Desmog or not?

[Jym777]

I'am into fixing my hydro lock problem got my carbs out and got looking at all the piping in there and was wondering about the desmog guestion, what do you gain by doing it the top part looks pretty easy at this point but I hate to think about pulling the exhaust for the bottom two! What say you?

[Bighead]

Just saves you future vaccumm leaks. And hell  you already got the carbs out what's another 10 minutes to remove the exhaust?

[Tropic traveler]

Jym, if I remember correctly you don't have to pull the exhaust to get the bottom tubes off. What you will have to do is destroy the piping that goes around & under each head. You will have to pull the engine guards to get to the front upper holes. I've done at least 5 Valks. What I have done is reuse the bottom tube as a plug off. I cut the tube about an inch from the 2 bolt flange, crimp and fold the tube over then weld it up to seal it. Easy to reinstall as a block off plate that way. Extra vacuum caps, four 19mm cup style freeze plugs, and a plug of some sort for the nipple on the bottom of the airbox is all you need. JB Weld works nice as a filler to put over the cup plugs on the top side of the heads. I can weld your bottom tubes shut for you if you would like. It's not a hard job and if you have the carbs or air box already off now would be the time to do it.

[John Schmidt]

No need to remove the exhaust. All I ever did on those that I pulled for others....cut the chrome tube where it goes around the end of the engine on each side and fill it with some JBWeld Kwik. I usually stuffed a small wad of paper towel in the end then added the JBWeld on top of it. Kept it from running down inside, and after a few minutes add a second layer of Weld and forget about it. That way you don't have to remove the pipes to access the end of that tube under the heads. To plug the holes in the top of the head I just picked up some freeze plugs and tapped them into place. It takes either 14mm or I believe the equivalent is 9/16".  Then I just tap them into the holes left using a small socket, just don't use one the nicely fits. If you do, when the freeze plug is driven into place it will close around the socket and you're not getting it out. I have a set of 1/4" drive sockets and used something like a 6mm, anything that fits with a lot of space around it so the plug won't grab it. When I desmogged I never bought a kit, just used the stuff I had and it works fine.

On my 1200 when I desmogged it I used a slightly different method plugging the holes on top of the heads and it could be done the same way on the Valk. When you pop the inserts out of the head(4 of them), cut the tube off flush to the insert. Then fill it with some of that JBWeld Kwik and reinstall. Just turn the insert so that spot is pointing to the inside and you'll never see it. Reassemble the carbs using the OEM hold down on each of those. If you need pictures let me know and I'll take a couple for you.

Eddie....has to be 14mm, 19mm=3/4" and they aren't that wide. Just cut the tubes off as I suggested and reuse the OEM inserts on top of the heads.

[Tropic traveler]

You're right John, it is 14mm. Been a few years since I did one.
 

[Bert AKA,Valkaholic]

Jym, if I remember correctly you don't have to pull the exhaust to get the bottom tubes off. What you will have to do is destroy the piping that goes around & under each head. You will have to pull the engine guards to get to the front upper holes. I've done at least 5 Valks. What I have done is reuse the bottom tube as a plug off. I cut the tube about an inch from the 2 bolt flange, crimp and fold the tube over then weld it up to seal it. Easy to reinstall as a block off plate that way. Extra vacuum caps, four 19mm cup style freeze plugs, and a plug of some sort for the nipple on the bottom of the airbox is all you need. JB Weld works nice as a filler to put over the cup plugs on the top side of the heads. I can weld your bottom tubes shut for you if you would like. It's not a hard job and if you have the carbs or air box already off now would be the time to do it.

I Usually Cut The Tubing Off And Fill The Fitting With Quick Steel From Both Sides .

[Jym777]

Thank you guys your the best, one more question is it really necessary to do vacuum caliabration or synchronize the carbs when I get the girl back together? Since I don't have gauges where could I get that done? Thanks again for all the imput much appreciated! Jym..

[Pappy!]

Jym - assuming you have the carb banks still together at this point.
Look into the bottom side of the bores. The edge of the throttle blade, at idle, is just open far enough to where you can see one of the tiny idle calibration holes. If you look into the rest of the carbs you will see that they should look almost identical in how much of the first hole is uncovered. If you are in doubt about what I am talking about just open the blade a bit further and you will see successive holes being uncovered for off-idle fuel/air. When you put the carbs back together you can set all throttle blades to roughly the same spot.
Or - RedEye will have supplied you with a .004 piece of brass shim stock to set all throttle blade openings with, your choice. You set this by inserting past the throttle blade and pulling back. The amount of drag you feel should be the same on all 6.

[98valk]

3lbs less weight so u will accelerate faster. Do u need another reason? 

[BF]

Just saves you future vaccumm leaks. And hell  you already got the carbs out what's another 10 minutes to remove the exhaust?

What he said ^^^^^^^^^^^