I think its dying.... : (

In a word, 'no'. I would send the Clymer off to the local paper recycling center. The FSM is a must have for the library shelf.

$165 for a full rebuild (carbs taken off of the mounting plate) is very reasonable. I would double check that this shop has logged in time working on Honda V4 carburetors. I would also recommend Mike Nixon's tech manual as a reference guide so you will have a clear idea of the work required and as such can ask the appropriate questions to insure that the work is being done to a high level.

 

$165 is quoted at 2 hours labor and parts. The service guy there KC knows all about the v4's. I chatted with him a good while about them. He said depending on the availability and price of parts, it may be a couple bucks more. But he also said it may be less. The guy that sold me the bike has just done a carb rebuild righ before he sold it to me a year ago. So KC said he may be able to salvage some parts, and that the guy just may have been bad at syncing them.

 

2 hours isn't much time when working on a set of carbs. To be honest it is really not possible to completely disassemble, inspect, clean, replace parts as needed and rebuild them in this amount of time.

 

Another quick update. I got busy with work and school and didnt have time to work on the carbs. I gave them to my guy KC who works at a dealer. He knows a good bit about the v4 carbs.

Two day turn around is awesome when you know somebody. He uncovered two things. The first was one needle was partially clogged and another needle was completely clogged. He said this is what was causing the bad idling and muddy fueling below 4k rpm. The main problem was 2 stuck float valves which led to the breakdown. Of course this caused the carbs to piss out all the extra fuel from the overflow valve, which is why it dripped forever. He also didnt charge me for any new parts he put in them.

They'll go back on tonight.....

 

It might be a good idea to check your oil to make sure no fuel leaked in. I know of a few 500's that bent rods by hydro-locking caused by fuel leakage.

 

+1 on MichaelE's note, and I'd go a bit farther and say change the oil and filter before you fire the bike up.

 

Yea, I was planning on it. My other forum was hitting me hard about hydrolock.

I just went to re-install my carbs and had the hardest f**king time getting the throttle cables back on. I finally got them wrapped back around the wheel and into place, and got the carb unit seated on the boots (that was not fun either). I went to check the throttle, and the handle didnt snap back to closed throttle. It almost seems like when I turn the handle, the cables want to move themselves, rather than move the carbs open. Did I install the cables backwards? Lol

 

Here are a few reference photos detailing the choke and throttle cable connections at the carburetors.

This is a set of '84 carbs removed from a project bike I am currently working on:









Hope this is of help!

 

Interesting. I didn't have time to yank the carbs back off today to check, but if I remember correctly... I may not have a piece that I am seeing on your unit. The metal bracket seen in the last two pictures that the cables snap into and hold them in place. It may be there though, because everything worked fine before. I just have to check tonight when I'm out of class. This bike is going to kill me one way or another... lol

 

I lied IC. That piece is there.....

[video]http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y226/BRbaseball52/?action=view&current=MVI_3592.mp4[/video]

 

I'd give it another go.

 

Any progress?

 

Um, sort of. I literally have had no time to work on the poor girl in the last 6 weeks. I am working full time and taking 18 credit hours at school so I can finish up my bachelors degree by october. :banana:

But I have gotten a couple things done. Even after buying a battery tender the bike would no longer start. Autozone measured the battery's CCAs at 58, which is apparently deader than dead??? So I needed to get the new rubber on her anyway, so she is going into the shop on thursday. They are mounting and balancing the new Bt45s, throwing in a new battery, and the mechanic that did my carbs is checking the play on the choke arm at the carb level. It seems to be snagging half way. So I should be back on the road by sunday or monday when I have some time to ride.

I know I should be doing the work myself, but with my evenings consumed with paper writing about 5 nights a week, I'd rather just pay someone to do this stuff so I can get back on the road. I am really itching every time i walk out into the garage and see her just sitting ther dead....

 

I know how you feel. I just ended up buying a second functional one this weekend. Didn't have time to give my first one the loving she needed. The newer bike has an insanely loud Hindle. Just need to tinker a bit with the carbs (balance/pilot adj) and she'll be good to go. Will tend to my first girl this winter. BTW, if you charge your battery on the bike, disconnect one of the terminals so you don't overwork your regulator/rectifier. The slight overvolt to charge the battery works the regulator when the bike is off and eats away at the life of the rectifier side. I ended up killing the POS one they installed on my VTR before I discovered this.

Have patience with her. I remember back in 92 and 93 I would send my 500 into the shop for her spring tune up in May. I would get the bike back in mid July because they would unnecessarily order the wrong gaskets to make more money off me. The following year, I learned all I could and skipped the shop altogether. I had time back then though.

 

Thanks for the battery tip, I just heard that recently on my other forum.

Congrats on the new bike. I hope she doesn't give you too much hassle too. I just want to get some seat time soon. It seems like im missing far too many perfect days right now, like today... I hope to get a real job soon so I can put a little money into mine. I think by next spring I want to add a couple bikes to the stable too. First on my list is an Sv650 track bike. I should be able to pick one up for dirt ass cheap right before christmas, when all that white fluffy stuff is falling. I also want to get into long distance touring, so I want to pick up something like a gen 5 vfr/gsx650f/fz6. They way I can keep the baby for commuting and backroad hooliganism. :heh:

 

Porkchop, get that thing running by Saturday to go to the Ohio-Riders photo scavenger hunt!

I am a bit worried about my 500 as well, it's making more noise than normal. I'm hoping it's just the timing chain tensioner again, which I can fix relatively easy. I just have no time, since we had a new baby last Monday!

 

Hmmm.... that might be pushing it by saturday. I need to see if my buddy dave is going on the hunt.

Congrats on the baby!

 

Another quick update. I was let off early today after a conference with the DM, so to burn some time I figured I would work on the bike and prep it to go into the shop.

I needed to empty the gas out of the tank anyway (water I think), so I decided to do the valve mod that Jamie has posted on his site. I removed the plastic disc and the metal screw, and cut the large holes in the diaphram and put it back together. I removed the old battery and am going to drop it off for disposal at Batteries+ tomorrow. I also put the mirrors back on, because I know that a lady test rides every bike before they give it back.

I am getting very antsy to get her fixed and back. I think I just sat on the bike for like 15 minutes, wishing that that starter button did something... :wink: