Carb and Intake

Carb Modifications

2006 Up Solenoid Carb Modifications - See note below!

NOTE: After lots of trial and error, we have found that simply removing the "O" ring from main jet holder is sufficient to allow ample fuel to flow into the pocket of the '06-up fuel bowls. It is really not necessary to grind or otherwise alter or change the jet holders or the fuel bowls. All jetting information is exactly the same as the earlier carbs. The information below has been left here for reference only. -Sick Mick

For reference only: Pictures of the 05 & 06 float bowls:

The '06 & up model carbs are different than prior years - to meet pollution abatement needs and include a mechanism that alters the "standard" approach to jetting with "big air modifications" such as PODs. Close inspection of the carbs reveals the following: a revised, taller main jet holder than includes an O-ring; some added restriction in the fuel flow in the bowl at the base of the jet holder; and a solenoid that appears to restrict fuel flow under command of the igniter unit. It has also been observed that the rev limiter has been increased (under some as yet to be fully determined conditions) up to 6800rpm. The shut off is for the protection of the catalytic converters.

There were 3 approaches to modifying the carbs of 06 bikes to improve performance

Simply remove the O ring. This is the preferred method. Cheap, easy and does everything you need to do. Nothing else needs to be done.

Replace the 06 plus stock Main Jet Holder with one intended for 05 and prior bikes part number 5EL-14261-00-00.

Grind off the added metal on the top of the stock holder at the same time removing the added O-ring - more below

Tim's Way to Mod Jet Holders

-- Just grind off the top of the holder, down to the bottom of the top O-ring groove - easier, just straight grinding.

You are grinding off the part of the holder that has no threads, merely is a sleeve around the sides of the jet.

Threads begin below the part ground off. See picture above.

The fuel bowl mod: (Optional)

-- needs to be done with CAUTION!

-- now even when the solenoid activates, it can't shut fuel off to the main jet.

Cutting slide/diaphragm springs -

Cutting the spings on the carb slides may help improve throttle response time on CV carbs like the Mikuni's on the V Star 1100. Caution should be taken when doing these modifications. Tim B cut 6 turns off of his springs, then stretched them back to standard length. Most others have simply measured about 4" which would be cutting about 2 1/2 turns. Please do your research before proceeding. There may or may not be a noticeable change.

Drilling slides -

Drilling the side holes in the slide is another method used to help increase throttle response time and if usually accompanied with cutting the springs. Most will match the larger size at the beginning of the holes and enlarged the stepped down portion of the hole. Make sure to use a very slow speed, or drill by hand so the plastic doesn't melt. Please do your research before proceeding. There may or may not be a noticeable change.

Intake Modifications

Performance Mods Overview: - SilverBack / Sick Mick

These bike are capable of much higher output of torque and horsepower than the manufacturer provides stock. The addition of improved air flow into the bike and the addition of a free flowing exhaust system can really boost performance. The engine in the V Star 1100 is the same basic design as the one used in the Virago 1100. The Virago came off the show room floor with around 62 HP, while the V Star rolled out with only around 54. From this it is obvious to see that there is some "latent" HP just waiting to be used in the V Star.

Air intake mods run the gamut from changing out the stock filter for more free flowing filters like the K&N products, to DIY increases to air flow via opening the stock air filter housijng, to Hyper Chargers, BigAirKits, to POD kits, to single carb set ups. These will require jetting changes to allow improved fuel flow to accommodate the increased air flow. And all require better, more free flowing pipes to make the most of the changes. You can access the suggested jetting charts and options HERE.

All of the mods are within the scope of any rider to install themselves as long as they are experienced in these things. There is also help and guidance available from the the vendors as well as help available from the members of the forum. Many of us have done these modifications and will try to help the best we can.

Each type of modification varies in ease of installation and performance gains. Switching to a K&N filter will give you some improvement, but still uses the stock air box and the rubber tube going into it which is considered to be the biggest impediment to gains in performance. Doing an air filter box mod along with the K&N filter, removes the smallest restriction but still leaves the other ones in place You do get some HP improvements from these changes, and jetting may be required, but the gains are minimal.

