'84 XJ1100...narrowing down the problem

[jamatta]

Hi everyone...you all will know my bike better than me with all my posts here. I searched the site and do try to read up before posting my question, but I don't know what to search for half the time because I don't know the parts of the motor....yet.

Sooo...here it goes....

I emptied the old gas and put some fresh stuff in and drove it around the block. Still stalling etc... When I got home I tested the pipes (I read that somewhere on here) and all were hot but one was luke warm at best. If you were sitting on the bike, it is the far outside left pipe. Help? Maybe carb problem? I really don't know.

[cokeman]

How long was the bike sitting? Sounds to me like you are in need of a good carb cleaning. They are actually really easy to do. Hardest part is getting them off the bike. After that a couple of cans of spray carb cleaner and an air compressor you're good to go. Pilot circuts are where extra attention is needed.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Jamatta,

Most of the time, the bikes are parked on their sidestand, and so the fuel can collect more in the left carb, and therefore more varnish, etc.!! That's the #1 carb/cylinder BTW, they are 1-4 left to right as sitting on bike. As was suggested in your other thread about hesitation in the lower rpms etc, putting in fresh gas, and then 1/2 bottle of seafoam, run it thru the engine for a few minutes/ miles and then PARK IT, let it sit overnight, and try it again the next day, and then if it's street legal, you can ride it, and it will continue to clean as you ride it, as the seafoam flows thru the carbs.

OR you can take them off and tear them down to give them a proper cleaning, but this will result in a bit more technical work such as bench synchronizing them, and then vacuum synchronizing them. If you're apprehensive about tearing into them, then get some SeaFoam.
T.C.

[hamjam]

Hi
where are you , there are a bunch-o-canuks around
maybe someone will be close enough to lend a hand .
Jim

[jamatta]

Thank you guys. I really appreciate your knowledge and help.

***update*** I couldn't find seafoam today. I will keep looking but I don't know if we have that in New Brunswick. I did buy a product that does a similar job so figured I would try that. I just got in from a quick 5 min test drive to get the new gas and carb cleaner pumped into the right places, and just before I pulled in the driveway the muffler was backfiring a bit (or a similar sound?) and I think maybe this is just some of the stuff being blown off as it works itself out of the bike. At least I hope thats what it is. Still stalled a lot but hoping that overnight will allow things to work.

[trbig]

I've tried about everything, since the Sea Foam was so high and I am perpetually broke it seems. Berryman's, STP, and every generic brand fuel injector/carb cleaner made, until I reluctantly bought a can and tried it. Sea Foam wins hands down easily. Around here, Walmart, Autozone, Oreilly's, Pep Boys, etc... carry the stuff. It's kind of hard to spot sometimes. It's in a round, white, metal can.

Tod

[webbcraft2150]

It's in a round, white, metal can.

Tod

That would be the can without the pop-top.

[Crazcnuk]

Seafoam comes in the little white/red round can, WITH a pop top.

I get it at UAP/NAPA. They sell the Seafoam gas treatment and Seafoam transmission treatment, so get the right one.

[DGXSER]

Must be bottled different up in the Nortland. Around my part of the globe it come with a spin on top like a two litre and a thick metalic seal.

[jamatta]

From all the reading and research on here I think my pilot jet in carb #1 is plugged. I drained the float bowls after running some carb cleaner through the gas and letting it sit overnight. There was little specs of dirt or something and a 'varnish' colored drain-off for just a second and then it ran gas color (a.k.a gas )

So here is my new question and thought (I am trying to leave removing the carbs as a last resort) .....

I work at a hospital and so was thinking about bringing home a big syringe, filling that with carb cleaner (sea foam if I can find it) and hooking on to the fuel line that runs directly to the carb. Then I would start the bike and then inject the cleaner into the fuel line in hopes of creating enough pressure to dislodge anything that might be stuck in the pilot jet. Does anyone think this is worth a try?? Or can someone give advice of another step that would avoid removing the carb?

