I think my bike is warm blooded

[Flyinfool]

After today's ride in to work at 38°F I am thinking that my bike does not like the cold air temps.

It started up just fine and I let it warm up while I got dressed to ride, about 5 minutes, then I reduced the choke to ~1200RPM just like normal and off I went. once at crusing speed of 35mph the bike was backfiring slightly out the exhaust, at like one pop per second. I tried adjusting the choke more and less but the popping persisted till I had gone about 1.5 miles and it was warmed up a little then not so much as another hiccup the whole time. Yes I do use SeaFoam in every other tank of gas.

 

The temp gauge never moved in the first 5 miles, and for the whole 1 hour trip in to work it never made it up to where it normally runs which is about 50% deflection. It was at about 25% for the whole trip.

I wonder if it ever got warm enough to open the thermostat or if the engine was just air cooling the whole time.

 

Now as far as me staying warm, that is a whole nutter story.

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=54034

[BigBoyinMS]

My first thought was that 5 mins of choke may have carboned up the spark plugs and it took a bit of riding to burn it all off. Just a WAG.

 

All I use the choke for is to start it then I push it in and I'm gone. Even if it's too cold to take it off before I ride I still push it in as soon as I'm moving. Or if there are stop signs as soon as it will run without the choke.

[GeorgeS]

Run some Sea-Foam, and do a carb sync. Maby a new set of plugs. Might need air filters cleaned, or replaced.

Also, try draining the carb bowls.

 

Maby check the charging voltage level, make sure you have 13.8 at 2000 rpm or more.

[massey130]

is this how it always acts at 38* or was it just today?

[RedRider]

Jeff,

 

Your bike is just punishing you for being such a wimp and waiting for the weather to warm up to 38 degrees. She just wants to get out there in the REAL cold.

 

In seriousness, I hope it warms up a bit since I am leaving tomorrow for a ride down Skyland Drive / BRP. Oh yeah, I also have a meeting in NC Tuesday thru Thursday.

 

That return ride will likely be pretty chilly.

 

RR

[Sleeperhawk]

Don't most old things usually just want to sit around the heater covered in blankets, always complaining about how cold it is?

 

Time for a 2nd gen :cool10:

[Yammer Dan]

Don't most old things usually just want to sit around the heater covered in blankets, always complaining about how cold it is?

 

Time for a 2nd gen :cool10:

 

 

 

Yep when you get old and slown down its time for a 2nd Gen!!!

 

Glad you admitted that George!!!:clap2:

[Flyinfool]

To answer questions/comments;

I'm not old enough for a 2nd gen yet.

The carbs were recently synced

I do run SeaFoam every other tank

Never tried draining the bowls

I'm still not old enough for a 2nd gen

Todays 38* is the coldest I have ridden this bike in, tomorrow morning will be below freezing.

The voltage is at 13.6 at idle and hits 14.1 by 1700 rpm (35W headlight helped the voltage a lot)

Tomorrow I will try not letting it warm up on the choke and just drive it normal.

I'm still not old enough for a 2nd gen yet.

[Snaggletooth]

Choke on to fire it up and then off all the way on my '84. It LOVES the cold weather! Runs like a bandit on these crisp mornings. I've been out when it took a half hour to get the temp gauge half way into the green.

 

It's been in the high 30's in the mornings for several days in the last week. Boss man thinks I'm a basket case when I roll in at 4:30 am on the bike. But then again.......I'm not the one that showed up wearing a parka.

[midnightventure]

Colder air is much denser so there is more oxygen per unit of volume. If your carbs are already on the lean side ( slightly clogged jets?) then with colder air it will be lean. Also if there is a small crack in the boots and the air is cold the crack could be slight larger and cause back firing.

[Condor]

I'm thinkin' that it might be a bad thermostat. If it's stuck wide open it'll never get warm on a cold day. What about the carb heaters??

[Venturous Randy]

May need to check to see where the thermostat by-pass is set. But, it is probably ok and I do believe these bikes do get some cooling on a cold day just from the air.

RandyA

[jlh3rd]

my temp gauge pretty much shows the same thing........if it was my car doing this, i'd say my thermostat was bad.....but the bike being exposed to airflow like it is, i believe it's normal... ..

and what/where is a thermostat by-pass setting ?

[Flyinfool]

Well now I am sure that my bike is warm blooded.

This morning I went out to go to work, temp was 31°F, opened the shed to get the bike out and it peed green pee all over the floor and running out the door.

It dumped a lot of its antifreeze over night from just the thought of me riding it again today.

 

There was no time to diagnose it this morning so I guess I have another project for this weekend. When I put the new antifreeze in this last spring it tested to be good to -40°, (winters here can hit -30°) so I know that at 31° it did not freeze something.

 

ARRRrrrggggg........

Edited October 22, 2010 by Flyinfool

[Condor]

It's got the 1stGen leak. The o-ring on the drain valve leaks when it's get's cold. I have the same problem.....

[Flyinfool]

It's got the 1stGen leak. The o-ring on the drain valve leaks when it's get's cold. I have the same problem.....

I replaced that this last spring, along with the antifreeze, with the kit from here.

[Condor]

I replaced that this last spring, along with the antifreeze, with the kit from here.

 

Check it again.... The o-ring might not have been the correct type. And... then again you may have a leak in one of the hoses?? Low coolant will keep the sensor from reading the correct temp and may have been the cause of the low guage readings??? Just guessing here...