Yesterday I deferred to Mother Nature in the face of our changing seasons, sneaking a final ride on a beautiful sunny day in preparation for winter storage. My '93 VFR seemed to appreciate the gesture, running splendidly in the cool, dry air and handling my local twisties with smoothness and confidence. I realize that personifying machines is just a human foible, but those of us who relate to mechanical devices know how real it feels.

With the engine warmed, last season's oil drained easily, followed by screwing on a new HiFlo Filtro HF303 and the oddly gratifying addition of fresh Honda GN-4 10w40 — speaking of, I was shocked to find my dealer's oil price had grown to $37 from my last purchase of $25! Tariffs? Inflation? Price gouging?

A reader recently asked a simple but important question regarding the best way to remove carburetor jets. It's a simple question because they're just flat blade screwdriver compatible, but important because if you manage to break off the soft brass ears you're left with a chore that may not end well.

I learned this the hard way years ago when both the pilot and main jets refused to move and I managed to damage them to the point of rendering that carb body into junk. Since I began using this simple technique I've never had another issue.

The most important thing is to have a screwdriver blade that fits properly—not loose and definitely not so tight that it won't bottom out in the groove--it must bottom in the groove. Search your screwdriver collection, or a multi-purpose screwdriver like the one pictured often has a blade to fit large and small jet sizes. Next, my technique is to fit the blade squarely in the groove, not tilted side-to-side or front-to-back, really grab the handle, push down hard onto the jet, then give a quick and forceful "snap" to break the jet loose. You may only have one or two chances to get it right, so take your time to be square in the jet's groove.

If a jet still refuses to budge, rather than force it to the point of breaking, I will soak the threads in parts penetrant overnight and then add heat from a small butane torch and try again. If you're in the unfortunate circumstance of having a broken jet, you can try to cut a new screwdriver groove with a Dremel tool or grab with a small vise grip or, as a last resort, carefully drill out the jet with successively larger bits until the remaining threads (hopefully) twist free.

SOLD: $9600

Time for some armchair quarterbacking.

I've been watching with interest this particular Bring-A-Trailer auction. As the classic vehicle market cools, while the '07 VFR Anniversary Edition values have simultaneously crept upward, I wondered where this exceptional example would score.

Typical Anniversary values have been hovering around $6000 for desirable bikes​ so here we see that when two bidders have the itch for a nice one, they can raise today's selling price by $2000 in the final 15 minutes. I'm willing to wager that had this VFR been marketed on a non-auction format, the selling price would have been thousands lower.

What makes this one special? Start with the low 2200 miles and finish with a known 2-owner history, original condition and exceptional appearance. This is a non-ABS model, but that's only of consequence to some bidders and not to others. A pristine set of matching Hondaline panniers would complete this model, also not included. On the plus side is ownership by a Japanese classic bike enthusiast and a VFR that's been lovingly kept and cared for. Congratulations to the seller and the new caretaker.

A Minnesota eBay seller is offering this new-in-the-box Honda OEM muffler on an eBay classified for $499, including shipping. But, after a few days in my watchlist, I got a purchase offer for $399.

Described simply as "in great condition," the photos appear to show a never-mounted piece in new condition.

Just a reminder for anyone in the market for this — I have available a slightly used one for $150 (and other stuff):
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjC7BCV

Over the years I've replaced untold number of damaged screws from previously serviced carburetor sets. Not surprising, really, considering most folks aren't familiar with the old JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) screw head design and/or aren't equipped with the proper screwdrivers in any case. Honda's screws are often spec'd with kinda soft metal in many cases and breaking free screws which may have been in place for three or four decades often takes considerable force — the plenum-to-carb screws are a good example.

It has recently dawned on me that other home mechanics likely have similar issues with these screws, so I've decided to offer the most common offenders on the "Products" page of this website. There you'll find high quality replacements (some NLA from Honda), in the perfect size and quantity. I hope these items help out where needed. Click on the page header to navigate to the "Products" page.

I'm currently working on a Gen-2 carburetor set which has obviously spent too much time in a corrosive environment, judging by the condition of the diaphragm caps' interiors.

This will test my philosophy of savaging parts rather than tossing them. Any time I can refurbish a durable original part and give it a new lease on life, that's my preference. In addition, these caps are NLA from Honda (actually, CMSNL has a few available: $53+ shipping & tariff).

