[SyntaxJO]

Idling Mayhem! ++AUTHOR UPDATED++

Ok. Things I'm looking at to solve here. And I have video of everything I'll cover.

1. Idling Problem (in the video below)
2. Tapping sound in the motor area. (in the video below)
3. Popping/backfire from the exhaust. (in the video below)
4. Dirty NEW spark plugs (pics below)

Things to consider.

- Bought it used so I'm just dealing with all this - and I'm a beginner
- All spark plugs are sparking and all caps are sparking plugs.
- Spark plugs are NEW - the ones in it before were BLACK! (pictures of new ones below)
- I cleaned the carbs (will clean again if needed!)
- Air jet is turned -360 degrees from all the way IN - that's a full turn
- There is NOTHING attached to the t-connector of the vents on top of the carb (see video 1) - I can't see where it goes.

So here is the vid of me starting and getting the bike warmed up.

http://www.thethinkswitch.com/bike/Fun_With_Fuel01.mp4

Here is this vid of me starting the bike again after a short visit to the store. On the road I had turned the idle juice up (more throttle).

http://www.thethinkswitch.com/bike/Fun_With_Fuel02.mp4

So after that vid - when I hit the road - I'm about to get home and about 100 yards till then it just dies. I neutral all the way in... I tried turning it over again and no go - put it on reserve, no go.

I screwed the air jets back in then turned them out -900 degrees (2.5 full turns). Charged the battery a little - waited - it started again - then it dies about a 1/4 mile out.

Won't start again. Still in reserve and it won't start but is turning (maybe I didn't wait long enough). I get back and it won't start. Charge the battery for a half hour and it starts... GRRR!!! So maybe there's also something draining my battery..........

Here are the spark plugs! (these are NEW):
FRONT:

BACK (notice the wetness on one of them..)

 

[niterider]

1. Idling Problem Did you try to adj idle?
2. Tapping sound in the motor area. Very likely the acct's check vulcan verses.
3. Popping/backfire from the exhaust. Normal if it is on decceleration.
4. Spark plug crap. Not sure what crap you talking about.

In the first picture, how did you stick the plugs into the concrete?

 

[SyntaxJO]

It looks like it's stuck in the cement doesn't it, heh heh.... I edited the post to reflect that the spark plug crap is the crap on the spark plugs (in the pictures). Blackness - wetness - browness, lots of nesses. For new plugs it seems like they don't look normal. Like I said the ones before were BLACK.

Hey, did you get a chance to watch the vids? I adjust the idles all over town. It just won't stay. I'm constantly adjusting the idle. The vid also has the tapping noise in the motor.

 

[niterider]

For some reason I could not load them.
The accts are ussually the noise maker.
Looks like too much fuel going into the cylinders. Floats too high or bad valve seats.
Also check the charging system for proper charge.

You will get more help from some here that work on this bikes a good bit.

 

[niterider]

The "T" has a hose that plug behind the right ear. Cut the end of the hose at an angle so that it does not bottom out.
The fan will not come on until the bike it rather hot. You can test by disconnecting the fan switch under the left side of radiator and grounding it.
Check for air leaks between the carb and head.

I got the vd loaded.

 

[denny6006]

From listening to your engine ,the noise I hear is loose cam chains. you need to look in the verses and see how to do the grambo trick to see if the noise goes away,you did not say how many miles ,or I didn't catch it ,your bike has,anyhow if the grambo trick works and it is just temporary,you need to either rebuild your ACCT's or Install manual Cam chain tensioners ,until you get your valve timing steady,you will be plagued with poor driveability issues,and that will get rid of the noise in your engine also

 

[SyntaxJO]

niterider - what do you mean by bottom out? And the right ear is the right air filter box? Also - the fan motor is going but the fan isn't connected - I prolly just have to stick it on there and bind it with something.

denny6006 - "until you get your valve timing steady" - how would one steady one's valve timing. Is this something that happens when you break a bike in?

I have less than 17,000 miles on the bike

 

[lance328]

From looking at you plugs I.E. electrode, ceramic and ground three of them are the color they should be, tanish/brown. The fourth that looks wet and washed I will guess came from the right rear. You probably need a new coil, set your pilot screws a 2.5 turns from closed.

Install TOC ACCT springs or replace them with MCCT's to eliminate cam chain noise.

As I said before epoxy your fan blade to the shaft or replace the fan, If you need a good fan/motor assy. I have one.

Have the carbs been cleaned, and are the boot clamps tight?

What condition are the air filters?

Have you tried Seafoam?

What grade of fuel are you using?

 

[SyntaxJO]

Carbs were cleaned - I will clean again. Haven't used sea foam - but I JUST poured in what was available from auto-zone. I am replacing the coasting richener diaphragms and waiting for those - the ones I have now arent ripped or holey - they just look warped and "ribboned" up. I don't know if you watched the vids - but I have a gas leak too it seems.
So you think i need a new coil eve though it's firing?? I will admit it seemed the left side was firing better...

