Carb gurus opinion please

[_Sheffjs_]

I have a friends V Star 1100 here at my house to help sell, it is an immaculately clean bike with only 11,400 miles on a 2005. Because of a massive heart attack and not able to ride he wants to sell the bike so I detailed the bike and it looks fantastic but it just doesn't run right. It will always start, it runs, however it seems to miss every so often, I pulled the plugs to change to new, the front plug was black the second cylinder plug looked normal, so isn't a black plug from running too rich?  I have run a tank of fresh gas through with seafoam and no difference I can't imagine it's because of the gummed up carburetor if it's running too rich. Am I wrong here anybody have any thoughts before I rip apart carburetors?

[98valk]

use service manual and adjust idle mixture screws.
pull plugs do ohm reading on both.
pull plug cables and do same and check for corrosion.

[da prez]

  If you do not want to really get into it , drain the fuel tank. Put in a double dose of berrymans b-12 with fresh gas. Run the bike for at least 10 minutes. Shut off , turn off fuel petcock, let sit at least 24 hours. Repeat . Then take it out and run it. Keep it in first gear and run the r's up for a while. Then ride it . If it is minor , the B-12 will cure it.

                                    da prez

[Disco]

+1 on the Berryman's. 

[Jims99]

Which cylinder runs the petcock. Maybe pulling fuel in that way.
I know they run a bigger jet in the front carb, if it had been rejetted for different pipes and stocks put back it will run rich. Also check air filter. The carbs on those are much more precise when any changes to exhaust or intake are made.

[3W-lonerider]

Not sure if the vstar is set up the same way. But years ago i had a shadow. That would do that. What i found was the plungers in the carbs for the fuel enrichment circut would corrode. I'd use the choke and after wards the engine would run rich and not have the power it should. Follow the choke cable to the carbs and pull the enrichment plungers out and clean the up. Maybe your problem will disappear.

[_Sheffjs_]

Not sure if the vstar is set up the same way. But years ago i had a shadow. That would do that. What i found was the plungers in the carbs for the fuel enrichment circut would corrode. I'd use the choke and after wards the engine would run rich and not have the power it should. Follow the choke cable to the carbs and pull the enrichment plungers out and clean the up. Maybe your problem will disappear.

you might be onto something here.

And to the others - b-12 in with fresh gas.

[Ricky-D]

Since the V-Star is a v-twin I imagine it has just a single carburetor.

Am I correct in this assumption?

If I am correct, no amount of carburetor adjustment will affect the problem reported.

***

[3W-lonerider]

Since the V-Star is a v-twin I imagine it has just a single carburetor.

Am I correct in this assumption?

If I am correct, no amount of carburetor adjustment will affect the problem reported.

***

the shadow i had was a 700 v-twin. it had 2 carbs.

[3W-lonerider]

Not sure if the vstar is set up the same way. But years ago i had a shadow. That would do that. What i found was the plungers in the carbs for the fuel enrichment circut would corrode. I'd use the choke and after wards the engine would run rich and not have the power it should. Follow the choke cable to the carbs and pull the enrichment plungers out and clean the up. Maybe your problem will disappear.

you might be onto something here.

And to the others - b-12 in with fresh gas.

keep in mind. those enrichner plungers are going to be brass. lightly clean them. i used a peice of scothbrite pad.

[_Sheffjs_]

Since the V-Star is a v-twin I imagine it has just a single carburetor.

Am I correct in this assumption?

If I am correct, no amount of carburetor adjustment will affect the problem reported.

***

. Has two carbs on the 1100.

[3W-lonerider]

It would be nice to know the results. Btw. The way mine was set up was the cable ran threw a 90 degree tube then was screwed into the side of the carb. Unscrew the tube and the spring and brass enrichner came out all togather. That end of the cable slid into the brass peice just like the other end slides into the lever.

[_Sheffjs_]

It would be nice to know the results. Btw. The way mine was set up was the cable ran threw a 90 degree tube then was screwed into the side of the carb. Unscrew the tube and the spring and brass enrichner came out all togather. That end of the cable slid into the brass peice just like the other end slides into the lever.

I will be working on it soon just don't know when  - but I will follow up

[_Sheffjs_]

Follow up: Well The enrichers are free action and clean.  Carbs out and kit is on order.   

[3W-lonerider]

ok, i'm sure you'll get it figured out. the description you gave reminded me of how mine acted when the enrichners corroded up and could'nt return to normal with the spring. glad to hear thats not the case. but it would've been an easy fix.

[CajunRider]

I fought a 650 V-Star for quite a while... Smaller engine, but similar carb setup. 

I ended up replacing the jets with new (jets-r-us.com).  I went up one size on the pilots, then drilled the cap so that I could adjust the mixture screw.  Mine ran like a champ after that... until the fuel pump died  .  The fuel pump was replaced with the same pump the Valkyrie belly tank uses.  It lasted at lease until I sold it a year ago (probably still going now). 

Also, I recommend replacing the float valves & seats... that little screen (or filter) over the valve seat clogs easily and is a pain to clean.