Made of stamped steel and likely plated with zinc or cadmium, there's no reason these can't be reused. While this existing rust won't directly affect the carbs' functioning, I don't want to risk bits of flaking rust finding its way into the carb interior. Let's see what I can do with these.

(Below) As Neil Young reminds us, "rust never sleeps," so the long-term solution is to fully remove the rust. I'm going to use a mechanical and chemical approach, beginning with a small steel wire brush. That had minimal effect, so on to the Dremel, set at a fairly low 10,000 rpm, which was very effective, removing about 90% of the corrosion. Next up I try a simple vinegar bath. I expected to need at least 24 hours but after an overnight soak the rust appeared to be fully removed. One more pass with the Dremel using a soft brass brush inside and out, a wash, and finally a coating of metal preservative, in this case Corrosion X, but any light oil would help.

About 30 minutes of effort and minimal cost saved these parts, now ready for their second life.

As I progress through my various surplus parts, I decided it was time to bring this 1994-97 VFR muffler off the shelf to prep for sale. This was already a beautiful survivor; no dents, a barely discernible 10mm scratch and original black paint still looking good.

(Below) After a general cleaning, I can see the effects of 30+ years; a general dulling and light spotting taking hold. This should require just a light polishing to bring back the stainless finish — I say "light" because I know from experience that excessive polishing will go through the satin finish to a bright shine, and I want to preserve the original satin look.

Today I choose Autosol polish (Amazon), a general metal polish that's been around for longer than me. In fact, any gentle metal cleaner will work, including good ol' Turtle Wax Chrome Polish & Rust Remover. The idea is to gently work the polish, just enough to remove the imperfections…and stop there. Remove the residue and give a final wipe with a microfiber cloth. 

(Below) Some of the heavier spots are superficial, often tar spots, which should come off with polish, and maybe a little help with a fingernail or plastic scraper. There is one spot on the this muffler (arrow) that got chipped deeply enough to cause a spot of rust. I'll try to deal with this after polishing.

(Below) The silver-painted areas surrounding the factory welds can be masked off and resprayed with silver high-heat paint but, again, I want to preserve the original finishes. I first gently pick off tar specks then wet-sand with a 3000-grit sponge, followed by a very gentle pass with polish. This paint is quite easily removed by sanding/polishing, so "gentle" is the approach here.

(Below) The small rust spot remains, so I spot treat it with a rust remover, applied with a cutoff Q-tip. After about 40 minutes it's as good as it will likely get, so I wipe with a wet cloth, dry and apply a dab of metal preservative. Touch-up with a dot of silver high-heat paint would be another option.

(Below) Finally, I want to address the black-painted exhaust pipe. In this case I deem the black finish is useable, so I first lightly wet-sand with 3000-grit and buff with a dry cloth, then apply rust remover to the one bad spot and touch-up with high-heat paint.

This could also be easily painted — remove any rust, mask off, apply four light coats of high-heat flat black paint, wait two days and hand buff with a clean, dry microfiber cloth.

(Right) A final polishing tip: For areas where a polishing cloth is ineffective, like this welded seam, a stiff toothbrush is helpful. I find medium stiffness brushes at Dollar Tree.

Any nicely preserved Gen-4 VFR should be proud to wear this muffler, and now it's ready for the next 30 years.

No good will ever come of gasoline left to "mature" beyond its expiration date. Pictured below is a perfect example. The photo on the left shows what I found lurking inside a set of Gen-2 carbs, sent by a hopeful owner in the hopes of salvaging them. The second photo, of course, is the after shot. If you've never personally experienced this situation, I can assure you that black tar is just as nasty as it looks — foul, sticky, thick, gooey varnish. Obviously, these carburetors were saved, and here's how I tackled this nasty task.
(click on an image to enlarge)

Having tried a variety of cleaning/degreasing concoctions over the years, I have a few go-to products, shown below. I must have gone through at least 30 gallons of "purple degreaser" in my time. My local Menards big box store carries "Super Clean," so that's what's on the shelf. I typically use it full strength in a spray bottle as a parts cleaner, but in this case I diluted it 50/50 and let all the loose parts soak for hours, even overnight. It will affect aluminum if used too long or too strong, so be aware. I soaked the carb bodies themselves for only about four hours, then scrubbed the remaining residue with a stiff brush and rinsed with warm water. For the plastic floats, I soaked overnight and did a final gentle scrub with a medium-course green scrub pad. I soak the floats in a 32-oz Mickey-Dees drink cup, held submerged with a suitable weight, like a the handle end of a screwdriver. This will also allow you to check them for leakage, which I've never found.

