Poorly running bike

[icebrrg3rd]

Well, my poor Venture decided that I had ignored her long enough and won't run properly. Back in spring, my shifter cam had decided that it was time to fail. Since I was short on cash, I parked it and started riding my Maxim. Since I only have space allowed for one bike in the garage, the Venture got the short straw and was left outside under a bike cover. I put Seafoam in the gas and let it run a little. During the summer, I started a few times just to get it running.

 

Finally, a month ago I got the new parts and installed the revised shifter cam in. Problem is, now it only runs with the choke on, and backfires alot. If I try to twist the throttle, it will immediately die. If I play with it as it's dying, I can get it to rev up, and actually get it to move, but as soon as I let off, it dies.

 

I've taken the TCI out, stuck it under a heat lamp for 4 hours (mmmm, toasty) and cleaned the connectors, but still acts the same. I did get my low beam back tho (had been off for a while, bulb is good). It is dim, not full strength, but has done that on occasion since I got it. Don't know if that was related or just coincidence.

 

I've taken the carbs off and cleaned the insides. A couple of the pilot holes appeared to be plugged, now they are all clear. Before I did this, the left front exhaust wouldn't get warm but now all pipes get warm within 1/2 min of idling (with the choke on). The diaphrams have a couple of pinholes, but they had them before and it still ran better than this. I will be replacing them soon.

 

When I turn it on, it sounds like there is a bunch of clicking right by the fuel pump, can't remember if this was normal. Haven't checked on fuel pressure, or the filter, I haven't had much bike time.

 

The bike was running ok before it got parked, not perfectly but still very drivable.

 

I'm open to suggestions, I hope to have it running so I can drive it to it's winter storage area (125 miles away @ my folks place) before the snow flies.

 

Thanks, Andrew

[Venturous Randy]

I did get my low beam back tho (had been off for a while, bulb is good). It is dim, not full strength, but has done that on occasion since I got it. Don't know if that was related or just coincidence.

 

 

Thanks, Andrew

 

Andrew, as far as the headlight, that is a typical symptom of the CMS in the middle of your dash needing resoldering.

How do your sparkplugs and plug caps look?

RandyA

[V7Goose]

Well, I can't make heads or tails out of what you said it was doing vs what it is doing now. I know you said you took the carbs out and cleaned them, but the symptoms you described are absolutely classic for plugged up pilot circuits., and dirty carbs in general. I have fixed this over and over again on Ventures that have been left to sit and rot. Good luck sorting it out.

Goose

[Freebird]

Yea, what Kent said but also, how much Seafoam did you use? There have been many reports here about heavy does of Seafoam fouling the plugs on the first gen bikes. I haven't heard that on the second gen and really don't understand why the first gens seem to do it so much. I guess what I'm saying though is that maybe you should try a new set of plugs before going any further.

[Marcarl]

If you just took the carbs off and sprayed cleaner at them, and through the throat without actually taking them apart????? then you didn't clean you carbs. Sounds to me like those puppies may have to be taken apart and cleaned real well.

[icebrrg3rd]

Randy, when I got the bike last year, one of the first things I did was re-solder the CMS, as a lot of the functions weren't working. After going down last Fall, maybe something is loose again. Will recheck it this winter.

 

As for the carbs, I took them out and separated them into the left and right sides, so I could open the backs up. I removed the jet block and pulled out the pilot jets. I shone a flashlight behind each to see if they were plugged, then blasted them with carb cleaner. When I re-assembled them, I made sure that I could see thru them. Maybe they were still plugged.

 

The caps, well, I need to replace them, the plugs were changed last year, but I really haven't ridden it this year since the shifter cam broke. It was just that it was driving fine before I parked it, now it is running poorly. I can see the carbs getting plugged, but the electronic parts I can't see failing so suddenly over a few months of non-use. But they will get replaced over the winter.

 

Main problem is I don't have any free time to work on it. Maybe next weekend I can get a few free minutes.

 

Thanks for the responses.

 

-Andrew

[icebrrg3rd]

Well, I got a few minutes between the kids' trick & treating and pulled the carbs again. Popped them apart and checked the pilot jets again. I guess when I did it the first time, I did open them up from being plugged, but I didn't clean them out completely. So this time I got them all cleaned out. Buttoned it back up, cranked her over, and she's ALIVE! Only got to take it for a short drive, but felt good to be back on the Venture. Too bad riding season is almost over.

 

-Andrew