I'm not sure what the problem is, but it at least has to do with the fuel system or carbs. I got the bike about a month and a half ago, and it had been off the road with a leaky gas tank. I got that patched, however, getting everything else dialed in has been...problematic. I'm new at this, it is my first bike.

In any case, I took it out tonight (tried to take it out tonight), and got about .2 miles on it, but could not keep it running for love nor money. Here is a laundry list of issues:


Cold starts are somewhat hard. It has been in the 90s here and I have had to use the choke to get it running at times.
I started it two days ago, and had to use the choke. When it started, it ran high but was blowing gray smoke.
Tonight I was going to run down the block on it, and found that every time I gave it gas, it died...Including when I was riding it.
If it died, hitting the starter brought it back to life.
If I start it in gear holding the clutch, it lurches forward slightly.


Note that I currently have SeaFoam in the tank in the hopes of cleaning out any crud in the carbs. I don't know if the previous owner drained the bowls when he had the tank welded.

I also took the liberty of doing a test start and run on the bike and recording it on my mp3 player. I am hoping some kind soul will be able to point me in the right direction. As I said, this is my first bike, and while I have worked on cars before, at least in the realm of "routine maintenance," bikes are a whole 'nother can'o'worms. Can someone who knows these engines take a listen? I have zero experience with V-Twins, so I don't know whats normal and whether I'm jumping at ghosts.

Okay. apparently this forum has relatively low limits on attachments (97k for zip files) and doesn't include mp3s. So if you would, please take a listen (http://www.tux.org/~storm/files/VN700.mp3).

Thanks,
--S

Your post sounds alot like my problem in this post. http://www.vn750.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1942

I will be getting a sealed battery tomorrow to hopefully solve this.

storm16,

Have you cleaned out the carbs? If not they might need it.

Try something easy first: try to flush out the float bowls first by hooking up a hose to the drain and having the petcock on PRI. Open up the drain (need an alen wrench) and get a good flow then close it up. repeat a couple of times to see if that makes any difference.

If you have a mighty vac (or some other bottle with tubing attached), you can fill the float bowls with pure seafoam. Turn the petcock off and drain the bowls keeping track of how much fluid is in each one. Then use the bottle (hold bottle above carbs) with tubing to put seafoam into the carb float bowls.

A maintenance free battery will take care of the starting, but that missing sound...

Why do you say you know it's a fuel problem? You got it over a month ago, was it running ok then, except for the leak?

Assuming it is fuel system related, you oughta go ahead and pull the carbs and clean 'em. If the tank developed a leak, it had to be really rusty inside. That dying when you give it gas has to be a clogged jet. Pulling the carbs will also give you a chance to inspect the intake boots for cracks and such.

Oh, NICE JOB ON THE RECORDING!

A maintenance free battery will take care of the starting, but that missing sound...

Why do you say you know it's a fuel problem? You got it over a month ago, was it running ok then, except for the leak?


It hadn't been running at all. The previous owner noticed a leak in the tank, pulled it off, and braized it. Unfortunately, he did not get the entire leak. There was still some fuel leaking between the bottom of the tank and the flange that bolts onto the frame. He found this out when he put it back together put some gas in it and took it out. He basically ran out of time (he was on assignment for an overseas assignment). I bought it at this point, and fixed the remaining leak.

Once I got it fixed, I had a hard time starting it, but I think that was due to a weak battery. I have taken to leaving it on a trickle charger when I'm not riding it...Though I will be getting a sealed battery soonest. When I first got it to the point of running it, it would run until warmed up, then die and take 10 or 15 minutes to get back to the point where it would start again. This appears to be a logical progression of events. And I guess it could be from crap in the tank, as the fuel levels get lower, blocking the screen...


Assuming it is fuel system related, you oughta go ahead and pull the carbs and clean 'em. If the tank developed a leak, it had to be really rusty inside. That dying when you give it gas has to be a clogged jet. Pulling the carbs will also give you a chance to inspect the intake boots for cracks and such.

I plan to, but since I am so new to this, I am looking for someone who knows this stuff...Preferably on Vulcans. For this very reason. I wouldn't have known to check the intake boots, even if I had done the carbs.


Oh, NICE JOB ON THE RECORDING!

Thanks! Being a techno-geek has its advantages sometimes. :)

I wonder how many of us geeks ride Vulcans? Maybe time for a new poll...

PS - You may find the problem could still be electrical, but you probably need to get the carbs cleaned first.