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Is there a trick to getting a Kawi with that "positive neutral finder" bump started? I could not get mine into 2nd gear when it died on me in the gas station parking lot.
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Sep 1, 2009 06:34
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RichBomb posted:Idle adjuster, the hand turnable one. I don't know if it's worthy of note, but the idle mixture screws on my bike don't sit flush with one another. They both turn to a stop but on is clearly not in there as far as the other at full stop. GS500E with Mikuni carbs btw. Check and see that the idle adjuster is actually opening the plates. It should be pretty obvious. If it's not, you have a problem somewhere. badnoodle posted:Is there a trick to getting a Kawi with that "positive neutral finder" bump started? I could not get mine into 2nd gear when it died on me in the gas station parking lot. No, not really. The bike needs to be rolling relatively quickly though. And if it's a small displacement engine, kicking down into first gear may be enough to get it started too. Z3n fucked around with this message at 06:40 on Sep 1, 2009 |
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Sep 1, 2009 06:36
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Ok here's a question, I recently came into possession of an 05 Honda 750 Shadow Spirit, it has some type of Cobra aftermarket exhaust, and it backfires really bad at decel. Would changing my gas octane have even the slightest effect on this? Or am I doomed to learn the mystic voodoo of dual carbs and/or spends lots of bucks at the bike shop? Note: I do not have tiny amounts of bucks, much less lots of them. What can I possibly do besides hold/wedge the choke open slightly? It runs great pushing the throttle, but horrible at (even throttle low rpm), and it bothers me at idle, but hasn't actually stalled yet once it gets warm. membranoid fucked around with this message at 11:07 on Sep 1, 2009 |
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Sep 1, 2009 11:02
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membranoid posted:Ok here's a question, I recently came into possession of an 05 Honda 750 Shadow Spirit, it has some type of Cobra aftermarket exhaust, and it backfires really bad at decel. Would changing my gas octane have even the slightest effect on this? Or am I doomed to learn the mystic voodoo of dual carbs and/or spends lots of bucks at the bike shop? pretty sure that's a fuel mixture problem which means the carbs have to be fiddled with. aftermarket exhaust might be part of the problem i think?
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Sep 1, 2009 11:24
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membranoid posted:Ok here's a question, I recently came into possession of an 05 Honda 750 Shadow Spirit, it has some type of Cobra aftermarket exhaust, and it backfires really bad at decel. Would changing my gas octane have even the slightest effect on this? Or am I doomed to learn the mystic voodoo of dual carbs and/or spends lots of bucks at the bike shop? Octane has nothing to do with that. Have you tried turning the idle adjuster up yet?
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Sep 1, 2009 15:22
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just fyi, boiling carbs in lemon juice works great. 20 mins on medium high heat. solved several problems on my guzzi and kz440. only thing is you have to clean them twice. once in the juice and then you need to promptly rinse and dry with compressed air and carb cleaner to get all the juice out. had some trouble with a sticky slide once.
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Sep 1, 2009 20:00
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Z3n posted:Octane has nothing to do with that. Have you tried turning the idle adjuster up yet? The idle adjuster would only make it idle at a higher rpm, right? I don't think that's going to solve the problem I think the backfiring is also a symptom of why it idles rough. I'm not sure that I want to be drilling the plugs out of my pilot screws and such, I've never really done any carb work. Anyone know of good resources for this type of thing?
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Sep 1, 2009 22:35
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membranoid posted:The idle adjuster would only make it idle at a higher rpm, right? I don't think that's going to solve the problem I think the backfiring is also a symptom of why it idles rough. I'm not sure that I want to be drilling the plugs out of my pilot screws and such, I've never really done any carb work. Anyone know of good resources for this type of thing? IF YOU HAVE NEVER CLEANED YOUR PILOT SCREWS, YOUR CARBS HAVE NEVER BEEN CLEANED. Clear? Good. There's a carb cleaning thread. go read it. A drill press makes taking care of the plugs easy. Yes, you're backfiring because you're lean, you're lean because your pilot screws are clogged.
