Carbs are so frustrating! With my big VTR I found that I was having trouble with carb sync. It wasn't bad but wasn't great. Two things made a huge difference and cured the problem totally. First was checking the resistance of coils, leads and caps. One cylinder had really high resistance on the cap and lead so all were changed. Second was to adjust the mixture screws as part of the balance procedure. I found that very slight adjustment of mixture had a large effect on smooth idle. Once it was set go and have a cuppa then go through it one more time. Result is a happy bike. I've only got two big carbs though and not 4 small ones. Anyways, that's what worked for me. Great vid and a lesson in patience! 👍
Great! Your channel and explanation is much more thorough than that of Obsessive Engineering's channel, they explained but left a whole lot out compared to what you have done and said. Thank you, much appreciated.
alot of bikes normally are too lean to start if filter and airbox are missing. also u need to snap the throttle a couple times after each synch screw adjustment to get throttle plates firmly seated.
Thanks for your input, you don't need the airbox on to balance carbs, you only need them on if you're adjusting the CO! Thanks for watching & commenting 🙂👍
Where was this video 2 years ago when I did all this on mine? It took me months of research and fiddling and whatnot to get the bike to run again. Nobody around here wants to deal with carbs anymore…
Sorry Mel must try harder, anyway you can reflect back to the time when, sorry if this video brought back painful memories 😉 Thanks for watching and commenting
I have some idling troubles with my ' 91 VFR. When up to temp it idles between 2000~3000 rpm. I thought I had to take the tank off to adjust idling, but seems like there's a seperate screw on the side. Thanks to your video I will look into it tomorrow! I will give an update with the outcome
Highly recommend picking up a copy of the service manual and haynes manual for the VFR. The pictures are shite but the info is great and goes through all this.
Superb video, mines been stood in storage and is dumping fuel, huge leak after a few seconds cranking. Thought it might be a split hose, but is clearly more complicated.
Sounds very similar to mine, hadn't ridden for over a year, Fuel tank internally was rusted, drained and cleaned it, replaced fuel filter. Engine runs ok now but exhaust is blowing smoke. Further work required, I suspect carbs need to be stripped down similar this,
@@calibre_au6183 Yea I've booked it in with a good independent bike mechanic, a carb rebuild on a bike like this is beyond me. He's going to do a full service and check valve clearances at same time, replace hoses etc. Good luck with the bike, lovely bikes 👍
Excellent. It must be so stressful having to spend so much time on something as complex as this if the customer doesn't want to pay. I have subscribed.
nice video. good job However. These things can be done at home. There is no rocket science. Just needs patience and skills and being clued up. Did the carb recondition and re-balance myself as a teenager in about 1990. Used a 3m U-shaped pipe with petrol in it to measure the differential pressure for balancing. There was no google. It ran better than ever before, and much better balanced than those "set of 4 gauges" can get you, because it measures the "differential pressure"!
So wzs there two bikes with the same issue? Control cables on the right, then they appear on the left and hey the clocks are are back to front! Sorry its a bad habit of mine to watch these things forensically. Actually really usful as I used your demo to strip my own and clean out after previous owner long term storage. Carb balancing bit very helpfull, thanks.
No, there was only one bike, it all depends on what side the camera was on, this was videod over several weeks, therefore the bike and the cameras had been moved around the shop.
Thanks for an superb video. I would really like to se a video where you mesured the fuel/air and tuned the carburators on an VFR750F. I have mount an KN airfilter and an more open exhaused and would think the mixture is a little lean. Sorry for my bad english.
Shame we didn’t see the original carbs you cleaned up go back on. How much would that have cost to strip and repair. I have the same bike and mine are in need of TLC with the bike stood up for 8 years.
Great video. I have a 96 that has been parked for 12 years. I would like to get it running again, but I'm afraid the carbs are going to be a mess from the dried up ethanol fuel. If I have to get new reconditioned carbs, where can I source those?
Bit of a weird video. Bike doesn't run after customer took the carbs off for unknown reasons. Mechanic disassembles carbs again, and on reassembly the carbs leak fuel which they didn't before. So even though you criticise the customer for making things worse, you actually manage the same thing - have I got that right? So you install a set which apart from the floats being wrongly installed do actually seem to work. So we're none the wiser about what the issue with the carbs was in the first place, and don't know why the carbs leaked after the mechanic serviced them. All we really get is a demonstration of carb balancing, which according to the French commenter below should be done with the airbox on. Bit of a weird video.
