So, I Was Replacing My Thermostat...

I just picked up a 2002 VFR (Hence, I am new!), and it runs great and everything, except it seemed to run cold when it was near 40 or 50 degrees. I have the shop manual, and it said if the radiators are hot, and it won't come to temp, you've got a bad thermostat. So I pulled EVERYTHING, just like it says to do, kind of a bitch compared to my Sabre. I was in for a real shock when I pulled the Throttle bodies and found that the vacuum hose diagram matches CA spec. I have a few questions...
1. I am looking to replace the air filter with a K&N, so it'll last forever, will that affect my operation worse than a 49 states spec VFR?
2. If I do a gut mod on my pipes, will I need a remap worse than a 49 States VFR?
3. I am also thinking about de-snorkeling and/or doing the flapper-valve mod on my airbox as well, will that hurt the bike as compared to doing it on a 49 States VFR?
4. Is there any performance detriment to having all this emissions stuff on here? There are a LOT of vacuum hoses goin' on down there.
Also, how can I confirm I have a CA model? Is it in the VIN number?
I did some searching, but I couldn't really find much on the CA bikes, and I am a carburetor kid in a fuel injection world!
Thanks!
Mike Nelson

[image: View Post]Nelso90, on Oct 11 2009, 11:16 AM, said:

I just picked up a 2002 VFR (Hence, I am new!), and it runs great and everything, except it seemed to run cold when it was near 40 or 50 degrees. I have the shop manual, and it said if the radiators are hot, and it won't come to temp, you've got a bad thermostat. So I pulled EVERYTHING, just like it says to do, kind of a bitch compared to my Sabre. I was in for a real shock when I pulled the Throttle bodies and found that the vacuum hose diagram matches CA spec. I have a few questions...
1. I am looking to replace the air filter with a K&N, so it'll last forever, will that affect my operation worse than a 49 states spec VFR?
2. If I do a gut mod on my pipes, will I need a remap worse than a 49 States VFR?
3. I am also thinking about de-snorkeling and/or doing the flapper-valve mod on my airbox as well, will that hurt the bike as compared to doing it on a 49 States VFR?
4. Is there any performance detriment to having all this emissions stuff on here? There are a LOT of vacuum hoses goin' on down there.
Also, how can I confirm I have a CA model? Is it in the VIN number?
I did some searching, but I couldn't really find much on the CA bikes, and I am a carburetor kid in a fuel injection world!
Thanks!
Mike Nelson


yeah buddy all 6th gens are 50 state legal :cool:
as long as you dont mess with the catalytic convert, pair system, and evap canister, you should be fine.

They are all CA models, there is no 49 state model.
1. No
2. No
3. No
4. Not much

Well, that's some comfort, I remember doing the carbs (all 12 times I did them) on my sabre, and I thought, "Wow, I'd hate to be the unlucky bastard working on the CA model!"
So all US VFR's are the 50 state version? That's cool if they are, I just remember my Sabre wasn't the CA model, so I guess they imported them differently on this model bike.
Overall, I like working on my VFR a lot more, the twin spar frame makes everything easy to get to. I had to make custom tools to work on the old Sab'.

[image: View Post]Nelso90, on Oct 11 2009, 11:16 AM, said:

I just picked up a 2002 VFR (Hence, I am new!), and it runs great and everything, except it seemed to run cold when it was near 40 or 50 degrees. I have the shop manual, and it said if the radiators are hot, and it won't come to temp, you've got a bad thermostat. So I pulled EVERYTHING, just like it says to do, kind of a bitch compared to my Sabre. I was in for a real shock when I pulled the Throttle bodies and found that the vacuum hose diagram matches CA spec. I have a few questions...
1. I am looking to replace the air filter with a K&N, so it'll last forever, will that affect my operation worse than a 49 states spec VFR?
2. If I do a gut mod on my pipes, will I need a remap worse than a 49 States VFR?
3. I am also thinking about de-snorkeling and/or doing the flapper-valve mod on my airbox as well, will that hurt the bike as compared to doing it on a 49 States VFR?
4. Is there any performance detriment to having all this emissions stuff on here? There are a LOT of vacuum hoses goin' on down there.
Also, how can I confirm I have a CA model? Is it in the VIN number?
I did some searching, but I couldn't really find much on the CA bikes, and I am a carburetor kid in a fuel injection world!
Thanks!
Mike Nelson

