troubleshooting carbs - quick help needed - SOLVED

[pago cruiser]

Looking at buying a sister for my Valk Hack.  Found one at a local stealership today;  good condition, red and black 99,  and started it up on the lot today.  Ran rich.  Real rich.  Let it warm up for 15 minutes, and you could still smell unburnt products of combustion.  Once warmed up I turned choke off - still rich smelling.  Throttle response was also...not real crisp; almost stumbly, up to about 1500.  If it was just stumbly, I would be thinking carb synch.  But running rich as well I am clueless...  The shop just took it in on a trade, and the kid selling it had new nothing about the bike history.

I had no riding gear with me today coming home from work, so I am going back into town tomorrow for a test ride.

Other than "prolly needs carb work", any other thoughts for something simpler?  If I am looking at a full carb rebuild, I'll drop my offer by $400 or so; that's what my local private shop gets; ride in and ride out..    

Regards all.

[R J]

Once warmed up I turned choke off - still rich smelling.  Throttle response was also...not real crisp; almost stumbly, up to about 1500.  If it was just stumbly, I would be thinking carb synch.  But running rich as well I am clueless...  The shop just took it in on a trade, and the kid selling it had knew nothing about the bike history.


Regards all.

Whoa Grasshopper, turn choke off after warms up.

You bet your sweat bipper it will smell rich.

Ya turn the enricher off very shortly after it fires up.

I'd say take your gear to the dealership, start it up and get the enricher OFF very shortly after she fires and runs.

Take it out of their sight and KICK it in the ARSE REAL HARD.

That should get any residue knocked out that you built up in your weird way of starting and running the enricher.

Should also clean any crap off the bottom of the spark plugs.

Why do you leave the choke on for so long?     That will also turn your header
pipes BLUE.

Once ya got her cleaned out, ride it like it should be ridden, like ya stole it, and I'd almost bet $$$$ it will run like a little kitten purring in your ear.

Keep us posted on this.

[old2soon]

How long was it sitting? B-12 Chemtool. Sounds like gummed up slow jets maybe. RIDE SAFE.

[lifguardct]

How long was it sitting? B-12 Chemtool. Sounds like gummed up slow jets maybe. RIDE SAFE.

Thats what I'm thinking too...

[IamGCW]

As stated, how long was it sitting.  Could be old gas and likely cheap gas.  If possible take it for a ride, once out of sight dump in some B-12 or Seafoam.  See if it clears up as you ride. 

As RJ pointed out don't leave the enricher (choke) on long. 

If you get the machine post pictures.

Gil

[signart]

Just throwin' this out there, but if not known the size of the slow jets, possibility that it has had 38 slows installed. In warm climates this most times requires no enrichment at all or you could flood very easily. Even in colder situations enrichment is only required for initial start up.

[gordonv]

Sorry guys, but if you suspect carb problems, leave the bike as is, and don't try to "fix" it while there. Any fixing you do will keep the $ high. After all, you'll be buying the bike as-is with problems, known or unknown, anyways.

Take it out for a ride, see where it is stumbling, and then take it back, and then make your offer $600-$1000 less. Isn't that closer to what shops charge for carb work?

As long as you get the bike for a good price, buy it. Take it home, and do the usual carb cleaner cleaning first, with all 3 or more different carb cleaners that most recommend. You do know how to do that, or do a search?

After that, if it doesn't work, and you still want to do a rebuild/cleaning, then go ahead.

[salty1]

I'd be offering them at least $300 less anyway.    Good luck!

[uturn]

i tear apart the carbs of anything i buy...it only takes a few minutes and you'll learn a lot about the bikes history. its really too simple not to do.

[uturn]

i wonder if someone put 38's in for straight pipes, then put factory pipes back on for the trade in...if thats the case, go back to 36's

[salty1]

i wonder if someone put 38's in for straight pipes, then put factory pipes back on for the trade in...if thats the case, go back to 36's

35s are stock

[uturn]

thanks...sorry...i just opened up a new-to-me set of carbs and saw that.

