| Author | Message | ||
     Mrbeetle |
Hello everybody! So i bought a 1999 Buell x1 about a week ago and have just been able to get out on it. The bike had been sitting for the majority of its life, It only has 5k on the OD and the guy i bought it from let it sit for 2 years because he lost his license. When i was riding it at first it would every so often backfire from the intake but would not die. When starting it this morning it was hard to start and when it backfired out of the intake smoke came out too. Could this be a junked up fuel system and needs fuel filter replaced and injectors rebuilt? Or do you think it is a more serious problem like a bent valve or something. | ||
| Sparky |
Bent valves or more likely sticking valves? Open the gas cap and smell the fuel inside. If it smells more like turpentine than gasoline, the gas is stale and needs to be drained out and the tank flushed with fuel cleaner/conditioner and fresh gasoline. Do NOT run the engine with stale gas because it is turning into a gummy varnish-like liquid that can cause intake valves to stick! The gummy varnish gets deposited between the valve stem and its guide, eventually creating so much friction that the valve springs cannot completely close the valve resulting in misfires & backfires. If it has been run with stale gas, it is possible that the backfire and smoke out the intake could be due to sticking intake valves. | ||
| Ishai |
Check your side stand safety switch- if you are comfortable with bypassing it do it as it might randomly cut your spark and fuel accumulates in the muffler and ignites when the safety switch releases. It is an interlock switch that supposed to prevent you from attempting to ride away with you kickstand deployed. Had the same problem with my 99 Cyclone and that was the culprint. | ||
| Cactusjack578 |
Mrbeetle, Start off by keeping it simple. The bike is running but has been sitting a lot. That would make me want to clean the fuel system and tune her up. Run a quality fuel system cleaner through it first to see if it helps clear it up before you go tearing through your motor. Always Look at the simple stuff first. | ||
| Mrbeetle |
So i changed the fuel filter and it looked fairly clean and i seafomed the engine and it seemed to have stopped except for one time in the last few rides. I have one fuel tank through it and it seems like it is getting better and better the more i ride it, faster too!  Im going to change the spark plugs and get the fuel injectors rebuilt next just to be sure its running perfect. Thanks guys! | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Seafoam is good.. | ||
| Mrbeetle |
Ok so im still getting the back firing every so often but always at low rpm, when starting out, and it never kills the bike. Im thinking i am going to Seafoam it again but with a spray bottle right into the intake. I have not gotten around to changing the plugs or injectors yet but i think they may of something to do with it. | ||
| Mrbeetle |
So i removed the muffler and the back firing stopped. I found a dent in the muffler about the size of my fist that i thing may have been clogging things up a bit. I know a fabricator so i think i can get a custom system bent for cheap only problem is, i love the way it sounds now its just a little loud. Road for 3 hours today and got super bad ringing in my ears now. So what muffler should i use to take it down a little bit but not so much it sounds stock? Also the bike will wheelie super easy now when its straight pipe so i want something that will keep the power band higher. What muffler would you guys recommend? Thanks! | ||
| Ocbueller |
If it was a stock muffler the dent may be the factory clearance for the primary drain plug. I am partial to V&H mufflers but they have their own problems. Perhaps the best would be a factory race exhaust if you can locate one. SteveH | ||
| Sportyeric |
I'm going to piggyback onto this thread. Trying to start the Sportster after its been sitting for two years. Engine turns over but won't fire.A couple of times while cranking there was a loud bang that I thought might be the starter "kicking out" or something. Sometimes poking the starter will get a click like dead battery, but then a few minutes later it will spin again. And it sometimes backfires out the carb. So, I'm now thinking perhaps there is a sticking valve and the times when the engine won't turn over is when the piston is right up against the valve. So, how to deal with it. Can I squirt carb cleaner into the intake manifold (with the carb off) in the hopes of cleaning varnish off the valve? Should I just keep trying to start it and, if it starts, run Seafoam for cleaning. Should I stop trying and take the heads off? |
