timing belts and educate me on the advancing trigger plates

[Eric58701]

ok guys, I bet this has been beat to death and back times 10, but I like to tinker and I do like to know my bike is at its best mechanical condition it can be, yes I might waist money on some things, but you know what, this bike is my hobby, my therapy.
 anyhow, timing belts are they hard to replace?  any tricks , hints, do or don't do, I don't have 12,000 miles on my 1999 but its also the age of the belts that concern me. they are original.
 and ok now them trigger place with advance, educate me on them, I know there is a 4 degree and I think a 6,  and I run the super octane fuel so that isn't a concern, I build and drag race snowmobiles on ice in the winter so I know some about timing advancing and octane my sleds run114 vp race gas.
 thanks for the help and input, now lets get this thing better and go ride.

[Patrick]

These timing belts are easy to replace. Just don't let the pulleys move and make sure to turn the engine over several times by hand to make sure the alignment marks align before starting.

As far as the advance triggers are concerned you'll hear many differing opinions. I've been through it/them and I don't like them. I'm of the opinion that Honda got these monsters right. The advance wheels cause hard starting and a vibration, plus, these engines do not like a lot of ignition advance. Power falls off fast beyond 27º total advance.

[Grandpot]

This is an interference engine.  Don't let the can shafts turn after the belts are off.

[sandy]

Premium fuel is a waste of money. These bikes run just fine on regular.

[John Schmidt]

These engines were designed to run on regular grade gas. Like Sandy said, if you're using high octane in it you're wasting money and building carbon in most cases. Re. trigger wheels, I have a 4 degree installed in mine along with an I/S ECM which has a built-in advance of ~2 degrees. That gives me all the performance I need, no hard starting, decent mileage in the upper 30's most of the time, and I don't run high test gas.

[Eric58701]

OK well when i first bought this bike i read or was told that they run better with higher octane fuels, so i do just that. i guess i will go for cheaper, anyhow i will try the 4 degree wheel, I'm looking for just a little bit more when wife and i are on it , seems just a little slow to get to that sweet spot on the highway, and when i get my trailer it just cant hurt, or maybe it can.

[Patrick]

I agree that premium fuel is not needed. The higher the octane the slower the fuel burn.

However, many states/stations now have no ethanol in the premium grade.  That in itself can be a good thing. Ethanol fuel is crap and does deteriorate quickly which can lead to varnish in our low jets. Many of us know, usually from experience, that varnish in the original size  low jets is not a good thing. [ I don't use high test in the Valk, I use a fuel additive instead, SeaFoam in early and late season]

[WintrSol]

I had a 6-degree wheel in mine, and it was a net negative when pulling a fairly heavy trailer up hills in the Ozarks. I put the stock wheel back on, and then got the DigiSync from BonS; much better now. I weigh about 175, and my friend about 200, and I can hardly tell he's on the back when I give him a lift.
Try a good sync, before you go messing with the timing; it may be all you need. That, and lower-octane gas, which lights faster.

[Houdini]

However, many states/stations now have no ethanol in the premium grade.

Not exactly...

Ethanol in Premium Gas?

There is a difference between states on whether premium gas specifically has ethanol in it or not. Or, more correctly, whether it's required to have it in it.  Two states in the Union, Missouri and Montana, have specific exemption to allow ethanol-free premium gasoline. So if you live in one of those two states, you can be thankful.

For the rest of us, we are faced with the unpleasant reality that the refineries are all but tied into putting ethanol in premium gas.

https://www.bellperformance.com/blog/bid/110140/Does-premium-gas-have-ethanol-in-it

[Eric58701]

i thought about the digisync but how in the hell do you access all the air screws needed to make it run better, i bought two and crap i cant get them to work, what are you all using to adjust your low air screws?

