fuel in the oil

[rob carroll]

Three times now Iv'e changed the oil because it continues to grow in volume. This along with the fouled plugs which I've now become very familiar with. I've got the ones with the black mohair sweaters from threads to electrode. These hairy plugs still magically fire after a good rest without the slightest help from me. First it was pilot circuit fouling and I figure I took care of that by replacing a short pilot screw and setting them all at 1-1/4 turns up rather then the 2 the mechanic gave them. **** it ran good last night. Today though I didn't make it 20 miles before I fouled two plugs in the range above pilot circuit;. friggin two mohair sweaters again. This time though they was dressed for siberia. I think a **** load of gas is passing into my oil. Now as I understand it that could be a big problem in a short while. If I IMAGINE THIS CORRECTLY a plug is carbon fouled when it can't keep up with the amount of gas dilivered. Once the plug can't fire at all the gas continues to fill the cylinder and works it's way to the oil tank. Am I to concerned with the gas in the oil while I'm trying to iron out the carburation problem. Can another oil change wait or is this to critical. I was hoping to head home on this 79 special this tuesday. It looks like I'm gonna need some emergency assistance from this collection of minds

shed the mohair

Rob

[DiverRay]

Rob, You NEED to sort out the fuel problem BEFORE you try to ride home!!
I would pull the carbs and check the float levels, and THEN do a "bench check" of the carbs. IF it keeps flooding and running rich, it's probably a "bad" needle and seat, or just a "bad" vacuum valve in the fuel system. What version of '79 do you have? the standard and the special have two DIFFERENT fuel systems.

[rob carroll]

I,m not sure what the difference in fuel systems are diver other then my special has the vacumm diaphram.

[petejw]

hi rob,
a carbon foiled plug is caused by
xsesive oil passing the rings or guides,

if its fuel, itll be black and sooty, sounds
like wats happening to urs,

sounds like u have fuel leaking past the needle and seat
im not 2 familiar with the 79 carbs, fuel
can also leak from around the seat where it contacts
with the carb body.
as diverray suggests,
dnt ride it home
check your fuel levels.
r u running fuel filters?

[rob carroll]

diver dan

I put this bike in the shop when I purchased it. The mechanic used a kit to rebuild the petcocks and vacumm diaphram. He replaced the old fuel lines but didn't route them to the diaphram as the clymers illusrates. I redid the fuel lines adding inline filters and crossing the banks as members of this forum suggested. I drained the float bowls to do it and noticed tiny bits of rust in the bowls. I thought the tanks were clean enough, obviously I was wrong. The plugs kept fouling in the pilot circuit range every time the traffic or roads kept my rpms down. So I reset the pilot screws after he told me he guess set them at 1-1/2 or 2 turns up. After rerouting the fuel lines and readjusting the pilot screws the bike ran fine for the first time in all ranges. I thought everthing was fine until today when it started cutting out in the midrange until I could barely get back to my abode here.
Today the mechanic told me when he set the float heights(I gave him my clymers to work on it) that he did not measure the float setting with the carbs on their backs as the clymers indicates but somehow vertically . I don't know what the hell he did but I do know that it cost me $770 and I still haven,t been able to ride it over 20 miles without fouling out and losing one or more cylinders.

[Ken Talbot]

Sorry to hear about your poor experiences to date, and especially the amount of ca$h this has cost you. If you have even the most rudimentary mechanical skills, a few tools, and a place to work on it, we can talk you through doing the work yourself that your bike needs to get back to optimum condition. It sounds like your octopus is not plumbed correctly, it may not be working properly, and you may have leaking float valves. Trust us to guide you along, and you can probably fix all of this stuff yourself.

Are you up for it?

[rob carroll]

hey pete I remember you. Youve got temp guages on the heads of your bike. Runs at 350 behind a faring. Your right I screwed that carbon fouled plug up, I meant gas fouled or what ever the hell we call it. I have no intentions of taking this back to montana until it's safe to do so, but i still got three days left until my son gets here and I think i can talk the mechanic into seeing this bike again saturday or monday.

[petejw]

na, thats not me,
im ovr the other side of the world. :-)

id suggest u take it back to the mechanic
and have him do the work properly
this time, you shouldnt b charged for it,
but by the sounds of what hes done so far
your way better off doing the work your self.

pull your carbs, clean and blow
all the orrifices thoroughly, there quite easy to work on
once u have them apart a few times,
recheck ur fuel levels.
check out the main page on the forum for repairs and maintenance for the carbys.
If you have any questions ask away.

[Paintman]

Carbs

Hey Rob the carbs arent that bad to do like everyone said basic tools ans we all can talk you through it here since you already spent alot of cash and its still wrong doing it your self would be best, there are alot of threds om here esp fpor carbs loaded with pictures. ust ask asn you shall find alot of good folks on here all willing to help. Good luck.


John