The snorkel and flap are there to maintain intake velocity at low speed to improve the low end power. When you're at full throttle, the flap is open anyway. Why bypass it and ruin the low end. What ever you do, consider that a carburetor has a way of sensing changes in airflow. Cars with fuel injection have air flow meters to measure air flow. Your bike has no air flow meter and is mapped in such a way that it depends on the fact that, at curtain throttle openings, a predetermine amount of air is going to flow into the motor. Any change in airflow will not be compensated for, which could be good, or bad. Just consider it.

You can tell by the VIN (using the Honda Parts Catalogue as a reference) if there is a CA-model, but as stated above, all VTEC VFRs are "50-state". (Like your ST1300, btw.)

Ciao,

Okay, that's really helpful you guys! I appreciate the input.
I forgot to take into account the VFR is an Alpha-N system. My truck has a mass air system, and I got rid of the 1.5" diameter restrictor on the airbox, and it ran like a top and sounded evil! Before it sounded like 2.5 liters goin' through a straw ( I drive a four-cylinder Ranger, the bike's the speed machine!).
Thanks for the heads up on the ST1300 too. I never saw much of the throttles on it save for when Dad put the cruise control on it, so now he won't freak when he sees it!
Thanks guys!

Happy to report that today it was 35 degrees, and she ran right up to 173 or so on the HIGHWAY no less! All was well until I figured out I had a small leak, front water joint where the thermostat pipe joins the water joint. All I did was tear the whole damn thing apart again :dry:, and move the pipe clamp!
And the K&N's in the mail!

Sixth Gen met the 2012 Kyoto treaty specs in 02. Like so many have said already, your legal! The Greenest bike in the world for years!

"ALL YOUR VFR ARE BELONG TO US" ;)

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Oct 11 2009, 08:30 AM, said:

They are all CA models, there is no 49 state model.

[image: View Post]sirimiri, on Oct 14 2009, 02:48 AM, said:

"ALL YOUR VFR ARE BELONG TO US" ;)

[image: View Post]jeremy556, on Oct 11 2009, 08:30 AM, said:

They are all CA models, there is no 49 state model.


LOL Uber Leet post! :cool:

[image: View Post]sirimiri, on Oct 13 2009, 07:48 PM, said:

"ALL YOUR VFR ARE BELONG TO US" ;)

Someone set us up the bomb!

Ok, I'm confused. You say all models are 50 state, but the manual says (3-19) that Evaporative Emission Control System (California type only). I'm almost positive mine has this canister and yesterday I noticed something about California on the air box cover. The funny thing is that I live in Tennessee. I have an 02 model and I just bought it this past fall. Does anyone have any insight? Thanks!

[image: View Post]jpdesigns, on 29 January 2010 - 09:32 AM, said:

I'm almost positive mine has this canister and yesterday I noticed something about California on the air box cover. The funny thing is that I live in Tennessee.

Manufacturers have given up trying to special-case their products for California. Now everybody gets a CA model of everything. That's why everything you buy has those little "this may cause cancer in California" stickers.