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Sep 1, 2009 22:49
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Nerobro posted:IF YOU HAVE NEVER CLEANED YOUR PILOT SCREWS, YOUR CARBS HAVE NEVER BEEN CLEANED. Clear? Good. There's a carb cleaning thread. go read it. A drill press makes taking care of the plugs easy. Yes, you're backfiring because you're lean, you're lean because your pilot screws are clogged. Yeah, I was a little apprehensive about drilling my caps at first too, but it was actually the one part of all the stuff I've done that went completely smoothly. It's not a big deal to do if you've already got the carbs pulled. Getting them on and off the bike is by far the most annoying part.
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Sep 1, 2009 22:59
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Speaking of running lean, since I put on an aftermarket full exhaust onto my GS I need to rejet it to make it run nice. I frankly don't know where to start looking though on getting the right kit. Are there any places in paticular I should be checking out? On a side note, I threw in a new voltage regulator on last night and the voltage levels are back to normal so I took the bike on a much enjoyed ride. The headlight bulb seems to be sticking around so far anyway. 
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Sep 1, 2009 23:00
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BotchedLobotomy posted:Speaking of running lean, since I put on an aftermarket full exhaust onto my GS I need to rejet it to make it run nice. I frankly don't know where to start looking though on getting the right kit. Are there any places in paticular I should be checking out? Dynojet makes a jet kit for GS500s. They'll have some baseline settings for you too. membranoid posted:The idle adjuster would only make it idle at a higher rpm, right? I don't think that's going to solve the problem I think the backfiring is also a symptom of why it idles rough. I'm not sure that I want to be drilling the plugs out of my pilot screws and such, I've never really done any carb work. Anyone know of good resources for this type of thing? I'd clean out the pilot screws and then set them to factory specs and adjust from there. If you've got an aftermarket exhaust on it a little popping on decel isn't the end of the world. But you shouldn't be getting it at idle. I'd also check the plugs. They should show lean, but you never know...
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Sep 1, 2009 23:15
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How can you tell when an air cooled engine is overheating, with no oil temp gauge? I think I've asked this before in my thread but never got a solid answer, or if there even is one. The only reason I ask it is because I just have that 'feeling' that it's too hot. After running it for awhile, the oil doesn't smell like oil, it almost smells burnt. My valve cover gasket also started to leak oil. Keep in mind, I got these same symptoms before my last engine blew.. Thing is, for an air cooled engine to overheat that badly at speed, it would need to be running really lean, and thus running badly, wouldn't it? And that would improve gas mileage, right? I havn't experienced either of these. Maybe I should look into an IR gun.
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Sep 2, 2009 00:44
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What kind of climate do you live in? Some engines give off a lot of heat without overheating. You could perhaps get an oil cap with a built in temp gauge or something, check bikebandit.com or similar. Poor oil circulation would cause overheating and in the end, the sad end of your forum famous bearings. But I don't know if a subtle blockage could cause a slightly poor circulation. Most likely a very poor one and rapid demise. I often hear "really lean" used in discussions of overheating, but if it's really lean it will run cooler (with a lot less power). This is a big topic in general aviation (I don't fly, I just read and dream) since a piston engine in an aircraft has a separate control for mixture. There's a fairly narrow danger zone of mixture and power setting, read more about it in this excellent column: http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182084-1.html
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Sep 2, 2009 02:03
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Ola posted:What kind of climate do you live in? Some engines give off a lot of heat without overheating. You could perhaps get an oil cap with a built in temp gauge or something, check bikebandit.com or similar. That's a really interesting column. I'm not sure if motorcycle engines are going to operate on the same principals, though, due to the difference in conditions and engine design. I'm curious to see nero chime in on this one, as I'm far from an expert.
