| Author | Message | ||
     Cecilsan |
Hey all! Got an issue I've been working on the past week or so. Bike quit working randomly one night, started clicking like the battery was dead, replaced battery but then the bike wouldn't start. Per some of the guys at buellforums.com I checked out the carb and float. Float appears to be in spec, cleaned carb and verified no blockage in vents. Replaced jets and the boot looks fine (no tears/etc). Verified fuel comes out of the petcock and there is always fuel in the float bowl when I take it apart The bike will start up (takes it a bit) and run but the idle sounds like it wants to die, then comes back up, goes back and forth till it actually dies OR if I give it the slightest throttle the bike dies. Each time it dies it puffs out gas vapors from the carb. What else is the issue?! Its starting to kill me..prior to the night the battery died I had no issues whatsoever | ||
| Swampy |
Welcome to the Badweb Cecilsan! What you are explaining sounds very much like a torn intake boot. I would recheck it just to be sure. Twist the boot around a little to look for cracks or tears on the inside of the boot. Did you remove the top diaphragm cover from the carb? If you did it is very tricky to get the boot back into place without pinching the diaphragm with the cover. I usualy fit the cover back on as well as possible then us a thin 6" metal ruler to move the edges back into the recess to get it into place. Good luck, post up to let us know how it turned out. | ||
| Cecilsan |
I'll check the boot again (might even replace it to make sure) but I took it completely off, removed the clamps and inspected and did not notice any tears or cracks. I did remove the diaphragm from the carb when cleaning/doing some mods while I had the carb off. I put the cover back on gently and didn't have any issues with it closing. The carb was only messed with after the problem started. Prior to that it had never been off the bike or messed with (as least since I've had it) | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
I dont understand why if it was an electrical problem, they told you to take the carb apart and clean it? (almost always a bad idea). It now sounds like you have two problems. The first problem and now a carb problem. Did you add shims to the needle? Did you remove the emulsion tube with the main jet? Did you remove the vacuum plug at the back of the carb? | ||
| Cecilsan |
Sorry, initially I believe it was a electrical problem (fast clicking and not turning over) I replaced the battery and the clicking went away but bike still would hard start and die w/ throttle. Thats when they recommended checking the float/etc. While I had the carb off cleaning and checking the float I did change out the jets (was running 42/170, changed to 45/175...have a Bub exhaust) and added shims to the needle but the problem existed prior to those mods. I did not take out the emulsion tube only unscrewed the main jet and not sure where the vacuum plug you speak of is (is it the black nub near the fuel line/under the TPS? If so no I haven't messed w/ that) I've ordered Thump-e's Super Boot but my current boot "appears" ok..it has one very tiny cut (about 2mm) in it that does not go all the way through...other than that it "appears" fine <shrug> Re-did a float check today..took off bowl, turned on petcock and fuel runs out at a quick rate...raised the float to level and the fuel stops so according to a post I read here, that means it should be ok right? | ||
| Cecilsan |
I still have yet to get the bike back up to its orig. running self!! I can get the bike to start now w/ Thump's Super Boot but still it won't ride right or even stay running consistently. Here is the check list I've done thus far today - Emptied and filled up talk w/ new gas from a diff gas station than last time - No change - Disconnected TPS - No change - Removed shim's from carb needle - No change - Removed Main Jet and Tube, used can of air to make sure clear - No change Still the bike is hard to start, sounds rough when idling...occasionally idling so low it almost dies or does die. When giving throttle it sounds like it "sags" then throttles up (only way I can explain it) and I can't ride it for more than 2 min before it dies and won't start again Here are 2 audio files of the bike idling with intermit. throttle. At the end of the first one the bike dies on its own after I give it throttle. Every time I throttle its an even slow twist http://members.cox.net/c3c1lsan/Cycle1.m4a http://members.cox.net/c3c1lsan/Cycle2.m4a Anyone have any other ideas?! If not I guess I have no choice but to take it to the dealership and let them mess with it....I'm getting pissed at this bike....bout to kick it down the hill | ||
