I'm finally fixing it!!! YEA!!!

[DannyMotor]

You can go to K&N's website directly and get a 'custom' sized pod... The inlet is 43mm (1" and 11/16ths) OD on the VM carbs. RC-2454 is what's listed from KnN as direct fit for the bike, however, from them, you're looking at $190 for all 4 filters, oil kit, and yadda yadda.

Looking at the "universal" fit site...
RC-1130 = Straight
RC-1133 = Straight
RU-1130 = Straight (Rubber end cap, no chrome)
RC-1120 = Straight
R-1082 = Cone
RC-1082 = Cone
RC-2490 = Stubby Cone
RC-1070 = Stubby Cone
RC-1072 = Stubby Cone
R-1070 = Stubby Cone (rubber end cap, no chrome)
R-1100 = Long Cone (rubber end cap, no chrome) angled flange.



And all of these filters are about 3" wide at the base, 43mm ID of the mounting flange.

Unfortunately.... the price difference is minimal, but if you stick with a straight, rubber style filter, it'd be a slight bit cheaper than going with the tapered chrome type.

Also, UNI makes foam pod filters... they won't last as long... but they're cheaper, good quality, and do the same job, due to them being an oiled filter. They only come in 1 3/4 inch ID, but that's only 44.5mm, so they'd still work. They can be had for $15-20 a piece.

[DannyMotor]

Anyone I should be giving my bussness to?

I ordered my Valve Cover gasket (OEM), rubber cam gaskets (the four half-circles... OEM) and breather gasket (OEM) from BikeBandit.com.. about 50 bucks and it took about 2 weeks because they were on order.

If you need it fast... call places in advance to see if it's at least in-stock. Otherwise, I have never had an issue with Bike Bandit, and they can get anything OEM on these bikes.

[chuck hahn]

bike BANDIT is a bit more expensive on lots ofm items as compared to say Boulevard.

[DannyMotor]

bike BANDIT is a bit more expensive on lots ofm items as compared to say Boulevard.

Yep... screw me. I just checked Boulevard out... and they're about 50% cheaper on run-of-the-mill maintenance stuff than BB...

I paid $36 for my OEM valve gasket... It's freakin' $16.10 from Boulevard.

Raped again. F*ck me in the a*s... Sorry to derail this post. Hahaha.

[FreshmanJoe]

is this the valve cover gasket I need?

http://www.siriusconinc.com/pro-detail.php?pid=&product_id=3716

[chuck hahn]

Yup...once its in those little ties that will be above the number 1 and 4 spark plugs get clipped off. they are there to stabalise the gasket as your laying it over the top of the head.

[DannyMotor]

6 bucks? Are you S*ITTING me? I need to do more research before popping on parts in the future.

Good on ya thus far! Didn't take long to go from "uh, er... carbs?" to "I AM THE MASTER OF DISASSEMBLY!!!"

[FreshmanJoe]

6 bucks? Are you S*ITTING me? I need to do more research before popping on parts in the future.

Good on ya thus far! Didn't take long to go from "uh, er... carbs?" to "I AM THE MASTER OF DISASSEMBLY!!!"

Yea but taking things apart is easy. I've done that a billion times. It's the putting it back together that scared the crap out of me.

[FreshmanJoe]

I'm waiting on my gaskets and o rings to get here so i was going to try to check my timing or adjust my valve clearance. On valve clearance i have a great step by step i got off bassclifs website to go with the service manual but i don't see anything for how to check timing. I'm willing to bet that it needs to be adjusted cause when the bike last ran it was rough and backfired and when i took the carbs apart they were surprising clean. I looked at the service manual on how to do it and all it said was set contact breaker pount to yada yada and then hook up specialty tool number yada yada to check. This dosen't help. Where are the contact breaker point? What tool do i need? Can anyone point me in the right direction? I'm feeling good bout the carb and valve clearance but this timing thing has me a bit confused?