The same is true of the Hyper Chargers, BAKs, all of which do use the same outlet to the air box. However they are said to "force" air into the motor, the air box restrictions are still there which are evident in dyno tests. There is a gain, but it is minimal compared to intake modifications that do away with the stock air box set up.

Pod Kits are the most popular of the air intake mods, giving the most improved power for the dollars & time invested. They also are the best first stage of improvement for those on their way to adding cams and other performance mods. Because there are thousands of riders that have gone this route, there is a huge resource in jetting and tuning options that have been tried and dyno tested.

POD kits replace the very restrictive stock intake system from the air cleaner inward through and including the air box under the tank - with individual "pod type" filters (hence the name) perched directly on top of the carbs under the fuel tank. The retail kits will include the jetting parts needed to handle the increased air flow, with instructions on jetting needed for stock, slip-on and full exhaust systems. There are improvements for all types of exhaust systems, even stock. But, the maximum power benefit comes from opening up both ends - increasing air flow and using a more free flowing exhaust.

The maximum improvement comes from doing the pod kit and full exhaust at the same time, and that also means you will only have to mess with the jetting once. But doing the jetting a second time is really no big deal, so if cash flow precludes doing both together, do them in stages.

Hyper Charger installation - Hypercharger Installation

These things look cool with the moving intake flaps and all the chrome, but the performance increases are minimal when compared to the basic "Pod" intake modification. It still uses the stock air box and a version of the restrictive rubber snorkel which is the biggest impediment to clean air flow. There are several riders who have left the Hyper Charger unit on their bikes even after they did the Pod modification, completely detached from the intake system just for the "cool" factor.

Hyper Chargers Work, But.... - Daddo (DaddoCFL

Well, Hyperchargers absolutely do work, albeit not in the way that you might need or want. They can be effectively tuned for a specific cruising speed to give you impressive acceleration in a throttle roll-on. Unfortunately that comes with just so-so performance the rest of the time at lower speeds where you will actually be over-jetted for the airflow.

They are hellishly hard to tune the carburetors to, as the change in air pressure in the intake system is radically different at 30mph and 65 mph. At idle and low speeds there is a measurable vacuum in the inlet air stream (that is how we balance our carburetors). At speed there is an overpressure condition that is higher then the ambient air pressure where you are. At speed, it performs like a supercharger.

First of all let's stop to consider the fact that it is a RAM AIR INDUCTION device. If you try to tune the thing on a Dyno, you will get miserable results, unless you Dyno is in a wind tunnel. Short of that you would need to in some way provide accelerated airflow to the Hypercharger inlet, at a velocity that would match the speed you want to tune it for. The fact is, you really can’t use this method as static Dyno tests will only give you a fairly clear picture of the HP and Torque of a bike that is not going anywhere, but just spinning the hell out of it's drive train with an artificial load on the drive wheel.

What does that mean at 40, 60, or 80 MPH??? Well it does not really tell you anything. That is perhaps why the Dyno run will just indicate about a 1 HP increase across the band. Just about the same as you get with a larger and less restrictive air filter. The manufacturers that offer this equipment really just give your their best estimate of the correct rejetting that will make the boy run well at the HP peak of your power band (most of the time).

What about your Hypercharger installation working too well? On some installations, on some bikes, the inlet actually takes in too much air. When that occurs, the carburetor venturi tends to pressurize, and in effect, restricts or stops the flow of fuel. The solution, worked out by a group of Vulcan riders (see, they are good guys too), was to also pressurize the carburetor float bowl as well. They had accomplished this by running an additional air hose(s) from the Air ram to the carburetor float bowls.

I would expect that this same principle also applies to most Big Air Kits, How many of them have been tested in an environment that duplicates the airflow of a bike moving at speed? A volume of air moving at speed past a stationary object usually results in a big-time pressure drop. While the BAK filter is in an area of substantial turbulence, there still remains a pressure wave on the leading face, and a major negative pressure on the trailing side. Does that result in a positive or negative partial pressure inside the air box?? Well I don't know, and I bet most of the manufacturers don't know either. It MUST be tested at speed with internal pressure sensors inside the filter housing and at the carburetor inlet.

I would expect that Kuryakyn has now addressed this issue and resolved it. As the Hypercharger has been available for HD applications for some time now you will find a lot of data and testimonials on the HD specific bulletin boards. Good I wish you well with whatever system you choose.

