Newbie Questions. Need help with gas tank, carbs and tuneup.

Hello,

I bought a 1984 VF700f Interceptor with 14k miles the other day and it doesn't run. It turns over but it was sitting for a while with bad gas in there.

I bought it thinking that I could get it running and ride it. Or I could part it out if all else fails. So I am still working on plan A. (riding it)

I have pulled the gas tank and rinsed the tank using new gas and it is clean as the gas that went in.

I can't get any gas to flow out thru the outlet in the tank is that normal? If not am I able to clean out a filter if I pull off the gas shutoff?

Now I tried to clean out the gas line thinking that it was a gravity feed but I was wondering if it is really has a pump on it?

I have already done a blunder and pulled the carbs off because the throttle was seized and I knew it was the carbs. I have been able to clean 2 of the carbs and get was seems to be a vacuum plunger open and moving again. The jets and float seem fine so I am going to reuse them. Hopefully the other 2 are just as good (just dirty). I can reinstall them one at a time because I labeled the fittings before I took them off. But there is 2 springs a little one and a larger one that fell out and I don't know where they go? Its not the little spring for the chokes I remember where those go. Can you help or show me a few pictures of installed carbs that I can use for a reference?

Ok now I have the oil 3 quarts 10w30 and the fram filter. 4 new champion plugs for this bike. Is going to be ok for a tune up? Is there anything else that I should check? The coils spark and the compression is 145 all around.

Thanks in advance for your help and Thank you very much for starting this page.

 

Damn,, was all ready to jump in, but then re read you have a 84 VF700.. I had gone through the whole process you're going through but with ab 87 700 VFR so not much help other than yes the tank should drain out through the petcock on it's own. My 700 had a fuel pump, not sure about yours thou, should be easy to spot just follow the lines. good luck, it's forth fixing up.

 

So There is something in the tank that is clogged up. I tried to follow the lines but it comes out of the tank and disappears behind the battery and then the line reappears right before the carbs. I think it may have a pump because I turned it over a little with both ends off and it squirted out some gas for the carb side. Its a pretty good guess that its fuel pumped.

I need help with those 2 springs that came from the choke area somewhere. I can't see if there is a place for them?

 

Yea, you should never work on something you are not familiar with without a manual.

 

Hello, I have sent you some photos of an 86 vfr750 assembly which may be enough to help with your spring problem. Goodluck with your project.

 

I found a forum that is DL manuals to anybody needing them

linky

I have joined and I will see if I can DL this manual quicker than buying it online. I will ask him for this one...
Honda VF700,750,1100 V-Fours 82-88 Haynes Service Manual ENG

The pictures that were emailed were very helpfull. Thanks moto-1971. I think that it should get me going on the rebuild. I still have 2 carbs that I need to clean and check for function. Those little vacuum plungers that are moved with little forks are really stuck in there. I used some penitrateing oil and it seemed to get them loose again without much trouble. (its a miracle spray) On other bikes that I have worked on (74 honda xl250) as soon as I got the needle valve loose the hard part was cleaning out the jets. Since the needle valves worked off of the trottle linkage it was pretty easy. These are proving to be harder since it looks like they opperate off of vacuum to move the needle valve.

I will look around for the book somemore until I get one. But so far I am not worryed (knock on wood) because I am just cleaning out varnish.

After I get the carbs problem solved and I change the plugs and the oil charge the battery one last time and give her a go. The rear tire is trashed so I will nee to start looking around for that replacement. I don't know what a motorcycle tire cost though? Last time I bought one it was a used dirt bike tire and it was about $20. I am guessing that a new crotch rocket tire will cost a little bit more for balanceing and installation. But should I be prepare to get upset because I could get an new bike for the price?

 

I found a parts catalog for you to download for an 84 vf750 should not be too different to the 700 so far as parts going togeather.

http://vfrworld.com/forums/parts-se...talogs-service-manuals.html?highlight=manuals

Hope this helps and good luck

 

Thanks for the link. I think that I have enough information to continue working on it. I was told today that my oil filter isn't being made by fram anymore so now I am SOL except for a K&N filter pn kn202 which is 15 bucks. I might order it but I was hoping to run the bike around a little then draining the oil. Is there any other filters that I could use on the cheap. How much does one cost from a Honda store?

Edit: I found some fram filters from Advaced Auto Store. They had 2 left and I bought them up. Autozone didn't have anymore so I thought this would be a good idea.

 

Do you have access to an air compressor? If so, I would turn the petcock to the "on" position and blow air through the petcock outlet to try and clear your tank blockage.