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Sep 2, 2009 02:24
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Ola posted:
What I learned in school was... You can run lean at low load conditions, but at high load an excess of fuel is used. When the droplets of fuel hit the walls of the combustion chamber, valve, or piston they boil off providing additional cooling. But if this was the only reason, you would think carburetors would have a water circuit...
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Sep 2, 2009 02:46
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Ola posted:What kind of climate do you live in? Some engines give off a lot of heat without overheating. You could perhaps get an oil cap with a built in temp gauge or something, check bikebandit.com or similar. Climate is pretty temperate. Mid 30s in the summer time, 20s in fall/spring, and down -20 to -30 in winter. Brr. I don't think it's poor oil circulation - I'm getting oil flowing out of the valve cover gasket, even. The only thing that hints me to running lean is the exhaust isn't in very good condition. It has some pinholes and the crossover pipe is missing (the openings are welded up for some reason). And I've always heard that running lean will create hotter combustion temperatures, which will in the end cause overheating, hole in the piston, burnt valves, etc etc. I suppose if the oil got hot enough it could lose it's lubrication and blow a bearing..? Maybe I'm just paranoid.
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Sep 2, 2009 02:59
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Motorcycle engines, especially air cooled ones like a GS engine, are very, very similar to your average airplane engine. Say the least, I don't worry about a GS at full throttle and 100mph. :-) I like pelicans articles. He tells it like it is, and explains why it is what it is. If you need a good example of being to lean not being hot, think about how super lean bikes are "cold blooded." They take forever to warm up, because they just don't have the heat available. GS's don't exactly run cool. They have no way to really regulate their temperature, other than the air passing over them. They specify the 10w40 because they run across a wide temperature range. The narrower the temperature range, the smaller the range of oil you need. My focus, which is water cooled, uses 5w20. The greater the range of the oil, the more delicate it is. The idea of "really hot" is hard to quantify. I know motorcycle engines get REALLY drat HOT. The heat coming off my motor in stop and go traffic is like riding around sitting in a portable sauna. The engine DOES eventually overheat, the idle gets higher. Smoke comes out the crankcase breather. Sometimes the motor stutters a little. And responds poorly to the throttle. But this takes some really serious heat. And I will happily drive it right into that region and beyond. None of my motors have taken damage from it. I've done it with both motors in my '80 GS550, and my 83, and skreemers 83 550. None of them are any worse for wear. GS's are really well designed. They'll take essentially whatever heat you can give them. That's why they have fins all over their heads. That's also why the older bikes don't use different jetting between the center and outside cylinders. That said, they ARE hard on oil. And it's only $6 in oil or whatever. Change it if you're worried. If the engine is still running, it's still ok. Bottom end failure tends to be due to other reasons. :-) Zool posted:But if this was the only reason, you would think carburetors would have a water circuit... Nerobro fucked around with this message at 03:03 on Sep 2, 2009 |
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Sep 2, 2009 03:00
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That puts my mind at ease, Nero. I remember when my old engine was ticking, every time I stopped there was smoke coming out of the breather hose. I'm guessing the bad bearing was overheating the engine. After my latest ride with the new engine - when the valve cover started leaking - there was no smoke coming out of the breather With heat being an issue, would it be best to use a synthetic oil? Say Rotella 5w40 synthetic diesel oil? It doesn't have the stuff that ruins clutches in it. I think I might use that next time I change oils. So is "running lean is gonna destroy your engine, man!" just a carry-over from the 2 stroke mixed gas days that hasn't gone away? Or is there any merrit in it?
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Sep 2, 2009 03:22
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The engines are designed for dino oil. Dino oil is 1/6 the price of motorcycle oil, and 1/2 the price of automotive synthetic. Your clutch is the same size as you'll find in a GS1000, you don't need to worry about how hard your clutch grips. I just use whatever 10w40 I can find, that's cheap. I change it when it looks dark, or I'm feeling guilty. I got some funny noises using the 5w40 rotella. The 10w30 gave better results, but being air cooled it gave me the willies not to have something rated to 40w. I gave up and just use what suzuki says to use, 10w40. This weekend I was running around with a guy who has 105,000 miles on his GS. :-) As for running lean, the whole first year I owned a GS, it was so lean that it's plugs were white.
