Carb Rack is Out - Second round of questions

[Paladin]

Got the carb rack out today. Time consuming, but no real surprises. If it goes back in as easy I'll be a lucky, lucky man. Only real change to the gameplan was that I had to remove my carb covers to get the rack out. I have V-stacks, and it would have been tight getting it out with regular carb covers on. The V-stacks made it impossible.

I have the most important ingredients ready and plan to go over the carbs starting next weekend (hopefully).




I have a couple of questions at this point, and I'd appreciate your opinions:

1. Airbox - The sealant around the connecting tubes (not the tubes or the box itself) is dried out and cracked from flexing to get the airbox out. I'm sure it will be even more cracked after flexing them again to get it back in when I'm done. How critical is this? If I reseal them what shourld I use and any tips for ensuring that they don't loose seal when I flex the tubes to reinstall the airbox?

2. The manual that I'm using (Clymer) states that all service can be done to the carbs without seperating them. My gameplan was to strip the carbs down for cleaning, "dip" the carb rack in cleaner for a soak (Pine Sol - I have friends that have used it on bike carbs before and it works great.), drain, wash any cleaner out with warm soapy water, then blow dry with compressed air before reassembly with new o-rings/gaskets. Small parts would be done seperately (jets, bowls, etc.). I'll need a right angle screwdriver to get to the screw that holds the air cutoff valve, but other than that it looks like I can do it without seperating the individual carbs. Do you see a problem with exposing the orings between the carbs to solvent during the dip/soak?

3. What are the two hoses indicated in the picture below? Vent hoses? They don't connect to anything. Gas came out when I flipped the rack over to take a bottom view picture.




Thanks for your help, as always. Any opinions/advice would be appreciated. 

[Misfit]

Just go ahead and break them down. It realy is not a big deal. Seperate into 6 indivduale carbs and then tear down each one seperatly. Keep all of the parts from each carb seperate. With 6 individuale piles it will all make sense. Scratch each carb bowl with it's cylinder # so they go back in the same place that they came out. Other than the soak 2 hrs tops.

[98valk]

3. they are the bowl vent tubes. IMO if they are clogged or not installed as in your pic they are the source of hydro-loc. I have posted before that this was a problem on certain GL1500s and honda actually put out a service bulletin to fix the problem.

[gordonv]

#1) air box sealling. I was going to us a putty type matterial I used to use on windows, it doesn't dry and stays pliable, and isn't harmed by UV. If I remember the name I'll put that here. Butual or something like that.

#2) Clymer manual. Get the Service Manual off the Norway Valkyrie web site, PDF. I always like having a repair manual and a service manual. Ones for the shop and "professionals", the other is for the back yarders. Don't forget the fische online also.

I understand the use of the glass bottle in your picture, but what about that metal and wood thing, what would you use that for?

[John Schmidt]

Re. sealing the rubber tubes leading from the airbox to the carbs, don't bother. For one thing, doubtful they will stay sealed...remember, they didn't originally. I haven't resealed mine in all the times I've had the airbox off and it hasn't made any difference I can tell. As for removing/reinstalling the carb bank, did you remove the engine hangers? That's first on the agenda, and the coil mounted at the top left and forward on the frame rail...if removed will ease the removal/reinstallation of the airbox. If you have the OEM carb tops, I'd put them back on just enough to keep stuff out and replace them with the stacks after the carbs are back in place. The last thing you want is for the rubber baffle on top to get messed up. A pinhole in that will drive you nuts trying to figure out what's wrong. The two hoses you're asking about are overflow hoses. That's why you had fuel running out when you removed the carbs and turned them over. You should have drained each bowl first before removing the carbs, saves a big mess later. Just put a can under the bike where you see the three hoses coming out the bottom, then open each drain screw. DON'T forget to close them....don't ask why I mention that. 

[Paladin]

Thanks, everyone!

Gordonv - The bottle is for if I get in a jam. The hammer is for if the jam is bad enough that I need to knock myself out for starting this project 

John Schmidt - Great minds think alike... I removed the 1 & 2 ignition coil and both upper rear engine mounts before pulling the rack. You're right, I don't think it would have come out otherwise. I did drain the bowls, but very little gas came out the drain lines. I'm thinking that's partially due to clogged drains (due to the gunk I'm expecting to find in the bowls) and the fact that liquid gas hasn't been able to get to the carbs due to petcock fouling. Good idea with putting the OEM covers back on until I'm ready to tackle the carb teardown. Thanks. I sure don't need to create any more problems for myself. 

