Still having some issues

[sandog]

I haven't been able to take my bike down to my friends yet to have him help me get it dialed in. He lives 100 miles to the south, and had relatives visiting the past week. Looks like it will be next weekend before I can get down there to have him look at it.
Starting to get cool here, living at 6500 feet, my time to be able to ride is running out before winter. We're having beautiful 75 degree days now, it's frustrating that the bike still isn't running good.

It runs since I put the new carb on, and runs smooth at lower speeds.
When I get out on the highway and am cruising though, the engine has some missing and hesitation. Not bad, but just doesn't like running at WOT.

Then when I slow down to turn onto my street, the engine dies. Doesn't want to start again unless I let it sit for a few minutes before cranking.
Rather than wait, I just push it the 100 yards to my driveway.

I adjusted the valves a few weeks ago, and put in an NGK plug.
The new plug didn't look bad when I pulled it, not sooted up, just a bit of white frostiness to the tip and electrode.
Any ideas what I can check ? I'd sure like to get this bike running better.

[Baskt_Case]

Frosty white plug is lean. To me it confirms my suspicion of lean on the top end and WOT. I'm no carb tuning expert but everything your saying sounds like too lean. Heres the best video I've seen explaining the 3 stages of carb tuning...

[Baskt_Case]

Also, not sure about dying when you drop throttle. Be sure idle is set correctly. ~1500RPM with a hot, fully warmed up motor. If you dont have a tachometer, 1500 can sound a little faster than what you might think.

Too tight valves can make it impossible to get a good idle. Few things I've learned along the way...

Set clutch freeplay COLD.
Set valves COLD.
Set idle HOT.

Be sure to watch that video. Carb tuning should be done in 3 steps...

Idle (pilot jet and screw)
Top End (main jet)
Midrange (needle)

[sandog]

I finally loaded up the bike on the hitch carrier and took it down to my friend's place for him to help me check it out. He was on a trip, then had some out of town guests, so it's been a few weeks for him to have some free time.

He took the carb apart and put in a 107.5 jet. I took it for a spin and it ran good but with a little hesitation at WOT. When I slowed down for a few stop signs on the way back to his place, the engine would die. Wouldn't restart right away, but when I waited a minute, then it started.
He dug thru trays that must have had 200 jets in them and couldn't find a 110, so he put in a 113, and turned out the mixture screw another half turn.
I ran it again for a mile or so, and the WOT was good, just a little roughness at slower speeds.
Back at his shop, it got hard to start. The battery started to run down, so we tried the kick start. It had fuel, and it had spark. Curt was beginning to suspect an electrical issue.
We put a charger on the battery and were trying to figure out why it had been running well before and now nothing.

I told him I'd try the remote start button on the key fob and when I did it started right up.
It seems to turn over when the starter button by the throttle is pushed but not fire up, but started right up and ran when I used the remote ?

Curt was going to move the needle down and noticed it wasn't secured at the bottom of the slide. He said the needle was only supposed to move when the throttle was twisted.
I think we ended up with the mixture screw 2 turns out.
It's running pretty well now, but he seemed to think I should get a new battery.

Sorry if I got the sequence of events out of order or the wrong terminology, all this carb stuff is new to me. But now I can do some riding tomorrow !

[Baskt_Case]

I read alot of recommendations to disconnect the remote start, lots of problems. Too many little issues, not worth it. Just use the alarm.

Sounds like bigger main jet is getting the top end worked out. Plug should be getting darker now.

I cant remember if 2 turns out is correct on the mix screw. Seems like that's a shade too much, need bigger pilot jet maybe. Might also be the cause of dying at stops. You've got a pod filter, sucks all the air she wants.

Again, I'll bring up valves. I know you said you did them, that's why I bring it up. It took me like 3 tries to get it right. Too tight just causes too many tuning issues. Hard starts, bad idle. Hot valves only get tighter. Then harder to restart. Sitting in shop talking about problem, bike is cooling, valves are loosening, then remote start magically works?

[sandog]

Thanks for all the help Baskt case.
Yes, the plug is darker now. Curt took the plug out several times to check it.
I'll take the valve cover off this morning and check the valves.

I haven't been getting much riding in because of the dying once it warms up, but it still only has maybe 180 miles on it ( odometer is in kilometers so I'd have to look up a conversion chart to be exact).
So engine isn't fully broken in yet and it stands to reason that the valves still need occasional loosening up.