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Sep 2, 2009 03:39
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Stupid chain question time: I stuck the rear wheel back on my KLR this afternoon. After putting it back on exactly where I removed it from (hash mark wise) I checked the chain tension with it on the side stand. This comes out to about 2" of play, which is on the tight end of spec. Something I've not thought about up until this point is I've never actually taken the chain off the sprocket before. Is it possible to get too much slack on the top of the chain when putting it back on? Right now with 2" slack on the bottom of the chain the top of the chain sits on the swingarm immediately behind the front sprocket when the bike is on the sidestand. With me sitting on the bike compressing the suspension a bit, there's a little bit of play between the top of the swingarm and the chain. My usual go-to sources for general motorcycle information (aside from CA) are pretty silent on slack on the top of the chain versus the bottom when reinstalling a wheel. Help?
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Sep 2, 2009 04:08
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sklnd posted:Stupid chain question time: You measure the chain from the bottom. As long as it's in spec there, and in spec as you rotate it around, and you can't pull it off the sprocket, there's no need to worry about slack at the top.
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Sep 2, 2009 04:15
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Nifty, thanks!
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Sep 2, 2009 04:18
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If I put my head down a bit and listen closely when I put my bike in neutral while in gear and moving I can hear a sort of rocking/clunking sound for a second. When I'm slowing down to almost a near stop in gear it does the same thing. Also sometimes when I start moving from a stop and apply the throttle a certain way it does it too. It's sort of like loose motor mounts on a car but it's quite audible.
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Sep 2, 2009 05:18
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Christoff posted:If I put my head down a bit and listen closely when I put my bike in neutral while in gear and moving I can hear a sort of rocking/clunking sound for a second. When I'm slowing down to almost a near stop in gear it does the same thing. Also sometimes when I start moving from a stop and apply the throttle a certain way it does it too. Clutch rattle?
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Sep 2, 2009 05:25
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Nerobro posted:IF YOU HAVE NEVER CLEANED YOUR PILOT SCREWS, YOUR CARBS HAVE NEVER BEEN CLEANED. Clear? Good. There's a carb cleaning thread. go read it. A drill press makes taking care of the plugs easy. Yes, you're backfiring because you're lean, you're lean because your pilot screws are clogged. Maybe an '05 has been parked long enough to gum up some the carbs but I rather doubt it. I would check the installation instructions on the exhaust to see if there is a recommended rejet or adjustment to the mixture screw. First membranoid needs to figure out what exactly he has on the bike parts wise. If it's a full exhaust / k&n he's going to need to rejet the carbs. Don't just go drilling stuff out or messing with idle screws without first seeing if your configuration is documented somewhere (hint: it is). I would guess that he's lean at least on the pilot, if not everywhere, and he needs to install a jet kit.
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Sep 2, 2009 05:26
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So I think these are what I need http://www.cobrausa.com/fuel_detail.php?model_id=89&make_id=2&product_id=54 but this http://www.cobrausa.com/includes/downloadpdf.php?filename=92-1274.pdf is a little sparse. Am I correct that these not being installed would be the most likely culprit? Time to find a service manual as well I guess. How many springs and needles are going to fly out in my face if I attempt this?
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Sep 2, 2009 09:07
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I'm buying a '07 CBR600RR and of the two best I've found neither owner has the title. Both are still with Honda Financial. What's the usual protocol for buying a bike with a lien on it and what do I need to be careful of?
