Motorcycle Repair: Valkyrie Carbs, mixture settings, fuel mileage

Question
Hi Chris, thanks for the assistance in advance. I had been noticing diminshed fuel mileage after changing the oil, and also that the crankcase was overfilled and sucking into the breather after an oil change, where I did everything right. After continued fogging episodes, and running out of fuel, I pulled the dipstick and smelled fuel. How hard is it to pull the needles and clean these? I am supposed to taking my son on our first trip...

Answer
Hi Gary.
 Have you checked the maintainence schedule to see if your valves and timing are due or overdue?

How about the air filter?

How about the carb synch?

 Since you are getting plenty of fuel, I doubt that the needles need to be pulled and cleaned, unless the bike has spent a couple of seasons in storage with fuel in the system.  Otherwise I would look for other causes for the problem.

If you insist on trying to pull and clean the needles, then it is fairly simple.  You need to open the top of the carb and pull that piston out.  That has the needle as part of it.  Make note of the setting of the needle in the piston before you remove the needle from the piston, since it will have to go back in the same exact position when you reassemble it.

Now if you are referring to the jets, then defer that to a pro.  The adjustment to reset them on reassembly takes an experienced knowledge of mixture settings to prevent it from being messed up.

The repair manual will have the carb diagramed as well as an exploded view for you to reference.

Good luck.
FALCON