I thought I was being frugal and smart.....

[joboo]

Turns out I was being cheap and stupid. I tripped over my ego and landed with, well you know. Anyway, I take great pride in the fact that I think I am a pretty good mechanic, unfortunately, there comes a time when you realize the thinking part of that statement can be your undoing. I have had my Royal Star for 17 years and the last 10 have done all my own work. I can pull those carbs off with my eyes closed, well at least that part is true. It is what happens after you get em off that is the problem. I diagnose the problem and fix whatever is wrong and put em back together, built a lot of my own test gadgets and sync tool, man am I smart! I save tons of money too! So after all this time, seems the bike and I are growing old, why a month ago I embarrassed myself at a Patriot Guard ride. I was in formation next to a trike and we came to an idle crawl. I found myself doing the "bike weave" with the front tire and pulling the clutch in more than it was out trying to ride at a complete idle. I kept having to put my feet down and as my face was getting a little more crimson in color and by God I was jealous of the guy on the trike and thinking maybe it was time to retire the old girl cause I could hardly do this anymore. Well, I went home, let the bike sit for a couple of weeks, then thought I would go for a ride. The bike had taken to leaking a little fuel if I left it sit for awhile but the leak would stop after it got warmed up. DANG ETHANOL! I knew that crap must be drying out the rubber! So I thought, the float needles are rubber and they are the only thing that would make the fuel run out because I had already adjusted the floats and being the ace mechanic that I am this must be it. I ordered the needles, pulled the carbs and replaced them, put it all back together and fired it up. Now I have a leak at one of the float bowls, needs a new o-ring, ordered the o-ring. pulled off the carbs, replaced the O-ring and put everything back together and fired it up, now I have popping, could not figure this out so guessed I must have put something together wrong, pulled the carbs off again, could not find anything wrong so I did all the tests, I find that the float level will not remain the same over time, diagnosed to a bad o-ring on the float seat assembly. Ordered them, replaced them, put everything back together and fired it up..... another float bowl o-ring is leaking....Now at this point it has been three months since the PGR ride and those carbs have been off more than granny's nightgown. I give up and order all new parts for the carbs, because by now I have a mismatched bunch of parts that have been replaced at all kinds of different times, bear in mind that this is how I have been doing the maintenance over the years. The parts were not all that expensive, a few hundred bucks when purchased all together. I rebuilt the carbs, did all the adjustments, fired em up, synced and low and behold, I am not OLD, I can ride at idle. Not only that, but my gas mileage has improved by over 10 mpg, I can turn tighter and starts at lights are almost night and day different. If you have been riding the same bike, and it seems like you are growing old together, rethink it! I did not notice the degradation in performance over time but after rebuilding it the sound is so different, I am ashamed that I did not notice any of those things. I was ready to cash it in. So for all you out there that any of this sounds familiar, take it from a newly humbled idiot. All this time I thought I was being frugal and smart, turns out, I was being cheap and stupid! Old dogs really can learn, too bad it took so long! Anybody wants to know how to get the carbs off or back on in 6 1/2 minutes let me know.

[BOO]

Sounds familar. Been there a few times. Trouble is I don't learn I just keep doing it.

Boo

[uncledj]

Hey, you're only human. I get spanked all the time. I always figure the guys who think they know it all are dangerous. I rarely give their opinion much weight. We all do one thing well....some of us do a few, or even several things well, but no one can do it everything well and even a competent, full time bike mechanic will have issues from time to time.

Judging from your post, you're waaayyy more capable than most guys here.....certainly more able than me.

Glad you got your issue resolved.

[lsutley]

Let's see, found the source of the actual problem, properly diagnosed the issue, spec'd the proper replacement parts, correctly installed same with great results!!! Doesn't sound too bad to my way of thinking. Persistence, perseverance, accumulation of knowledge, modified procedures to obtain different results.

 

I fail to see any hint of idiocy in the process. I certainly would be willing to take any advice that you would be willing to offer. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[we2riders]

Thats one of the great things about this motorcycling thingy, whether it be riden em or working on em, they do keep us humble!

I chased a gas leak with an appearance of coming from my carb over flows that actually came down to a small crack in the back of the fuel filter!! At least you were on the continent

Bad thing about foolin with gas is things can get really bad really fast

[djh3]

You know you have done a job way to many times when you can go to the tool box and get all the right tools first time around. I know you feel sort of silly, but your no different than a fellow that would work at the dealrship really. Only difference is you were trying to save a couple bucks by only replacing what really needed to be replaced. Dealership probably would have thrown parts at it just to be on "safe side". You done good.

[we2riders]

You know you have done a job way to many times when you can go to the tool box and get all the right tools first time around. I know you feel sort of silly, but your no different than a fellow that would work at the dealrship really. Only difference is you were trying to save a couple bucks by only replacing what really needed to be replaced. Dealership probably would have thrown parts at it just to be on "safe side". You done good.

 

BINGO!!!!!! and not feel bad at all for charging you for it!!