VF500 Carb Rebuild Kits Resource for parts wanted.

I am likely redundant with this question. I have done some internet scouring in this effort. I haven't found an OEM supplier that has 86 carb part parts. I must also add that I am currently riding a Kawi so Honda is unfamiliar territory for me. Searched for reasonable data regarding reputable source for VF500 Carb rebuild kits. I am only finding asian sellers on Ebay. I have particular interest in float bowl gaskets. The diaphrams look quite good. I am tempted to purchase one of the many 13.00 to 24 USD kits on ebay just to see what they look like. I would rather not experiment carburators are much too hard for an old man to remove to have to perform the work twice!

Appreciate the help ..

Wavey

I was a musician my Les Paul smells like gasoline. I drove a 68 Rat. I bought Rotten Robbie 100 octane Trick Fuel. I avoided Alices Restaurant on Sundays. Coalinga is the Bomb.

 

keep looking until you find a source for float bowl gaskets, the chinese carb kits are not so good.

 

That is what I feared! I am watchful.

 

While I am here. What distinguishes a VF 500 F from C and CA? CA could be California? Also at some parts online sellers there are III and IV carb exploded diagrams. Don't know what that is about either.

 

^^ captain eighties knows ALL about vf5oo's

 

Coalinga...........Coaling station A

 

Spent much of my adult life riding Northern California. Holister to Coalinga on the back roads was home to a lot of GP Riders in the 80's

 

my cheeks flushed red, what was i thinking, guessing it might be a spelling error ?

 

Don't buy anything right now. Give me a couple days to find some time for a proper response. I'll give you some orings sizes and a source to get them for pennies on the dollar.

You claim you don't want to perform this work twice... start preparing yourself to "split" the carbs and do the cross over orings. It doesn't mean completely disassembling the world. It's not that bad.

 

^^ it's easy to test the O-rings by funneling gas into the fuel line and letting it sit on cardboard for an hour on the bench, then checking for spots below.

if the rings check OK, you just saved yourself the time and hassle of molesting a bunch of metal stuff while trying to get four or 5 connections to line up for reassembly. then replacing synch springs, alot of not fun.

 

Testing 35 year old orings gives me zero warm fuzzies about the future, when I'm far from home and in the middle of nowhere. How ya gonna feel WHEN they fail on you, if they haven't already.

A few years ago, one of my 86 VFRs decided to absolutely waterfall fuel (from the fuel tubes) in my driveway while it was idling before a ride. You know what happen the last few times I rode the bike? Nothing. No smell, no seeps that got better, no warnings. I was so fucking lucky it happened right at that time, at that place. It was unrideable.

You don't need kits, and you don't need more than a couple o-rings 99% of the time. And they happen to be the ones that you can't get to with carbs installed in the bike.

Float bowl o-ring:

https://www.oringsandmore.com/fkm-o-ring-73-x-2mm-price-for-1-pc/

This is a VF500F float bowl with that o-ring in it.



Fuel Cross over tube o-rings

https://www.oringsandmore.com/fkm-o-ring-7-x-2mm-minimum-10-pcs/

You'll have to buy 10 of the small 7x2, so since your paying for some shipping anyway, buy 8 of the float bowl o-rings. Put the extras away in your "VF500F" box in the shop and pass them on in the future or help somebody out that has a VF500 in need, since you will already know how to do it.

The vent cross over orings are almost always just fine and can be cleaned up a bit and coated with a little silicone or red rubber grease. Do not use petroleum based grease.

The tiny orings on the pilot fuel screws are usually just fine too (as long as you don't lose them!). You can go all out and replace everything if you want with an expensive kit. I never have to, and I'm on well over 20 sets of V4 carbs now.

Take your time, dedicate a work space, be methodical, take pictures, use small bags, win.

The carbs are out and on your bench. Your move.

 

Awesome info, I am stoked, couldn't agree more about stuck in no where. I have been there and it is not fun thing.

