Rogue's VF500 rebuild or part out!!

Much to Squirrels dismay, I picked up an '86 Vf500 for sorta cheap in Bakersfield. Came with lots of bodywork and a perfect tank. Starting with carbs and working my way through cleaning up the bike. Engine turns well and I am just waiting for my compression gauge before I go all in.
Carbs are missing some springs and could use new insulators for sure. Questions will directed to you 500 geeks and photos inbound this weekend.
Here we go!

 

Hell yeah

 

This bike was picked up late summer, but I was so busy between the VFRs that I just put it in the shed of doom on hold till further notice. I unpacked my truck and snapped a couple o picks before that. As you can see the garage was a mess. Goof2 went to shed, ST into my inlaws garage, 7hundy is now sold and little VF sits on the far right along with its bucket of parts and bodywork. Looks like CMSNL has non-OE insulators so I will start there while I visit the hardware store today for small sync springs for the carbs. I am missing the butterfly return spring on carb4 I think. It is just doing whatever it wants right now.

 

You fucking didn't say you had VF500FII cowlings. Or at least I don't remember. Pretty cool score.

 

^^
Loose lips sink ships..lol I have no idea other than the dude said he bought a bunch of plastic from England. Whether that is true or not is another story, but I will need to piece together which subframe goes with which fairing. My familiarity with the 500 is practically none.
Most of the parts were in boxes and buckets so there is some sorting to do.
I do feel if this engine proves to be a wreck, I can salvage the rest for some coin, but it would be awesome if it ran!

 

Here we have the carbs. Supposedly rebuilt by a “pro”. They are missing the sync springs and return (?) spring on #1 I believe. Screw driver tip in pic 1.
I take it for cali desmog I plug the 4 “L” shaped tubes in pic #2? Screw driver inserted into an example.
What is “L” shape tube in pic #3? Screw driver tip is pointing.
And lastly is this the correct orientation of carbs installed ? Pic #4

 

Those certainly appear to be Genuine Honda FII fairings from the UK. Sweet.

The 4 are vent. I usually just connect the front together and the rear together.

The different one is vacuum. Must be plugged / capped properly.

Yes choke in front, large vent to the rear. Large vent normally just exits downward on 49 state models. Can run a small Uni / K&N if you want. Not needed.

 

See I can sort of learn by my 3rd set of vf carbs...lol thanks for the affirmation on the vents.

Any input on the return spring? microfiche doesn't show much when it comes to whether or not it has one that carb, but I have never seen a carb without one.

Ooo found this at the bottom of the box.

 

1 pair of slip on Supertrapp!

 

Def missing a spring. It provides constant tension for the synch plate and screw. I think I (don't) see some other missing springs too.

 

Not my favorites, but that one sure looks in good shape and is a nice period correct piece. Cool! Gonna sound good (hopefully) for sure.

 

This weekend I'll dig out some 86 carbs and we can document what needs to be there.

 

yes, one carb has no return spring.

 

We've ascertained that.

There might be some separator springs missing too. If carb guru left that one out, the other ones are more easily overlooked. I thought I could see from the pics they are missing.

 

i wasn't clear, cuz i mean that the carb opposite the master carb (pointed at by screwdriver) does not NORMALLY have a return spring and relies upon its neighbor through the linkage for a closing spring.​

 

Oh I'm so very pleased you have a VF500. Sounds like Captain is going to get you some '86 carb pics. I can see there's some differences between the gravity fed '86 and the '84-5 set I've got. I'd send some but don't want to cause confusion if they've got springs in different places.

Your garage looks like organized chaos, and I'm here for it.

 

So far I have been able to find the sync set screw, sync springs, o-ring/gasket set, and insulator boots (CMSNL) online. Mainly just need to figure out the large return spring for carb and the medium sized horizontal separator springs. those are all missing.

Colddevil, if you OR ANYONE have any left over carb springs laying around I would appreciate the assist. I was watching your carb rebuild vid yesterday to get an idea of what I am missing on my carbs. Still have more to watch.

I think I should be good to once I get the springs on there. I also have to order some of the plenum "collars/bushing?". Item 22 in fiche photo. Basically they center each carb into the plenum. I only have 2 of 8.

 

Jesus, what a hack whoever was in there.

Let me get some good close-up pics of a complete set this weekend. And "return" spring is not the right term I don't think. As I stated before, I think it's a spring that holds tension on the synch hardware.

 

^^ Great! I look forward to the pictures. Yeah, it was pretty hack and to boot the purchased insulators were old and hard as well as the originals. wtf people. lol

 

Looks like a great project, Rogue. Ill look forward to the build. The lower fairings are a nice add.