Wilsons Sandbox

On Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:01:21 -0000 "Rick B" writes:

> I live at 6000' above sea level and generally ride at that alttitude > or higher. Since I use mine to get from a base camp to mountain > lakes I get both highway and 4x4 miles. My bike seems to need to be > on a lot of choke and it's stubborn starting sometimes. What > adjustments might be good for riding at altitudes? > > Also is there a good fishing rod holder on the market? I use 2 > piece rods but their still a pain either hanging off the side or > back. > > Thanks, > Rick

<><><><><><> <><><><><><> Rick, I would think you would need less choke at altitude to get going. I've never had trouble starting or running up to 11,000 ft. Maybe try a No Toil air filter and filter maintenance products as they pass air very well but don't pass dirt as shown in numerous oil analysis results on my KLR. Also I'm curious as to how you start your bike. My suggestion is to not touch the throttle and just push the starter button. Use your left hand to slowly apply the choke while cranking. If you are cranking the throttle open when starting you are leaning the mixture which would then require more fuel to get a mixture that would ignite under starting conditions. Just a couple of thoughts. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT . ____________________________________________________________ Penny Stock Jumping 2000% Sign up to the #1 voted penny stock newsletter for free today! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4bcf7b9f9e900dbe1m07vuc

Have you adjusted the Idle Circuit ( Pilot ) Would have to remove metal cap and make the adjustment, most bikes/atv come so lean its amazing they even idle. Dooden A15 Green Ape

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rick B" wrote: > > I live at 6000' above sea level and generally ride at that alttitude or higher. Since I use mine to get from a base camp to mountain lakes I get both highway and 4x4 miles. My bike seems to need to be on a lot of choke and it's stubborn starting sometimes. What adjustments might be good for riding at altitudes? > > Also is there a good fishing rod holder on the market? I use 2 piece rods but their still a pain either hanging off the side or back. > > Thanks, > Rick >

Thanks for the tips. I bought the bike used and haven't adjusted anything on the carburator yet. What happens is that when I go to start it I have the choke on full w/ no advancement on the throttle. The engine acts like it's starting but if I advance the throttle at all it flutters out. This goes on for two to four tries before starting. Also after it's warmed up if I try to close the chke more than 1/2 way the motor revs up even though it's supposed to be idling. Looks like I need to get a good manual since I like doing my own work on my vehicles. What's the most recommended one for a 2003? I've been over the continetal divide in a few places from just outside of Salida, north to Leadville so I'm pretty sure I've hit 11k too. I love this bike! Rick

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Dooden" wrote: > > Have you adjusted the Idle Circuit ( Pilot ) Would have to remove metal cap and make the adjustment, most bikes/atv come so lean its amazing they even idle. > > Dooden > A15 Green Ape > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rick B" wrote: > > > > I live at 6000' above sea level and generally ride at that alttitude or higher. Since I use mine to get from a base camp to mountain lakes I get both highway and 4x4 miles. My bike seems to need to be on a lot of choke and it's stubborn starting sometimes. What adjustments might be good for riding at altitudes? > > > > Also is there a good fishing rod holder on the market? I use 2 piece rods but their still a pain either hanging off the side or back. > > > > Thanks, > > Rick > > >

