Sometimes it is the simple things!

[V7Goose]

Yes, sometimes the problem you are trying to slay is caused by the most simple cause, but even then it can be a REAL PITA to find!

 

Been having a surge in my idle speed for the past few weeks, so today I decided to check it all out, re-set the carb mixture screws, and actually compare the screw settings I get when just using a tach compared to my exhaust gas analyzer in preparation for Maintenance day.

 

Shoulda been pretty simple, right? But it was anything but! When I checked the mixture screws on #1 and #2, they made almost no difference in the idle speed. In fact, the bike actually picked up a bit and ran BETTER with the mixture screws for either of those two jugs ALL THE WAY IN!! Now that was weird. In contrast, the two right side jugs acted perfectly normal.

 

So I hooked up the gas analyzer to check the CO% - no problem dialing in the right two, but those damned left two wouldn't get below 6% even with the mixture screws closed, and if I set them out around 3 turns, it was pumping 15% CO!!!!

 

Plugs were not that old (about 12,000 miles), but I decided to put new ones in, just in case. Those left two were real black and sooty - either running mucho rich or lots of problems firing. Seemed unlikely I would have two bad plugs at once, but I crossed my fingers and fired it up again with the new ones - no joy.

 

So now I am really stumped trying to figure out what coud be affecting just the left bank. Decided to check the sync - seemed unlikely, but I could imagine that something had gone haywire with the linkage. Got the gauges on there and sure enough, both left carbs were pulling a couple of inches of mercury less than the right. Aha! says I, now I'm on the track. But alas, no. It was not the sync.

 

OK, this is long enough, so I'll jump to the end. While I'm futzing around and starting to get really annoyed, I happen to grab the choke knob and push it in, AND IT MOVES!!!! Simultaneously, the bike settles down to a perfect idle! And the carbs come right back into perfect sync too. That is all it was - choke just a tad out and hung up. Nine freaking hours later, and now all I gotta do is finally reset all the mixture screws that were probably just freakin' perfect to start with!.

 

No moral here, just had to share my pain. Hope it helps someone to stop and think about their problem and get back to basics a little faster than I did!

Goose

[dragerman]

Sometimes it’s as simple as turning a “switch on” ,,, Right Becky... hehehe, ... Hey Bongobobny how’s the pressure washer working? (Sorry Becky, I couldn’t resist)

 

I think we've all done the 'kill switch' thing!

[Sleeperhawk]

Yes, sometimes the problem you are trying to slay is caused by the most simple cause, but even then it can be a REAL PITA to find!

 

Been having a surge in my idle speed for the past few weeks, so today I decided to check it all out, re-set the carb mixture screws, and actually compare the screw settings I get when just using a tach compared to my exhaust gas analyzer in preparation for Maintenance day.

 

Shoulda been pretty simple, right? But it was anything but! When I checked the mixture screws on #1 and #2, they made almost no difference in the idle speed. In fact, the bike actually picked up a bit and ran BETTER with the mixture screws for either of those two jugs ALL THE WAY IN!! Now that was weird. In contrast, the two right side jugs acted perfectly normal.

 

So I hooked up the gas analyzer to check the CO% - no problem dialing in the right two, but those damned left two wouldn't get below 6% even with the mixture screws closed, and if I set them out around 3 turns, it was pumping 15% CO!!!!

 

Plugs were not that old (about 12,000 miles), but I decided to put new ones in, just in case. Those left two were real black and sooty - either running mucho rich or lots of problems firing. Seemed unlikely I would have two bad plugs at once, but I crossed my fingers and fired it up again with the new ones - no joy.

 

So now I am really stumped trying to figure out what coud be affecting just the left bank. Decided to check the sync - seemed unlikely, but I could imagine that something had gone haywire with the linkage. Got the gauges on there and sure enough, both left carbs were pulling a couple of inches of mercury less than the right. Aha! says I, now I'm on the track. But alas, no. It was not the sync.

 

OK, this is long enough, so I'll jump to the end. While I'm futzing around and starting to get really annoyed, I happen to grab the choke knob and push it in, AND IT MOVES!!!! Simultaneously, the bike settles down to a perfect idle! And the carbs come right back into perfect sync too. That is all it was - choke just a tad out and hung up. Nine freaking hours later, and now all I gotta do is finally reset all the mixture screws that were probably just freakin' perfect to start with!.

 

No moral here, just had to share my pain. Hope it helps someone to stop and think about their problem and get back to basics a little faster than I did!

Goose

 

 

And you are going to put Freebird's bike back together :rotf::rotf:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But been there done that, pi$$es you off doesn't it :whistling:

[BuddyRich]

Somethings should always be a habit. Kill switch, choke, and in gear when parked and N when starting. We won't go into the why's and wherefores these have become a habit.

[99silver]

Been there, same thing except I got lucky and found it. Sad part is that it's happened more than once.

[dingy]

Goose,

 

Are you bring your exhaust gas analyzer to MD?

 

 

Gary

[Yammer Dan]

Sometimes it’s as simple as turning a “switch on” ,,, Right Becky... hehehe, ... Hey Bongobobny how’s the pressure washer working? (Sorry Becky, I couldn’t resist)

 

I think we've all done the 'kill switch' thing!

 

 

Could have gone all night without bringing that up!!!

[Aussie Annie]

Yep, moral of the story:

 

Always check ya knob!!!:rotf:

[wes0778]

What's the saying; When you hear the sound of hooves, think horses not zebras...:stirthepot:

At least not in Texas!!!

[GigaWhiskey]

Thats a beater. Did you kill a six pack or a twelve pack after that? Or was it a fifth of something?

[Seaking]

Wow, a lot of work to go through just to find out it's the simplest of things in life that not only trips you up but does a Nelson HA HA on ya.. (The Simpsons reference)

 

And this is after you went to great pains to explain to me about the choke linkages and stickiness sometimes associated with some fuel problems on this bike when we had my carbs apart last month.. But it's good to hear it was nothing more than just that..

 

Thanks for the info update M8..

 

Have to you also that my local riding style fuel mileage has gone up nicely as well since I got back.. with the mixture of back roads, city and highway tooling around I typically do, I find my fuel consumption has gone done enough to notice the difference.. All due to the work we did on the bike in Dallas.. yay!