Still won't idle

[Guest]

Hi! Have we met? I'm an idiot. Nice to meet you.

To give everyone a little re-cap, I picked up my bike late last October and it had a problem with starting. Required starter fluid or a pop-start unless it was ridden every day. And then it would only idle after it was very warmed up.

I cleaned/rebuilt the carbs and got a new gel battery and it starts everytime now, but requires a little manipulation of the choke. Wiggling it between full and 3/4 she'll grab relatively quickly, but will idle quite weakly. Blip the throttle and she'll go up and idle strong at about 3000rpms, but will die shortly thereafter, (about five seconds) unless I keep blipping the throttle.

I was in the process of taking the carbs off this afternoon to check the intake boots again and clean out the idle jets/passages when I noticed that the throttle plates aren't opening up evenly.

I had to adjust the screw down between the first and second carb in order for it to move at the same time as the other two.

I had a perfect vacuum synch after I rebuilt, so this must've worked itself loose. I must not have tightened it enough.

So I'm a fool. But I wonder how much of my problem this accounts for. The bike takes a long time to warm up. A LONG time, and even then it won't idle without some real clever manipulation of the throttle cable/idle screw.

Also, to add to the madness, I believe I've got the wrong length of replacement throttle cable, and it might be affecting this whole thing.

Intake boots look/feel pliable as all heII, but I'm checking them again right now. It's a 16V, so no intake o-rings.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
~Mike

[UncleMike]

Intake boots are shot. On the carb side, they feel and look new. Pulling them off the engine shows a different song and dance. Three out of four cracked in several places when I squeezed them.

Fool that I am, I didn't take them off and check them when I did the carbs this spring. They just looked and felt too new.

Anyone know where I can get some cheap boots fast?

~Mike

[DanTheMan]

Just ride it wide open all the time and you don't have to worry about the idle.....:mrgreen: :grin: Or, keep your foot on the brake, in neutral at the lights and rev it every two or three seconds like the Hardley guys do............\\/

[UncleMike]

Just ride it wide open all the time and you don't have to worry about the idle.....:mrgreen: :grin: Or, keep your foot on the brake, in neutral at the lights and rev it every two or three seconds like the Hardley guys do............\\/

That's what I've been doing, and I feel like a total d-bag.

[koolaid_kid]

Have you tried Bike Bandit?

[mark]

Mike, if you have vacuum leaks because of intake manifold leaks, you could get wacky synchronization results. That could be the whole show right there.....Hope so.

[UncleMike]

Mike, if you have vacuum leaks because of intake manifold leaks, you could get wacky synchronization results. That could be the whole show right there.....Hope so.

Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and assume all my troubles stem from the crappy intake boots. Man, they passed the spray test and everything!

I'll let you all know.

[Hoomgar]

Wish I could get at it with my screwdriver, er, uh, I mean I wish I could have a look at it. If only you were closer buddy :?

[UncleMike]

Wish I could get at it with my screwdriver, er, uh, I mean I wish I could have a look at it. If only you were closer buddy :?

Eventually I will come visit. But I think I'll have to put down a stipulation that your screwdrivers must stay ten feet away from my bike at all times.*

[Hoomgar]

Eventually I will come visit. But I think I'll have to put down a stipulation that your screwdrivers must stay ten feet away from my bike at all times.*

Can I use a Dental pick?

[UncleMike]

Can I use a Dental pick?

You'd better! I don't want my bike getting cavities!