Giving up on Vmax

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chrisnbeth8, I suspect you used an aftermarket carb kit? I've never had a bad OEM float needle replacement. That doesn't mean it hasn't happened to you, just giving my personal experience from 27 years' of VMax wrenching and ownership. I try to stay OEM as-much as-possible, especially in the carbs.

A suggestion for your post and reading comprehension: breaking a solid block of text into shorter paragraphs allows a reader to 'breathe,' and it also gives a bit of organization to your thoughts. If you can include some pics, easier now to insert them into the text than under the prior hosting software, unless you used a site like we all learned to-hate, photobucket. Using frequent paragraph breaks greatly assists in viewing comprehension.

Tuning the four air mixture screws, located below the CV diaphragm caps, is an important part of achieving an even idle, and shouldn't take anyone more than 5 minutes. While the "one and a half-turns out" position is a good starting point, taking the time to adjust all-four to highest, even idle is easily-done, and it results in a better-operating bike.
 
Anyone want to buy this thing off me? the only thing left to do is pay a lot of money for someone else to fix this thing.
 
Yea I would love to do any one of those option but I don't want to spend $500.
 
That's what Sean's about! He with his not so common generosity helped me through an igntion
problem with a COMPLETE ignition system for my 85. He said swap in what ya need, find out the issue and send it back, NO CHARGE! just pay shipping to and from.
Now I am good with my multimeter and can read and follow instruction but certain components
just weren't measuring out as good or bad! Talk about frustrating, yea to the point of "Giving up
the old Max" when digesting the cost of a C.D.I. to find out that aint the problem. I think it was a
brief conversation, maybe an email and the kit was here quick. Man was I grateful, bad C.D.I., I got an Ignitech and was back up and running. Wow! can't believe I found this pic! That's the kit, we took it in dis-belief of Sean's generosity and how much time he had saved us learning at the time about the Vmax.
Look at this, Oct 2014..... IMAG0142 (2).jpg
I have often told people who have seen my bike from start to date about the help I got along
the way and been glad to do so, thank's Sean.
 
Yea I would love to do any one of those option but I don't want to spend $500.
Well, after your complaining about the bike for over a year, nobody's going to give you 500 dollars for it, so you literally have nothing to lose.

Take Sean up on his offer. You are not going to get a better offer anywhere.

And even if it does cost you 500 bucks in the end, you'll at least have a running bike you can sell for 500 bucks.
 
I understand $500 is a decent sum of $ but to find the problem and to be able to ride the bike, and to experience the thrills of VBoost, assuming nothing-else needs to be done, is a wise investment. A non-running bike I usually value at $500, assuming it's titled and all-there, is cosmetically OK, and it isn't a flood bike or a fire-affected bike, or a crashed bike. Why so-little? Second gear issues, the crankshaft thrust bearing surface, a knocking conn. rod, a spun main bearing, those are things seen in a non-functional bike.

A running bike w/o second gear issues, or any of the other case-splitting issues mentioned-above, is probably worth at-least $1,000 if it needs a battery, new tires, fork seals, brake pads, and the carburetors serviced. That goes-up in valuation as those things are eliminated. The price point for a bike around here (so. Florida) needing some consumables but otherwise healthy and capable of reliable operation I would say is between $2K-$3K.

If the One Big Thing keeping you from riding the bike is the carburetors, and you can fix it for $500, chances are that the value of the bike will rise well-above that investment, as-described, above.
 
Yea I would love to do any one of those option but I don't want to spend $500.
You have a computer and camera, and can use a screwdriver?
Strip the carbs off the bike. Take one of them off the rack, and post pictures, one at a time, with questions if you are unsure of anything. All the help you need is here. Once you've mastered one, the rest is just linkages...
 
So everyone is aware I'm not asking 500 for my bike. My bike runs just not well. it is running rich and has been since I got the thing.
I've had the carbs in and out about 50 times. and i'm tired of pulling them out for nothing. Ive spent enough money on this thing with no improvement. I don't want to spend another 500 on it. I might as well buy a new bike with the amount i've spent already.
 
I've looked through this forum for anything about a fixing a rich carb and I cant find anything talking about it. These carb obviously operate differently from most carbs. the jets aren't screwed in and out to adjust for that apparently.
 
Steve I'm not going to write you a book. How you should go about addressing the issue is right under your nose. You have been advised in this thread no searching needed. I'm a total amateur and I can tell you when it comes to fueling and air CV carbs work opposite everything else. Add more air and more gas will flow so you jet down. So for instance if you have a an exhaust mod that improves exhaust flow you will also improve air flow and subsequently run rich until you put in a smaller jet. We don't know why you're rich but it isn't magic. it's mechanical. Not to say it's not frustrating but it can be figured out. 1st gen VMAX ownership is not for everyone. Sell your bike and buy something newer with much less maintenance. Ride and be happy.
 
I wished I was coming home to Texas for Christmas this year ! I am sure I could figure it out pretty quickly ! If you are that discouraged with it send me some pictures & you never know I might get A wild hair to come home ! My cousin lives in Converse & my aunt in San Antonio & I have relatives in other places in Texas. Best way to reach me is [email protected]
 
I wished I was coming home to Texas for Christmas this year ! I am sure I could figure it out pretty quickly ! If you are that discouraged with it send me some pictures & you never know I might get A wild hair to come home ! My cousin lives in Converse & my aunt in San Antonio & I have relatives in other places in Texas. Best way to reach me is [email protected]
A tentative offer from one of the Mechanical Masters of the V-Max Universe! Get-ahold of Kyle.
 
I've looked through this forum for anything about a fixing a rich carb and I cant find anything talking about it. These carb obviously operate differently from most carbs. the jets aren't screwed in and out to adjust for that apparently.
Absolute total rubbish - and you have an advantage not afforded to many - the reast of your bike is original, so all you have to do is ensure your carbs are original and that they work. Easy...
I challenge you, strip one to pictures, needles, jets, float valve and height, bits all out and clean. I've only rebuilt one set, and I can say with confidence there is nothing magic going on in these.
 
News update. The rebuild carbs are more then $600 from me BUT there is no requirement that you have to buy them from me. This would simple prove or disprove that the carbs are the issue. You may be chasing your tail with something else causing the issue. Or, you may have something in the carb you are missing that is a duh moment but something simple that you are taking for granted.
 
News update. The rebuild carbs are more then $600 from me BUT there is no requirement that you have to buy them from me. This would simple prove or disprove that the carbs are the issue. You may be chasing your tail with something else causing the issue. Or, you may have something in the carb you are missing that is a duh moment but something simple that you are taking for granted.
Sale or return - who could fault that?
 
News update. The rebuild carbs are more then $600 from me BUT there is no requirement that you have to buy them from me. This would simple prove or disprove that the carbs are the issue. You may be chasing your tail with something else causing the issue. Or, you may have something in the carb you are missing that is a duh moment but something simple that you are taking for granted.
Sean,
I have a set of stock carbs laying around, I am south of you (Guthrie) and I have been wanting to talk with you anyways. Drop me line
 

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