Synchro à ne surtout pas faire sans la boite à air qui sert à raccorder les 4 carburateurs solidement (sur les V4 Honda ) .. Si vous faite un réglage de synchronisation des carburateurs comme décrit dans cette vidéo (sans boite a air ) et que vous procéder ensuite au remontage de la boite a air en seconde étape le réglage sera totalement faussée... ( en effet en vissant la tôle en métal + boite a air les carburateur "bouge" légèrement lors du serrage des vis donc réglage final faussée ..)
Looking in to buying an 87' VFR 750 RC24-1.. Current owner had a handwritten receipt where the mechanic had written ultrasound cleaning on it... Now I know why 👍😊... The bike runs great though... Is carburetor cleaning something you need to do on a regular basis on one of these old bikes?
@@chrisreeves8402 as long as they're all setup the same it's okay. It's not unusual for the seals to leak, especially if you use E10 fuel, try and use E5 only 👍🙂
Hi what brand of solution do you use on these carbs as i have a similar issue amd need to clean the carbs but dont wamt to buy anytuing to corrosive thanks
One thing I did notice in your vid when you were balancing the carbs, best results is with everything attached I've been informed , like you in video I've often balanced with them bare. Just a heads up for future balancing these maybe keep everything installed
Hi Mel, Great video but ... if you are so concerned that we "don't try this at home" why post the video???? ... aren't you adding to the problem? Anyways, that aside, one of the best videos I seen - I have rebuilt my '96 FT carbs twice in the past (130,000 miles on the bike now) and I wish this had been available then! Keep up the great work! 🙂
Hi Steve, I do the videos because my customers like to see the story behind the repair. Remember Steve Irwin? He used to talk about how they were going to wrangler and catch a crocodile 🐊 but it didn't mean we could do it 😉😃 like I say it's not a tutorial but he it helps you do your own then great, glad to have helped. Thanks for watching and commenting ☺️👍
my vfr is going soon to get its carbs fixed. it has another issue tho - theres some weird clicking noise coming from underneath the seat while its running. like a relay... it clicks every ~10 sec. no fucking idea what that is but i hope they can fix it too
Carbs are so frustrating! With my big VTR I found that I was having trouble with carb sync. It wasn't bad but wasn't great. Two things made a huge difference and cured the problem totally. First was checking the resistance of coils, leads and caps. One cylinder had really high resistance on the cap and lead so all were changed. Second was to adjust the mixture screws as part of the balance procedure. I found that very slight adjustment of mixture had a large effect on smooth idle. Once it was set go and have a cuppa then go through it one more time. Result is a happy bike. I've only got two big carbs though and not 4 small ones. Anyways, that's what worked for me. Great vid and a lesson in patience! 👍
Hi Phil thanks for your informative input, it took about 30 minutes to tune these. Thanks for watching
@@melsmotors it took me a lot longer than that!! Looking forward to the next vid matey.
Great! Your channel and explanation is much more thorough than that of Obsessive Engineering's channel, they explained but left a whole lot out compared to what you have done and said. Thank you, much appreciated.
@@arisen-s7 thanks for watching and commenting, much appreciated, positive feedback is a great motivator 🙂👍
Beautiful little bike! Those were the golden motorcycle days and the golden Honda days!!
The best guide for vfr 90th owners, on whole RUclips!!!
Thanks for watching and commenting 😊👍
alot of bikes normally are too lean to start if filter and airbox are missing. also u need to snap the throttle a couple times after each synch screw adjustment to get throttle plates firmly seated.
Thanks for your input, you don't need the airbox on to balance carbs, you only need them on if you're adjusting the CO! Thanks for watching & commenting 🙂👍
Cheers ...I've done this 30 years NVQ QUALIFICATION
@@woodpeckerdrums6254 great, want a job? 😏👍
Where was this video 2 years ago when I did all this on mine? It took me months of research and fiddling and whatnot to get the bike to run again. Nobody around here wants to deal with carbs anymore…
Sorry Mel must try harder, anyway you can reflect back to the time when, sorry if this video brought back painful memories 😉 Thanks for watching and commenting
Fuel injection is a god send😮.. appreciate your expertise.