[image: View Post]coderighter, on 11 October 2009 - 12:23 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Nelso90, on Oct 11 2009, 11:16 AM, said:

I just picked up a 2002 VFR (Hence, I am new!), and it runs great and everything, except it seemed to run cold when it was near 40 or 50 degrees. I have the shop manual, and it said if the radiators are hot, and it won't come to temp, you've got a bad thermostat. So I pulled EVERYTHING, just like it says to do, kind of a bitch compared to my Sabre. I was in for a real shock when I pulled the Throttle bodies and found that the vacuum hose diagram matches CA spec. I have a few questions...
1. I am looking to replace the air filter with a K&N, so it'll last forever, will that affect my operation worse than a 49 states spec VFR?
2. If I do a gut mod on my pipes, will I need a remap worse than a 49 States VFR?
3. I am also thinking about de-snorkeling and/or doing the flapper-valve mod on my airbox as well, will that hurt the bike as compared to doing it on a 49 States VFR?
4. Is there any performance detriment to having all this emissions stuff on here? There are a LOT of vacuum hoses goin' on down there.
Also, how can I confirm I have a CA model? Is it in the VIN number?
I did some searching, but I couldn't really find much on the CA bikes, and I am a carburetor kid in a fuel injection world!
Thanks!
Mike Nelson

The snorkel and flap are there to maintain intake velocity at low speed to improve the low end power. When you're at full throttle, the flap is open anyway. Why bypass it and ruin the low end. What ever you do, consider that a carburetor has a way of sensing changes in airflow. Cars with fuel injection have air flow meters to measure air flow. Your bike has no air flow meter and is mapped in such a way that it depends on the fact that, at curtain throttle openings, a predetermine amount of air is going to flow into the motor. Any change in airflow will not be compensated for, which could be good, or bad. Just consider it.

The snorkel and flap are for noise control. Bypassing or removing them will not hurt low end performance. The difference in opening size is not enough to make a difference to low end power, but does make a difference to intake resonance and noise.

[image: View Post]bear22099, on 01 February 2010 - 04:11 PM, said:

[image: View Post]coderighter, on 11 October 2009 - 12:23 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Nelso90, on Oct 11 2009, 11:16 AM, said:

I just picked up a 2002 VFR (Hence, I am new!), and it runs great and everything, except it seemed to run cold when it was near 40 or 50 degrees. I have the shop manual, and it said if the radiators are hot, and it won't come to temp, you've got a bad thermostat. So I pulled EVERYTHING, just like it says to do, kind of a bitch compared to my Sabre. I was in for a real shock when I pulled the Throttle bodies and found that the vacuum hose diagram matches CA spec. I have a few questions...
1. I am looking to replace the air filter with a K&N, so it'll last forever, will that affect my operation worse than a 49 states spec VFR?
2. If I do a gut mod on my pipes, will I need a remap worse than a 49 States VFR?
3. I am also thinking about de-snorkeling and/or doing the flapper-valve mod on my airbox as well, will that hurt the bike as compared to doing it on a 49 States VFR?
4. Is there any performance detriment to having all this emissions stuff on here? There are a LOT of vacuum hoses goin' on down there.
Also, how can I confirm I have a CA model? Is it in the VIN number?
I did some searching, but I couldn't really find much on the CA bikes, and I am a carburetor kid in a fuel injection world!
Thanks!
Mike Nelson

The snorkel and flap are there to maintain intake velocity at low speed to improve the low end power. When you're at full throttle, the flap is open anyway. Why bypass it and ruin the low end. What ever you do, consider that a carburetor has a way of sensing changes in airflow. Cars with fuel injection have air flow meters to measure air flow. Your bike has no air flow meter and is mapped in such a way that it depends on the fact that, at curtain throttle openings, a predetermine amount of air is going to flow into the motor. Any change in airflow will not be compensated for, which could be good, or bad. Just consider it.

The snorkel and flap are for noise control. Bypassing or removing them will not hurt low end performance. The difference in opening size is not enough to make a difference to low end power, but does make a difference to intake resonance and noise.


So..you think that there is no difference in the velocity of the airflow with just one snorkle? It may make a noise difference, but the low end velocity factor is the primary reason. Just my .02! :wheel:

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