85 - vf700 - Timing set - Carbs done - Cranks easily but no power. Next steps???

Per the title had valves (not timing) adjusted at shop, new carb kits, carbs "thouroughly" cleaned installed and it fired right up.
Got the carbs on with factory 3 turns out.
Idles at 1000...no problme, cranks up everytime.
But power on takeoff.... feels like timing is retarded -or- is this just because the carbs are not fully synced yet?

No manometer but gonna make one..with 4 small jars & tubing. Unless someone tells me different.
Reading to ride this thing any help would be appreciated.


Oh and ...?
CARB CLEANING NOTE: for those cleaning old carbs...YES you DO have to sit there for half an hour up to several hours and pick at the jet with a wire ( I used guitar wire alternating between a size 7 and a 9 ) While also blowing air through it & occasional carb cleaner.
One of my Jets took about 2 hours. Felt like I was going no where and then "Viola" it was clean.
I kept thinking of what one of guys said on one of my post...keep at it..so I did . They were right.



"If I remember right, the last time we talked, you couldn't keep you text off of me."
:biggrin:

 

How does it run up around 6k rpm with the throttle opened up--does the problem clear up and it pulls strong? It may be too rich on the low end and the power is boggy and not crisp.

Usually a #13 string is go, #14 is no-go on the pilot jets, and you have to clean all the cross-drilled holes also for proper emulsion.

3 turns out on the mixture screw is toward the rich side but not excessively so. Is the choke circuit on or off? How far open do you have the butterfly throttle valves set with the adjusterment screw? If the idle speed is set with the adjuster instead of the mixture screws then it is pulling off the transition ports and will be running rich (boggy power). Did you clean out the mixture port thoroughly? The butterfly valve should be very nearly all the way closed at idle to force all the idle mixture (both air and fuel) through the idle circuit. May need another thorough carb cleaning. i like to use berryman's B-12, seems to have stronger chemicals to help while rodding it out.

 

When I set the butterfly valves, I did not set the "main" idle adjustment screw in any particular location. Not sure if that matters?

Starts with choke on and then choke off after about 30-45 seconds. Idles ok.
Can rev it up....but it is not a quick response.....but consistent
Test ride..never got it up to 6 k...did about 35mph but was not able get it higher.
The jets got soaked in B-12 then poked with larger diameter rods, working down to the smaller.
Could see daylight through everything..

 

Ok so what is the procedure for not running off of the idle screw?
IN other words do I start with it twisted in almost all the way, THEN adjust the mixture screws THEN open the ilde screw for idle speed?
Not sure of the order here...really appreciate any help thank you...!

 

Or to say what is the factory idle screw setting..I guess, right?

 

Ok, for those following this post. I dialed the carbs adjustment screws back in , then out 2 1/2 turns. Cranked it up. Adjusted the idle screw to idle at 1200 rpms.
Turned off, re-cranked...response was good. Took off and no problem with power but it wanted to stall when i went to turn/slowing down while in gear.
So I cranked it while giving a little gas, fired right up. Kept the rpms up and took off, ran out fine. Pulled in and continnued to make sure not to stall it.
When I finally let off the gas(In garage) it stalled.
Cranked right back up..then idled high, about 2500 rpms...

So I turned it off and then no re-cranky...but I am determined to exercise or de-possess this damn thing.

 

You should try a proppa carb synch next.

 

Not sufficient cuz you can't know whether the holes you see are their original size or partially blocked by varnish build-up around the edges. :tongue:

 

ahhh....and to think they are that sensitive..ugh
But make sense... a rookie mistake. Humm....

 

You already have the #1 biggest asset to VF ownership: other bikes to ride while you're working on it.

 

Well went down today and fired right up, idled high (2-3000) , then went low...the kaputz.
Couldn't re- crank without giving it some throttle...but could hear it sputtering, then a small backfire....
Ran battery dead trying anything more.....
How can it go from crank right up yesterday to this..? jheeze

 

Take a look at this excellent post on how to clean those carbs and compare to how you did it to see if you overlooked something.

http://vfrworld.com/forums/mechanics-garage/22449-cleaning-carbs.html

 

I followed this thread on carb cleaning as I cleaned mine.(which I ended up doing 3 times, because I did not pay attention..lol)

I also had a semi professional come over to attempt to see what the issue was with cranking. He took the carbs apart himself to see if they were done properly before attempting to deal with the bike, as he said..the carbs are key to proper cranking/running etc..

