Please help on carb issue

[thomas311]

Hi everyone,
first of all a thank you to all of you who posted helpful information about the VMax 1200. I learned a lot, but obviously not yet enough as I have an issue with my 2005 VMax I can't get figured out.
Here the description of what it does or not does and after that a description of what I did so far.
The bike didn't run much in the past 2 years, but even before that I noticed that issue of a sluggish running engine already. Within the 2 years i let it run once in a while a drove it a few miles to keep things moving. I stored my bike with a full tank and had sea foam in it while it was stored. Even after a long time of not using it, it always starts up right away, but once it settles in to run without choke, it feels kinda rough, the throttle response is not crisp, and the left exhaust smokes more than the right one. IT doesn't stall though. Also sometimes I notice wet gas spots on the left exhaust plus more intense gas smell on that side plus a bit more smoke. Once in a while there was a misfire on cylinder #2 (front left). So yesterday I did a carb cleaning based on 'shooting the shotgun' method and it improved. No misfires so far, but still sluggish, and not crisp reaction on throttle. When driving it, it doesn't feel as powerful as it should. V-boost kicks in as it should though. Still gas smell.
I tried a carb synchronization and when re-adjusting the idle mixture screw on #2 (front left), i realized that even if I screw in that idle mixture screw (which looks to be in good shape) all the way, it didn't seem to make a difference to the engines idle, where as on all other carbs the difference was noticeable.
So if feel like the culprit is cylinder #2 (front left), I just don't really know what might make sense to verify next. I replaced also all spark plugs and there is a spark on that cylinder. So either that spark is not regular or something makes the air/gas mixture way to rich, as i noticed the old spark plug from that cylinder looks like 'carbon fouling' (dry black deposit). Too much gas would also make sense in respect to the gas smell and the wet spots on the left exhaust I sometimes notice. There is no gas coming from the overflows though...
What are your ideas about what to checkout next?
Thanks for your input!!!
Thomas

 

[44boyd]

you probably have a blocked pilot jet. You could probably try running seafoam for a couple of tanks to see if that'll clear it up or take the carbs apart for a thorough cleaning since it sat for 2 years.

 

[genecarroll]

+1 on pilot circuit. I had the same symptoms tried all the same things. The smoking turned out to be the seafoam it will clear up after a couple clean tanks but I ended up pulling the carbs and cleaning and blowing out the jet block and every other hole I could find and when you think it's good do it again. Make sure diaphrams
Are good hold them up to the light and look through them. Make sure everything is seated properly and tight with no cracks in the boots. While your in the carbs check your float levels no sense in doing the job twice. I did it three times before I got the bike running as it should. But it was well worth the aggravation bike runs like new now.

 

[thomas311]

Thanks guys, I did on all 4 a diaphragm check when i cleaned the carbs. But I onlky did it once per carb yesterday, which means sprayed in gunk carb cleaner into the main air jet and the opening where the idle screw goes in, then i blew air from my compressor throught the PAJ1 and PAJ2. So I basically did what you described. It does make sense to me, that the air jets don't provide enough air to the carb and therefor the mixture gets to rich.
I sprayed in carb cleaner 3-4 times and evertime I blew air through the PAJs. Do you say I need to do that more often? Or may be use a different carb cleaner spray? Shall I use berryman carb cleaner and use a syringe to get it in? How often do you spray and rinse? how long do you let it sit between carb cleaner and pressured air? Maybe I ran through it too fast...
By the way: i just checked the electrical for the sparks and that seems to work just fine.
Thanks a bunch so far!

 

[44boyd]

the shotgun and peashooter aren't thorough cleanings, if you don't want to run a couple of gas tanks with seafoam in it you need to remove the carbs and clean them. http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=12556

 

[genecarroll]

If that didn't work for you your going to have to pull the carbs so you can get to the jet block that's probably where your blockage is in the pilot jet and emulsion tube.

 

[thomas311]

@44boyd: I'm ok with running a couple of tanks with seafoam in it. Is that an alternative to pull the carbs, or is pulling them almost inevitable. As said, the bike doesn't stall, it just doens't run smooth, so it might not be too bad inside the carbs jet.
Also: will the pilot jet and emulsion tube get some of the seafoam, or are they purely air tubes?

 

[genecarroll]

Its probably inevitable it was for me I ran two tanks through it and got tired of it smoking on start up so to me it was worth spending the morning doing it so I new what I was working with.

 

[44boyd]

@44boyd: I'm ok with running a couple of tanks with seafoam in it. Is that an alternative to pull the carbs, or is pulling them almost inevitable. As said, the bike doesn't stall, it just doens't run smooth, so it might not be too bad inside the carbs jet.
Also: will the pilot jet and emulsion tube get some of the seafoam, or are they purely air tubes?

It might get you through it without having to remove them, but if it still runs like crap you know you'll have to tear them of and go through them. Just to clarify, you synced the carbs after you did the shotgun? If not I'd do that and see how it runs.

 

[44boyd]

Its probably inevitable it was for me I ran two tanks through it and got tired of it smoking on start up so to me it was worth spending the morning doing it so I new what I was working with.

seafoam will cause a white smoke FYI

 

[genecarroll]

Yes I no seafoam will make it smoke. That's what I meant it wasn't worth waiting for it to do its job and seeing smoke on start up so I choose to pull and fix

 

[thomas311]

I synced the carbs. I will finish the current gas with seafoam in it and if it doesn't progress, wrap up my sleeves and spend some quality time with my carbs. Will keep you posted. Thanks a lot so far for your advise! Have a great week.

 

[marsmax85]

I may have missed it but I would start with getting rid of old gas in tank .. start fresh with seafoam added..

 

[thomas311]

Sounds good and will actually make me run just another tank through the engine before I might need to take the carbs out. Thank you.