buzzsawbee
New Member
Hi all. I am a noob on this forum but have owned my V-Max for 12 years and I am looking for some help solving a couple of problems.
I have a 97 with 3100 miles on it - I bought it when I was in the Navy and then after I got out my job had me on the road all the time. It was great for seeing the world, but terrible for riding my bike... In an effort to get back in the groove I took it to a local dealer for a badly needed tune up and carb cleaning/re-synch. They did an ok job, the bike starts right up and idles (which it wouldn't do before) but has an occasional pop/backfire that wasn't there in past years. The main problems I am concerned about though are the complete lack of low end throttle response - when I give it gas while idleing or put it in gear and try to take off if I don't really get on it the engine boggs and wants to stall, even after it warms up; the engine feeling like it is pulling/loaping when crusing at normal, non-vboost rpm/speed; and the sound difference in the engine while crusing - its muted, almost like the timing is retarded, not crisp and clean as it was before. It seems to run fine when I really put my wrist into it though...
I did some leak checks using carb cleaner, found nothing. I looked into the carbs while cycling the bike on and off to see if excess gas was pouring into them, again nothing. Plugs, starting from front left and going clockwise were dry/chocolate, dry/darker chocolate, wet/dark (almost black), dry/dark chocolate with white electrode tip; they all cleaned right up. I haven't checked the float levels yet, planning to do that this weekend.
I am running out of ideas and am not interested in returning to the dealer - they were very expensive and took way too long (over three weeks) to get the bike back to me, so I am asking for the advice of all the experts on here. I can do most all the work myself, except retuning the carbs - I don't have the equipment nor do I have the resources to buy one of those speciality tools, but if that is the verdict and someone in my area (Ann Arbor, Michigan) is willing to help I am willing to learn.
Ideas?
Thanks....
I have a 97 with 3100 miles on it - I bought it when I was in the Navy and then after I got out my job had me on the road all the time. It was great for seeing the world, but terrible for riding my bike... In an effort to get back in the groove I took it to a local dealer for a badly needed tune up and carb cleaning/re-synch. They did an ok job, the bike starts right up and idles (which it wouldn't do before) but has an occasional pop/backfire that wasn't there in past years. The main problems I am concerned about though are the complete lack of low end throttle response - when I give it gas while idleing or put it in gear and try to take off if I don't really get on it the engine boggs and wants to stall, even after it warms up; the engine feeling like it is pulling/loaping when crusing at normal, non-vboost rpm/speed; and the sound difference in the engine while crusing - its muted, almost like the timing is retarded, not crisp and clean as it was before. It seems to run fine when I really put my wrist into it though...
I did some leak checks using carb cleaner, found nothing. I looked into the carbs while cycling the bike on and off to see if excess gas was pouring into them, again nothing. Plugs, starting from front left and going clockwise were dry/chocolate, dry/darker chocolate, wet/dark (almost black), dry/dark chocolate with white electrode tip; they all cleaned right up. I haven't checked the float levels yet, planning to do that this weekend.
I am running out of ideas and am not interested in returning to the dealer - they were very expensive and took way too long (over three weeks) to get the bike back to me, so I am asking for the advice of all the experts on here. I can do most all the work myself, except retuning the carbs - I don't have the equipment nor do I have the resources to buy one of those speciality tools, but if that is the verdict and someone in my area (Ann Arbor, Michigan) is willing to help I am willing to learn.
Ideas?
Thanks....
