Float needle interchangable?

Hi

Been looking for float needles to an 1991 VFR, but i can´t find them unless in Honda dealers, wich are very expensive.
Do you know any others that will fit my VFR, i can find almost for all generations except mine...



Thanks
Fil

 

Let me guess.. flooding but not flooding enough to dump out of the float bowl overflow tubes? Most of the time those float valve needles are okay, and you just need to take out the whole float valve assembly and replace the oring that seals the valve. These guys can become brittle, harden and even crack and begin to leak fuel past the float valve body. I don't know what size oring it takes but you can buy a whole pack of em for around 5 bucks at McMaster carr. When those orings go bad it will give you similar symptoms to a stuck float. It can be very misleading because a lot of the times it will not be bad enough of a leak to pour fuel out of the overflows and it will just feel like you are rich as hell and bog down leaving stop lights etc. If the float needle has a nice conical shape to it still, it is most likely fine and you just need to replace the oring. I did a quick search and unfortunately couldn't find anything cheaper than $35 for an entire float valve assembly.

Buddy of mine has an 85 yamaha FJ1100 with close to 50k miles and the float needles in his carbs still look fine, but he did end up having to replace the orings because they were leaking past the valve.

Good luck, hopefully it's just the orings, or else it looks like you're gonna have to pick up a few more hours at work next week

 

And if it helps any, the float valve is the same for 91, 92 and 1993 VFR750

 

Thanks for your reply...

I had the carbs a "little" cleaned, but it seems i have to do it again and check for that oring.
I was just hoping that some other carbs had the same float valve...it´s weird why there are aftermarket float needles to almost every Keihin carbs and not for the 3rd gen VFR!!!
Do you know wich bikes use the same Keihin VD type of carbs? Or does the Keihin VP VB types use the same float needles?

Thanks
Fil

 

Yes the float needles are the same in hundreds of motorcycles.
Hang on a second and i will give you the interchange list.

All of these brands and types interchange.


Part two of the list:


See what I mean?

BTW You ONLY need the needle. You do not need the seat. A long time ago
(1965), when float needles were all metal, the seat could get ruined from vibration but with the new rubber tip style it is not an issue.

 

Thanks Donald...

But in that huge list there is no mention to the 3rd gen VFR, do you know if it will be the same to my carbs?

Fil

 

Forget about "generation" that is a term made up by forum members here.
Have never seen it anywhere else. Not mentioned in any workshop manual.
Forget about that.

Just go by the Honda model and year.
As far as VD,VB whatever, that is just the Honda code for knowing what motorcycle the carbs were on.
I asked HONDA USA about that. Same with part numbers.
For instance I got a clutch pressure plate for a VF1100 because HONDA said they do not make or have pressure plates for VF1000R's anymore and the pressure plate is exactly the same.


Many VF1100 parts are the same as the VF1000R/VF1000F and probably some of the other v4's too.

All of those carb bodies like the vf1000R ,VF 1100 and others are basically the same.
I am using Honda VF1100 carbs on my VF1000R simply because you can find more VF1100 carbs in better condition that the VF1000 R carbs AND they are cheaper.

I have three sets of carbs and I can tell you they all are the same (except jets).
I have measured almost all of the parts too. The aluminum pan the carbs connect to is smaller on the VF1100 that the VF1000R but they will both fit the carbs.

 

Thank you Donald for your precious help.

Fil

 

Wow. No mention for VFR750 90-93 on that list! How can that be?

 

Same as Vf750.

Carb bodies the same etc.,.

 

Even though the VF750 listed are 80's bikes?

 

The float needles span many years as you can see from the list.

Just buy the needles, NOT the seats.

Many things in the world are not as they should be. Shocking isn't it?

When the carbs are off you can compare the needles. Do not worry about it.

Just go to Ebay.

 

Thanks Donald. If the needles for the VF750 are the same as the VFR750f I will trust it and ebay it. Would it stand to reason that the bowl gaskets & seats are the same?

 

You almost NEVER need to replace float bowl gaskets (o rings).
I worked as a dealer mechanic and we never replaced them unless they were leaking, which was almost never.

 

Just look at all the other brands on that list I posted. 99.999% are the same.