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  • Fluke Failure

    Today SWMBO insisted I take at least of couple of hours and go riding today. What a sweetheart.

    I was riding the Venturer northbound along the Lake Huron shoreline. After 30-45 minutes, I stopped at the Rogers City marina for a Coke, then continued northbound.

    I am tooling along 65-70MPH on a two-lane highway, and I notice the engine doesn't seem to have full power during those subtle throttle adjustments. I give it more gas and it bogs. I decide I should pull over and stop immediately because I was in a favorable spot to do that for only a few more seconds.

    As I pull in the clutch to slow down, the engine dies immediately.

    I coast off the road and it smells like something is burning down around the engine. Uh-oh!

    I get off to inspect, and I notice gas dripping.....and the source appears to be the airbox. I shut off the petcocks, put it on the centerstand, and put a rock under the front tire. Checked the oil level and it's normal. (whew!)

    For an unrelated reason, I have my biggest screwdriver in the bag. So I smack the rubber handle on each side of the carbs and they stop leaking.

    I had to be patient to restart it. It wouldn't start right away. Instead of running the battery down and burning up the starter, I had to try to start it (briefly) every few minutes, with the throttle wide open. After about 15 minutes, it started and it was good as new after that.

    I was relieved that was the only problem, because I was a long way from home.

    Isn't that a fluke to have carb float(s) stick when tooling along at 65MPH?


    -Mike
    _________
    '79 XS1100SF 20k miles
    '80 XS1100SG 44k miles
    '81 XS1100H Venturer 35k miles
    '79 XS750SF 17k miles
    '85 Honda V65 Magna ~7k miles
    '84 Honda V65 Magna 48k miles (parts bike)
    '86 Yamaha VMAX 9k miles

    Previous: '68 Motoguzzi 600cc + '79 XS750SF 22k miles +'84 Honda V65

  • #2
    I would think maybe debris caught in the needle/seat.
    2H7 (79)
    3H3

    "If it ain't broke, modify it"

    Comment


    • #3
      How many rides this season? You may have had "something" gum up a float or the needle. Also, it could be one of the gaskets is now just in the way when you park on the sidestand.
      I'm waiting for my seat to begin riding this year. I need to take this bike out for at least a few hundred miles between now and early June. I plan on being in Kremmling again this year, but first time of any distance with the new to me Special.
      Ray Matteis
      KE6NHG
      XS1100 E '78 (winter project)
      XS1100 SF Bob Jones worked on it!

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by bikerphil View Post
        I would think maybe debris caught in the needle/seat.
        I wondered about this too, but it's peculiar the problem was cured by rapping on the side of the bowl while there was no fuel flow (petcocks closed).
        -Mike
        _________
        '79 XS1100SF 20k miles
        '80 XS1100SG 44k miles
        '81 XS1100H Venturer 35k miles
        '79 XS750SF 17k miles
        '85 Honda V65 Magna ~7k miles
        '84 Honda V65 Magna 48k miles (parts bike)
        '86 Yamaha VMAX 9k miles

        Previous: '68 Motoguzzi 600cc + '79 XS750SF 22k miles +'84 Honda V65

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by DiverRay View Post
          How many rides this season? You may have had "something" gum up a float or the needle. Also, it could be one of the gaskets is now just in the way when you park on the sidestand.
          I'm waiting for my seat to begin riding this year. I need to take this bike out for at least a few hundred miles between now and early June. I plan on being in Kremmling again this year, but first time of any distance with the new to me Special.
          This was only the second ride this season for the Venturer.

          My problem could have been caused by some 'gunk', but like I mentioned above, it was cured by rapping on the carbs with the petcocks closed. I always store the bike on the centerstand, and I was riding for awhile before the problem occurred. Could be a gasket interference. Very strange, huh?

          I think like you about putting a revived bike back into service...I want to get a few hundred miles on it before I go to a rally. Hope your Special revival is smooth and uneventful.
          -Mike
          _________
          '79 XS1100SF 20k miles
          '80 XS1100SG 44k miles
          '81 XS1100H Venturer 35k miles
          '79 XS750SF 17k miles
          '85 Honda V65 Magna ~7k miles
          '84 Honda V65 Magna 48k miles (parts bike)
          '86 Yamaha VMAX 9k miles

          Previous: '68 Motoguzzi 600cc + '79 XS750SF 22k miles +'84 Honda V65

          Comment


          • #6
            I was thinking more about this incident, and I remembered something...post #116 in this thread:

            https://xs11.club/forum/idle-talk-fo...-project/page8

            I think I know how this strange problem happened.