KJS Intake

A rather expensive option to convert the V Star 1100 to a single carb though the use of a specially developed manifold and a carb like the Mikuni HS40. For further information regarding the set up and operation please visit the KJS Owners Group Forum.

Pods

Jetting and Tuning Information- Click Here

Pod Kit - Do It Yourself

You can build one yourself for around $100.

Here's how to do it.. (Courtesy of Jack Vstar_In_NH )

(2) K&N RU-0600 filters

(2) Properly sized main jets (jetting info available from the Jetting and Tuning link above)

(2) Properly sized pilot jets (jetting info available from the Jetting and Tuning link above)

(2) 0.020" thick M3 shims/ washers on each needle (Get from Radio Shack (part # 64-3022) or from RC car retailer/hobby shop)

Note: use 2.5-3 turns on the stock Pilot screw

(8) M4-.7 pitch 8mm long (10mm long works also) socket head screws for the carb bowls

because you will likely damage the stock ones when removing them.

(8) M4 lock washers (Not really required - they hold fine without the washers - or reuse the stock ones)

(1) Breather filter UNI filter UP-123 (optional)

"The issue of attaching the pods to the rubber intake boots was addressed by a few of the forum regulars when I asked the question a couple of weeks ago. To summarize, using K&N RU-0600 air filters (which seem to be the most often suggested pods for this project), one finds that these filters slip right into the rubber intake boots and can be clamped down as easy as that. However, somewhere out there is a pot-hole that's waiting to dislodge the pod from the rubber boot and wreck havoc before I have a clue as to what's happening. So I went the safe route and cut a piece of chrome pipe for each pod to slip between the filter and the boot to give the clamp something more to hang onto (than rubber to rubber). Got two pieces of pipe at a muffler shop for $5. They are 2 1/4" OD and about 5/8" in length. (That was AFTER trying to cut the pieces myself with a hacksaw - which only served to remind me how imperfect hacksaw cutting is!) Oh yeah, and my thanks to Ray Major for warning me (ahead of time) that I would need to swap the rubber intake boots in order for the K&N filters to fit under the tank (without slightly smashing the rear filter)." from JCASSIO

Must Read Thread on DIY Pods: http://forums.delphiforums.com/yamaha1100/messages?msg=17739.1

Excellent thread on the DIY Pods: http://forums.delphiforums.com/yamaha1100/messages?msg=17428.1

Thread on "Cheap Pod Filters" http://forums.delphiforums.com/yamaha1100/messages?msg=33326.1

POD Filter Type Comparison - K&N vs Foam - CycleForay - Steve

Quiet Pods - reduced intake noise set ups

And Even Another Quiet Pod Way - VStarStruC -

http://forums.delphiforums.com/yamaha1100/messages?msg=30131.1

Pod Kits - Vendors/Manufacturers

Metric Magic - Dragon's Breath

MaxAir Note: many forum members have complained about poor customer service from this vendor

MaxAir Pod Breather Line Plugging:

Forum Thread: http://forums.delphiforums.com/yamaha1100/messages?msg=54919.1

Exposed POD Kits

Metric Magic (Tim Bondurant) has designed and now implemented an alternative to the 'classic" under the tank pod kit.

His product, Dragon's Breath, is described above and in detail on his site, referenced above.

This section here is to trace the idea back to Joe Conaway, who had been experimenting with an alternative arrangement, and more, to the normal pods-under-the-tank air intake mod. He has used 90 degree elbows, mounted the pods/filters out board of the carbs, one on each side, and applied cool covers for the filters.

Exposed Ramflo Filters

Some comments from Joe:

Just figured I'd share the air kit I made up using 400 series Ramflo filters. One on each side both are functional. Parts can be had for around $85, but there is a bit of work to get them on there. I welded a 2 1/8 exhaust ring to the back of each filter to attach to the elbows I used. The filters can be bought with blank backing plates so a hole would also need to be made.

The filters I used had two holes so one was widen and used and the other covered. To connect each filter to the respective carb I used PVC 90* 2" elbows "trimmed" to fit , and one small L bracket off the cam chain tensioner mounting bolt to support the filters. Anyway there's a bit more to it, but this will give the general idea of what was done.

