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I got this bike last week. It fires right up and idles around 1100rpm. After about 3 minutes of idling (or riding even) it stalls out. I pulled plugs 1 and 4 and they're wet and black. From doing internet research it would seem that maybe there is something in the fuel line preventing the float bowls from filling properly?
I guess I'm asking what the first course of action should be? Try to clear the lines (how do I even do this??) or just go ahead and pull the carbs off and service them? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am new to all of this and very eager to learn.
-Jon
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Administrator
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Welcome to the forum. Since, you say 1-4 plugs are wet I would say, you have an ignition problem. 1-4 are fired by the same set of points, and are on the same coil. Start with checking the points, then move on to checking the coil. You can download the manual from our manual section, and it gives step by step instructions on how to do this.
TOOLS
Life is not about the number of breaths, you take, but the moments that take your breath away.
I don't have an anger problem. I have an idiot problem. Hank Hill
Never confuse education for intelligence.
Happiness is a belt fed weapon.
I just can't imagine what could go wrong.
No fire? No explosions? So whats the point of your story?
Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber. ~Plato
It couldn't be done, but the darn fool didn't know it, and did it anyway.
We all got problems. Ksharp
I like vintage bikes because they take me away from the clutter of technology that I work with everyday and back to a simpler time of mechanical elegance and simplicity.. "ninadm"
Darkwing Duck: The worst part of public transportation is the Public.
"That is awesome shit there" Re-Run
"Fear nothing, attack everything" Eric Berry
" Oh, you read that on the internet? Clearly it IS a massive problem. Of course it CAN’t be normal operation."
1976 CB 750-A X 2
1977 CB 750-A X 4
1977 CB 750-K
1976 CB 750 F
1981 CB 750
1966 Kawasaki SG 250
1981 KZ 750 LTD
1973 CB 350
1979 CM 185 Twinstar
1982 Honda XL 80
South of Eden (Kansas City MO)
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Awesome, thanks for the fast reply. Where is this manual section? I'm pretty internet savvy but this seems to be eluding me.
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Looks like I'll check the points and coil in the next couple of days.. a fundamental question first. Why would bad points or coil cause the motorcycle to stall after 3 minutes of idling?? I would think this would be a fuel system problem. Is it because this is a timing issue and after 3 minutes of idling the timing is off and the plugs aren't firing, causing sooty build up on the plugs themselves??
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Administrator
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It most likely is heat build up in the coil. The coil could have an internal short that is building up heat, and causing the coil to stop working. Run the bike until it stalls. then pull a plug wire, and stick another plug on it. Ground the plug to the cylinder, and crank the engine over, watching, for spark. This will tell, you if it is the ignition. Coils are strange creatures.
TOOLS
Life is not about the number of breaths, you take, but the moments that take your breath away.
I don't have an anger problem. I have an idiot problem. Hank Hill
Never confuse education for intelligence.
Happiness is a belt fed weapon.
I just can't imagine what could go wrong.
No fire? No explosions? So whats the point of your story?
Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber. ~Plato
It couldn't be done, but the darn fool didn't know it, and did it anyway.
We all got problems. Ksharp
I like vintage bikes because they take me away from the clutter of technology that I work with everyday and back to a simpler time of mechanical elegance and simplicity.. "ninadm"
Darkwing Duck: The worst part of public transportation is the Public.
"That is awesome shit there" Re-Run
"Fear nothing, attack everything" Eric Berry
" Oh, you read that on the internet? Clearly it IS a massive problem. Of course it CAN’t be normal operation."
1976 CB 750-A X 2
1977 CB 750-A X 4
1977 CB 750-K
1976 CB 750 F
1981 CB 750
1966 Kawasaki SG 250
1981 KZ 750 LTD
1973 CB 350
1979 CM 185 Twinstar
1982 Honda XL 80
South of Eden (Kansas City MO)
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Update:
Ok. I tried what you said. Started her up and let it idle for about 3 mins. Sounds like it is running ok to me. I noticed it does start out around 1000 - 1100 rpm, then goes up to about 1400, drops back to 1100 and then slowly dies out.
