86 VFR700F2 project

Im new to the site, just bought a project '86 VFR700F2. I used to work for a BMW and Honda shop but its been 10 years so my skills and more importantly, knowledge, are a little on the rusty side. This looks like a great place for information tho. Im going to try to remember to take some photos and update what Im working on in the hopes that someone may give tips along the way, and that someone else may benefit from my troubles. A little background on the bike, very little...
I bought it from a PO who knows very little about it as well. The last time it was licensed was in '92. Looks like it sat in a barn from '92 - '06. PO bought it in '06, said he replaced the carbs with a used set from E-bay and got it to fire and idle, then never went further with it. It sat in his garage another two years (only to ruin the benefit of clean carbs with varnished gas). As of now it has under 15K miles but needs lots of help. A mouse had made a home in the airbox, and then moved and used the previous home as a urinal. Electrical actually looks all intact other than a new fuel pump being spliced in with longer wires. Hoses are surprisingly good. Dont know about seals yet but I plan on rebuilding any brake components for safety, if I get that far. Motor turns with starter. My plan was to pull the carbs, clean, and bench calibrate. Also pull the oilpan and see how bad the sludge is. Ill try to get it running at that point. If it fires, then on to cooling system, brakes, double checking electrical, etc. At this point I have the following questions.

-Does anyone know of a previous thread with tips on getting the carbs off, and then back on. I have read they are a bitch so any extra advice is welcome.
-Since the bike has sat for so long and who knows what has been in the carbs...should i replace the jets etc while i have it open and off or should they be ok once cleaned (assuming they are stock to begin with)
-Does anyone want any particular pictures while I am tearing this appart? Ill take requests :thumbsup:

 

welcome to the nut house....this is probably the best place for information...to answer a few of your questions:

1) dont remove the the silver airbox part.. this stabilizes the carbs so you don't break the frame rails (the plastic tubes inbetween the carbs)

2)you should be able to clean the carbs and theyshouldn't be "that bad" use Sea foam
follow the directions on the can ...it works wonders I would try this before you pull the carbs off.
3) uh...heck yeah...this site loves pictures post them all take lots


Welcome

Crusty

 

Thanks crusty. I do think I am going to pull the carbs tho. When the mouse made his home in the airbox he left shit (literally) that fell down into the intake. The throttle is stuck and its not the cables, its the plates I believe. Id rather know whats down there before i suck whatever it is into the engine and create more problems. Im glad I know I dont have to take off the silver box. I removed the screws already but havent pulled it. Ill put it back together

 

Welcome

Welcome to our little home tourist. Toe Cutter has a nice little thread on these carbs in the mechanics garage. I went threw his steps personally and done in right order make life much easier. Good luck!


PS: Pics are a must. :thumbsup: People get frustrated without them. Trust me I know.

 

Welcome! Nice project bike, but you may be going a little overboard on your rebuilding plans since old Hondas come out of extended storage very well and don't usually need as much attention as you think.


get ahold of the official Honda service manual for your bike, and it will save you time, money, and possible damage to your bike's parts.

Checking for sludge in the oil pan after only 15k miles seems way too excessive, and no one goes in there, but you may be under the influence of those obnoxious Pennsoil commercials!! LOL !

After it's running be sure to check charging voltage.

Two things will qualify you a veteran VFR owner: getting the carbs off and on, and replacing your voltage regulator for the SECOND time.

 

One thing I like that I am hearing is that this project might not be as bad as I was expecting. Im going to take some advice from a few helpful people and start small. Tonight, keeping the carbs on, soaking in gas, seeing if that frees up the stuck throttle plates. If that works then a seafoam cleaning, oil change, and attempt to fire. Pics and updates soon.

 

How about a before pic so we can see what your starting with?

Welcome to the forum, lots of info to be found in here.........

 

My avitar is now the before picture. Tonight I pulled the carbs, drained the oil, and drained the coolant. I have a question on the carbs tho. Several people have told me to attempt the cleaning without pulling them apart, so thats what I am doing with some seafoam. The throttle plates are stuck and wont move tho. Also, the choke valves dont seem to move at all. Is this probably due to varnishing and means pulling them apart and soaking?
I added pictures to the gallery. I would like to ad them to the thread, is there an easy way to do that or do i have to get the link for each picture?

 

the easiest way is to load them into photobucket then you can drop the image right into the thread...and you get BIGGER pictures

crusty

 

:welcome:

So what am I? I got the carbs off and on twice. never had to replace the R/R? :reg:

 

It makes you a poser squirrel = :crazy::crazy:

no offense squirrel, I just call them how I see them


Crusty

 

ROFL!