For the really heavy deposits, I spray on "Gum Cutter" and scrape with a pick, then brush with a small brass scrub brush (Harbor Freight or Amazon). 

The pilot jets were replaced with new #40 jets from EBC, but they can be cleared, if desired, with a very tiny wire after soaking. The remaining jets were soaked and their orifices gently cleared with jet cleaning wires followed by small scrub brushes soaked in Gum Cutter. The float valve needles are replaced with new Viton-tipped needles.

I didn't use it in this case, but an alternative is Berryman's "Chem-Dip." The parts would be soaked for many hours, even overnight, then rinsed, scrubbed and cleaned as above.

All of this is in preparation for the final cleaning step, a refreshing agitation in the ultrasonic cleaner (all except the floats). Just about any cleaner can be used in a sonic cleaner, but my go-to is "Clean 2020" from Master Fluid Solutions (find it on Amazon). Not cheap, but it's diluted 10:1, so a gallon goes a long way, and it can be used several times. depending upon how nasty your stuff is. I run the ultrasonic cleaner at 40° C and do two 20-minute cleanings with about a 30-minute cooling period in between — these machines can overheat. My 6-liter cleaner can hold two VFR carbs at a time.

While the ultrasonic cleaner does its magic, I spend that time hand cleaning all the other miscellaneous bits, like brackets, pilot screws, bowl drain screws, scraping old bowl gaskets, etc. I also inspect and clean or replace stuff like air cut valve and choke valve assemblies.

When the carb bodies are finished with their cleaning, I rinse and immediately blow out every passage and orifice with 100-lb compressed air, followed by manually blowing through those (via a short length of hose) to verify clear. Once satisfied, assembly can begin.

When doing a complete rebuild on 1986-93 VFR carburetors, I have the option of leaving #2 & 3 carbs joined by the throttle and choke linkages (shown by arrows in the photo), which will simplify the disassembly/reassembly process. The deciding factor here is the condition of their respective "starter valve sets," as Honda calls them (circled in the photo), which cannot be removed with the linkage fully attached. If the valves are clean and operating freely the linkages can be left in place for cleaning, If not, or if you're just OCD like me, then here's the simplest way I've found to remove the linkages and separate the carbs. These photos show a Gen-2 carb set, but the Gen-3 is very similar.

My technique involves removing the linkages from #2 carb only. This will provide just enough additional movement of the respective actuating levers to allow the valve sets to slide outward and free.

(Below) We'll begin with the easy one; the throttle. While holding the surrounding bracket very firmly with a pliers, remove the 11mm nut and lock washer and work the assembly off its shaft. Be careful how and where you hold the bracket to avoid bending the flat plate, which would later affect the throttle opening.
(click on an image to enlarge)

(Below) Now to the choke linkage. First, I need to remove the tiny cotter key; I either carefully straighten the bent tails of the key or just cut them off flush with a wire cutter, then pull the key free with a small needle nose pliers (be sure to have a replacement cotter key on hand). Slide the linkage out the bottom of the bracket, noting the location of the upper and lower washers. Number 2 carb is now free. Both linkage arms will remain attached to #3.

Caution: This is an exercise in finesse, not force. You may be tempted to bend the little ears on the actuating levers — resist this, as the soft metal will easily fatigue and break. Referring to the photos below, note that the valves' plastic nuts are slightly unthreaded — break them free with a 14mm wrench or pliers, then turn by hand. This is necessary to allow the valve shaft to extend far enough out to just clear the levers' ears — unscrew too far and the nut will foul the actuating lever. Experiment with unscrewing the nut till you find the sweet spot which allows the ears to rotate far enough to clear the shaft while simultaneously pulling outward on the shaft. Rotating and holding the spring-loaded shaft clear, the nut can then be fully unscrewed and the starter valve assembly removed. This becomes easier after about the tenth time you've done it ;-(
Note: After removing #2 valve assembly, reinstall the choke lever — this will hold the shaft, plastic sleeve and spring correctly in place during the cleaning phase.

Reassembly, as they say, is the reverse of disassembly. First, install the starter valve assembly in #3, then #2, then the two shafts onto #2. (Below) When installing the tiny cotter key, I bend its tangs with a dental pick.

Congratulations on completing a procedure that intimidates even experienced mechanics.