[Fudd]

+1 on Gordonv's #2 suggestion.  If you take a minute and print pages 90-117 it will answer most every question, and give a step by step directions.  I put mine in a three hole folder and had it to refer to on the work bench.

[vic]

I had to take my airbox out about a month ago and I noticed that the material around the air tubes that connect at the box looked like it was cracked in some places and like everyone else, assumed its sealant and may need to be replaced.  So I took a good look at the Honda Service Manual for the Valkyrie and if I'm reading it right, it is not sealant at all, it's Honda Handgrip Cement!!  So if it is Honda Handgrip Cement, its only purpose is to hold the tubes onto the airbox.....not sealing anything. Which explains why we don't experience any vacuum leaks when we re-install the airbox and leave the cracking material (handgrip cement) in place like we found it.  If anyone wants to do the research like I did, look in the front pages of the Honda Service Manual....I think its the "General Information" section where it lists the types of lubricant to use in different parts of the Valk.  Find the airbox notation and you should see Honda Handgrip Cement as the material to use around the air tubes.

[fordmano]

Yep you better get them covers back on since if you have to replace any of those diaphragms they are PRICEY,,, did I say PRICEY I meant VARY PRICEY. With the carb issues I am in the middle of I have looked at the online dealer parts locater fiche a lot lately.


Have no worries no matter how badly you might damage or break or just mess anything up it can all be replaced just better get a loan if your manage to need the entire carb rack almost $2,500   for the complete carb setup...

Those AirCut Valve (ACV's) are an exciting area of the carbs. If you think you can get them out from between the carbs you’re a better man than I. (which is very possible) But I want to know and see pictures of how you did that if you don’t pull them all apart..

Good luck, hope your luck is way better than mine has been lately.

[Paladin]

Those AirCut Valve (ACV's) are an exciting area of the carbs. If you think you can get them out from between the carbs you’re a better man than I.

Yeah.. I like how the Clymer says you can do everything with the carbs joined, then only shows them removing the Air Cut Valves from one of the easy-to-get-to ones 

If this works, I'll post pics and any trick I figured out to do it. If not, it will be Plan B and I'll break the rack up into individual carbs.

[hubcapsc]

I removed the 1 & 2 ignition coil and both upper rear engine mounts before pulling the rack. You're right, I don't think it would have come out otherwise.

I've never removed my carburetors... did you remove the intake runners to make extra room for
getting the carb bank out? Would it help?

-Mike

[fordmano]

I removed the 1 & 2 ignition coil and both upper rear engine mounts before pulling the rack. You're right, I don't think it would have come out otherwise.

I've never removed my carburetors... did you remove the intake runners to make extra room for
getting the carb bank our? Would it help?

-Mike

Simple answer is YES, in reality you could just remove the one side that you plan on sliding the CARBS out toward. Little tip I found is you can remove the rear cross bar support bracket on the carb rack pull the crossover choke cable then unbolt the four nuts that hold that rear support in place and slide it out to rather side and that will free up a little more space to move the carb rack around and wiggle it out. Doing this you DO-NOT need to remove the motor mounts. Either way is about the same amount of work just about I ended up doing it this way mainly since I did not read all of the instructions in the manuals or here on this forum before I yanked all of it out. Still seemed easier to do it my way at least for my big old fat meat hook hands.

[Thunderbolt]

is to take off the clamps that hold the airbox tubes onto the carb tops.  What this does is keep you from losing them down on top of the motor.  It is especially helpful when re-installing the airbox.  Once the airbox is back in, just open it up a little and snake it around then put the screw back in.

[Blackduck]

As I am usually  only pulling the carbs for a jet change I leave the left intake runners on the head and disconnect at the carbs. Remove both rear hangers and there is plenty of clearance to remove the carb rack without removing anything from them. I can remove the carbs, change the jets and have it back together  around 1 1/2 hours.
Just loosen the tube clamps enough to slide them up the tubes. Have never had to use force to hold the airbox down when reinstalling, if it is sitting high usually one of the tubes is not on correctly.
Cheers Steve

[YoungPUP]

Pulling the rear motor mounts is the way to go. Didnt look here the first time I pulled the carbs and fished out the heat shield and pulled the upper radiator hose off...    Wont do that again.
Just remember that its really easy to roll the back edge of the airbox tubes under when reconnecting the carbs. An inspection  mirror and a good shop light helps...