitating as I was accelerating.  Almost like it feels when you shut the petcock off while riding.  And she had a very different sound--still had power, just a different sound/feel.  Almost like a fluttering sound.  I want to say "knocking" but I don't think that's the right word.   

I brought her home, let her sit for a while and then did some reasearch.  So I did the easy stuff first.  I replaced all the vaccuum lines and intake caps with RedEye's.  I bought Carbtune and synched the carbs, did an oil change, tightened the header bolts--I even went so far as to replace the header gaskets.  I did a compression test and all is ok.  After all this, she for sure runs better, but I just still sense something is still wrong.  I can feel and hear that it's coming from the right side.  I changed the spark plugs 500 miles ago and rechecked the gap.   And after doing all the above, what I noticed was that while she's idling at 900rpms or, when I'm trying to hold a steady idle at say 2k or 3k rpms, she bounces +- 200rpms.  Is this normal? 

A friend of mine suggested that we pull the plug wires one at a time to see if there is any difference in idle speed.  And what we found was that with #'s 3 and 5, there is no change in the rpms.  With the others pulled one at a time, the idle drops significantly.  So, hence my decision above--replace the wires.  Since 3 and 5 are on different coils, and it is not likely that 2 coils are bad, I decided to go with the wires. 

Oh, and forgot to mention, the strange feeling with the initial take off was resolved by removing a bit of clutch fluid from the reservoir.  I think it was overfilled.  And also,  she's a 97 Standard with about 20,000 miles on her. 

[z1eyedjack]

Here's another update on this topic.  I decided to just go ahead and put the airbox back on and try the Techron solution as a first try.  If it doesn't work, I'll just go ahead and do it all over again.  I have a feeing I'll be an expert at taking the tank and airbox off before the season's up. 

Anyhow, when I got into my garage, I noticed the smell of gas.  I checked the tank, which I had left upside down (maybe that wasn't a good thing?) and saw that gas was slowly leaking out near the vent.   I made sure that I turned the petcock off.  I this normal if the tank is turned on it's front (i.e paint side down)?  I turned it right side up and then checked the vent a few mins later after cleaning the fuel and noticed a slight drip.  What could be causing that?  Or should I not worry?

[z1eyedjack]

A further update:  I put everything back, put about half the bottle of Techron, started her up and took her for a little ride.  She seems to have decent throttle response but still when under 3k rpms i still hear/feel the fluttering, and she's also backfiring much more.  On my way back from putting in some high test fuel, I also hear a lot more ticking than before.  Came back and tightened up those header bolts since I just replaced the header gaskets and they were a little loose.  That seems to have fixed it.  I just think that ticking is coming from the reed valves. 

And what a nighmare it was putting that airbox back on.  The next time I go through this I will, for sure, be desmogging.  If for no other reason, just to simply eliminate the need to put the hoses back on the bottom of the airbox.  What a pain in the arse! 

[Robert]

Things are always easier the second third and fourth times  Dont ask me how I know.

[z1eyedjack]

Personally, I'd look at replacing the jets last - after you've done all the other proposed maintenance on your list.  Still, I can see why you'd want to do this once you've got the carb bank off.  Please let us know how things work out.  I'm in a somewhat similar situation with my own bike.  Terry

Well, I've decided to desmog--and since I went that far, I also pulled out the carb bank.     I can't believe I went that route.  First time I've done something this extensive on the bike. 

From here, I'm just going to inspect to see what's going on, get a little more familiar and take it from there.  I'm thinking about replacing the slow's to the #38's as others have suggested but not sure if I'll do much than that.  Of course, I'm going to replace the bowl gaskets, o-rings on the intakes and pilot screws and may as well just replace the bowl screws too with RedEye's while I'm at it.   Any other suggestions?

[z1eyedjack]

you don't normally need to replace the bowl gaskets.....save the money and buy a couple extra cans of carb cleaner for thoroughly washing out the internals and the bowls.

Can the pilot screw be removed so that the o-rings can be replaced without doing a complete "overhaul" of the carbs as the Clymer manual mentions? 

What else should be cleaned other than the bowls and jets?  Is carb cleaner and a toothbrush the recommended thing with the bowls?  How about the float?  Should that be cleaned, and if so how?