[pago cruiser]

Well, I rode the fat lady today - 99 IS, red/black.  Not bad, but... needs attention.  Once warmed up most of the stumble went away, but just riding down the freeway at 80 the fuel/exhaust smell was still very noticeable.  Stopped by an independent shop to look at the bike (whom I trust) and asked them to take her out.  Came back, and they figured its a mix of carb synch/tune (one or two prolly way fast and/or rich), and some pinhole exhaust leaks.  The bike has some interesting 4" cannon looking pipes, sticking out maybe 8" past the IS bags.    The ass end inside the exhaust looks stock, but someone cut off the piggies.  There is also some valve noise - not bad, but definitely needs attention.  Dang.   :Back to the seller shop and tried to talk turkey.   

They have had the bike as a trade-in for 4 days; I had thought they would love to move it quick just b4 Xmas.  Asking was $6895 - good condition, low miles.  With tax/dealer prep (?)/?? they came up with $7600.  I offered a grand less; as is, they don't have to fix anything.  They countered $7600.  I walked.  I got to the door just as the sales guy's boss reached me.  "We can work a little with you.  Why doncha come on back inside...".  This was after I told the first guy to give me your best price; I refuse to play salesman games when buying a vehicle.   

$7600 ain't bad... but in this economy around here, at this time, it's just not good enough with the unknowns - and they stressed no warranty. There are better deals.  Looking at another tomorrow...  Just got home, and my riding jacket still smells like fuel and exhaust... yuck.

[pago cruiser]

Long story short... Problem solved; I rode another...and took her home.   Merry Xmas to me!   And the wife when she returns from her clan visit to Minny Soda - It was 12F there today...  and 55F here near Tucson.   







Not my fav color, but I think it will grow on me...  The PO had it for about a year, and his PO put about $3k in maintenance and PM into it. Full carbs rebuild, balancing, tires, petcock, hoses, valve adjust, air filter, brake pads, throttle cables, coolant change, de-smog, fork seals/fluid, brake and clutch fluid changes, and various other stuff that I usually end up doing...    About all I have to do is fork springs, maybe a fork valve kit, and maybe shocks.  Coming from a well setup ST1100 and a GL1200, this girl tends to wallow.  But overall it is in great shape and rides well... but the PO PO also cut the piggies - boy does it drone...  Gotta change that soon.

It also still pukes exhaust.  Not as bad as the earlier one I tested, but the exhaust smell is very noticeable - but it is just exhaust, no gas smell.  Did some looking close b4 I bought her, and the exhaust is exiting the two small holes factory holes just aft of the entry into the collector. Did a search, and some others have reported the same - but no solutions.

This beast (and the other I tested) also have mongo windshields - with the lowered seat I feel I'm looking thru the glass on a Prius.  My hypothesis is that the bigass windshield (and the air wings on the fairing and forks, and maybe the pods?) creates such a vacuum going down the road that it just sucks up and swirls the small exhaust flow (exiting the drainage holes) around the rider.  I have a shorty windshield I made for the Valk Hack, so I'm going to try that today on a Christmas ride as soon as it warms up.

This also has a car tire - my first experience with one on a solo bike - it is rather disconcerting at low speed turns - "Come on, TURN you pig..."  I'll try it a bit longer though b4 I decide what to do.  I put a car tire on the hack Valk, so I already have a pretty good Dunlop to change out to.  

If anyone has ridden a late model Concours with the electric windshield, the low-high suction effect is amazing.  Running down the road at 80 in low position, you get a little buffeting, but not bad.  Then as soon as you crank up the windshield, the pressure difference actually pulls your torso forward towards the windscreen - and everything goes quiet.  And the faster you go, the more you are sucked forward...

If anyone is interested, the floorboards and Big Boy seats will be in Classifieds soon.

 

[longrider]

Running rich at idle as was mentioned at the start of this thread made me think of my experience.  This can be caused by a few things but a Similar situation happened a long time ago to a friend of mine.  Without checking with me first ( I performed all his maintenance free) he took it into a local stealer for the spring tune up.  Why they would play with the carbs I don't know but they opened up the pilots to more than FOUR turns.  A few days later I had the carb bank out at a motel on our way to california.  Many of the mechanics have poor knowledge when it comes to carburation. 

[O-B-1]

Maybe it needed a Pingel? Sucking raw gas through a perforated diaphragm into the 6 hole?