Thanks a lot...I look forward to your opinions

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Jamatta,

I can appreciate what you are trying to do, but it won't work, at least not in the way you are thinking. You can't put any kind of pressure on the pilot jet by squirting cleaner down the fuel inlet, it just flows into the BOWL, from there it is just sucked up thru the pilot jet during the running of the engine.

What you saw from the bowl drain is just the kind of stuff that gets past the intank petcock filters, along with possible fuel line particles that break down, it all can flow down into the carbs. But it's fairly heavier particles, and so it sinks to the bottom of the bowl, and that's why you were able to see it when you drained the bowl.

The Pilot jet has very small aeration/metering holes in its sides, as well as the actually openings on the ends, along with the passageways that the fuel has to flow thru in the carbs, and it's when the gas sits, it gums and varnishes up, and it's usually that gum/varnish that cloggs the passageways and jet, not so much actual particles.

SO....putting in a concentrated amount of SeaFoam.....Canadian Tire IIRC from other Canuck's posts carries it, as well as most BOAT supply stores, run it in the bike for several minutes to ensure you get the concentration into the carbs, then just have to be patient, and let it sit there and slowly dissolve the varnish gum as it comes in contact with it down deep in the pilot jet passages. It can take a few days or even a tankful or two of the stuff to get it to clean it out. Just keep adding Sea Foam to each tankful.

But if you're inpatient, then just have to bite the bullet and pull the carbs and take it apart to get the jet out so you can soak it in cleaner!?
T.C.

[Ken Talbot]

in hopes of creating enough pressure to dislodge anything that might be stuck in the pilot jet.

So, something has floated down in the fuel system to where it blocks up against a hole or orifice smaller than itself. Then you want to get some pressure behind it to force it through that smaller hole, possible maybe even further downstream where there might be an even smaller passage that until now might have been clean. IMHO, this sounds like a way to make the inevitable carb removal and cleaning more of a problem than it already is. By removing the carbs, you can apply pressure to those orifices and passages in the reverse direction of how they got plugged in the first place i.e. blowing the particles back out instead of trying to force them through.

YMMV, JAT, BTDT, BTDTGTTS, TMTAISTI...

[DGXSER]

Well the gurus have already given it to you, so I will just throw in my support for their thoughts.

If you want the Seafoam to take care of it, then as stated, you have to give it time to do so. You have to run the bike to get the treated fuel to the places you want it to treat. Then let it sit long enough to let it treat them, meaning to disolve the problem materials. Then run the bike to get the disolved gunk through and burned and out the exhaust. In the mean time, running more of the treated fuel into the problem areas. letting it sit between rides, and repeat, repeat, repeat.

I would agree that the chances are much better you will get the crap out if you pull the carbs and clean them by hand instead of by chemical. I certainly do not blame you for wanting to try the chemical first though.

[Crazcnuk]

I would ask why you think the pilot jet is plugged?

The pilot jet sits, upside down, above the float bowl. The only way it can get plugged, really is if it sucks up a large chunk of floating debris?

You can remove the float bowl, with the carb in the bike. You just need a shorty phillips screwdriver.

Once the float bowl is off, you can then remove the pilot jet, main jet etc. It's just really cramped, awkward and often just easier to take the carbs off.

Once you have removed and replaced the carbs once, you will realize it's a 5 minute job to remove them, and just slightly longer to put them back on.

[trbig]

you will realize it's a 5 minute job to remove them, and just slightly longer to put them back on.

Not if his XJ has the air box. Just to understand how it is, take your carbs out of your XS without loosening anything on the air box or dropping the bottom of it off. Fight, wrench, twist, cuss, and sweat..stretch and stress all the boots... and a mere 30 minutes, you can have them out. But the tough part is going back in..

You can loosen every bolt/nut on the air box and you MIGHT get a 1/16th of an inch movement. That's why so many of the XJ guys go to pods. THEN it becomes a 5 minute job.. or less.


Tod