Progress pics

[sixlow]

6 new exhaust gaskets, the copper kind, old ones where double up, 6 came out like a slinky and 6 flat copper, had to shine the pipes while off, o.k. I polished the nuts too, well they are chrome !

Full frontal shine.

I propose a new contest at the next meet after Bert's "The Shine-e-us water pump" contest. Winner gets free lunch.!


Just for fun here is the thermostat housing, I put in a new thermostat/gasket while in the area, the 2 pipes entering the rear have been known to leak, $5 gaskets for each, mine where as dry as a popcorn fart. ! yes I shined the pipes too.

Tomorrow I start the carb rebuilding/cleaning/jetting/float valvin.
Can I get a confirmation on when running the 38 slow jets the pilot screws setting is 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 out from bottom.

[DD]

WOW you been busy, looks good.      
I put a new valve cap on today.    mine was that shiny once, it was in 1999.   

[Bronxboy]

U should always keep your Nut's Polished, U never know if someone is going to get down there and check them out 

[John Schmidt]

I'd start at 1 3/4 turns out and watch the plugs. If they're running clean but not lean, leave it there. A suggestion for the future; while you have the pilots out, use a Dremel tool with a little cutting wheel and cut a slot across the head. Make it from the flat side to the opposite side, then in the future you can use a common flat blade screw driver instead of the stupid D shaped tool. Also, when installing the pilots, a tiny dab of anti seize on the threads will facilitate any future adjustments if needed. Another suggestion...when cutting the slot in the head of the pilot screw, where a leather glove. They'll get hot and you'll notice it rather quickly. (don't ask) 

[Tundra]

Mike,
I have the Pilot adjust tool, I'll bring it you can keep it when your done.
Bike looks sharp

[Bronxboy]

Hey Mike what did u use to get the bottom of the engine so clean?

[sixlow]

WD-40, lots of it,  spray on, scrub with plastic detail brush, rinse with more WD. This motor had 36,363 miles of mess down there.

[Pappy!]

Mike, you missed a spot.
Just to the left of the oil filter, in the recess for the bolt. Jus' sayin'.....

[Farside]

  I am Impressed! She looks almost in new conditions    So why did you wait so long to give it a cleaning? Yikes, my bad I referenced "she" obviously it's a "he" after polishing up the nuts!    See you at Bert's ......

[Valkahuna]

Mike, you missed a spot.
Just to the left of the oil filter, in the recess for the bolt. Jus' sayin'.....

Yup, I saw that also! Man, I'm retired and don't have enough time to do that! Also, if I laid under my bike that long they'd have to call 911 to get me out from under and vertical again. 

[Thunderbolt]

Mike me thinks you will be carrying the winning hand in that water pump contest, but you knew that or you would have proposed something else.  Nothing like having a ringer.

[sixlow]

she is all clean there now, I had pics taken but they didn't load into bucket before I deleted them from phone, proof will be shown tomorrow, I am beat after a day of carburatin. there sure are some small O-rings and washers to fiddle with.

[farmer998]

I thought I was a bit ANAL about cleaning but you make me look like an amateur.  Let me know when I can drop mine off
Randy

[John Schmidt]

I did a partial polish on my water pump housing, but you'd never know it. And I'm not about to get down there to see if it still shines. If I lay down there long enough to do that I'll just take a nap and it will never get repolished.  

And I also noticed that dirty area around that bolt. Some people just don't have any pride in their work I guess. (really looks good, I might add)  

[Steel cowboy]

Hey Sixlow looking at your thermostat housing I can see what looks like the buzz bolt but I'm not seeing the heat shield between the radiator and thermostat. Did you remove it?

[sixlow]

This should do  for now, clean enough, Steel cowboy I had just about everything out, and that is the most indestructible piece of plastic you will ever come across, they must have used space age technology when they created that thing, went back in fine today..before the carb bank went in. only the tank to put on tomorrow. !!



if you still see I missed a spot, oh well, I see it too.

[Grumpy]

Not too shabby, when can I drop mine off for cleaning ?  I am like John, if I get down on the floor, it will be time for a nap.  Just kidding, looks real good. 

[Pappy!]

Good job, Grasshopper!

[John Schmidt]

OK, next time you get that overwhelming desire to screw around with carbs on a Valkyrie, keep in mind you don't have to remove that plastic thingy. Remove the left engine hanger, pull the carbs out the left side. I usually will remove the right hanger as well, just makes it easier coming out and going back in. Don't worry, the engine isn't going to drop to the floor. 

As for polishing all that stuff around the t'stat housing, if I can't see it without removing half the front of the bike....it doesn't get cleaned until I have to go there to fix something. Then I'll only move the radiator out of the way and remove that housing from the front. 

[sixlow]

That's what I did John, at first I was following the advice of the U-tube video guy. We always learn quicker ways after doing things once or twice.
Success on my carb rebuild job, with a little help from Bert and Grumpy these carbs are back to being balanced and like new again. I had a little set back after I got everything back together and went for my test ride it was apparent something wasn't right. I putted out of my community just fine she idled nicely but once on the open road she wouldn't get up n go and fell on her ass above 2500 rpm,  putted back home dejected, after a night of searching threads of 2500 rpm stumbles and getting feed back from the Grumpster I slept on what it might be. woke up in the morning with an idea that I pinched a vacuum line from #6 carb to the petcock which is only a vent on this belly tank equipped dragon. Got that sucker un-kinked and she is getting all the fuel she needs to be screaming down the road with reckless abandon. Looking forward to showing her off and entering that shiny water pump contest at Stogie's. See lots of you tomorrow, bringin the I/S.

[sixlow]

One question, what do we do with these 2 black hoses no longer used air lines that went to the smog equipment.? just leave em bee, or protect them somehow from a bug invasion ?

[Grumpy]

If you are referring to the 2 small hoses that come off the t's between the carbs, they are air vents for the carbs. They have to be left open. Normally they go into the small holes in the rear bar that goes between the carbs. If no holes, just make sure they are pointed down to keep water from getting in them. The holes are visible in the upper right of the picture you posted.

[sixlow]

Well I had a great time last week working on this Valk and she is all but done except for a final carb sync but she has never run this good or cool since I have owned her. After returning home from Bert's last night I went right to work installing the new plugs and radiator cap and today I made a trip to get more chrome bolts to finish the driving light install. It rained all day here but after dark I had to go for a short 8 mile ride to see the lights and test this cap. The new 180* thermostat and water pump with Honda Type 2 Blue fluid have her temp right where it should be. Back to the grind tomorrow.