 

Is it a struggle to get the 72 mm orings in to the lans around the float bowl? What do you use to keep them stuck in place? Permatex forma gasket or similar?

 

I'll have more thoughts and comments later, but wanted to say: The center butterfly linkage doesn't have to come apart at all, no reason to touch it. The "outer" 2 carbs will be pulled away after undoing the choke linkage, leaving the center 2 still attached to each other via the linkage. It's not as fragile as it looks, so don't worry.

 

I just installed that oring right before the picture, using nothing to hold it in place. If you have to, you can use a bit of silicone grease to hold in the corners. You won't have to.

NO PERMATEX!!!!!

 

Sweet I have some Silcone Grease in stock. I will keep you posted ordered the orings already. Got my tank coating done today. Yuck! I will put up some pictures later.
Thanks Again,

WD

 

I have my tank sealed.
I used vinegar process twice, second time with six inch long piece of chain placed inside of the tank to break up the chunks of rust and polymerized (probably ethanol) The material in the tank had 8 years to cure so it was hard like epoxy. I had a quart of Re Kote sealer for the sealant. I have used it on other projects and has proven quite durable even when you succumb to ethanol fuels. The petcock port on the bike makes it very NEAR inpossible to pour out residual sealant without getting it on everything. Picture a Whirling Devish! I was forced to perform the vinegar treatment twice because after the first process, I was delayed at following up with sealant so the tank flash rusted immediately. The second treatment I rinsed the inside of the tank immediately and flushed several times. The last rinse I added a container of HEET in the remaining water to absorb the water and to aid in evaporation. I then attached my shop vac(shown in image below) to pull warm air (Via Heat Gun) through the tank to speed the drying and to minimize the oxidization. It wasn't perfect but was better. I have an image of the dryed tank mouth below. I will be working on the flacid clutch, and gummy petcock while I wait for carb orings, and MTVAC vacuum vessel. I have a MYTVAC pump but have missplaced the material container.

Systems to Approach:
1. Fuel -- Carb clean diss and re assemble for goo removal --- prelimn inspections haven't revealed any tragedy!
2. Floppy Clutch Master Piston replacement, Slave rebuild (Complete), refill test operate clutch push rod. All things internally housing look dry?
need to study this assembly....To Capt. 80's thanks for Shop Manual assistance. Clymer pretty useless.
3. Coolant drain Flush Pressure test and refill.
4. Oil drop drain refill replace filter . Remove plugs scope combustion chamber apply lube to prevent scoring upon turning rear weheel
in gear to "wake up" crank case.
5 - 6, et. al. Re-assemble
6. Install new battery, review processes above stare in wonder at what has been wrought, avoid rushing, appreciate the engineering that
that lead to this wonder, and recite the following " Appreciate the now, Do no Harm"

Images follow:

 

be sure to check the charging voltage at the battery terminals when you get it running, and dont trust the thermoswitch that turns on the radiator fan until you know it switches on properly [anything over three-quarters of the temp scale].

 

Separated the carbs. Wondering how deep I need to go with checking for clean? They look super good compared to some I have seen on Ebay for sale for more than I paid for my bike. Pulling out the slides and cleaning those tonight. Needles are a little varnishy but damn good no wear. Ordered the orings for the fuel and air tubes will replace all of those. Any other input or suggestions is always welcome.

 

The jets and most importantly, the pilot screws (and spring, washer and o-ring), need to come out and the circuits sprayed and blown out. Remove the float seats and verify the screens are clean and the passage is clear.

Spray some carb cleaner in the circuits and blow out with compressed air, looking for a nice mist out the other side. 100% verify the slow jet is clean. Verify the jet sizes and if the slow jet is a #35, go to a #38.

The carbs are out and sitting on a bench in front of you, all circuits need to be verified clear, or all this is for nothing.

Also, is that green stuff your gas? If it is, I think I can smell it from here.