Running rich and smoky on the highway.

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R-2800-59
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Posts: 293
Joined: 23 Jun 2010, 15:45

Running rich and smoky on the highway.

Post by R-2800-59 »

Dear community,

yesterday I had a terrible day. Went to do a motorbike tour with a good friend of mine... going downhill in a village, he caught a stone in his front tyre and crashed. Lucky chap he was, his only injury is a bloody nose due to his glasses.

On the way home from that incident my Honda begun sputtering and lost power gradually. I knew the behaviour somehow and called a guy who used to be a F-104 mechanic and who rebuilds my type of bike (CX500) on a daily basis.
As I visited him a day before where we installed a new electronic ignition box he kinda knew the demons in my bike.

It turned out that my first guess was right. The engine was running very rich, effortlessly idling on those separate needles with closed throttle but as soon as I opened them the sputtering began.
He advised me to continue in a low gear as the engine likes rpm and is less likely to foul up completely, however after dawn it really began smoking and lost power quickly.
As I needed to exit the highway I opened the throttle up fully while periodically closing the fuel cock, barely doing 80kph in third gear.

Literally 5 metres behind the exit my engine quit completely as both spark plugs were fouled up badly, my whole bike carrying a strong odor of unburnt mixture. I couldn't continue like this as the twin cylindres began working irregularly, thus increasing the vibration, so I didn't try it anymore.

My bike got towed to the next repair shop (that refuses to take care of this classic bike)... and I went home with a thought that A2A really managed to capture the signs of an engine running rich.

LEAN guys, as long as you can. My bike wasn't able to do so as the float valve or arm was much likely sacked. lean and take care of your carbs.

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bladerunner900
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Posts: 1991
Joined: 17 Aug 2008, 14:59
Location: South Wales

Re: Running rich and smoky on the highway.

Post by bladerunner900 »

Carbs? I bet there are those who don't know what you are on about. But yeah, my 97 Blade uses four. Had a Starfire once, with a sticking slide on full throttle. A bit awkward trying to slow down on times. Kill switch was handy then. :)

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R-2800-59
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 293
Joined: 23 Jun 2010, 15:45

Re: Running rich and smoky on the highway.

Post by R-2800-59 »

I did use carb as an abbreviation of carburetor, sorry I didn't mention! Those nasty black boxes of magic to turn gas and air into boom-able mixture before injection became popular on motorcycles in the 90s and 2000s

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R-2800-59
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 293
Joined: 23 Jun 2010, 15:45

Re: Running rich and smoky on the highway.

Post by R-2800-59 »

A sticky slide on full throttle really is something to worry about :D

djbully
Airman
Posts: 40
Joined: 13 May 2018, 04:26
Location: Southampton UK

Re: Running rich and smoky on the highway.

Post by djbully »

Lean of peak, I’m learning I use this setting often. :mrgreen:
EGHI

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