rough running bike

[xxRoger1xx]

I just purchased a 1999 venture. The first ride was short but the bike performed ok. I changed out the oil and put in synthetic. I also changed out the rear gear oil. So I decided to go for a ride, expecting it to run better. It was realy rough and got worse with throttle applied. Any suggestions

[V7Goose]

Lots of possibilities - you should do a fair bit of reading here, starting with threads that deal with performance and shift points.

 

If you are not already very familiar with this engine, you probably are not riding it correctly - keep the revs up; do not shift too soon. The engine has a rev limiter on it, so you cannot possible hurt it by pushing the RPM, and that is what you need to do to learn where the power curve is - hit it hard on the freeway in 2nd gear till you feel the engine falter (that is the rev limiter at 6,500 RPM), then hit third and try it again. I doubt you will reach the limiter there before you back off - it won't hit in 3rd until 96 MPH.

 

If you try to push the engine hard below 3,000 RPM, it will hammer and shake from being lugged. Do not try to accelerate even moderately fast in 5th gear unless you are at 65 MPH or higher already.

 

Other standard things that will affect how smoothly it runs are carb sync and jets being clean.

Goose

[XV1100SE]

Congrats on the new bike.

Can you provide a few details on how many km on the bike? Has it been sitting for a while before you bought it?

 

1st suggestion you'll get is to run Seafoam thru the fuel. Cost is about $12 from Canadian Tire. Make sure you get the one for "motor treatment" - http://www.seafoamsales.com/motor-treatment.html

"Why it works" - http://www.seafoamsales.com/why-sea-foam-motor-treatment-works.html

"How to use " - http://www.seafoamsales.com/how-to-use-sea-foam-motor-treatment.html

 

2nd - is the fuel good ? Make sure it is fresh

3rd - are the plugs fouled ? Cheap to change them... might still be original.

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=62253

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=58038

 

Try these ideas first... then you'll get more info on what else to try (possible carb needle stuck, float....)

[Seaking]

I just purchased a 1999 venture. The first ride was short but the bike performed ok. I changed out the oil and put in synthetic. I also changed out the rear gear oil. So I decided to go for a ride, expecting it to run better. It was realy rough and got worse with throttle applied. Any suggestions

 

To add to the other fine suggestions already offered, I would add to change your fuel filter as well.. these often get neglected due to their difficult locations (I relocated mine so I have no excuse not to change it on a regular basis).. a clogged fuel filter will make your fuel pump work harder and prematurely fail.. (learned that one the hard way)

 

Carb synch, carb cleaning, valve clearance check, vacuum leaks ect.. should alway be done on an older bike, especially if you don't know much of its previous history..

 

Personally, I wouldn't put synthetic oil in an older bike with high mileage (you didn't state the mileage on yours).. I could be wrong on this but my personal feeling is that though synthetic oil is more slippery than dino-oil, its also quite thin and doesn't take up the gaps caused by high mileage wear and tear.. (There's a more scientific explanation for it but can't remember it off hand).. something like that..

 

As Goose mentioned, don't be afraid to drop the hammer on the throttle, these bike perform well when it's in the power band.. and then some.. I only got the rev limiter once in third gear.. and you're going quite fast before that happens lol..

 

Fun bikes these, you're sure to enjoy yours when you get the bugs out of it..

[gibvel]

I could be wrong on this but my personal feeling is that though synthetic oil is more slippery than dino-oil, its also quite thin and doesn't take up the gaps caused by high mileage wear and tear.

 

Well, viscosity is viscosity. In other words... 10W-40 dino will have the same viscosity as 10w-40 synthetic. the 10 is the viscosity at low temp. and the 40 is the viscosity at high temp. The nice thing about synthetic is it won't break down as fast at higher temps as dino oil.

[allwx]

If you try to push the engine hard below 3,000 RPM, it will hammer and shake from being lugged. Do not try to accelerate even moderately fast in 5th gear unless you are at 65 MPH or higher already.