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Sep 2, 2009 16:40
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I tried to start my ex500 for the first time in three months, and it didn't exactly go as planned. When trying to turn it over, the only response I get from mashing the starter is a prominent buzz from the junction box, sounding as long as my finger is on the starter. Granted, my battery was sitting for those three months and charged over the course of last night, and unsurprisingly, it's terrible at holding a charge (it's hovering somewhere around 13.6 at the moment), but I figured even if I had a bad battery I'd be able to crank it with adequate voltage. Should I be buying a new battery or is there something else I should check? Hopefully nothing too ominous, I want to ride my motorbike 
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Sep 2, 2009 17:01
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AncientTV posted:I tried to start my ex500 for the first time in three months, and it didn't exactly go as planned. When trying to turn it over, the only response I get from mashing the starter is a prominent buzz from the junction box, sounding as long as my finger is on the starter. That buzz is caused by not enough power. Your battery can read out voltage fine, but drop too much under load to power the starter. New battery time, and for good measure when you get it installed, check that the bike is charging at 5k RPM. (Around 14v). Blakeem bin Bustin posted:I'm buying a '07 CBR600RR and of the two best I've found neither owner has the title. Both are still with Honda Financial. What's the usual protocol for buying a bike with a lien on it and what do I need to be careful of? Ideally you go to Honda Financial, but if you can't do it in person, then you should contact Honda Financial and tell them that you're paying off the loan, write a check to them for the amount needed to pay off the loan and have them send the title to you. They'll probably want a notorized bill of sale that proves that you bought the bike. membranoid posted:So I think these are what I need http://www.cobrausa.com/fuel_detail.php?model_id=89&make_id=2&product_id=54 but this http://www.cobrausa.com/includes/downloadpdf.php?filename=92-1274.pdf is a little sparse. Am I correct that these not being installed would be the most likely culprit? None, check Nero's carb thread for some idea of what you're getting into.
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Sep 2, 2009 17:20
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Z3n posted:That buzz is caused by not enough power. Your battery can read out voltage fine, but drop too much under load to power the starter. New battery time, and for good measure when you get it installed, check that the bike is charging at 5k RPM. (Around 14v). Thanks Z3n, hopefully this will be my last purchase to get my bike running again.
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Sep 2, 2009 18:04
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Blakeem bin Bustin posted:I'm buying a '07 CBR600RR and of the two best I've found neither owner has the title. Both are still with Honda Financial. What's the usual protocol for buying a bike with a lien on it and what do I need to be careful of? This is one of those rare times that going through a bank would be helpful. Any bank you go through will be drat sure to get the title from Honda financial or the money won't trade hands, not much opportunity to get hosed that way. Even if you are paying cash, the bank route is going to cut way down on the legwork and the potential for funny business. Buying a used vehicle from a private seller is a lot like going to a car lot, except that you fill out the paper yourself. What I would not ever do is give the seller the money and have him chase down the title. His incentive is just about zero.
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Sep 2, 2009 19:01
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membranoid posted:So I think these are what I need http://www.cobrausa.com/fuel_detail.php?model_id=89&make_id=2&product_id=54 but this http://www.cobrausa.com/includes/downloadpdf.php?filename=92-1274.pdf is a little sparse. Am I correct that these not being installed would be the most likely culprit? A manual isn't a bad idea, but frankly a parts diagram - like what you can find on bikebandit.com will pretty much show you how a carb is assembled. They are pretty darn simple. Just do one at a time and make sure you label any hoses/vacuum stuff properly so you reconnect everything correctly.
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Sep 2, 2009 20:25
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Gnomad posted:This is one of those rare times that going through a bank would be helpful. Any bank you go through will be drat sure to get the title from Honda financial or the money won't trade hands, not much opportunity to get hosed that way. Even if you are paying cash, the bank route is going to cut way down on the legwork and the potential for funny business. Buying a used vehicle from a private seller is a lot like going to a car lot, except that you fill out the paper yourself. Can you elaborate on what you mean by going through a bank? I am paying cash, so I'm not sure how I could get my bank involved? I called Honda Financial and they recommended that we fill out a bill of sale, I pay off his remaining balance myself, and he talks to them and has them mail me the closing papers. I'd need to meet up with him once more for a signature, but at least I would have those papers in my hands.
