Honda VFR 400 NC30 "89 Spluttering

[tazzer1993]

Hi all.

I recently cleaned out my carbs and she ran like a dream. However, on the way into work this morning, she started coughing and spluttering like there was no tomorrow! No power low end and gained power at different revs in very noticeable chunks. So, my question is...What the hell has happened???

Thanks in advance. Shiny side up

[eastanglianbiker]

did u take the carbs apart when you cleaned them and if you removed all the jets are you sure you tightened them all correctly when putting them back together i had similar problem on a big single cylinder 500 years ago was running fine then ticked over ran on low revs butsoon as it got to need main jet fueling it died pulled carb apart and main jet had rattled loose

[tazzer1993]

I'm pretty dang sure everything was done up correctly. I took pictures of everything as I took it apart and matched it as I put it back together. I'm hoping that I don't have to take the damn things apart again. It was a pain in the ass last time

[Mr Fro]

Don't suppose you changed the fuel filter while you were there did you?

I feel your pain, mine are off for the squillionth time and I'm sooooo bored of it...

 

...i had similar problem on a big single cylinder 500 years ago...

To be fair, they probably hadn't got fuelling down to a fine art back in them days.

[tazzer1993]

No, No I did not. Why would that all of a sudden take effect now though?

It must be said, that carbs were specifically designed to infuriate anyone who wants to fix the blasted things

[Mr Fro]

All it takes is one bit of crap to make it's way through to the carb bowl and block something to ruin your day.

You might get lucky and clear it (if it is a blockage) by just draining the fuel from the bowls rather than taking the whole lot off.

[Guest]

I feel your pain on this one... having the exact problem myself.

Changed the fuel filter in my case and the old one was fine anyway.

I find redex has been helping a lot but doesn't solve it - thought it did but nope. A large dosage may clear a blockage rather than adding maintenance dosages... that's next since I really don't want to do a cleaning job on the carbs if I can help it.

Hope you get to the bottom of it!

[Guest]

I'd defo go with the Redex option first before strip down again, worked on my cbr600 a few years back, put loads of Redex in ran very fast for a while, but it cleared and all is.

[tazzer1993]

Sounds like a plan to me. Redex it is! To the shop!!

[tazzer1993]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. As the first gear on the VFR is ridiculously tall, my clutch has taken a right hammering. Would just replacing the friction plates be good enough? I would rather not buy the whole lot as that is a vast amount of money if i'm going genuine Honda which is what I want to do.

[Guest]

I'd defo go with the Redex option first before strip down again, worked on my cbr600 a few years back, put loads of Redex in ran very fast for a while, but it cleared and all is.

How much did you poor in? I've been using 1/8th bottle for a full tank...

Wondering how rubbish it would run if I took the fuel down to 4-5L and tipped in half a bottle of so...

[Fozzie]

Is it running ok when cold?

If it splutters everywhere could be a dodgy coil if it only happens when warm, they often fail and then break down when hot.

[tazzer1993]

Mine runs like a dream when cold but, not for very long. She decided to almost not start at all this morning. Groggy and useless on the way into work and on the way home decided to cut out on me on the bloody motorway of all places! Weirdly, she fired right back up and ran very well for the rest of the journey! I can't makes heads or tails of it at all! :S