--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "revmaaatin" wrote:
>
> --- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "revmaaatin" wrote:
> >
> > This has been a 'week' = the past 7-8 days of bike maintenance.
>
> SNIP
>
> > more later.
> > A lot more.
> > I get this one healed, and the other KLR swallows a bug....
> > revmaatin.
> >
>
The short version:
My KLR swallowed a bug.
I fixed it
The Long version:
Monday dawned a beautiful day and the wx changes have given me a headache that only a KLR can cure--well, a KLR and 3 doses of Tylenol that just barely took the edge off.
The kids rumble into the house after school, and I suggest a KLR ride--my 13 y/o son: 'yeah, maybe, lots of homework.'
I go to prep the bikes and the boy is doing algebra--by the bucket full. We are finally able to launch after supper, and head east down some slightly improved roads and not so slightly improved roads. We pause some 15 miles East at a friends house with his new-to-him race car--and I suggest that I drop off a Honda 80 for his 13 y/o--as he has not learned to ride a bike with a clutch yet. It at least has both the boys attention--someone to ride with besides 'old' people. As we leave, I notice a slight hesitation when I tried to roost the gravel.
hmmm.
Eastward we travel another 10 miles stretched into 15 miles of roads where they have farmed the ground all the way to the edges of the road/trail. Here is a prime place to get tattooed by a deer, pheasant or even a badger. The corn is high, and the lateral visibility is low. We are traveling down a corn canyon, vigilant for a scatter-brain deer that will win bonus points for knocking you off your bike. or so it seems.
We arrive at the DQ for ice cream--and I take notice that the teeny boppers are taking an unusual interest in my boy--just the ice cream please, 'yeah he is a babe magnet' and we retreat to our KLR's and our just desserts--as the sun is reaching the horizon. Nothing better than a KLR and a DQ cone.
Well, maybe a Subway sandwich packed at noon and watching the sunset over the Rockies.
That is pretty special as well.
Subway is my go-to for trail meals. Buy a foot long at noon (if able) and pack the other 1/2 for supper. Not the prescription for every-day, but it often works well.
KLR's and eating--does it get any better?
Point the bikes West, and the sun has completely disappeared. We have talked about how we should stagger ourselves, and how the wind drift affects the dust for the trailing bike.
My bike has been running fine for about 30 miles, sun is setting and it begins a faint surge--
"Is it the dreaded night-noise"
that effect that you can hear strange sounds at night that might or might not be there?
Airplanes/helicopters are notorious for having night noise--due largely to sensory deprivation.
You can't see as much and you ears hear more clearly--and sometimes hear things that don't exist.
Surge. Stumble. Drop in RPM.
Ah. no. This is not night noise--
this is a dying KLR.
My KLR.
Yes Virgina, I should have packed the full tool kit.
The full tool kit has the allen wrenches--which I would like to have right about, now.
Miles and miles, 1000's of miles, and hardly ever a need for a tool. We are going for ice cream--how bad can it be?
Like the ghost of Christmas past, I see myself pushing the bike, again. But--it will hold 3K rpms, not much more.
so, I press on.
I futz with the petcock--off, on, reserve.
No affect.
We make it to a cross road and I use Sam's head light to see if I am loosing fuel.
No.
Idles fine.
Stumbles on throttle increase.
hmmm.
Got to be fuel starvation.
I hear the recent carb discussions of the Two-Jeff's and try to remember as much as I can.
Bike is holding it own at about 35/40 mph, will take a chance and see if it will take me home.
It does.
Good horse--very good horse.
In the safety of my dimly lit garage, I do a carb drain--check for sediment, water.
nothing.
Take it for a ride.
nothing. Bogs on acceleration.
I do a carb drain again.
nothing. Still bogs on acceleration.
I do a bowl flush to see if the fuel is flowing buy leaving the drain open and cranking the bike.
It is--not like a lot of fuel flow, but enough.
I eyeball the fuel volume in the tank--nearly to the top of the first fuel straw, so treat it for two gallons of gas with sea foam and take it for a ride to flow the treated fuel into the carb and then will park it for the night. Still bogging on acceleration.
