Sea Foam? Exhaust popping etc.

[PD1313]

I noticed some mild exhaust popping and minor backfire (very minor) on deceleration only.

 

Isn't some popping normal?

 

The bike is a 2000 RSV MM that is new to me this month - power and performance *seem* OK but I have no frame of reference!

I see in another thread that Seafoam is recommended (for everything it seems...)

Question - which Seafoam product are we talking about - Motor Treatment? What do I do with it - full bottle in a full tank? Run it into carbs and let it work?

Thanks!

[cw1263]

I had the same symptoms well my bike did.Checked exhaust for leaks found none, did a carb sync all better now.

[spike13]

yep sync those carbs before anything else

[Semi-retired]

I noticed some mild exhaust popping and minor backfire (very minor) on deceleration only.

 

Isn't some popping normal?

 

The bike is a 2000 RSV MM that is new to me this month - power and performance *seem* OK but I have no frame of reference!

I see in another thread that Seafoam is recommended (for everything it seems...)

Question - which Seafoam product are we talking about - Motor Treatment? What do I do with it - full bottle in a full tank? Run it into carbs and let it work?

Thanks!

 

Hi, Peter......welcome to the marque!

 

Too bad you didn't come down to Oberlin with us this weekend; the gang at Maintenance Day would have sorted out all your mis-fire/back-fire/pop-gun/whatever problems.

 

By coincidence.....I have a 2003 Midnight that was doing the same thing as yours....popping and farting and generally carrying on.

 

I employed the holistic approach. And by that I mean I did EVERYTHING everybody suggested......but I did them in a certain order. And that order is.........

 

1. Do the things you can do yourself....easily

2. Do the things you can do yourself....cheaply

3. Do the things a friend can help you with....that are inexpensive

4. Do the things you need help with that are MORE expensive

5. Do the things that you need a dealer to do for you.

 

Now, not that I'm trying to do your poor local Yamaha dealer out of his service department profits.....but, we all gotta save a buck these days, right.

 

So, by all means do the Seafoam thing first. It's easy, relatively inexpensive and you won't need help; just read the can.

 

Next, your bike's probably never had its plugs replaced....or maybe only at 50 or 75K kliks. I'd do plugs and air filter elements (unless you have the maintenance records and know they were done in the last two years.)

 

Then, and only then, I'd start looking around for a buddy who's got a carb-synching kit. (I don't.....but I bet Carl does!....doncha, Carl?) Or, just wait for another maintenance day to come along. A little bit of popping on deceleration isn't a lot to worry about in the meantime.......unless you're scaring small children and being threatened by old ladies!

 

If you want to compare bikes sometime.....let me know when you wanna go for a toot down Niagara Falls way. I'm in Port Dalhousie (part of St. Catharines) and would be happy to let you trade bikes with me for half an hour to get a feeling for how yours compares. (I'd be interested, too, just to compare our setups since I probably have different tires and a different rear shock than yours.)

 

Call any time! I'm in the directory. (Ventureriders.......not Bell)

 

Once again.......enjoy your new bike.....and don't sweat the petty thing, as they say!

 

Mike

[Semi-retired]

Question - which Seafoam product are we talking about - Motor Treatment? What do I do with it - full bottle in a full tank? Run it into carbs and let it work?

Thanks!

 

P.S. I think THIS is the one you want, John: http://reviews.canadiantire.ca/9045/0387800P/seafoam-seafoam-motor-treatment-reviews/reviews.htm

 

Just follow the directions on the bottle!

 

[PD1313]

Thanks Michael! Great to feel welcome in a new community!

[V7Goose]

No, some popping is NOT normal - it tells you that you have a problem with complete fuel combustion. This bike is completely stock trim will NOT NOT NOT pop or bang on decel. Your bike has a problem that is relatively easy to fix. Some people here will advise you to simply HIDE the problem instead of fixing it by disabling the AIS, but I personally think that is NOT an intelligent decision. (Lots of info on that in many older threads).

 

Most likely all you need to do is sync the carbs and replace the rotted rubber caps on the vacuum ports. There are other things that can cause this, but start with the easy stuff and let us know if the problem continues so we can give you the longer answer. Good Luck,

Goose

[XV1100SE]

If you want to do a carb synch, I'm in Kitchener and could either come to you, you could come here, or we meet in the middle. Simple to do... can even do it at a coffee shop. Just let me know.

[PD1313]

Wow! Thanks Don!

What kind of schedule do you keep - are you available just weeknights and weekends or though the week sometimes too? I nice ride to Kitchener doesn't sound objectionable at all.

[Yammer Dan]

Find those rubber caps before you go.

[PD1313]

Met up with Don and Nancy tonight to talk bikes and get my carbs synced. What a fantastic experience - great couple, and thanks to this great forum that linked us!!