Job well done, and I enjoyed your fault finding and diagnosis, especially the balancing and setup.
I have some idling troubles with my ' 91 VFR. When up to temp it idles between 2000~3000 rpm. I thought I had to take the tank off to adjust idling, but seems like there's a seperate screw on the side. Thanks to your video I will look into it tomorrow! I will give an update with the outcome
Okay, a bit later of a reply than expected. But I adjusted the idle on my VFR just by using the idle control screw. Runs excellent now!
Highly recommend picking up a copy of the service manual and haynes manual for the VFR. The pictures are shite but the info is great and goes through all this.
well done, think ill stick wiv gauges for carburetors
Superb video, mines been stood in storage and is dumping fuel, huge leak after a few seconds cranking. Thought it might be a split hose, but is clearly more complicated.
Sounds very similar to mine, hadn't ridden for over a year, Fuel tank internally was rusted, drained and cleaned it, replaced fuel filter. Engine runs ok now but exhaust is blowing smoke. Further work required, I suspect carbs need to be stripped down similar this,
@@calibre_au6183 Yea I've booked it in with a good independent bike mechanic, a carb rebuild on a bike like this is beyond me. He's going to do a full service and check valve clearances at same time, replace hoses etc. Good luck with the bike, lovely bikes 👍
Excellent. It must be so stressful having to spend so much time on something as complex as this if the customer doesn't want to pay. I have subscribed.
Thank you so much for such detailled reparation
nice video. good job
However. These things can be done at home. There is no rocket science. Just needs patience and skills and being clued up.
Did the carb recondition and re-balance myself as a teenager in about 1990. Used a 3m U-shaped pipe with petrol in it to measure the differential pressure for balancing. There was no google.
It ran better than ever before, and much better balanced than those "set of 4 gauges" can get you, because it measures the "differential pressure"!
perfect timing, I am just at the point of a carb rebuild on my 97 VFR
Great job and video!!👍
@@thierryguerin9104 thanks 👍
So wzs there two bikes with the same issue?
Control cables on the right, then they appear on the left and hey the clocks are are back to front!
Sorry its a bad habit of mine to watch these things forensically.
Actually really usful as I used your demo to strip my own and clean out after previous owner long term storage.
Carb balancing bit very helpfull, thanks.
No, there was only one bike, it all depends on what side the camera was on, this was videod over several weeks, therefore the bike and the cameras had been moved around the shop.
Good job now i know 750 magna same game❤worthit🤺
Thanks for the VIDEO.Very helpfull!
Thanks for your feedback and thanks for watching
Thanks for an superb video.
I would really like to se a video where you mesured the fuel/air and tuned the carburators on an VFR750F. I have mount an KN airfilter and an more open exhaused and would think the mixture is a little lean. Sorry for my bad english.
Hi Daniel, Sadly not many around and even less devoted owners. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
thanks, I was gonna buy one. i have changed my mind!
This Video is a big help for me, Thank you!
9:25 isn`t one carb the reference carb (i.e not adjustable)?
11:30 inspection of the diaphrams is also very important
Ja sicher.Der,wo der Bowdenzug für die Standgaseinstellung angeschlossen ist.
Bravo!
Great video. You’re a star Mel 👍
Just goes to show you need to have a good deal of experience to get it right ✅️ 👌 leave to the professional 😉
Complimenti per il video molto bello! Mi puoi fare vedere dove vanno collegati i tubi del vacuometro? Grazie
Shame we didn’t see the original carbs you cleaned up go back on.
How much would that have cost to strip and repair. I have the same bike and mine are in need of TLC with the bike stood up for 8 years.
Great video. I have a 96 that has been parked for 12 years. I would like to get it running again, but I'm afraid the carbs are going to be a mess from the dried up ethanol fuel. If I have to get new reconditioned carbs, where can I source those?