"The hardest part was getting the filter centered. I have aftermarket Keihin carbs which are a bit wider from open end to open end than the stock carbs. You need to use the 400cfm filter as well. I used a 2" PVC 90* elbow cut down, I welded an exhaust ring to the back of the ramflos. Then I just used a simple L bracket off one of the tensioner mount bolts the one side is the tensioner hole cover bolt, but same thing). Just took a little time fitting it and it work great. Jetting is the same as pod filters.

Anyone that wants to make these can be my guest. LOL. I made one and that's it. And Tim took it from there. See Joe's discussion thread here.

Pod Kits - Installation Tips and Helpful Hints on Install

Go slow -- follow directions - you'll do fine and it will take you about 3 or 4 hours.

Be extra careful of the 8 float bowl screws - they are soft headed and will tend to strip if not careful.

3 suggestions:

-- get a really good, properly sized Phillips head screwdriver, place it in the screw head, give a tap or two with a light hammer to ensure the driver is seated well - apply plenty of downward pressure (see next item for proper base to work on.

-- get yourself a big roll of duck/duct tape - not to tape with, but to use as a stand to set the carb pair on - to give yourself a stable platform for the application of downward pressure on the screws as you turn them out.

-- and, get yourself a small pair of needle nosed vice-grips - they will let your tightly grip any stripped screw head for final removal if you have a problem. Plus this is a valuable tool to have with you at all times!

If you are not doing this yourself, a competent dealer mechanic should be able to do this whole thing in no more than 2 hours - so use that and the dealer's rates to guesstimate the cost of going that route - and ask for a firm quote to do the work!

Make your own crank case vent collection bottle

One of many variations - http://www.dumpit.org/reaperjr/vent.htm

"5 Hour Energy Collection Bottle" - SickMick: Pretty basic stuff here and a simple solution. JB Weld a 90 degree pipe nipple into the cap and cut out the bottom. Loosely fill with a plastic mesh pot scrubber and plumb it in so that the hose runs downhill back into the vent in the front cylinder. This way it will be "self emptying" with no need to ever take it off to drain. Links to Pictures Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 - Note: in some of the picture it appears as though there are 2 hoses going into a tee in the cap. This is just an illusion. There is only one hose going in...the second hose is the carb vent that is zip tied to the frame in the same location.

Forum thread on different collection bottle configurations

Needle Holder Repair - Throttle Valve "Finger" Emergency Repair

Valve Finger Repair - Jack Phelps

Turbo Charging

Nick (cruzmystar) has done it!! Turbo 1100!!! Announced at 2:36 pm 12/129/07 in this thread on the forum:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/yamaha1100/messages?msg=29920.1

His comments from the first post in the thread:

Well, for the most part it's done. I've got some small little things to do left but it is up and running.

Eventually I'll replace the intercooler with a custom sized one (much smaller) as this one is a little big but for now it was relatively inexpensive and will do the job. Paint still needs to have the final cut and buff as well. Once we get a little bit nicer weather I'll get it out on the road for some more tuning. Then it's off to the DYNO.

I'm shooting for around the 120hp range. In theory, if everything will hold, it could put out 130-140hp but I doubt I'll push it that much. I'll probably start the tuning at around 5psi of boost and end up at around 7psi.

Here's some of the more technical stuff for those that are interested. It's a Garrett GT15 turbo pushing through an HS40 carb (for now) and a custom intake manifold. I decided to built an intake myself to solve the uneven runner length/diameter issue with the KJS intake. I think i can get it tuned in with the HS40 but i think eventually I'll put an S&S carb on there because i am a little paranoid about the slide sticking in the HS40 when i put a lot of boost to it.

I also need to give a special thanks to the following people for helping me make this happen either with parts to just sharing knowledge.... Rick Zlacket at (Honeywell/Garrett), SS custom cycles, AGP Turbo, Dave Boyd (top fuel drag bike builder), Stahl's headers, Rob Appell (Painter), Nick at Trask Performance, and everyone else who I'm forgetting.

Here's an older thread - A thread on turbo ideas

V STAR 1100 Riders Forum