As far as the oil filter and change go. I would just drain whatever oil is in it now. Fill it with the cheapest 10W-40 you can buy. Once you get it running, ride it around until it's good and warm. Then drain the and change the old filter. Fill with motorcycle specific oil like Honda GN4 or Valvoline 4-stroke. You should be able to find a cheaper filter than the K&N. Hi-Flo Filtro or Emgo probably makes one.

 

I'm sure for reasons unknown that the oil filter was changed for the 86-87 models. I know the one for my 86' are readily available yet & the one cool thing about owning a 95' Isuzu Trooper & a 86' VFR is they use the same oil oil filter it is also the same filter used on a lot of bobcats & gen sets.

 

I got the carbs cleaned and I am going to put them back into the manifold before I put them back into the vehicle. However, its being a PITA because that isn't how I took them out and hooking up all the linkages and hose is very hard.

I found a repair manual on ebay it looks like the one for my bike. The picture on the cover looks just like my bike (just newer)
Linky
I have to wait for it to be won and then sent out. I am going to do the carbs by memory and labeling. I think that putting them back in the bike one at a time is going to be better for me. After I get the manual I want to take it to kinkos or some place like and and have it scanned so I can post it up here. That should help the next 1st generation people in the future.

I will post pictures ASAP.

I know that I should get the bike running before I start thinking about customizing it. But, I don't like the turn signals and that head light is so old fashion. Plus it could use a touch up on the paint I think. But first things first. I might just end up leaving it the way it is for now and just looking around for nice up grades.

 

I need some picture of the of the carb diagram. I am stuck until I get my manual in the mail. Is there anyone that can supply me with one. The pictures that I got are different design than bike I have. I need something exact. Would the library have a manual on my bike? Oh well I await your responses.

 

Check out the exploded parts diagrams at www.partsfish.com. I use them often and they come in handy. You will need to register, but no big deal.

 

Thanks that did help a lot. I am going to work a little more and see if I can't get-ur-done. I just won the ebay auction and now I am waiting for the mail. I bet it takes a week to get here. This is going to mess with my deadline of Monday to get it running.

 

Update. I have finished cleaning out the carbs and reinstalled them into the bike. It was easier to put them in one by one and insert the gas lines while putting them in then installing the linkages. I would suggest that if anyone does this method to install the throttle cables on the barb before installing it turns out to be very hard to install both while the its in there. I tried to finish the bike and get her running but I lost some of the gas lines that go from the pump to the distrobution lines. It seems that the gas runs thru these lines then stops since it doesn't run back to the tank line high pressure fuel injected bikes. So I will be looking for these lines today. I have only had the bike for a week I couldn't have gotten them that lost.

However, I am happy to report that when I poured a little gas into all the barbs and turned it over it started and ran until the fuel was gone. I did manage to do an oil change and replace the spark plugs with new ones. I think that if I can't find the missing parts and I have to buy some more it will be worth it. There is a motorcycle bone yard in town they might have the missing parts and I can get it for less money too.

By the time my manual gets here I won't need it. I think its a valuable resource to have around. I will change the rear tire soon after getting running and I can use it then. The Honda dealer is selling rear tires starting at $75 to $149.

 

Alright I got it running and I have taken for a breakneck 3 mile ride around my neighborhood. There is still a lot of work to do still. The trottle still sticks and is kinda hard to work. I think that one of the needle valves is sticking and is making it lag when reving up. I noticed that it was over heating and that was because the fans wasn't coming on. There is a thermostat on the bottom radiator with no wiring to it. The previous owner had wired up a switch to run the fans at the push of a button. I tore out that wiring but kept the switch because it was pretty. I wired the fans to the ignition. For now the fans will run all the time that the key is on and I am using the light from the old switch to let me know that the fans are getting power. So no more over heating. I still want to change the antifreeze and the thermostat.

I still haven't got my manual in the mail. It was sent out yesterday. My carbs are still rusty I think a little. There is a fuel line that goes in one carb and then into the next one thru a little tube. The o-rings were bad and I had to change them because it was leaking. There is another set of the tubes that I don't know where they go these lines are in the middle of the carbs and run into a tube that turns up then back down again. It was called a "vent tube outer" It could be an overflow tube but I don't know where it goes?

The seat is torn but I can recover it with vinyl. It won't be 100% right away but it should be could be good by the summer time.

If anyone can supply a picture of their VFR similar to mine. It require you to take the tank off and the air cleaner. I would be in your debt. Will be able to do a burnout with the old rear tire until it blows. Since I need to change the tire anyway.