Then (5 months later) I got new float bowls, gaskets and mixture screws ( that had previously been ordered) and changed those parts out (measuring the floats according to the manual) and re inspecting for any sludge or buildup.

Being that it cranked right up and idled correctly to begin with, I think and hope at least they are fine.
In any case...that's where I am currently with it...

 

any sergestuns? lol

 

Ok..for anyone following...this thread..
The bike, once I cranked it originally,.... was smoking at left exhaust. I figured it had been sitting for 5-7 years and would naturally do this until it got warmed up and re broken in, as it were. Maybe seal itself...?

It was a side issue a few days ago at first cranking.

Now I decided to check the plugs, as I couldn't get it to re-crank. Thinking smoking=oil=fouled plug perhaps?
I was right...the plugs on that side were fouled.

So I cleaned them, checked the gap.. and it fired right up...
Still smoking. But I haven't ran it long or hard down the road yet. Just a short, 1/4 mile or so.

The fans never came on. The fans work.(checked them at the leads)
The switch at the radiator (grounded) moves the gauge.
But the thermostat nipple is broken and grounding that wire..did nothing, today.
However the other day when I did this, i thought it kicked on the fans.
Confused ...sigh

So which switch kicks on the fans? The thermostat wire or the lower radiator switch?
Ideas on if the smoking MAY stop once I get it running long enough to run it a while?

 

Lower radiator switch controls fan.

 

Ok..mixture screws are set at 2 1/2 turns and it cranks everytime, idels at 1200 but stalls on take off. Before I fiddle, can anyone suggest what direction should I go or look at here? Thanks...

 

If the engine is dying when you crack open the throttle from idle, then you either have an air leak or clogged pilot jets/ transition ports, etc. When the engine is cold do you have to use the choke to get it to start? The correct answer is yes, if it starts without the choke then the mixture is set too rich or the butterfly valves are too far open or float levels are too high.

Dirty carbs are the root of all evil. i've had guys bring me carbs that they swore on grandma's grave that they had cleaned them 4 or 5 times--guess what, they never did it right and the bike never ran good until they were cleaned and verified to be so. Trust but verify has got to be your approach. Sure you can see daylight, but did you verify that they were the correct diameter, e.g #13 go, #14 no-go, etc.

Did you clean all the air ports also? Air mixes with fuel to form an emulsion that is the mixture pulled into the cylinder--it has to be right or it don't run good.

Go look at this porn and see if you cleaned and verified everything:
http://vfrworld.com/forums/1st-2nd-...tor-fuel-air-circuit-identification-porn.html

 

So I woke up and read this and thought....as any vf owner would most likely do...."No,...i do not want to do the carbs AGAIN..!"
So I went down to redo the carbs....pfftt...and yes it WAS the 5th time.

Floats were more towards 8-10mm not 5-7....so I adjusted the floats and lowered them. Looked too low but after adjusting 2 times I realized it is either 5-7 -or- 8-10. So I went with the lower measurement.

Cleaned every hole again slowly methodically and esp the side holes in the bottom of the jets with a magnifying glass. They did look clear but several were not "really" totally round. Checked everything twice....

Adjusted the butterfly valves with a 10 guitar string so that it slide underneath the slight semi circle and matched the next carb in line...and the next and the next. Just so they would be totally even.

All looked good. Blew it all out with carb spray & air as I went along.

Cranked right up, adjusted the idle down to 1200, cranked the throttle and ...I had the thought....now THIS is something to behold.
Ran it down the street, had to hang on...yeehaw....officially a VF addict.
Pulled in, turned off, fired right back up to idle, same compression coming out of the exhaust (hand test) , no smoke, no leaks...ready to sync the carbs.

.....but really I can't imagine it running any better. WOW.

Thanks to all who lent a hand to solve this one. Squirrelman, Kennybobby, toecutter etc...cheers and beers if I ever see ya..!

 

Oh and the initial set up of mixture screws was at 2 1/2 turns (Left it there) ...had to dial back the idle screw though, as it was idling too high initially.
So I am down to needing a thermostat housing (nipple broke off for wire) & a lower radiator switch (guessing) and at that point it will be one complete 85 vf700 back on the road.