BOOOOOYAH! (New Questions)

[cboling]

Today, was a complete victory for all the time and energy and patience and cursing and sweat and tears. I finally got it running. I received the new jets from The Buddha last week while I was away so last night for the 4th time, I pulled the carbs, cleaned them lightly, took a small wire and ran it through the immersion tubes (which I think was the real problem) and I put the jets in.

Today, I go out and slip the carbs on, connect the jumper cables to the truck, and WHAMMO! Fire in the hole! 

So to celebrate a little, here is a clip with the D&D slipped on (not tightened. Thanks to An.)

Enjoy.
http://www.bolingfordollars.net/Cycle_Parts/running_082209.mpg

[ineedanap]

 

[stuck-to-the-seat]

 

[The Buddha]

Well you will ahve to revisit it in dead of winter ... but yes ... cool, I got the bearing tool back, so thanks for that as well ... and what you htink of my idea for making that tool ...
Cool.
Buddha.

[cboling]

Very good idea on the tool. I did hit it a bit hard and had a couple of spots where the welds tried to dig into the wheel but otherwise, very good and very simple.
It was also a good thing to change out the bearings. Rust a-mong-us!

[Ed500]

grats! 

[The Buddha]

Very good idea on the tool. I did hit it a bit hard and had a couple of spots where the welds tried to dig into the wheel but otherwise, very good and very simple.
It was also a good thing to change out the bearings. Rust a-mong-us!

OK I'll grind it some more then. I was fine with the wheel I did it on, then I ground a little more. Maybe I should grind even more.
Cool.
Srinath.

[annguyen1981]

NICE!!!  I wish I had done the exhause mod on my GS when I had it....  yours doesn't sound like a lawnmower.  I bet it sounds even better in person too.





I miss my GS.

[ver4]

Sounds real nice.  I love the feeling of starting up a bike that had problems running or wasn't running.

[cboling]

Yep. It has a really deep sound. Right now I have the exhaust cut to a straight pipe which sounds absolutely gorgeous. I will probably try it around town for a while without the exhaust and see how it works out. I am sure it will be too loud and I will probably have problems with the law but it can't be much worse than the straight pipes on a Harley.

More than likely, I will mount the exhaust soon. First things first, I have to get the Veypor hooked up tomorrow, got to put the stock pegs back on, (my custom brackets just aren't right and everything keeps getting in the way) and finish getting the wiring out of the way. Then there's the new chain I have to remove links from, new rear pads, new sonic springs, and..........I think that's almost everything. Just the nick-knacks. Oh, and the windscreen I am trying to fit.

Hopefully I will be riding it around the apartments next week.

[bill14224]

The thing about straight pipes is they usually create a big mid-range flat spot, not to mention unwanted attention from the law.

[The Buddha]

Midrange ... what midrange.
I like that baffled sound though myself.
Cool.
Buddha.

[cboling]

Well, I finally got ride it around the apartment complex a couple of times last night. Man oh man!!  I just  need to put the finishing touches on some parts and de-rust the tank and all should be good.

[The Buddha]

De rust and coat, 75 bucks and reverse shipping.
Cool.
Buddha.

[cboling]

Okay, so I bragged waaaaaay too early. I can start the bike, ride it around the complex, stop and start, ride again, then as it warms up, it seems like the carbs are getting either starved or flooded. When I turn the throttle it really seems to bog down. Here is what I have checked so far:

Fuel is flowing.
Spark Plugs look good / normal.

I am running an k&n lunchbox, open pipe (for the moment), new jets (150 / 40?), 2 washers, 3 - 3.25 turns.

When it first runs, it runs good and solid. The second time around sputters a bit.

I really noticed it when I slipped on the exhaust and it seemed to die more quickly.

The exhaust smells pretty rich no matter what I have tried.

I removed 1 washer, and it seemed worse.

I am also using a Veypor digital gauge and the rpm's are starting off flickering between 1200 - 1250, then as the problem starts, I start noticing that the rpm's will gradually decline by 50 until it reaches about 950 then it dies.

Any ideas? How do I determine if it is running lean or rich?

[commuterdude]

jets too big.  (mains).

[cboling]

Yesssssss! I spent a little time this morning before digging into the workday to read the clymer a little and here and elsewhere a little. It seems that there is an actual value to the float measurement. (Who'd a thunk it?  )

Anyway, Later after work, I went outside (working from home has it's rewards) and decided to dig into the bike.

What I found were a couple of things.

1. I checked the float levels and they both seemed a little low (the same on each side due to me measuring the gap between the tang and float while I had the carbs apart.) I adjusted both the same amount incorrectly.)

2. I had trimmed my fuel hose a little short so I had the temp tank hanging from the side of the bike. (I think there was not enough gravity to really feed the carbs causing the stalls and starvation.)

So, first I pulled the carbs and played around with the float height. The clymers states that the highest edge of the float (when holding the carbs upside down) should measure between 13.6mm and 15.3mm. (Somewhere in there.) So I measured and adjusted and replaced the carbs. This time, nada! The carbs were completely empty and no matter what I did with the tank, they stayed empty.

I took them back off, and worked on them more and decided to read the clymer as I did the work. Then I noticed it..... "Hold the carburetor so the float arm tang is just touching the needle valve plunger-- not pushing it down." Well HELL! if you hold the carbs upside down, the tang completely pushes the needle valve plunger down. SO, I turned the carbs upright, and with my thumb slightly raised the floats to just touch the plunger. Then measured. I couldn't really get the measurement less than about 14mm which I thought should be just about right.

I fitted the carbs, and still no fuel. (Dang it!) then, I raised the small tank and I could see fuel bubbling through the glass filter. I was able to get it started and smoothed out the idle. I let it run for a good 10 - 15 minutes. The idle would float between 1200-1250 (sometimes jumping around 1350-1400 which I attribute to maybe the ignition being stock?)

I am wondering if the ignition advance would smooth that out?

Anyway, I rode around a couple of times, let the bike really warm up and it smoothed out to around 1150 rpms.

I am really happy right now but I guess the true test will be over the next few days as I start it, ride it around, and let it idle.

Wish me luck.....................

[cboling]

Well, I got the bike registered, licensed and insured. I took it out for a ride this evening and remembered how nervous I was with my bike some 23 years ago. Everything was good, but I definitely am much more concerned about the average joe driving around me.

All in all the bike rode very well. I haven't had a chance to install the slip on muffler yet so it was un-Holy loud!

My main questions are:

When I ride for a few minutes and come to a stop light, the idle hovers around 3000-3500. It will gradually drop and once it starts dropping, it levels off at 1200 pretty quick. Could this be the floats sticking or set incorrectly?

I am noticing a bit of backfire in the mid range. Is this related to the floats, jets, air mixture or is it more a synchronizing issue?

Thanks for all the suggestions and help. It was really worth it!

[The Buddha]

Hanging cables - choke and throttle as well as a faint air leak can make it hover. These you have to eliminate of course ... past that ... it being a shade lean @ idle.

Mid range misfire on shut throttle ... put a muffler on it and get back to me ... But it may just be something you have to ignore.

Floats would act up @ the opening of throttle, synch will cause a uneven and vibrating idle, air screw can cause hover, but none of the others.

Cool.
Buddha.

[annguyen1981]

I can't wait to see finished pics of the beast.