How true this is.


tourist,
If you recall, I was one of the chaps who gave that advice. One of many im sure. I suggested the seafoam, and also gasoline. Ether works too, since it evaps. working out the mouse urine, droppings, cob webs, dirt, grease, grime, etc from the mechanical linkages is first priority. Once you get it working and operating correctly... then you can look deeper into the needles and the springs etc.

**CAUTION**
since you metioned the amonia corrosion on the bolts yesterday in chat, I had some time to think about this. Ber very careful not to round off or mess up the bolts to remove the carburetors. I suggest some tapping fluid or WD-40, or TH-45.

 

You can click on the image to enlarge it, then right click to copy location and enter it into your post with the button that looks like mountain and sun. If you don't enlarge image first it will be like this.


If you enlarge it first it will be like this.



Hope this helps.

 

OK so over the weekend I did a little work on the carbs. I avoided pulling them apart completely but took out all the jets, floats, needles, diaphrams and rubber and soaked them in carb cleaner. Now I havent done a ton of carbs, but I have helped with the restoration of my fair share of old BMWs and done rebuilds on a few CBRs, but this carb set was by far the worst I have ever seen. The butterflies were so varnished that I had to take a plyers to the throttle shafts even after soaking in seafoam. (And I did manage to bend one tab I think...or it was already bent. Im not sure, but if things free up on the other parts I can straighten it back out) When I pulled open the float bowls and diaphram covers...WOW. I have never seen so much buildup and setiment. After much soaking it looks like the jets needles etc will be able to be cleaned up, but the jury is still out on the throttle. I wanted to go ahead and just pull the butterflys and throttle shafts off without disasebling everything else, but they are so varnished in there that I couldnt even get them out with a plyers after removing the screws.
Tonight....more soaking and prying and seeing if I can free things up...if not....new carbs. Ebay has a set for 150 that at least has all the parts moving freely, even if it needs a minor clean/new seals.

 

needle boots

Don't know if you already did this or were forewarned but don't soak the boots the needle sets in or it will swell and you will never get it back in. I was warned before I cleaned mine and was extremely glad to hear such a thing. The carb kits are way expensive.

 

So new carbs are on the way. Well not new, but hopefully ones that at least move freely without the use of pliers, force and cursing. I got shipping confirmation last night, but the note said to expect delivery in 2-14 working days. Two to FOURTEEN working days!?! Seriously, I could get them the day after tomorow, or I could have to wait 2 1/2 weeks! While I am waiting I think I am going to get started rebuilding the front forks, the brakes and the clutch.

 

The front end is fairly easy to rebuild my only advice is don't use a ball end Allen wrench on the bolt on the bottom of the forks. They tend to be in there tight and ball ends strip them out. Also soak the snap rings in pb blaster or something similar and then rotate them with a punch and a hammer before going after them with snap ring pliers.

 

I bought a 87 vfr700F2 "barn rescue" last winter. Pulled the carbs out, not as bad as yours sound. I "reset" the pilot (air) screws to 2 turns out which I guess is factory default. My pilot screws have grey caps attached to the end of the brass pieces.

AFAIK the pliot screw controls the rate of air delivery at idle (ie. when the carb butterfly valves are closed). The rate of fuel delivery is fixed (by the long skinny jet/tube into the float bowl). Turning the pilot screw in delivers less air, so should richen the idle mixture.

So far I've turned the pilot screw in another 1/4 since it was running way too lean on startup (eg. hard starting, backfire, needed full choke+extra throtte to start cold). I will probably turn them in another 1/4 since it still backfires when I close the throttle.

Im running an aftermarket air filter and exhaust so I expect to need richer mixture than stock. Just my .02, YMMV

 

Tourist sorry I didn't see this sooner. Midias is mostly right about the ball driver. John Bondhus of Bondhus Corp. in Monticello MN. invented the balldriver. They are the only ones who make a precision balldriver. When the patents ran out everyone else copied them. Bondhus makes the best hex tools period! A Bondhus balldriver may work without stripping but always use the short end / non-ball end to break loose or for final torque. Make sure your hex tool fits properly before you use it.

If your not sure of your hex tools quality PM me with the size and I'll send you a good one no charge!

 

So I got the carbs in yesterday. Happy to see that everything moves freely on them. A big plus over the original ones. The covers and some of the linkage doesnt look as pretty as the originals, I think i will just switch the platted covers out and leave everything else alone. I tried installing them last night but the old boots are just too hard. Picking up 4 boots from the Honda dealer today and going to see if I can get them on. If I get them on, Ill try to take some video fotage of its first start attempt in 2 years.