IDLE ISSUES: Hanging Idle :(

@AlphaDog I'm not trying to argue or talk in circles--I'm just mostly trying to wrap my own amateur mind around what's going on. Sorry if it came off any other way. I'm learning something new almost everyday I try to solve this problem, so thank you for being patient with me. I will take your advice and execute before responding from here on out. I also am in the garage a lot replying as soon as I look at something or like in the previous responses I literally rode my bike about 8mi. in-between replies. Again, I will now respond only after attempting everything possible.

I don't have external vent hoses on the carbs (bracing for bitch slapping :-[).

@teazer
I did look for dirty gas. It does have an amber hue but I didn't see any particles or chunks. The tank at one point had old liner in it but was "cleaned out" at some point. I also set float hieghts according to the picture in the manual which shows the carbs on their backs (airbox side).

@lingo
I have a brand new OEM filter, a super clean oil pan, and fresh oil in the bike and no smelly stick ;D.

I'll take some time to execute some ideas I have and the ones you guys gave me. Thank you for your time.
 
The way to set float height is to tilt the carbs until the float tang just touches the needle. That float needle has a spring inside it (usually) and if you tilt the carbs all the way, the float level is wrong.
 
teazer said:
The way to set float height is to tilt the carbs until the float tang just touches the needle. That float needle has a spring inside it (usually) and if you tilt the carbs all the way, the float level is wrong.

Apologies, but this made little sense to me (and I know how to set float height on carbs).
 
Sp let's try that again.

The float needles in most bikes have a small pin that the float contacts. That pin is spring loaded to allow it to seal even when the float may be moving around on say bumpy roads.

Imagine a carb the right way up with the float rising until the tang just starts to press on that pin. That's the height the floats should typically be set to. As the float rises further, the tang compresses the spring and can sit much higher.

Now let's see a carb on its back. If the spring is strong enough and you are careful, the tang will just contact the spring and that will be OK. What usually happens is that upside down the weight of the float usually compresses the spring. If the float is set to stock spec in that position, it will be much lower when it starts to shut off fuel flow.

That's why you take a carb and slowly rotate it backwards until the tang on the floats just touches the spring loaded pin in the float needle.

A much better way is to set the actual fuel level at around 3mm below the floor of the carb throat. That's often called the "wet setting".

Bottom line is that as long as you are consistent and your bike runs fine, it doesn't much matter how you got there. :)
 
What's that old saying about pictures and thousands of words.... That is a good one
 
Took a while to find a good one. I've been thinking of doing a few how-to videos myself. Some things are difficult to describe, but easy to show.
 
@AlphaDog that first video is exactly what I did to mine haha.

but seriously this is how I measured mine. The pic in the manual showed the carbs on their backs while measuring, and that's what I did as well, here the tang is barley touching the needle. I'll go back and see if I can achieve a more drastic angle than this with the tang still touching when I clean them again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEV_Fkd4lDg
 
That's good. The carbs are at such an angle that the tang is just touching the little spring plunger on the float needle. Absolutely essential that the plunger is not pressed into the needle for the measurement.

I have encountered a few old carbs where the plunger was stuck.
 
Update:

My buddy took off the petcock and then sent me the following photo. He said there are defiantly rust particles in the fuel (kinda hard to see in the photo). My next step will be to clean as much rust out as possible and put some filters on the line. I'm thinking clean fuel will in turn fix the carb issues. I'll let y'all know what happens.

Any suggestions on rust removal techniques?
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    139.3 KB · Views: 105
Search for tank cleaning and rust removal, there are dozens of methods and threads including acid, solvent, electrolysis and mechanical scrubbing with old nuts and bolts. Once clean, as mentioned, install an inline fuel filter.

Did you rebuild the carbs with OEM Honda parts or aftermarket kit like K&L or Keyster? From long and frustrating experience, the after market kits are junk, often way out of spec, use inferior materials and cause all types of carburation setting and tuning problems. Use Honda parts only.
 
Thanks Swan and I'll do my research. This is my buddies bike and I'm helping him get it on the road (blind leading the blind)--he bought the parts, ill see if he can dig up a receipt That's good information to know though as I am about to rebuild mine as well. Ill opt out for the slightly more pricey Honda kits after hearing that.
 
Back
Top Bottom