Tuesday is a busy day--so the seafoam is soaking.
Wednesday--back to the bike.
Feels like/seems like it is not getting fuel.
I've had a consultation with Jeff Saline, and we agree that it sounds like it is not getting fuel--and discuss what it could be and where to start.
Leaves a few options:
Fuel restricted at the needle valve
Fuel restriced at the petcock
Bad vacuum line to the petcock
Collapsed fuel line
Clogged main jet
I decided to check the really easy things first.
Pulled the fuel line: flowed easily.
Blew air into the fuel line while attached to the carb and an empty fuel bowl--air entered carb easily.
Hooked up the fuel line, put the carb end into a can, cranked the bike and watched the fuel flow. It was a gusher--so the petcock and vaccum line are good to go.
Got to be in the carb.
and I am thinking main jet.
The ride after the seafoam treatment included 'choking it' at the point of bogging down.
Immediate improvement.
and I am now pretty certain--main jet.
I disconnected the choke lever at the handle bar, removed the plate on the right side of the carb that holds the throttle cables and disconnected the t. cables from the carb.
For ease of mind, I also removed the left bracket that hold the starter soloniod so that the carb would turn more easily.
Loosened the two clamps at the carb and rotated the carb to expose the bottom.
Float bowl screws came out easily, the fuel bowl is 'clean' and the main jet is easily accessible.
The main jet was removed and observation through a MK1, zero power eye ball, the end of the main jet looks blocked.
Viewed through a 10X Lupe--it is 1/2 blocked with what looks like fiber. I select a hat pin to collect the 'chunk' and am composing the obituary for this thing--it appears to be a piece of insect wing. It has cork-screwed into the main jet and is now the bane of my life. I have previously selected a white napkin (of the finest Walmart variety) to capture this offending particle--so that I might share the picture with you-- and as I place it on the napkin, the internal pressures of the cork-screwed bug-wing unwind and off it goes to Murphysville.
The good news, I still had a death grip on the main jet and the relatives of that dead bug will have to pry my dead cold fingers loose to get it.
I spray out the jet with carb cleaner (wearing nitrile gloves) and inspect the rest of the carb with a flashlight and mirror. No more bug parts that I can see. I hope they have not found their way into other passages.
Install the jet,
reverse the disassemble.
and push the starter button.
Nice start, smooth idle, clean acceleration without load.
Looking good.
Let it warm up a touch, grab a jacket, helmet, boots and gloves and point the bike out the garage.
first gear acceleration--I knew immediately we we in the money. Out to the highway--and pointed south, clear the city limits and we let her eat. Very very nice.
WOT through all 6 gears. (a guy can dream, can't he)
As good or better than ever.
What is of particular interest to me, is how did a bug part get into the fuel.
The straw-screens are in place--leading me to belive that the bug entered through the vent lines.
any thoughts on that?
Made me wonder if the vent lines might benefit from a 'fuel filter' to keep the bugs out.
Nice to have the bikes back and 100% operational/running and ready for the next campaign. Be it 100 miles or a 1000.
Thinking back to the two totally unrelated failures: the chain/sprocket and the clogged main jet: both gave signs of pending trouble.
Both gave an invitation to stop and investigate.
Ignoring those invitations is often at great peril and price.
Our bikes will often give a gentle invitation before demanding a full blown inspection--and reading about others story, "there I was" in Timbuctu, NY and.... and it is here at DSN that has given me incredible insights into where to look first.
Thanks to all who share.
Ah, it is so much nicer to be broke down in the garage than feeding the hordes of hungry misquotes out on the trail.
This summer, I have tired both.
I like the garage solution, mo-better
But, a Subway sandwich trailside, might make it a little easier to bear.
Presently, two beasties are trailer borne--awaiting a Monday departure for some intense dual sporting.
Film at 11.
revmaaatin.
don't taze me bro'--I sometimes have to trailer in due to other ministry requirments. smile.
Rick
A17