Ugly cold blooded

[Yammer Dan]

My "New to me" 85 is the coldest natured one I have seen. All 1st Gens (except Skids) take warm-up time but this one takes about 20 miles before it smoothes out and runs like it should. Little embarassing taking off at work with those Jardines and it spitting and sputtering. Sounds great when I get there because its all warmed up. Color-Tune time? Sync is close and plug that I pulled looked new. Got to be something to smooth it out. Haven't had time to dig into it just looking for ideas got tomorrow off

[buddy]

Careful on what you say, you'll leave yourself wide open for Redneck...

 

Hope it is something simple like a vacuum hose.

 

Buddy

[BEER30]

Careful on what you say, you'll leave yourself wide open for Redneck...

 

Hope it is something simple like a vacuum hose.

 

Buddy

Hey Buddy , You do not need Redneck to comment on what a vacuum hose and a 1st get have in common ! Answer is they both suck !!!!:stirthepot:

Hoo-Ya .....2nd Gen's Rule !!!!!!!

 

BEER30

[FROG MAN]

Check the air box! You may have sucked in a few Harley parts.

[hipshot]

Dan, it may be time for a new thermostat, or maybe a sensor.

sounds to me like the bike has to heat ALL the water, before it smooths out.

could be wrong, but it is a possibility!

lol

just jt

[Redneck]

Hey Buddy , You do not need Redneck to comment on what a vacuum hose and a 1st get have in common ! Answer is they both suck !!!!:stirthepot:

Hoo-Ya .....2nd Gen's Rule !!!!!!!

 

BEER30

:Bunny:Icouldn't have said it better myself.:rotf:

[BradT]

Dan sounds like it could be an electrical issue. How old is the battery. If it is older I would replace it and most likely I would change the plugs to new ones before I checked anything else.

 

Then I would look at ground wires, plug wires, etc

 

Brad

[GigaWhiskey]

Maybe she aint runnin on all four and it is taking her time to warm up so the ones that are firing can keep it going as it is warm. If that made sense, I hope so.

[Squeeze]

Check the Drain Valve on lower front left of the Motor below the Radiator. It might be in the wrong Position. The Arrow on the Plastic should direct into 2 o' Clock Position. Somehow away from the the small Phillips Screw which goes in from the Side of the Valve. Be carefull while turning the Plastic, it could start leaking Coolant afterwards.

[Squidley]

Dan sounds like it could be an electrical issue. How old is the battery. If it is older I would replace it and most likely I would change the plugs to new ones before I checked anything else.

 

Then I would look at ground wires, plug wires, etc

 

Brad

 

 

Brads on the right track, if you haven't done a COMPLETE tune up, dont waste your time with anything else. Get that done 1st and then start troubleshooting, clean all your connections and then start with thermostat and so forth....

[Pilot]

I thought you were talking about my ex wife....:rotf:

[oldandcrotchety]

"All 1st Gens (except Skids) take warm-up time"

 

And mine. Choke to start, take off choke and leave. Runs just as good as I leave the driveway as it does the rest of the day.

[Condor]

Check the Drain Valve on lower front left of the Motor below the Radiator. It might be in the wrong Position. The Arrow on the Plastic should direct into 2 o' Clock Position. Somehow away from the the small Phillips Screw which goes in from the Side of the Valve. Be carefull while turning the Plastic, it could start leaking Coolant afterwards.

 

I agree with Squeeze. If the drain valve is 'on' the coolant is by-passing the thermostat and takes forever to warm up.. It'll also cause the motor to run hot after a long run as the fluid doesn't have enough time in the radiator to transfer the heat. First check to make sure the drain valve is 'off'.....

[Yammer Dan]

Looks like arrow points to 8 instead of 2. On is on 8 o'clock side, off is on 2 o'clock side.

180 out? Turn when warm or cold? Lube in any way? Sure don't want a leak.

 

It doesn't have any problems with overheating. Runs kind of cold.

[GigaWhiskey]

"All 1st Gens (except Skids) take warm-up time"

 

And mine. Choke to start, take off choke and leave. Runs just as good as I leave the driveway as it does the rest of the day.

 

Mine too. I rarely have to use the choke. Cranks right up and idles and then first and then gone.

[Condor]

Looks like arrow points to 8 instead of 2. On is on 8 o'clock side, off is on 2 o'clock side.

180 out? Turn when warm or cold? Lube in any way? Sure don't want a leak.

 

It doesn't have any problems with overheating. Runs kind of cold.

 

Here's what it should look like when OFF. Actually the writing is upside down if you can't see the arrow.

[Yammer Dan]

That is like mine. Must be right then??

 

Color-Tune and new plugs might help. I have only pulled one plug and it looked like new.Rest of them might tell different story. Haven't pulled diaphragms yet but they all dance togather. Could be dropping a cylinder and smoothing out when warm. I put one of my spare TCI's on it after I got it and wash job made it cut out bad. May have ruined a plug then. I ran it about 40 miles trying to get the old TCI to dry out (didn't work)before I put the other one in. If it is only running on three Brown Sugar is in BIG Trouble!!!

[BradT]

It may be fouling a plug while engine is cold because of choke and a weak spark, and after running a while it finally burns and cleans up the plug.

 

A little work but you can check it by starting it and then after a couple of minutes take the plugs out and look at them. Then put back in run the hell out of it and when it starts running smooth pull them again.

 

Ran into this once before, new battery and plugs solved my problem instantly.

 

PS My plugs were very black and wet looking when I pulled them but after 20-30 min. Clean

 

Brad

[DRAGIN TAIL]

"All 1st Gens (except Skids) take warm-up time"

 

And mine. Choke to start, take off choke and leave. Runs just as good as I leave the driveway as it does the rest of the day.

 

Same here, choke, start, maybe 30 seconds after taking off I turn choke off even in sub freezing weather. I'd get a tuneup and work from there. Ronnie

[Marcarl]

Sounds like a fuel issue to me,,,,,,,,,but then what do I know,,,,,,,mine did the same more or less until I somewhat cleaned the carbs,,,,,,now no issue at all.

How I did it was all in a hurry,,,,,well some what, seeing as the airbox had to go back on,,,,,,,pulled the air box,,,opened the diaphrams and then sprayed carb cleaner into every hole and jet I could find,,,,top and sides,,,,,,left it for a coffee,,,came back and did it again and then blew it all out with air,,,,,,put it all back together and it's been perfect since.

[Skid]

....If it is only running on three Brown Sugar is in BIG Trouble!!!

 

Sounds to me like your scoot is running scared.........

[Yammer Dan]

Check those plugs and Color-Tune it I'm thinking will get it. Bike ain't skeered but it scares me after it gets warmed up!!!

[Yammer Dan]

This morning it seemed like it dropped a cylinder and although it ran smoother when it got warmed up it didn't have the snap when you got on it that it usually has. Got to get some time to check it out. Plugs first I think.

[Yammer Dan]

Left it sit for a day, got night off and went out and hit starter button and it purrs like a kitten. Maybe the moisture getting to it some way on those damp mornings? Probally orginal plug wires. With only 20k should I change them anyway?? I'm just whining. Need time to do complete Tune-up and go find out where "Brown Sugar" is hiding and I will know how it is doing.

[5bikes]

My opinion is too lean pilot jet screws. Open up 1 turn and see if it helps. They are easy to get to by removing the fairing lowers. They are below the carb cap.