Hi, I would guess somewhere like eBay or send them off for repair
Bit of a weird video. Bike doesn't run after customer took the carbs off for unknown reasons. Mechanic disassembles carbs again, and on reassembly the carbs leak fuel which they didn't before. So even though you criticise the customer for making things worse, you actually manage the same thing - have I got that right? So you install a set which apart from the floats being wrongly installed do actually seem to work. So we're none the wiser about what the issue with the carbs was in the first place, and don't know why the carbs leaked after the mechanic serviced them. All we really get is a demonstration of carb balancing, which according to the French commenter below should be done with the airbox on. Bit of a weird video.
Happend to me too did u find any fix
Synchro à ne surtout pas faire sans la boite à air qui sert à raccorder les 4 carburateurs solidement (sur les V4 Honda ) .. Si vous faite un réglage de synchronisation des carburateurs comme décrit dans cette vidéo (sans boite a air ) et que vous procéder ensuite au remontage de la boite a air en seconde étape le réglage sera totalement faussée... ( en effet en vissant la tôle en métal + boite a air les carburateur "bouge" légèrement lors du serrage des vis donc réglage final faussée ..)
Merci ! ✌️
If I was to take mine to a garage for a full strip, clean refurb as per your video, what sort of cost would I be looking at please?
4 hours labour plus parts, if any parts are required. The labour rate varies from garage to garage. This is a guide.
Where would I take mine for a carb clean is thee a specialist place
Most bike garages will have an ultra sonic machine to clean the carbs for you
@@melsmotors thanks they don’t need doing but I’m new to to bikes so was just wondering thanks
Looking in to buying an 87' VFR 750 RC24-1.. Current owner had a handwritten receipt where the mechanic had written ultrasound cleaning on it... Now I know why 👍😊...
The bike runs great though... Is carburetor cleaning something you need to do on a regular basis on one of these old bikes?
My bikes the same I have 3 cross head pilot screw and 1 slotted why is this is this ok and the one slotted is leaking fuel so needs new seal
@@chrisreeves8402 as long as they're all setup the same it's okay. It's not unusual for the seals to leak, especially if you use E10 fuel, try and use E5 only 👍🙂
What size (in gal or L) are those ultrasonic cleaners? Looking to buy one to do this and other projects with
I think the big one is either in 10 or 15 litres I can't remember off the top of my head
@@melsmotors appreciate it 🤙
Hi what brand of solution do you use on these carbs as i have a similar issue amd need to clean the carbs but dont wamt to buy anytuing to corrosive thanks
@@tomkilley5674 use fairy liquid, fill the ultra sonic cleaner then add the liquid so you don't get foam
@melsmotors really now that is a surprise just fairy liquid you learn something everyday thankyou
Thanks for the tip on the fairy liquid they cleaned up spotless.
One thing I did notice in your vid when you were balancing the carbs, best results is with everything attached I've been informed , like you in video I've often balanced with them bare. Just a heads up for future balancing these maybe keep everything installed
@@tomkilley5674 just simple tricks you learn.
Where are you based I need this doing to my 96 vfr
Why opt for new carbs after you already cleaned them???? Doesn't make sense.
They were leaking and it was the customers choice!
Bist du mit diesem Ergebnis zufrieden? Das glaube ich nicht.
If you have a bike thats not work properly and can't do the job yourself but have to leave the bike to the dealer to fix it,it would be expensive !
Hi Mel, Great video but ... if you are so concerned that we "don't try this at home" why post the video???? ... aren't you adding to the problem? Anyways, that aside, one of the best videos I seen - I have rebuilt my '96 FT carbs twice in the past (130,000 miles on the bike now) and I wish this had been available then!
Keep up the great work! 🙂
Hi Steve, I do the videos because my customers like to see the story behind the repair. Remember Steve Irwin? He used to talk about how they were going to wrangler and catch a crocodile 🐊 but it didn't mean we could do it 😉😃 like I say it's not a tutorial but he it helps you do your own then great, glad to have helped. Thanks for watching and commenting ☺️👍
my vfr is going soon to get its carbs fixed. it has another issue tho - theres some weird clicking noise coming from underneath the seat while its running. like a relay... it clicks every ~10 sec. no fucking idea what that is but i hope they can fix it too
Hi Martin, that's the electric fuel pump clicking, as the carb gets low on fuel it clicks to refill them.
@@melsmotors it wasnt clicking before. Maybe cleaning the carbs will fix it?