Carb-Idle

[jomur]

Cant lower idle. thumb screw adjustment is backed off to where the flag doesnt even touch it. where do i go from here...? this is my first street bike, please help. 1980 xs 1100 sg

[DGXSER]

Check that your cable is not hung up somewhere or kinked first. I do not think you should be able to lower the idle screw below where the throttle will touch it.

[jomur]

Idle speed

The throttle seems to move freely thru out the whole range... What is the normal idle rpm on these.

[Montreux_Blue]

1000 to 1100 rpm

[jomur]

Im sorry guys, the idle seemed to high too me when at a stop light etc. but i guess thats where it should be... Newbie at large....!

[Montreux_Blue]

No problem, any other problems do a search, check the tech sections or post it again and you'll get an answer.

[CatatonicBug]

Im sorry guys, the idle seemed to high too me when at a stop light etc. but i guess thats where it should be... Newbie at large....!

You might want to download a manual or 2 from the link in my signature. Read ALL the tech tips (even if you don't think you need them), and read through the manual from cover to cover. Anything else that you can't figure out, feel free to ask away.

[Montreux_Blue]

[XSokieSPECIAL]

I like to keep my idle set between 1100 and 1200. It eliminates the off idle stumble you get if your idling to low.

Plenty of tech tips here on the subject or ANY subject. Do a search. Don't be afraid to ask...

[MindWebs]

other wise if the idle is high..

you should be able to drop the idle down to 600-700 if the carbs are tuned well with the adjuster screw (if you drop it lower the engine will stall)

My point is that you "can" lower the idle down till the engine dies with that screw. but for daily rideing 900-1200rpm is best.

if your bike wond go that low, your carbs are probibly out of sync.
please refer to tech tips on how to sync your carbs.

good luck

[XSokieSPECIAL]

Sorry.....didn't read close enough.

MindWebs is right you should be able to lower it below that if your carbs are adjusted right.

A bad sync will cause the problem your describing.

Sycronize the carbs.

[usmc_scott]

when i was adjusting my idle i completely disconected the throttle linkage from the carbs. solved my problems.

[bikerphil]

JAT, make sure there's some slack at the throttle housing cable adjustment.

[fredintoon]

Im sorry guys, the idle seemed to high too me when at a stop light etc. but i guess thats where it should be... Newbie at large....!

Hi Jomur,
even if you do have a satisfactory idle after all, you still have a problem.
The mechanism should be able to follow the adjusting screw way down to where the carbs are shut right off so the bike won't run at all.
That it stops at ~1,000 rpm shows the cable is adjusted too short. Look at the threaded adjustment just below the twistgrip.
Procedure is to slack the cable right off at the in-cable adjuster, set the idle with the adjusting screw under the carbs, then adjust the cable to give maybe 1/8" of slack with the twistgrip closed.

[Ivan]

Who the heck uses idle anyway?

FWIW, I usually run mine a tad fast, about 1400-1500, just because it helps with the anemic charging system. But that's just me.