 

No road goes straight and level all the time. In fact, roads rarely are straight and level. You're almost always going either uphill, or downhill. Plus you've got wind factors.

 

You need a bit of nuance here. Let's say that you're trundling along at 60 mph on your Venture and you're going downhill in fifth gear. Not a problem to roll on gentle throttle at 60 mph in 5th gear. Or even 50 mph for that matter.

 

But if you're going slightly uphill, then maybe better to either shift down for acceleration, or calibrate your roll-on to make it nice and gentle, so that you don't load the motor up with more fuel than it can convert into torque.

 

My point is that this motor is no different from any other motor. There is a myth going around that claims that this motor must be kept unnaturally high-revved to keep it in its "powerband." Nonsense. Just ride the bike the same as you'd ride a Goldwing or any other tourer. This motor will pull well down to very low rpm. But like every other engine, you don't want to lug it. If you get signs of lugging, back off the throttle a little until the shaking goes away or at least gets a lot less, and as long as the bike is actually accelerating, then you're good where you are, no downshift necessary. This is the same manner you'd ride any other bike or drive your car.

 

I found that when I stopped revving the bike to keep it in its "powerband" my fuel mileage went up dramatically. If I ride the bike just a hint above legal speeds, ie the same way most people drive their cars, keeping the motor rpm lower rather than higher, avoiding any hard acceleration, then my city mileage stays in the mid-40s.

[xxRoger1xx]

Thanks very much to all those that posted comments. The bike is a 1999 Royal Star Venture with 79,000 Km. I put some carb cleaner addative into the gas and that seems to have helped considerably. The previous owner checked with his mechanic as to when the carbs were synced last and also the spacing on the valves. According to the mechanic they were never done as the bike was running fine. Tune up scheduled for next week. That should take care of the rough running bike.

 

Thanks for all the response.

 

Roger

[allwx]

The valves were not done because the bike "was running fine."

 

This is the sort of hare-brained thing we've come to expect from our professional "mechanics."

 

Valve adjustments and carb synchs are done to keep the bike running fine. If the bike was already running crappy because of lack of valve adjustment, then it'd already be time for a valve job.

[Yammer Dan]

Adding just any Carb cleaner is not good. Some of that stuff will clean everything out. Along with seals and things it shouldn't. Sea-Foam seems to be the choice around here and works great. There are others Star Tron, Something they use in texas (can't remember name) Berryman's is good and cheap at Wally world but a little harsh to use a lot of. I recently got a new to me Honda Rubicon that was hard to start and had to run for 20 to 30 mins before it would run without choke. A good strong dose of Sea-Foam and you hit button and it runs perfect hot or cold with no choke.

[xxRoger1xx]

Had the carbs synced and the valves spaced which is what I took the bike into the shop for. However as the service manager was going over the bill he was telling me the price for an oil filter. When I asked what an oil filter had to do with the carbs and valves he stated that they did an entire check of the bike and did an oil change. (I had just changed the oil and put synthetic oil in the bike) When I told him that and stated that I did not ask for an oil change he went to check with the mechanic.

 

I was so mad that when he offered to drain the oil and replace it with synthetic I just asked for my bill so I could get out of there. This total check by the mechanic failed to change the clutch and brake fluid and missed the clutch slip problem. The bike runs the same as when I took it into the shop. I am now $350 in the hole.

 

I will work on the bike myself with the help from the people on this forum. I have received only good advise and what to look for and how to do the repairs needed. $12.00 is an easy decision to make to join. Thanks everyone.

[dacheedah]

bad gas can cause the bike to run horrible, I would drain it and add fresh from a big name ( shell, phillips ) gas station. If it ran ok and suddenly changes this would be the first place, and probably cheapest, to look. Next would be plugs and air filter. . .