 

[pappa]

So you think i need a new coil eve though it's firing??

It is the same coil feeding both plugs, so I think it is unlikely that the coil is faulty. It is more likely that you actually don't have a spark on the other plug when it is installed in the engine. Clean up the coil and the plug wires/caps real good and if that does not help, try new plug wires/caps before buying a new coil.

 

[750Doug]

niterider - what do you mean by bottom out? And the right ear is the right air filter box?

Each carb has it's own vent line off the side, they join together at a "T" fitting, and then one single hose runs from that "T" to the back side of the right hand air filter box. (Usually.)

The back of the box had a round fitting molded into it to hold this hose in place. If the end of the hose is flat, it can bottom out against the back of the air box which effectively prevents to carbs from venting.

So you slide the hose off the back of the box, and cut it at the end, on an angle so that it won't get blocked/plugged by being set flat against the air box.

And yes, the right ear is the right air box.

Hope that answers that question for you.

 

[bbullis1]

Carbs were cleaned - I will clean again. Haven't used sea foam - but I JUST poured in what was available from auto-zone. I am replacing the coasting richener diaphragms and waiting for those - the ones I have now arent ripped or holey - they just look warped and "ribboned" up. I don't know if you watched the vids - but I have a gas leak too it seems.
So you think i need a new coil eve though it's firing?? I will admit it seemed the left side was firing better...

I have a nasty sounding tick on my bike as well. Just bought it recently and it was a '98 with less than 7k miles on it so i know it's been sitting awhile. The seafoam worked wonders on the loudness of the tick but it still ticks. My plugs look exactly like yours and my filters were soaked. I turned the air/fuel mixture screws 3 turns out and the filters and plugs have been dry since and the bike is running great. Still has black plugs and a tick though and my right side fires before the left.

 

[SyntaxJO]

UPDATE:

I have changed the oil - REALLY DIRTY. Almost gray looking - seemed thin. Replaced oil and will probably drain it again it was so bad. I took out the ACCT's (Automatic Cam Chain Tensioners) - took them apart and put the back together again - put them back in - tic is gone!!

I poured seafoam in there and letting it do it's thing. Bike is running at half power now and WILL NOT idle at all. I have blue smoke and it smells BAAD.

For some reason I think all of this is a good thing. I will take the carb out again and clean it like there was no tomorrow. I got the enricher diaphragms today in the mail and will put those in there. I will also clean the contacts of the coil and I will synchronize the carbs once it's put back in. YEEHAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am optimistic about getting a clean carb in there - even if that doesn't solve the problem - I'll be happy to get get closer to the real problem (if any).

Everyone around me is telling me that I got more than I bargained for. When I get this bike running well I will DEFINITELY get WAY MORE than I bargained for! Thanks for all your help and I will update with a summary when I get to the end of these CURRENT issues. Thanks again!

 

[SyntaxJO]

UPDATE (not final summary):

Cleaned the Carbs
Replaces the crappy side diaphragms
Put Engine Flush with the Oil

Took her out to drive and I had full power BACK. 0 - 60 in 2nd gear! Lots of Blue Smoke - Idle was iffy. So I....

Synced the Carbs

Tried to start her up and realized I sucked all the gas from syncing so I ate a lot of juice on my battery. Once I got her started I took her on a NICE LONG RIDE. I was great - was riding beautifully Idle was still touchy but MUCH MUCH better - night and day improvement - It still wanted to gently quit every now and again when I was stopped - especially on uneven surfaces. For the most part I didn't have to fiddle with the idle. Blue smoke seemed to eventually disappear once the bike was ridden for a while. Bike died once when I turned the handlebars full right - but it started up again right away. I took her out on the longest ride yet! It was great. Got home and I...

Put the epoxied fan back in
Changed Oil
Topped Off Coolant

When I was putting the fan back on I noticed two hoses near the radiator WEREN'T CONNECTED (previous owner)!!!

Connected Hoses!!!!!

THEN the bike wouldn't start - I'm not sure why but the battery quickly ran out because of the time before when I was cranking the motor after I synced the carbs. Could I have put too much coolant in there??? Was I supposed to reconnect those hoses?? I'm not too worried about it - gonna try again in the morning with a fresh charged battery - then it's headlights time!!! Still wondering about the idle - but it's WAY more improved.

 

[lance328]

You cannot put in too much coolant, keep the hoses connected and don't worry so much. :doh:

 

[SyntaxJO]

Could I have put too much coolant in there??? Was I supposed to reconnect those hoses?? I'm not too worried about it -

Who said I was worried? (I do worry too much, don't I??) I tell ya what - I'm ready to effing ride this thing!