Starter Valve Syncronization - 5th Gen — Maintenance Guides

What are starter valves
(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/manual.jpg)

Starter valves are valves that take air from the air cleaner and bypass that air directly into the intake chamber of each cylinder, in-place of a choke.
There are 4 Starter Valves 3 are adjustable and one is factory set

Why Syncronze them?

Hard Starting
Lumpy Idle
Incorrect Idle speed

What Tools Do I Need

Electronic Tachometer that can read +50- RPM
Vacume pressure Gauge for 4 cylinders +1- cmHg, tube to tube nipples-I used the metal carb tubes from the Motion Pro tool.
Boxed end wrenches 7mm, 8mm
OEM tool kit
Clamp or Cap for PAIR Reed Valves (2)

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync01.jpg)

First Start up the bike and warm it up to normal temp

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync02.jpg)
Remove the tool kit and take out the rear shock spanner and the leverage handle, these will be used to hold up the tank.

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Remove the front tank screws and replace one back into the frame, slide the bottom of the leverage handle over the screw to keep it from poping out while the tank is propped up by the spanner.

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync04.jpg)
From the left side locate vacume tubes #1 and #2, note their position, (they are marked on the side of the tube what number they are) and remove them from the air cleaner

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync05.jpg)
From the right side do the same thing with #3 and #4 tubes, connect these tubes to your vacume tool

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync06.jpg)
I used the steel carb tubes that came with the tool, making sure to have the tube # the same as the tool cylinder #

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/reed.jpg)
Locate the PAIR Reed valve on top of the cylinder head.

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync07.jpg)
cap it off. There is one on the both cylinder heads

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I used ordinary bench crimp type clamps because I did not have a cap to put over the reed valves, it does the same thing. Make sure it is clamped off good but dont damage the tubes.

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Hook up your Tach - mine is a Equus, I found that it can be set to 8 cylinders for finer tach sensitivity, you just have to divide the displayed number by 2, (shown it is set to 4 cylinders)

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync10.jpg)
Hook up the battery lead to the positive terminal of the battery.

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync11.jpg)
Hook up the inductive lead of the tach to the spark plug wire from the #1 coil on top, to spark plug lead #1, left side under the tank, (see the throttle cable assembly for help finding it.)

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync12.jpg)
Turn the throttle stop screw till the RPM is set to 1,200 for a 98 and 1,300 for 99-01 plus or minus 100 rpm, Mine was WAY off it was set to 2000 and the tach on the gauge was showing 1500. Again I set my tach to 8 cylinders for fine adjustments.

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync13.jpg)
My valves were off from what it should be, #1 was higher than all the rest.

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync14.jpg)
Note the tight clearance of the starter valves to the frame, you cant fit a screw driver (this is on the right side of the bike)

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync15.jpg)
You can use boxed end wrenches to get to them, a 7 mm for the starter valves and an 8 mm for the throttle screw, first thing I did was promply drop the 8mm down into the starter valve area, took 5 minutes to fish it out LOL.

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Set all the starter valves to be equal with #1,( this is the best I could do) Once this is done make sure your RPM have not changed if they have turn the throttle screw back to the correct RPM

The starter valves have a plastic bushing that has teeth on them, they click into postion when the valve is turned, the teeth just fall into place, make note that the valves are not set tight and it is very easy to get them out of position, the only thing that holds them is the friction of the teeth.

(pictured left to right 1,2,3,4)

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync17.jpg)
Turn the #3 starter valve until the #3 cylinder has dropped 2 cmHg from #1, take note of the RPM and set it correctly if it has changed.

(this thing was dancing around while the motor was running but thats the pic I took)

(turn the starter valves right to reduce and left to increase)

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync18.jpg)
Turn the #4 starter valve untill the #4 cylinder has dropped 1cmHg from #1

replace the vacume tubes back into the aircleaner, unclamp the pair, put the tank back.

Hey your done!!!!

(IMG:http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/sync/original/sync19.jpg)
I always remove the mercury from the tool cause I dont want to get poisened from a leak. Put it into a glass jar!

Well I contacted K&N about my starter valve question, I did not get a good answer, so anybody?

Hi Miguel,

I contacted R&D regarding your concern. R&D was unsure of an answer. They contact a local dealership and they were unsure of it also. It was suggested that you speak with a authorized Honda dealership. They might be able to help you with this concern.
Thank you,

Lisa Sutton
K&N Technical Support

-----Original Message-----
From: Miguel Mayo [mailto:miguel@pcisys.net]
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 2:24 AM
To: tech@knfilters.com
Subject: HONDA MOTORCYCLE

Hello,

I have had a K&N filter installed on my 1998 Honda VFR 800 for over a year now. Last weekend I was tuning up the bike and decided to syncronize my starter valves. As you may know the VFR does not have a choke per sea but rather it has these bypass valves that take air from the airbox and sends them thru bypass starter valves. The procces involves setting the RPM to a specific 1200 rpm then using a vacume tool, the four starter valves are syncronized to the factory set #1 valve. Then #2 is set even, #3 20 mmHg lower and #4 10mmHg lower than the factory set #1.

My question is this, would a higher flow airfilter change the properties of the airbox such that the standard starter valve settings are no longer valid? My engine seemed to run smoother when all the valves were set even, instead of taking the recommended vacume drop for valves 3 and 4.

I would appreciate any ideas, I am webmaster for the VFRdiscussion Group a group of a few thousand VFR owners I will pass on any info you may have on this subject to the membership. I documented the procedure on the website w/ pictures.

Thanks

Miguel Mayo

Webmaster http://www.vfrdiscussion.com