 

We have tested gas , for boats, at several gas stations and the formulations are way different next to each other. One constant was the small cheap stations almost always had bad gas with high water and ethanol ( the ethanol does hold water )

[darthandy]

[quote=xxRoger1xx;700329

 

I will work on the bike myself with the help from the people on this forum. I have received only good advise and what to look for and how to do the repairs needed. $12.00 is an easy decision to make to join. Thanks everyone.

 

+1 on using this site to work on your bike. I have saved hundreds of dollars (I know this for a fact) by getting help from our members in doing work on my bike. As well, check out the tech library section ... it has a downloadable workshop manual at this link:

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1828

 

There are also a number of articles on doing some of the more commonly required jobs on these bikes. Dacheedah makes a good point. If the bike was running well then suddenly started running poorly, it sounds more like a bad tank of gas then a problem with the bike. Start with the Seafoam and go from there. We'll be here to help when you need us.

 

Andy

[allwx]

The bike runs the same as when I took it into the shop. I am now $350 in the hole.

 

I will work on the bike myself with the help from the people on this forum. I have received only good advise and what to look for and how to do the repairs needed. $12.00 is an easy decision to make to join. Thanks everyone.

 

Yeah most of us have had the same experience. IMO the dealer shops, most of them anyways, are not a good place to take a bike like the Venture. Those shops spend the bulk of their time working on watercraft and fourwheelers.

 

However there ARE good shops around, with good mechanics working in them, who try to do the very best thing for the bike owner. It's hard to find them, and when you find one you really do cherish it. (bear in mind, shop owners and mechanics take a lot of unmerited beating from some bike owners who have unrealistic expectations).

 

You can get what you need out of a dealer shop, but you have to know what you're doing when you go in there. This site will help you get the info you need to tell when you're being BS'd. It will also help you do most work yourself. What isn't contained in articles already available from the archives, is available from owners around the world who are happy to help you out. They could increase the annual sub to $100 and it'd STILL be a great value.

[xxRoger1xx]

I certainly agree about this site. Good info and always someone who has gone through the same problem. I think I have all problems figured out. Only thing left to do is replace the clutch spring (which has been ordered from earl) and I should be good for awhile. Clutch problem was the subject of another thread.

Thanks everyone for the great advise.

 

Ride safe...Ride alot.

 

Roger:mustache:

[spke]

Problem is that it gets real expensive real fast finding out if the dealer you are using is a "good one" , or not. I have paid my dues in that respect long ago and will avoid the dealer at all costs unless I don't have a choice or for warranty work. Last time I had warranty work done I got the bike back missing 2 motor mount bolts. Dealer argued with me, "maybe they fell out before the warranty work, etc...". I had to get politely nasty to get him to order 2 new bolts. (about $6 his cost)

 

Luckily I am capable of and have all the necessary tools to do my own work, so far. Sites like this are invaluable when it comes to the knowledge base and helpfullness of it's members. Well worth the $12/yr.

 

Yeah most of us have had the same experience. IMO the dealer shops, most of them anyways, are not a good place to take a bike like the Venture. Those shops spend the bulk of their time working on watercraft and fourwheelers.

 

However there ARE good shops around, with good mechanics working in them, who try to do the very best thing for the bike owner. It's hard to find them, and when you find one you really do cherish it. (bear in mind, shop owners and mechanics take a lot of unmerited beating from some bike owners who have unrealistic expectations).

 

You can get what you need out of a dealer shop, but you have to know what you're doing when you go in there. This site will help you get the info you need to tell when you're being BS'd. It will also help you do most work yourself. What isn't contained in articles already available from the archives, is available from owners around the world who are happy to help you out. They could increase the annual sub to $100 and it'd STILL be a great value.

[xxRoger1xx]

"Politely Nasty". I like that. I would like to see that in action.:rotf: Unfortunately it shouldn't have to be that way. Like someone said earlier, it takes a lot to find a good mechanic and if you do hang on to him or her. They are hard to come by.

 

Roger:mustache: