VF500 poor starting on choke

Hi all

Just finishing off my rebuild and im having poor starting issues when cold.

its cold over here in the UK and the only way it would start was to tip a few cupfuls of petrol down the carbs.

How can you check if the choke circuit is working. The lever works and the sucking sound changes when its fully open. Seems like only one carb is getting choke fuel. It has been stood a few years, but i took the float bowls off and cleaned all the jets and it seems to run ok when warm. Going to balance the carbs soon but pretty sure its the choke.
Getting fed up taking the carbs off and on hope there's a miracle cure. :biggrin:

 

The "choke" on the VF is just an enrichener circuit. If it's clogged it wont work. Don't think cleaning the stuff in the float bowls will get to the choke circuits. Having said that my carbs are clean but it still struggles to start cleanly especially when cold. It's a cold blooded beast.

Have you checked the pilot screw settings? Turn them all the way in and then 2 to 3 turns out. The furtther out they are the more fuel flows.

 

My pilot screws still have the blanking plate on them, didn't want to touch a factory set, but do you think taking them out and blowing a airline blast down with carb cleaner as well. What is the correct turn out settings ?

Dave

 

You can remove the blanking plates with a self tapping screw. Be worth doing to clean those circuits. Be careful as there as lots of little ping fuckits to lose. Lots of info and pictures on here how to do it if you search. Same for pilot screw settings. The 2 to 3 turns out is about right. It really doesn't make too huge a difference IME. Two turns out I found the bike a bit snatchy at low throttle openings, and 3 turms out it was smoother and nicer to ride. I posted on here about it. Best thing to do first is clean the enrichener circuits and then get to the idle circuits. Dumping "Seafoam" in the petrol might be recommended too but this stuff isn't sold in the UK. Maybe because it's snake oil and you lot know better...

 

A frequent problem on older bikes. You need to probe the long, non-removable brass tubes that duct fuel up to the "choke" passages using a sturdy, steel .012" wire to a depth of about 30 mm before you can be sure they are not clogged. Neither compressed air nor carb spray will clear those tubes.

 

Hate to say it but sounds to me like you need to do a little more cleaning on those carbs. I like to take everything out and clean each piece thouroughly and then clean the carb body very good and make sure and double check every passage is clean and clear. Then 're-assemble and admire how well she will run.

 

Cheers Guy's for the helpful replies. I know i didnt clean them stubs as i did not what they were for, but i do know thanks to you lot. :smile: Oh well hair drier out and off with the carbs (yet again) :mad2: Wil do a full inspection this time.
She's getting there, hopefully ready for spring 2013