I pulled plug wire #4 and hooked it to an extra plug and grounded it, hit the starter and I DID see good spark.
I also pulled the point cover off and looked at them... they seemed ok to me, although I don't really know what I am looking for in bad points....
Should I go ahead with troubleshooting the ignition system and test the coil, or maybe is this a carburetor issue??
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Administrator
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Will it fire back up after sitting a few minuets?
TOOLS
Life is not about the number of breaths, you take, but the moments that take your breath away.
I don't have an anger problem. I have an idiot problem. Hank Hill
Never confuse education for intelligence.
Happiness is a belt fed weapon.
I just can't imagine what could go wrong.
No fire? No explosions? So whats the point of your story?
Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber. ~Plato
It couldn't be done, but the darn fool didn't know it, and did it anyway.
We all got problems. Ksharp
I like vintage bikes because they take me away from the clutter of technology that I work with everyday and back to a simpler time of mechanical elegance and simplicity.. "ninadm"
Darkwing Duck: The worst part of public transportation is the Public.
"That is awesome shit there" Re-Run
"Fear nothing, attack everything" Eric Berry
" Oh, you read that on the internet? Clearly it IS a massive problem. Of course it CAN’t be normal operation."
1976 CB 750-A X 2
1977 CB 750-A X 4
1977 CB 750-K
1976 CB 750 F
1981 CB 750
1966 Kawasaki SG 250
1981 KZ 750 LTD
1973 CB 350
1979 CM 185 Twinstar
1982 Honda XL 80
South of Eden (Kansas City MO)
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Keep in mind that back then when the engines were air cooled having the bike just sit and idle was not good.
Modern motorcycle engines can sit and idle because they have liquid cooling.
On a Roadstar Adventure.
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Administrator
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That's right. Set a box fan in front of the bike if, you are going to be running it, for any length of time.
TOOLS
Life is not about the number of breaths, you take, but the moments that take your breath away.
I don't have an anger problem. I have an idiot problem. Hank Hill
Never confuse education for intelligence.
Happiness is a belt fed weapon.
I just can't imagine what could go wrong.
No fire? No explosions? So whats the point of your story?
Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber. ~Plato
It couldn't be done, but the darn fool didn't know it, and did it anyway.
We all got problems. Ksharp
I like vintage bikes because they take me away from the clutter of technology that I work with everyday and back to a simpler time of mechanical elegance and simplicity.. "ninadm"
Darkwing Duck: The worst part of public transportation is the Public.
"That is awesome shit there" Re-Run
"Fear nothing, attack everything" Eric Berry
" Oh, you read that on the internet? Clearly it IS a massive problem. Of course it CAN’t be normal operation."
1976 CB 750-A X 2
1977 CB 750-A X 4
1977 CB 750-K
1976 CB 750 F
1981 CB 750
1966 Kawasaki SG 250
1981 KZ 750 LTD
1973 CB 350
1979 CM 185 Twinstar
1982 Honda XL 80
South of Eden (Kansas City MO)
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Ok.. I think I fixed it. There was a fuel blockage... the petcock. That's right, I'm an idiot.
As this is an old bike, there was no clear indication to what the on position is on the valve.. I had been storing it in 'on' and running it in 'off'. Oops.. that would explain the fuel blockage.
Again.. I'm dumb..
I figured this out because I was messing with the neutral light (it's burned out) and the wiring is exposed on it, it shorted out on something while the bike was running, thus killing the bike and all the electronics. I think I blew a fuse (i only see 3 fuses and one of them is blown). I took the tank off to trace the wire, and lo-and-behold fuel started spewing out of the petcock when I had it in the 'off' position, and stopped flowing in the 'on' position... oh well. I'm glad nothing is wrong (except for that fuse now).
Thanks for y'alls help. Atleast I learned a little bit more motorcycle maintenance.
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