More carb problems

[Thulsa Doom]

I've been reading everything on here about Valkyries and their carb problems. Same old story. Just bought a '98 that had sat for 2 years due to the PO's illness and now it runs really really poorly.
With the 'choke' on all the way it starts and mostly idles. If I touch the throttle it will stall. After it warms up it will allow me to feather the throttle a bit but will stall if I try too much, too fast. After running for 5+ minutes I can eventually move the throttle some and here's where it gets weird. I give it the gas and it sputters and then eventually catches up. Throttle, sputter sputter, VROOM.
So finally I feel confident to take it out on my side street. Same thing... feather the throttle, ride the clutch and away we go. Well the big girl definitely takes off and gives a hint of the potential but then she loses it and starts sputtering so I shift. Soon she starts sputtering again. I run out of road and downshift and she stalls as soon as I pull in the clutch. I let the clutch out again and she starts again only to stall as soon as I stop again. I'm able to start it again and feather the throttle and ride the clutch again to go back to the house. It stalls as soon as I pull into the driveway.
Th PO tells me that he topped off the gas in the tank with fresh gas (wish he would have drained it instead) so I added 1/2 can of Sea Foam and I'm not noticing any difference. Have I not ridden it far enough to burn through more treated gas? Is it safe to ride it like this? Am I doing any harm? Winter is coming soon. We've already had snow. I want to get to enjoy the bike before she sleeps away the time with salted and sanded streets but obviously it's no fun with her running like this. Will more running time cure this or is it straight to surgery?

[cookiedough]

depends, more running time may work.  Mine was sitting in a barn for a few years not being used before I bought it probably with old gas in it as well.  You would think even if the gas is bad (who really knows?) after running the bike some, it would eventually quit dying out?  Make sure the choke on left  handlebar when starting is pushed all the way down (last 1/2" or so of choke lever is very hard to push down if not used to it) and shouldn't need to touch the throttle and shouldn't for a minute or two.  When cold out, I run full choke 1 minute or so and slowly let off the choke with NO throttle blipping with right wrist.  Sometimes after sitting especially when cold out, if I blip the throttle with choke on, the engine will die.
Keep at it for a few more times and hope for the best.  I also changed spark plugs that seemed to help some as well.  You would hate to drain all 6 carbs and the gas tank with fresh gas, but that is might what you eventually will have to do, sure hope not.  Heard others like berryman B12 or chevron techron over seafoam which both are more potent than seafoam in the tank, just don't way overdue it like add a can or even probably over 1/2 can of techron or B12 into a full gas tank.  I am sure others on here more knowledgeable will be able to offer better advice.

[MP]

Try Berrymans B-12.  Seems to be stronger. Use a strong dose.  Let it sit in there a while, after running around some, to be sure it is in the carbs.  You may have to pull the carbs, and replace the slows.

MP

[Thulsa Doom]

Added B12 and went for a 5 mile ride after work. It ran poorly all throughout the RPM range. I didn't get the time to check the spark plugs when I got back but I have to wonder if it could be that? Of course with only 11,500 miles on the bike I wouldnt think so except that it's at least 13 years old and I don't know the history.

[highcountry]

You probably need to run a couple of treated tanks of gas through it before you start noticing a real difference.  You should at least double the recommended amount of B12 per tank.  And if you are lucky, you can clean the slow jets.

[Valker]

Drive around town in a higher gear. If you keep the engine RPMs low, use plenty of throttle, run the high concentration of B12 and the slow jets should clear....should.

[JetDriver]

You need longer rides than 5 miles, too.  You can turn the fuel petcock off and it will run for 5 miles yet.

[Thulsa Doom]

I am tempted to run longer but nervous to do damage running a long time with it, and the choke is on. Its kind of hard to purposefully run an engine that doesn't want to be run. Coughing, sputtering and popping. No?

[TrickyD]

Haven't seen B12 anywhere around here, however am a strong believer in seafoam. Run  like 3 full cans per season and have never had a carb problem on my 2000 Tourer! Just my 2 cents worth. Use it in my 5 snowmobiles too!!!!!!!

[timmer]

Check all the vacuum lines for cracks/splits etc..as well, might be a combination of issues and as others have noted, it will take more time to let which ever product your using to do its thing.

Best of luck.

timmer

[Thulsa Doom]

Rode it 28 miles tonight. Mostly low speed (40's - 50 mph) and ran into reserve. Ran it in reserve to the Shell gas station across town, added 1/2 can of Barryman's B12 and filled with Shell super unleaded because it has extra detergents. We'll see if the full tank of fresh gas with the 1/2 can of Berryman's does any good. I found that when anticipating a stop I would turn the choke back on to help her idle as she wouldn't stay running when stopped with the choke off. I would turn the chock off completely when cruising.

[cookiedough]

I thought I read somewhere either here or other Valk forum about helping clear the slow jets or poor running by running full choke at low speeds below 40 for an extended period of time with additives in the tank like you have that helped clear things up.  Give it a try, cannot hurt I wouldn't think.

[MP]

I thought I read somewhere either here or other Valk forum about helping clear the slow jets or poor running by running full choke at low speeds below 40 for an extended period of time with additives in the tank like you have that helped clear things up.  Give it a try, cannot hurt I wouldn't think.

Hoser, chime in here.  I believe you did the "choke on" trick?

MP

[hoser]

I ran it choke on for 5 minutes at 1500 rpm in 5th, then choke off about 3 minutes at 3000 rpm then repeated 3 times, it cleared up after 3 times, did it once more for good measure.  Find a rural road with little traffic if you can.  Worked for me, had a full can of berryman's and a full can of seafoam in a half a tank of gas.  Filled it up with regular after it cleared.     Hoser   

[cookiedough]

thanks hoser for clearing that up on what you did.  I knew I was close but didn't want to mess things up even worse for him.