Topic: '95 VT1100 troubleshooting

[Frankenkit]

Hey y'all. Trying to help a neighbor out with his bike.
The bike is a '95 VT1100 that hasn't been run (much?) since '98.  The old gent is just looking to get it running acceptably smoothly so he can sell it as he and his wife are in pretty dire financial straits and due to his health, he is no longer able to ride, so I've offered my time and effort to the cause. 

Trouble is, I'm really not sure what I'm doing, and neither does he.

  When I checked out the bike tonight for the first time, the battery was deader than dead, so he's going to be buying a new one so we can troubleshoot what seems to be a fuel problem.  From what I can tell, last time it started, it took a lot of choke and died whenever he gave it a little gas.  I know this isn't completely unexpected for a bike that's sat 13 years.  My first guess is going to be clogged jets.  My first suggestion (to be as cost efficient as possible) is to run some fresh gas through after checking the tank to make sure THAT isn't full of varnish,  attach drain tubes to the bottoms of the carb bowls and just let the fresh gas possibly dissolve whatever crap is in the jets.  Does anyone think this might work?

The carbs appear to be INCREDIBLY hard to get at, behind the radiator hose and a bunch of other lines, wedged between the V cylinders.   This is why I'm suggesting the above first because as unfamiliar as I am with this type of bike, I can't guarantee that bike would ever get back together right unless I had a shop manual and the hand of God on my shoulder.

I'm really hoping I can figure something out to get this working for him, because as gorgeous as this bike is, it NEEDS to be out on the road.

[grcamna2]

Hi,
     Just get hold of a good service manual and wade right in....that is if the cycle is still in need or if he hasn't sold it by this date. I have worked on this one & if you need more assistance, just let me know; ok?

[Frankenkit]

Thanks a ton.  I have a manual and started wading in.  wish me luck.

[grcamna2]

   Hello again,
                       How is your project of cleaning the carb. jets/fuel system coming along
on that mans Honda Shadow ? I know they can be a real Bear when it comes to
extricating the carbs out from between those twin V cyls....to me that was THE
biggest pain ! I remember an early 80's Virago 1100 on which I needed to literally
loosen one of the rubber carb manifolds (unscrew it at the Head)just to get the carbs
to slide out;of course that one has alot of steel covering the rubber on the manifold
which made it tough to get the rubber to flex just enough to remove the carbs w/o
damaging the manifold. I like your plan of getting fresh fuel into the system.
 I am trying to remember if your year model has 2 fuel tanks-a lower sub tank & the
main tank w/ a fuel pump; if so, that sub tank is a big pain also,but I believe it has to be cleared out of what ever is inside it because it is the Main Feed tank for the
system...it is the first source that feeds those carbs. I have found that the Big Upper tank is not usually too big of a problem on that model.
                                                                             Have a great day & all the best !

[Frankenkit]

Nope, this is a single tank version, with the fuel pump down  by the swingarm.  I took a few steps back over a week when I couldn't go over to work on the bike to really think about the limitations of my abilities, and what these folks want and need me to do.  I'm hoping to get the bike running semi-decent doing the least invasive things first.  When it comes down to it, he would be better able to sell a bike that doesn't run great than a bike that is in pieces.

That said, the main fuel line was buggered before I got to it and the fuel filter was looking kind of chunky so I have replacements for both.  Verrrrry little came out of those carb bowls, and what did, while foul smelling, was just plain old stale gas, no chunks, no varnish, so I have hope.

Going to replace the filter and line when I get over there next and take a look at the fuel tank, and see if I can't get the bike to do something.

Would it be unwise to introduce a bit of SeaFoam down the cylinders and into the fuel pump to clean and lubricate a bit?

[pdxPope]

Would it be unwise to introduce a bit of SeaFoam down the cylinders and into the fuel pump to clean and lubricate a bit?

Kit, that would be one of the first things I would do. Also clean (or better yet, change) the spark plugs and change the oil. Maybe even shoot a little WD40 or some other lubricant down the spark plug holes before cranking her over for the first time in umpteen years.

-JP

[grcamna2]

  I  just wanted to add a note about  mice...take a look in the airbox before you
begin cranking and in the airbox duct tubes & the airbox drain tube which has a
large diameter clear tube which ends w/ a black plug in it down below; just go
ahead & drain the tube & reinstall the black plug...it's a good preventative
measure. The weirdest thing about mice...mainly up North here is that they make
a nest in the middle of the air filter box.I suppose it is an area where it's protected
from the elements in the Winter time.

 Kit(?) I'm hoping that when you let a mix of fuel stabilizer,seafoam,gumout & good
fresh fuel into those carbs to sit for a little while & soak inside them and then try starting the engine it may help...otherwise you or another person will have to
go into those carbs with the correct # size jet cleaner which corresponds to the
main/aux & pilot jet numbers written on the sides of the actual jets.
 If you decide to go the route I just mentioned & remove those jets, you can remove just the jets and bring them to a "friendly"Honda dealer who will clean them for a VERY minimal price. I recommend when you mix up a batch of fuel to try the
"easy way" w/ just letting the concentrated mix sit a while in the carbs before
literal "FIRE UP".The mix could be 75% fresh premium fuel,10% gumout & 15%
seafoam;  about 1 - 2 gallons of this mixture may do alot of good,if the carb jets are
not too  badly clogged; just let it sit in the carbs after you have let the carbs fill
up while pumping the fuel in manually to them w/ the rest in the main tank
after she FIRES UP.
  I will also do those carbs for you myself,if you feel like removing them. I will do
them to factory specs and send them back to you; you pay shipping both ways.
Go ahead & send them to me w/ a return shipping label and I will send them back
to you pronto.They will be ready for fresh fuel when they arrive to you - Complete.
  I will charge you $ 50 guaranteed  NO BULL.

                         I hope it works out for you Easy...then you can finally clean-up !

[grcamna2]

Good morning Industrial Kit...how is the project ?

[Frankenkit]

good morning! I haven't been out there in a bit but I'm planning on today or tomorrow.

[grcamna2]

ALL the BEST man...I hope it works out and you hear it run.