            -Mike
            _________
            '79 XS1100SF 20k miles
            '80 XS1100SG 44k miles
            '81 XS1100H Venturer 35k miles
            '79 XS750SF 17k miles
            '85 Honda V65 Magna ~7k miles
            '84 Honda V65 Magna 48k miles (parts bike)
            '86 Yamaha VMAX 9k miles

            Previous: '68 Motoguzzi 600cc + '79 XS750SF 22k miles +'84 Honda V65

            Comment


            • #7
              Time for a few tanks with seafoam. I swear by it !
              79 1100 SF Carmine Red stock
              85 Honda v65 Magna
              70 Yamaha HS1 90cc twin Californian Orange
              02 Road King (retirement gift)
              First bike-s 2-1967 Yamaha YM2C Big Bear Scramblers

              Comment


              • #8
                If the float is binding on the pin, you can go to your numbered drill bit set with the very close increments and find the first drill that will not pass thru the float and run it thru there. Cleans it right out every time.
                2H7 (79)
                3H3

                "If it ain't broke, modify it"

                Comment


                • #9
                  Vance:

                  Thanks for the suggestion, although I don't think my problem is gunk. I think it's a float with a deformed shape where it pivots on the float pin

                  BikerPhil

                  That's a good idea.

                  I'm gonna ride it for now and see if it happens again. I should keep and a 10mm wrench and a big screwdriver in the bag.

                  I've put this bike though the paces without any other occurrences yet, including the VYR rally last fall.

                  If/when it happens again, the carbs will come off and I will try your suggestion.
                  -Mike
                  _________
                  '79 XS1100SF 20k miles
                  '80 XS1100SG 44k miles
                  '81 XS1100H Venturer 35k miles
                  '79 XS750SF 17k miles
                  '85 Honda V65 Magna ~7k miles
                  '84 Honda V65 Magna 48k miles (parts bike)
                  '86 Yamaha VMAX 9k miles

                  Previous: '68 Motoguzzi 600cc + '79 XS750SF 22k miles +'84 Honda V65

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I like Bikerphils idea with the drill bit. But for now Mike, keep walking softly and carry a big screwdriver! 😀
                    1980 XS1100 SG
                    1979 XS1100 F
                    1982 XJ 650
                    1983 XS 650

                    Comment


                    • #11
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                      Adequate:

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                      -Mike
                      _________
                      '79 XS1100SF 20k miles
                      '80 XS1100SG 44k miles
                      '81 XS1100H Venturer 35k miles
                      '79 XS750SF 17k miles
                      '85 Honda V65 Magna ~7k miles
                      '84 Honda V65 Magna 48k miles (parts bike)
                      '86 Yamaha VMAX 9k miles

                      Previous: '68 Motoguzzi 600cc + '79 XS750SF 22k miles +'84 Honda V65

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Hi Mike, I had a similar issue for a bit. Never occurred while riding but between short stops. #3 float would stick. It'd be free flopping one day and slightly bound the next. From what I could measure the pin was straight within 0.002" and mostly round 0.0005" with no noticeable surface defects. I ended up using some polishing compound and the small spiral brush on the carb cleaning tool to refinish the inside pivot roll surface on the float. This worked.

                        ---Bax
                        80 SG, --- Slightly modified with EFI.....

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Bax:

                          Thanks for the suggestion.
                          -Mike
                          _________
                          '79 XS1100SF 20k miles
                          '80 XS1100SG 44k miles
                          '81 XS1100H Venturer 35k miles
                          '79 XS750SF 17k miles
                          '85 Honda V65 Magna ~7k miles
                          '84 Honda V65 Magna 48k miles (parts bike)
                          '86 Yamaha VMAX 9k miles

                          Previous: '68 Motoguzzi 600cc + '79 XS750SF 22k miles +'84 Honda V65

                          Comment

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