[WintrSol]

The DigiSync is for setting the throttles to match, by measuring the vacuum at all six ports. It has little to do with the pilot screws, but the idle mixture can influence the vacuum a small amount. If you are using the stock fuel valve, you need a way to keep a vacuum on it while you do the sync; some put a clamp on the vacuum line while the engine is running, then shut it down and connect the DigiSync.

The stock pilot screws have a head shaped like a capital D; a few of mine are damaged, so I have them on order. You need a special tool to adjust or remove them. When my replacements get here, I plan to carefully cut a thin slot in each, so I can use a normal screwdriver. Until then, I used a mirror and light to get mine to the recommended 1-3/4 turns (I have the larger pilot jets).

[98valk]

ok guys, I bet this has been beat to death and back times 10, but I like to tinker and I do like to know my bike is at its best mechanical condition it can be, yes I might waist money on some things, but you know what, this bike is my hobby, my therapy.
 anyhow, timing belts are they hard to replace?  any tricks , hints, do or don't do, I don't have 12,000 miles on my 1999 but its also the age of the belts that concern me. they are original.
 and ok now them trigger place with advance, educate me on them, I know there is a 4 degree and I think a 6,  and I run the super octane fuel so that isn't a concern, I build and drag race snowmobiles on ice in the winter so I know some about timing advancing and octane my sleds run114 vp race gas.
 thanks for the help and input, now lets get this thing better and go ride.

if age was an issue Honda would have had that in their maintenance schedule. only mileage is a check/inspect not even a change out. I've posted before the materials used and they don't go bad esp in a sealed protective environment.
 rad coolant and brake/clutch fluids mileage and age are given for replacement.
if u still decide u are changing those low mileage belts, send them to me.

[Steel cowboy]

I would just try a FULL tank of N/E fuel first. It makes a difference in my I/S with stock (35) jets.

URL=http://s1200.photobucket.com/user/2001valkyrie/media/3940a438-b0b7-443c-9057-16e654d32fab_zpsdzrnxdvz.jpg.html][/URL]

[..]

This may help you decide

http://www.mblinnovations.com/Timing_Advance_Wheel_Installation.pdf

[Patrick]

However, many states/stations now have no ethanol in the premium grade.

Not exactly...

Ethanol in Premium Gas?

There is a difference between states on whether premium gas specifically has ethanol in it or not. Or, more correctly, whether it's required to have it in it.  Two states in the Union, Missouri and Montana, have specific exemption to allow ethanol-free premium gasoline. So if you live in one of those two states, you can be thankful.

For the rest of us, we are faced with the unpleasant reality that the refineries are all but tied into putting ethanol in premium gas.

https://www.bellperformance.com/blog/bid/110140/Does-premium-gas-have-ethanol-in-it

Well, believe what you want. The only thing I can say is to repeat what it says on the pumps. Around here some stations have stickers stating that their premium grade contains no ethanol.
So, if they're lying to me, then, I'm lying to you. I'm just going by what I read on the pump. Until I find out any differently I'll be using the premium where I don't want ethanol. 

[cokebottle10]

Near me we have two stations that have non ethanol fuel on one pump with one hose just for this. They also have premium grade at the same pump and at all the rest of the pumps. All the other grades use the same hose including the premium and has up to 10% ethanol. The non ethanol cost more. One station has a sign that said "older cars and off road use". This non ethanol is what I full up with on my way home. I also fill up a five gallon can for use around the house for small motors.

Sinking the carbs is getting the throttle plates to open at the same time. You do this by adjusting the linkage. Not mixture screws.

David in Fletcher NC.

[Patrick]

i thought about the digisync but how in the hell do you access all the air screws needed to make it run better, i bought two and crap i cant get them to work, what are you all using to adjust your low air screws?

Setting/syncing the carburetors and setting/adjusting the pilots are 2 different animals.

I've made a tool to remove the pilots and then cut a slot in them for a regular screwdriver afterward. Has worked for the past 18 or so years.

For adjusting/syncing the carb throttle plates, I still use a plain vanilla vacuum gauge for the readings and a phillips screwdriver for the adjustment.