[terrylee]

Won't be able to do timing till carbs. are back on, need bike running. Points are inside small side cover on right side of engine, should have three screws to remove. You can check the points and set properly before bike is running. Check the points themselves and be sure they're not pitted or not flat and even on both side (if so you maybe able to clean them up with sandpaper). But may be best just to replace them and condensers that are wired up to the points. There should be a section on checking timing in manual, if not check manual for 79 850, should be in there. It good to have a timing light, shouldn't cost very much. Easy do once you have that. terrylee

[7981GS]

I'm waiting on my gaskets and o rings to get here so i was going to try to check my timing or adjust my valve clearance. On valve clearance i have a great step by step i got off bassclifs website to go with the service manual but i don't see anything for how to check timing. I'm willing to bet that it needs to be adjusted cause when the bike last ran it was rough and backfired and when i took the carbs apart they were surprising clean. I looked at the service manual on how to do it and all it said was set contact breaker pount to yada yada and then hook up specialty tool number yada yada to check. This dosen't help. Where are the contact breaker point? What tool do i need? Can anyone point me in the right direction? I'm feeling good bout the carb and valve clearance but this timing thing has me a bit confused?

Do you have access to on inductive timing light?
The marks for 1 & 4 and 2 & 3 are visible through a small hole at the top of the ignition.
Adjust the two plates separately so that the 1 & 4 are on the mark when the light is hooked to 1 or 4 and the same for 2 and 3.

Eric

[MisterCinders]

Won't be able to do timing till carbs. are back on, need bike running. Points are inside small side cover on right side of engine, should have three screws to remove. You can check the points and set properly before bike is running. Check the points themselves and be sure they're not pitted or not flat and even on both side (if so you maybe able to clean them up with sandpaper). But may be best just to replace them and condensers that are wired up to the points. There should be a section on checking timing in manual, if not check manual for 79 850, should be in there. It good to have a timing light, shouldn't cost very much. Easy do once you have that. terrylee

He can do a static check while the carbs soak. That only requires turning the engine by hand.

To adjust the forward timing, however, you need the engine running and a timing gun.

[FreshmanJoe]

He can do a static check while the carbs soak. That only requires turning the engine by hand.

To adjust the forward timing, however, you need the engine running and a timing gun.

What's a static check?
Good news, I got my gaskets and o rings. Bad news I lost one of the springs on the air screw. I found a replacement from a local shop but I can't get it till Monday. Also, I can't check my valve clearances yet cause I'm still waiting for my feeler gauges and shim tool to arrive in the mail. Drat!
So...that leaves me with timing. I figure on Sunday I can inspect my points and clean them up. Then, by doing this static check thing I could do a rough check of my timing if I can figure out how to do it. I kinda have access to a timing gun but I need to ride the bike about 30 min to the shop where it's at and I would like to do as much as possible at home. Then on Monday I can put the carbs together and see I can get the bike to start. Can't sync the carbs till the carbtune comes in the mail but at least I can get it to that point. Then on Wednesday I could start the valve clearance and move some shims around then see what I need to order then it's back to the waiting game.

[FreshmanJoe]

So I've got my carbs mostly assembled. I'm at the part where you put the slider assembly back in and I've run into a small issue, the slider assembly for 1&4 are being stubborn and aren't sliding smoothly into place. #1 will slide in with resistance and #3 won't go in at all. These are the same two that gave me issues when I took it apart. Any ideas?

Got it...Nevermind. There was a nick on both of those two sliders. a little steel wool on it and they slid right in.

[FreshmanJoe]

Help! It won't start. What do I check??

So I have my carbs on the bike with the airbox on and all the lines hooked up and it won't start. When I set my petcock to prime I had gas coming out of one of the lines so I gently tipped the carb and it stopped. The first time I tried I got a little sputter and then the battery died. I've tried two other times to start it so I can sync my carbs and now it won't give me anything but the sound of my starter. I've tried spraying a little starting fluid in the intake and that did nothing. I think I assembled everything properly, I took my time and double checked every step. Could this be my carb or do you think it could be somthing else? I ask cause she has always been a pain in the but to start when she's been sitting for this long. I was hoping this would resove the issue. If I can't get her started today I was thinking of moving on to my valve clearances cause I know that could give cold starting issues then coming back to it but I really just want to hear the sound of that motor. It's going to drive me nuts till I do. Any thoughts?

UPDATE
I've pulled the plugs off the carb bowls and there isn't fuel in the #1 carb. #2, 3, and 4 have fuel. Now I just have to find out why.
What would cause this?? Thinking I have to take the carb back off to find out. Damit!!! Got to fight with that airbox again. All well