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Sep 2, 2009 20:55
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Blakeem bin Bustin posted:Can you elaborate on what you mean by going through a bank? I am paying cash, so I'm not sure how I could get my bank involved? That's just the sort of scenario I'd try to avoid. Even if you have the cash, consider taking out a loan and then, once the bank has the title from Honda Financial, pay off the loan. Then you get the title from the bank. Seems a bit circuituous, but it gives you a layer of protection.
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Sep 3, 2009 03:07
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Blakeem bin Bustin posted:Can you elaborate on what you mean by going through a bank? I am paying cash, so I'm not sure how I could get my bank involved? No, cut the guy out of it completely and just deal with them. Ensure his asking price covers the remaining balance owing and pay it directly to them, get all the paperwork, and then go collect your shiny new wheels. Gnomad is right, the current owner has no reason to put any effort into helping you with the paperowrk.
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Sep 3, 2009 05:35
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2ndclasscitizen posted:No, cut the guy out of it completely and just deal with them. Ensure his asking price covers the remaining balance owing and pay it directly to them, get all the paperwork, and then go collect your shiny new wheels. Gnomad is right, the current owner has no reason to put any effort into helping you with the paperowrk. This is essentially what I was planning on doing now. Meeting with him Saturday, calling Honda Financial to pay off his loan and at the same time making sure they send me the paperwork, and taking my new bike. I'll still need to get a signature from him on the paperwork I think, not sure there is any way around that.
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Sep 3, 2009 05:43
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Blakeem bin Bustin posted:This is essentially what I was planning on doing now. Meeting with him Saturday, calling Honda Financial to pay off his loan and at the same time making sure they send me the paperwork, and taking my new bike. I'll still need to get a signature from him on the paperwork I think, not sure there is any way around that. Make sure, absolutely sure, that you have a bill of sale (ideally notorized) in case he tries to report the bike as stolen or pull some other bullshit. Also, you should have the bike once you agree to purchase it. Don't pay off the loan until the bike is in your posession. (Obvious, but worth noting)
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Sep 3, 2009 15:41
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Blakeem bin Bustin posted:I'll still need to get a signature from him on the paperwork I think, not sure there is any way around that.
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Sep 3, 2009 15:43
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So I'm trying to diagnose the clattering noise I'm getting from the top of my engine. I didn't take a video before tearing it apart (stupid), but it sounds a bit like these videos. Anyway, I'm going to readjust the valves a little tighter than I did last time when I put them at the loose end of the range. I also wanted to check my cam chain tension, but because I have an automatic cam chain tensioner, I can't find a spec for how much slack there should be. I took out the tensioner anyway, but it looks fine and there's not a whole hell of a lot that can go wrong with it. .JPG) Click here for the full 800x600 image. The only thing that can be wrong is the spring being stretched or compressed too much, but it looks fine and it's not exactly old (four years and 13,000 miles riding). Also, since there is no spec on the cam chain slack, I can't measure anything to see if the adjuster is bad. Does anything look off to you guys? Should I spend the $75 for a new one when I don't really have too much money? Also, my tensioner is a bit different than the one in my manual, but it seems like I should just bolt the body to the engine and then bolt the pin/spring inside with the cap bolt, right? Once tightened, the spring would push the tensioner out against the chain. The only other thing I can think of checking is if the cam chain has stretched. Everything inside seems coated in oil, so I'm pretty sure that's circulating well and keeping things lubed.
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Sep 4, 2009 03:29
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LOL well gently caress. Got some new soft luggage for my SV650 and the heat resistant coating on the bottom doesnt really hold up too well against sharp metal abrasion. The high outlet muffler on my SV touches the bottom of the luggage, right on a metal seam that is riveted on. What might be the best course of action? Would gluing a plastic plate onto the bottom of the side case help? I dont want to damage the muffler when the luggage is off, and I want to still use the luggage without creating a huge hole in the bottom.
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Sep 4, 2009 04:07
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