Trying to avoid pulling the carbs?

[upnorth]

Are there any worthwhile "add to the gas carb cleaners"? Started up the V star last night and ran like krap. Lots of popping and farting and some gas dripping out one of the carbs. I could get it even out after a while by keeping the RPM up but would die shortly after going to idle. It ran good last fall, so I know it is nothing major. I assume something is gumming things up and sticking the float.

I have ran Seafoam through and have some in there now, but want see if there is something out there that will cut the gunk better than seafoam?

Pulling the carbs seems like a pile of work with having to resynch etc and would like to avoid it if I can.

[jentz]

Sometimes carbs have to be pulled and get through cleaning,remove the welch plugs clean the passages.(sounds like your problem)Carbs are easy its the sync that you need to know the procedure.There is a site that can explain the sync starts with a i,once you read the procedure you'll find it fairly easy.

[upnorth]

Unfortunately I think you are right. Probably the best route to go would be to pull the carbs and clean them thoroughly. Just sounds like more fun to go riding than to pull all that krap off to get to them.

[Macgyver55]

What size and year is it?

Its more than likely plugged pilot and/or main jets and may need needle and seat cleaning or replacement.

Are the carbs on the V-Star mounted separately or are they mounted on a "rack" that holds more than one together? If they are rack mounts and use a single throttle cable to actuate both carbs they normally have a linkage between the two carbs and if you dont mess with that you are good to go without the need to synchronize them as long as you dont separate them from each other.

If they are mounted separately and use separate cables, then you'll have to sync them.

[upnorth]

It a 2001 1100 Yamaha V Star. From what I have read it will need a resynch. But from the documentation it looks more putzy and time consuming than hard. It requires a hydrometer(sp?) and the same documentation gave instructions on how to make your own. And the setting are made with the tank on etc.

But the PITA is to get to the carbs, the seat, the air filter, the gas tank, the entire air box has to come off.

I have yet to pull it all apart but from reading they are racked together in some fashion.

This Jetting article give a run down on getting to the carbs and the first pic shows the carbs. V Star 1100 Jetting

[jentz]

Seeing it does run even tho its rough,you could try some carb cleaner that goes in the fuel,not a double dose but abit more than whats recommended.Run it so you know the cleaner has reached the carbs,let it sit over night,then do the same over.after a few up to 5 times you may clear it? may not.It sounds as tho its the lowspeed thats clogged some, but not clogged totally,multiple starts with time to let the cleaner break down varnish may work.Heavy throttle wont clean the lowspeed.I am guessing that its not in the needle valve but in the chamber that is welched.Cant hurt to try it and may save the break down that will be needed,maybe this summer but for sure after next season storage.

[Ballyhoo]

Dump some Yamaha ring free fuel conditioner or Polaris carbon clean in the fuel tank and run it for a 10-15 min or so. I have had carbon clean actually clean a partially plugged pilot jet before just by running it. I have heard that the ring free is a similar product.

[Macgyver55]

Its hard to tell without actually seeing it, but it looks (from the pictures) like the 2 carbs are secured together by a rack. If you are able to remove them as an assembly without separating them, remove the bowls, clean the jets, and blow out the needle and seats you could get away without re-syncing them because you would not be disturbing the adjustments that affect the synchronization. Once you separate them and/or start going beyond the bowls and into the diaphragms and needle assemblies you would most likely need to but that is not likely what is causing your problem.

[upnorth]

Well I went and bought a bottle of Gumout Regane(best stuff I could find at L&M up here, and ran about a 1/3 or so of bottle into the the tank(5 gal) and ran it for about 10 to 15 minutes to get the treated fuel into the carbs. Went in and had supper and putzed with a few things and went back out (about an hour) fired it is up seemed alot better. Warmed it up a bit and it would idle somewhat and no backfiring. When in and put on the riding gear and took for a quick trip to Hibbing, about 8 miles stop and it seemed to have smoothed out dramatically. Decided aww what the heck took for another 45 miles and home and she was running really nice by then. Figure I am going to run the rest of this through and probably treat another tank and I am thinking I am good. But probably going to do a full clean in the fall. Thinking of messing with the air flow system and will need to re jet anyway. Good time to do it, no pressure to get it running before the next warm sunny day.

[JOHNBIGDOG]

Are you running 91 and non-oxygenated? (I love my fuel injection BTW)

[upnorth]

I have run both 91 non oxy and 87 oct and the bike runs better on the 87. And all the documentation out there states 87 oct is the fuel of choice.