setting pilots by tachometer

[Black Sled]

Does anyone use an auxilliary tach to get the pilots dialed in?  Isn't that what the manual describes? 

Has anyone found one that works well for this?  I saw a clamp-on tach for around $45 that looks like it might work.

[Udo]

You may want to search for posts from FLATSIX. He is in process of doing a pilot adjustment with tach and CO-Meter.....

Maybe, he will chime in.

[Patrick]

I know its not worth much ,but, I've posted on this many times..  I've tried about every way anyone can think of to set the pilots,, even Honda's way.. I've lost count of how many times I've burnt my fat little fingers doing this, as well as how much time I wasted.. If you have a stock bike,, set them at 2.25[35s] and 1.5 [38s].. It'll probably actually run better because they will be set closer/better than if try any other method.. If you ride the bike and think its better done another way, the only thing I can say is that the 'butt' dyno will lie to you almost every time..

[hubcapsc]

I know its not worth much ,but, I've posted on this many times..  I've tried about every way anyone can think of to set the pilots,, even Honda's way.. I've lost count of how many times I've burnt my fat little fingers doing this, as well as how much time I wasted.. If you have a stock bike,, set them at 2.25[35s] and 1.5 [38s].. It'll probably actually run better because they will be set closer/better than if try any other method.. If you ride the bike and think its better done another way, the only thing I can say is that the 'butt' dyno will lie to you almost every time..

I have a 97... do I remember that there's a different recommended setting (other than 2.25) for 97s?

-Mike

[Black Sled]

I know its not worth much ,but, I've posted on this many times..  I've tried about every way anyone can think of to set the pilots,, even Honda's way.. I've lost count of how many times I've burnt my fat little fingers doing this, as well as how much time I wasted.. If you have a stock bike,, set them at 2.25[35s] and 1.5 [38s].. It'll probably actually run better because they will be set closer/better than if try any other method.. If you ride the bike and think its better done another way, the only thing I can say is that the 'butt' dyno will lie to you almost every time..

Patrick - I have the 38's and am 1-1/2 now.  The bike runs fine but still seems to be just a bit fat yet.  I wonder if each bike is a little different.  I am at a higher altitude (~3600').

I have tried doing it by ear but don't think I'm perceptive enough...

[TearlessTom]

I know its not worth much ,but, I've posted on this many times..  I've tried about every way anyone can think of to set the pilots,, even Honda's way.. I've lost count of how many times I've burnt my fat little fingers doing this, as well as how much time I wasted.. If you have a stock bike,, set them at 2.25[35s] and 1.5 [38s].. It'll probably actually run better because they will be set closer/better than if try any other method.. If you ride the bike and think its better done another way, the only thing I can say is that the 'butt' dyno will lie to you almost every time..

Patrick - I have the 38's and am 1-1/2 now.  The bike runs fine but still seems to be just a bit fat yet.  I wonder if each bike is a little different.  I am at a higher altitude (~3600').

I have tried doing it by ear but don't think I'm perceptive enough...

Higher altitude means less air so you would be running a bit fat. I wouldn't think it would be that much at 3600 feet but I live at 90 feet.  You could try turning them in about 1/8 turn at a time.

Tom

[FLATSIX]

Yes, I spent much time the last days at setting the pilots individually like it should. I use a "cheap" digital CO-meter , but have no tachometer.

After days of turning those pilots till all 6 showed 3,0% CO today I finally turned all 6 back in, and 2.25 turns out (that gives +/- 3% of CO and that is what we want!)- like Patrick said :

TURN ALL 6 OUT BY 2.25 TURNS- for me no more CO-measuring , I could not believe that it can be simple, that is why now I think I screwed up my pilotscrews - but I had my lesson .......

[Patrick]

If you think that you're still a bit rich,, at 3600ft you probably are..Like Tom said, turn them in just a tad[technical term] and see how it runs..  As far as a '97 needing to be set differently,, nope,, not that I'm aware of.. The carburetor number is different for the '97s ,but, as far as I know there is no real difference in them and the later years, except for maybe the needle..

[Mr Steve]

'97s have a different carb setup and a different cam, one of the reasons they have more horsepower than later years.  Pilots on a '97 start with 1 3/4 turns out for non California models, and 2 turns out for California model.

[Patrick]

All the pilots tend to be set at 1 3/4 turns originally[49 state engines].. The 97s carburetors really are not different.. The bores and jets and everything including part numbers seem to be the same except I haven't had the chance[or thought of it at the time] to mic the needles.. The camshafts are the same as the others,, At least the part numbers were always the same.. The 49 state engines had one camshaft and California engines had a different camshaft with significantly different valve timing..

[John U.]

Some of us who have installed 38 slow jets have arrived at 1 3/4 turns out. I'm at about 50 feet above mean high tide. Your results will definitly vary by elevation above sea level.

[Mr Steve]

Perhaps the replacement parts they now keep on hand are the same across all models for simplicity, but that wasn't originally the case.  The '97s came with different model carbs and needles along with a hotter cam, from what I understand the cam quietly switched in the middle of the '97 run, but the carbs and needles didn't change until '98.

http://www.rattlebars.com/rp/rpage13.html
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,2018.0.html
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,1282.msg22269.html#msg22269
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,6477.0.html
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,5673.0.html

The above are only from the new tech forum (with the exception of rattlebars page), but I remember many discussions back around 1999-2000 that should be available in the old tech archive as well.

[Dag]

According to the Valkyrie Service Manual:

-97 have other carbs than the other models and require other settings.

'97
Except California type : 1 3/4 turns out
California type: 2 turns out

After '97
Except California type: 2 1/4 turns out
California type: 2 3/8 turns out

[Black Sled]

Some of us who have installed 38 slow jets have arrived at 1 3/4 turns out. I'm at about 50 feet above mean high tide. Your results will definitly vary by elevation above sea level.

When at 1-3/4 with 38 slows, do you need choke on a cold start?

Right now, at 1-1/2, all seems perfect until the engine gets warm.  Then it seems a little sloppy in slow speed driving around the neighborhood.  Idle is not always consistent, even with carbs sync'd.  Otherwise, runs great, so must be set pretty close.  No eye sting or smoke from exhaust like at 2 turns out.

[Black Sled]

I originally posted this as I was considering buying a clamp-on tachometer, like the one here 

http://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6417

Would be worth $50 if I could get this dialed in once in for all...

[chrise2469]

I originally posted this as I was considering buying a clamp-on tachometer, like the one here  

http://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6417

Would be worth $50 if I could get this dialed in once in for all...

That tach will not work on the valk.  The bike uses the wasted spark method and fires twice per cycle.  You would need the Versa Tach Model 321 at $189 from the factory or any tach for wasted spark.    If you need to see it in operation let me know I can crank off a quick video and post a video.

I tried doing the honda method using the gauge and got variable results.  I wound up setting the pilots to... 2.25 turns  .  The tach did help me find an intermittent break in the plug wire to #1.

:edit: I just read that some HD  guys are using this meter but you have divide the rpm in half.