Can't Idle - Full story.

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Aviator, I thought I read in one of your posts that they shop said they drained the gas tank and cleaned it...maybe I misread it. If the fuel in your system is that old, DEFINITELY change it....completely. Even if it had stabilizer in it....change it out.

Drain the bowls, remove the fuel filter and get the fuel out of it, and drain the tank. Then refill with fresh 92-93 octane gas. This is one of the first places to start when you know a bike has been sitting and now its not running correctly. LOL I have seen seasoned mechanics miss this and spend a lot of shop time chasing their tail trying to fix a problem, only to find it was bad fuel...hahaha I guess it proves we're all human. Sometimes the most obvious is NOT the first place we look.
 
While you're at the job, check if the four 'linkage' screws are there. They are the ones that link the choke to the four carbs. Especially the front left one has a tendency to drop out, leading to exactly the problem you describe - found out the hard way...but got help on this forum!
 
Well, the idle mixture screws wont blow out. They are backed out all the way and feel free with the flat-head screw driver. I feel the faint click at the last thread with each turn. I created a solid seal with a rubber grommet and blasted 120 psi through the hole, but they're not moving. I've soaked it all with carb cleaner and wiped every surface dry repeatedly. Other than that, I'm stuck.
 
Get a small wire and try going backwards and forward like you are a plumber. You might have a piece of stray material in there gumming up the works. Perhaps going backwards is best, if that is possible, so as not to lodge anything in the pipe tighter than it already is.
 
WOW! I just read ALL of this... DAMN... I hate stupid people...

Check out the VMF links button up top for more great links and how to's.

Chris
 
WOW! I just read ALL of this... DAMN... I hate stupid people...

Check out the VMF links button up top for more great links and how to's.

Chris


i thought u meant aviator. i was like wow thats harsh. i realize u meant the stealer... whew.
 
DB, The shop claimed they drained the tank the second time. It still wasn't running right, so it's been parked in the garage. I've got 5 gallons of 108 to add once I get it dry.

Thanks Rhoy, the page has been loaded in my browser since day one of this post. I'll have o give those guys a shout.

dtoebaert, I checked the linkage to choke. They pull out properly, but removing the choke does not push the little valve all the way in, on the right rear carb. Using my finger to push it yields about 1 mm stroke till it seats.

Greek, That was my last thought before I walked away from it today. Gotta find some thin, but tough wire for that trick.

Thanks again for all of the help.
 
I'm not sure how big the port is, but you may consider stripping down some interior electrical wire, such as the stuff that comes in like a 3x wire interior wall sleeve. That stuff is REALLY stout. It might be too thick though. I'd estimate that it is about 1/16" in diameter (or across).

Ugh. What a bloody mess mate. I hope you get it sorted, and I WOULD NOT pay for services that were obviously not performed well, but that's just me. And I should mention that I "AM" a total asshole. :)
 
Yeah... 108 is NOT what you want to use. Stick with Ethanol FREE fuels though. If you can't find ethanol free fuels then use seafoam every so often. 87 is the best gas for performance. These are relatively low compression engines so there is NO reason to have anything above 87 unless you've milled the deck or changed to a higher compression piston.

Chris
 
Another idea I would try is this (once you have confirmed there is nothing blocking the idle screws from coming out of the recess):

Find something that will fit in the recess that is flat on the end (example: small wooden dowel rod, skinny unsharpened pencil, etc). Then apply a very small amount of something sticky on the end of it (example: small dab of grease or silicone gasket maker) and try to get the screw to stick to it as you remove dowel rod out of the recess. The key here is to not use a lot or you could make a bad situation worse by creating a blockage.

Also, realize that there is the screw, a spring, a metal washer, and an o-ring (in that order) that is down inside the recess. Once you get the screw out, a very small screw driver could be used to get the rest out...just don't tear the o-ring.

Lastly, which jet are you shooting the air through? Just to confirm, it should be the air jet that is on top of the carburetor and is only accessible with the airbox removed.
 
With the holidays and now the flu, the repair remains on the back-burner of my to do list. Thanks for the input: I'll try some adhesive on a dowel when I get to feeling better. Sick sucks!
 

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