Bike seemed like it was running way too lean all this time, and seems better now.
The valley Curt lives in is 3400 feet in elevation, I live at 6000 feet.
Days are still warm here but it will be too cold here to ride by Thanksgiving, so I'll be loading the bike up and taking it down to the low desert this winter.
Lots of great riding everywhere in Arizona:

[sandog]

Thanks Jeffery. I checked a few places locally and all the ones I've seen are O.K. length and height but too wide.
I'll do a google search and try Amazon as well.
Should I stick with Yuasa or is there a good brand to look for ?
Most of the ones that come up seem like no-name ones.

[timcosby]

too low of an idle will cause it to die like you say. when i first got mine it was set about 1400 rpm and when i was at a red light it would die when i bliped the throttle. move it up a hair to 1500 and the problem went away.

[wedooit]

I posted this on my BMS thread....might work for you..."Battery update.....i purchased YB7BB, will fit, terminals opposite. The original china battery has no cross that i could find. "
I got from I think batteries plus bulbs. Might be helpful to you...not sure.

[sandog]

I went over the bike this morning, checking for loose bolts, and I tightened the chain a bit, cleaned and lubed it.
The forward valve (intake ?) was the same, .07mm. The rearmost valve was pretty tight, I couldn't get the feeler gauge in, so I adjusted it.

Just took the bike out and went about 10 miles.
5 miles down the highway, and when I turned off on a dirt road, the engine died.
It wouldn't start, but from previous experience I figured if I let it cool it would fire up.
When I tried again, it started but when I put it in gear, it died. So I got a screwdriver and turned up the idle.
Waited a few minutes, it started and I took off back home. On the way back, some lurching/hesitation at everything but WOT. Turned into my driveway and the engine died. Still not trusting the bike when it always wants to die when the engine's warm.

[AresROC]

I wanted to mention this before, now I will finally ask: Have you checked for vacuum leaks? In your signature, it says Uni Pod Filter. I always wondered if those filters could cause a crack in your intake runner rubber, as it happens to others.
So use a tissue paper going around the engine while idling, some use propane gas or even starter spray. Check all hose connections.

[sandog]

I'll check for a vacuum leak tomorrow.

[NzBrakelathes]

Cheap pods cause issue
Remove it and run open carb to see if it improves as in a quick test

[sandog]

Originally Posted by NzBrakelathes

Cheap pods cause issue
Remove it and run open carb to see if it improves as in a quick test

I really doubt if the Uni air filter is the problem, as on Friday when my friend was working on the bike, we were taking the carb on and off for adjustment so the air filter wasn't even on all day.
And we were still having the "dies when slowing down, and hard to restart till it cools a bit" issues.
And it was also doing the same when I was running the stock air box and little paper filter.

[alex_in_az]

Originally Posted by sandog

I finally loaded up the bike on the hitch carrier and took it down to my friend's place for him to help me check it out. He was on a trip, then had some out of town guests, so it's been a few weeks for him to have some free time.

He took the carb apart and put in a 107.5 jet. I took it for a spin and it ran good but with a little hesitation at WOT. When I slowed down for a few stop signs on the way back to his place, the engine would die. Wouldn't restart right away, but when I waited a minute, then it started.
He dug thru trays that must have had 200 jets in them and couldn't find a 110, so he put in a 113, and turned out the mixture screw another half turn.
I ran it again for a mile or so, and the WOT was good, just a little roughness at slower speeds.
Back at his shop, it got hard to start. The battery started to run down, so we tried the kick start. It had fuel, and it had spark. Curt was beginning to suspect an electrical issue.
We put a charger on the battery and were trying to figure out why it had been running well before and now nothing.

I told him I'd try the remote start button on the key fob and when I did it started right up.
It seems to turn over when the starter button by the throttle is pushed but not fire up, but started right up and ran when I used the remote ?

Curt was going to move the needle down and noticed it wasn't secured at the bottom of the slide. He said the needle was only supposed to move when the throttle was twisted.
I think we ended up with the mixture screw 2 turns out.
It's running pretty well now, but he seemed to think I should get a new battery.

Sorry if I got the sequence of events out of order or the wrong terminology, all this carb stuff is new to me. But now I can do some riding tomorrow !

What brand of hitch carrier do you have and what do you think of it? I've been thinking of getting one and am looking for recommendations