 

The carb sync was fast and easy, and showed immediately that one cylinder on the right was way out of sync, running much richer than the others. Don made a few adjustments, and I am very happy to report that the backfiring and exhaust popping was almost completely gone on the ride home.

 

Again - Thanks Don - a very enjoyable evening!!!

 

 

-Peter-

[Yammer Dan]

The Sea-Foam is best at keeping problems away. Keeps fuel system perking as it should. It will cure some problems of crud building up in the system but using it as you should keeps these grimlins from climbing on board.

[XV1100SE]

Again - Thanks Don - a very enjoyable evening!!!

 

-Peter-

 

Glad I could help !

 

From comparing exhaust with Peter's bike to mine (his 2003 to my 2009)... the pipes look the same but the back end look like they've been drilled out. Peter can give a count and hopefully a picture... but looks like about 10 holes in each pipe. They are not circular like they were drilled but look sort of like a guitar pick in shape, all with the smaller end closer to the centre of the pipe.

 

His bike has a nice "rumble"... but I'm wondering if early bikes or aftermarket exhaust would be like this. If aftermarket, it looks just like the RSV pipes.

 

Could so many holes (about 3/8" in diameter) be part of the backfire issue?

[XV1100SE]

To add to this... the "nipple" that you take off the carb to do the synch that is just a cap... think it is "4XY-14118-00-00 . CAP" is pretty well cracked right thru on at least one side and the "tubes" that are above the carbs have surface cracks (possibly deeper). Think that part is:

4XY-13586-00-00 JOINT, CARBURETOR 1

4XY-13596-00-00 JOINT, CARBURETOR 2

 

I'll post pics of the "joints". If I'm off on the part numbers please correct me.

Edited July 5, 2013 by XV1100SE

[PD1313]

My bike is actually a 2000, not a 2003 (I have the MM paint scheme to prove it!! :-) )

 

Here are shots of my exhaust. Upon closer inspection this must have been a modification by a previous owner - the holes are not at all symmetrical - in fact they are all over the place!! (one of those Drunk mods?).

 

What i don't understand is that these holes are somehow punched - not drilled. They are not round.

 

Having said all that - the carb sync certainly seems to have addressed the exhaust popping and backfiring - the the exhaust doesn't seem to be problematic - just Interesting!!

 

Any ideas?

[XV1100SE]

Attached picture are from the right side of (my) bike but they show the parts in question.

Do I have the right part numbers?

[XV1100SE]

My bike is actually a 2000, not a 2003 (I have the MM paint scheme to prove it!! :-) )

 

Nice thing is with the 2nd Gen... 2000, 2003, 2013.... all the same except for colour !

 

BTW... anyone have an extra rubber piece that supports the trunk ? Peter is missing his.

[Stanman]

My bike is actually a 2000, not a 2003 (I have the MM paint scheme to prove it!! :-) )

 

Here are shots of my exhaust. Upon closer inspection this must have been a modification by a previous owner - the holes are not at all symmetrical - in fact they are all over the place!! (one of those Drunk mods?).

 

What i don't understand is that these holes are somehow punched - not drilled. They are not round.

 

Having said all that - the carb sync certainly seems to have addressed the exhaust popping and backfiring - the the exhaust doesn't seem to be problematic - just Interesting!!

Any ideas?

 

 

 

Those odd shaped holes are caused by a drill bit that was sharpened unevenly, basically cutting with only one side of the bit. Whoever did it, did not measure anything. Just carved some holes.

[steamer]

Its normal for the intake boots to crack over time. if you were to do a cut away of the boot you will find a metal sleeve between the layers of rubber. They won't leak unless the cracks go all the way to the top of the boot where the carbs seat to the boot. That happened to mine. Had to change them out.

[PD1313]

 

Was that a big job or is everything accessible?

[IronMike]

That's a common exhaust modification. Poor mans stage two exhaust. Bypasses some of the stock baffle and makes for a pleasantly slightly throatier exhaust tone from stock pipes. Sometimes rarely doing this would require making it a but richer to run right and sometimes accompanied by an air intake mod such as k&n air filters. But normally the change is so slight the bike will run fine.

 

One step further is to get a long drill bitt and put it down the center hole and drill more baffles out. In that case a re jet would be in order.

 

Who ever done that was messed up or drunk. Its suppose to be more evenly spaced and look like a chamber on a revolver.

 

Anyhow that's what it is, poor mans exhaust mod.

[steamer]

Was that a big job or is everything accessible?

 

Not an easy job. You have to pull the carbs to get to them. I have had the carbs off several times, between the 2 RSV's I owned. I've gotten pretty good at it. While they are off you might as well set the floats and give the carbs a good cleaning. However, chances are you boots are ok.