| Patches |
When I upgraded my carb. to go with new exhaust and intake mine done the same. Ended up being pinched diaphragm on the carb. slide. | ||
| Ezblast |
Iwould also check my front and rear grounds for tightness. Things vibrate loose, however, I concur, boot or diaphragm are likely culprits, I've had the tiniest cracks shut me down on the boot. EZ | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
It does sound like carb (intake leak) or spark plug related hesitation Did you check the spark plug? Gap? How old? 10,000 miles or close to it replace it. If it looks bad, do it anyway. Is the tip still screwed on? Is the plug wire loose? The vacuum plug at the rear of the carb (close to the boot) on top, should have a good plug on it. Make sure its not cracked. Some carbs may have a solid 'nipple' or the carb may not even be drilled for it. Only California bikes use that vacuum port for anything. On the loose grounds. Does the clutch cable get hot? Stock ignition? Lastly: You didnt do anything else to the bike before this problem? Even seemingly unrelated? Your Blast ran fine after you put the exhaust on, etc? | ||
| Cecilsan |
My old boot definitely was bad, but just replaced a couple days ago w/ Thump-e's Super Boot. That seemed to fix the issue where I couldn't give any throttle at all but didn't fix all the problems I'll recheck the diaphragm to make sure not caught. I did check it yesterday to make sure no holes or tears and the cover seems to go back on without any issues Front ground has been checked, doesn't move around or seem loose. I've looked for the ground near the battery but not entirely sure where it is, what does it look like exactly? But I've checked all the connections around the battery and they are all tight I have yet to check the spark plug...bike has 6.5k on it and is the orig. plug as far as I know. Plug wires seem tight on both ends, pushed them down as far as they will go, get a solid click when they are attached Not sure on the vacuum plug...I'll have to look at that, don't believe I've ever seen that. Stock ignition, clutch doesn't get hot. Nope..only modifications/work I've done to the bike prior to the issue was swapped out the bars for Superbike, headlight for Silverstar, turn signals and replace clutch cable. Headlight and turn signals were plug and play. No change or extra wiring required. Other than that I've just done a oil and clutch fluid change. The exhaust was put on by the prev. owner and I've ridden for about 1500 miles with no issue. The problems all happened in one night, worked fine..died on its own, hasn't been right since *edit* All work done by me was probably about 500+ miles ago, problems didn't happen immediately after changing anything (Message edited by cecilsan on August 01, 2009) | ||
| Kerryb |
I'm about ready to throw in the towel and take the bike to a shop to get it fixed. The bike initially died while I was riding it. It slowly lost power, died and would not restart. The bike turns over but won't start. I've replaced the boot, plug and battery. The coil and plug wire test good. Cleaned the carb and it's getting gas. I pulled the plug out to check spark, it sparks but the spark seems weak. It's just a slow yellow spark. I should see the plug glowing blue, right? The ign mudule led is blinking as it normally should. Anyone have any ideas? | ||
| Ezblast |
Try a new plug wire, check grounds, disable safeties, test coil. EZ | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Concur! You definitely have a weak spark. If the spark plug has 10,000 miles on it (or close to it), it needs to be changed. Nothing jumps out at me besides the things EZ mentioned. How many miles are on the bike? Any other recent work performed? Did it make any noise when/while it was dying? Slowly losing power and dying could be coil, compression or a bad oil pump drive gear (but it will usually still run with a bad gear-just not well). | ||
| Kerryb |
Yeah, I've replaced the boot, plug, coil and battery. The plug wire ohms out like it should. The ground at the coil is good. When it died it just slowly lost power, like it was out of gas or fuel line was clogged, however, that was not the case. Maybe compression, I,ll check that, but vacuum at carb feels strong when it's cranking. | ||
| Ezblast |
Ignition? EZ |