#ygrps-yiv-1155518494 p {margin:0;}I don't think I understand what you mean by "closing the choke".  Modern carbs don't have chokes, they have enricheners.  It's not a smug statement, there is a critical difference between how they operate and what they do for your engine. When the "choke" lever is off (all the way forward), the carb operates normally.  When you turn it on, it opens a bypass valve that sucks fuel directly from the bowl, bypassing the pilot circuit.  All of this has little to no effect when you're off idle on the throttle as the vacuum takes a different path through the carb body.  That's why on old bikes if you left the choke on, the bike would barely run if you rode it with the choke on.  Modern bikes will run fine when it's left on because it does not restrict the air entering the venturi... it will idle a bit too high and the exhaust will smell very rich at idle but it will ride fine. So at cold start you should never touch the throttle, because the effect of your enrichener will instantly disappear as soon as you crack the butterfly open.  Let the engine warm up quite a bit before you attempt to ride.  This not only warms up the engine, but the carb as well, allowing for better fuel vaporization. As you go up in altitude, your mixture needs to be leaner.  The air is "thinner" and contains less oxygen, so it takes less fuel to reach the desired "stoichiometric" ratio of fuel-to-oxygen.  If your bike is hard to start at altitude with the choke full-on, try starting with it half-on.  You may be getting too much fuel during cold starts, essentially flooding the engine.  Smelling the exhaust or looking at the color of the spark plug will also give you clues as to how your mixture is doing. Also, if the temperature dipped below freezing, you may have ice forming in your fuel lines just like old carbureted cars did.  Try a little "Heet" (AKA methyl alcohol, methanol, methylated spirits) mixed with your fuel to ward this off.  A can of starting fluid may help too.  A couple of squirts down the snorkel and give it a try. I had a hell of a time starting my KLR after a sub-freezing night in Big Bear a couple of months back.  Cold temps + 7,000 ft + carb tuned for sea level = cranky KLR.  Now at altitude with cold, I always carry a bit of starting fluid. P.S.  REMEMBER:  THE MIXTURE SCREW ONLY AFFECTS THE IDLE MIXTURE.  If you need to adjust the mixture at any other throttle position, you have to do it with jet / needle adjustments. -Jeff Khoury

----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick B" To: "DSN KLR650" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 9:31:51 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: High Altitude Adjustments?   Thanks for the tips. I bought the bike used and haven't adjusted anything on the carburator yet. What happens is that when I go to start it I have the choke on full w/ no advancement on the throttle. The engine acts like it's starting but if I advance the throttle at all it flutters out. This goes on for two to four tries before starting. Also after it's warmed up if I try to close the chke more than 1/2 way the motor revs up even though it's supposed to be idling. Looks like I need to get a good manual since I like doing my own work on my vehicles. What's the most recommended one for a 2003? I've been over the continetal divide in a few places from just outside of Salida, north to Leadville so I'm pretty sure I've hit 11k too. I love this bike! Rick --- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com, "Dooden" wrote: > > Have you adjusted the Idle Circuit ( Pilot ) Would have to remove metal cap and make the adjustment, most bikes/atv come so lean its amazing they even idle. > > Dooden > A15 Green Ape > > --- In DSN_KLR650%40yahoogroups.com, "Rick B" wrote: > > > > I live at 6000' above sea level and generally ride at that alttitude or higher. Since I use mine to get from a base camp to mountain lakes I get both highway and 4x4 miles. My bike seems to need to be on a lot of choke and it's stubborn starting sometimes. What adjustments might be good for riding at altitudes? > > > > Also is there a good fishing rod holder on the market? I use 2 piece rods but their still a pain either hanging off the side or back. > > > > Thanks, > > Rick > > >

Check out a sporting goods supplier. They have a pair of clamps that mount the rod across the handlebars for ATV's. Walt

> Also is there a good fishing rod holder on the market? I use 2 piece > rods but their still a pain either hanging off the side or back. > > Thanks, > Rick > >

Rick, I just noticed you didn't mention what year KLR you have or the miles or maintenance performed to it. I recall some of the 08s had an issue with the compression release on the end of the exhaust cam. It was holding the right exhaust valve open a bit too long/far. The dealer fix was to grind about 0.020" off it. That was causing hard starts for lots of bikes. Also, if you have more than 1,000 smiles on the bike and haven't done a valve adjustment I would think now is the time to get in there and see what your valves are at. Tight valves will cause harder starts. My suggestion is to set them at the max clearance. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT . ____________________________________________________________ Penny Stock Jumping 2000% Sign up to the #1 voted penny stock newsletter for free today! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4bd060a3d72d10666m07vuc

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "John Biccum" wrote:

> > Just renewed the plates on the KLR. Our state Department of Licensing > insisted that I replace my license plate, rather than just adding another > renewal sticker. Their rationale was something about the plates losing > their reflectivity over time.

Yeah, that's why you have to keep them covered in mud for the first few years.

I made a rod holder for my bike using a 5' shipping tube and strips of flat metal, 1/2" by 1/8". I made two circle the diameter of tube with a screw through each that tightens the band around the tube. To the lower band, a small bracket was welded that hooks nicely over the mounting bracket of the left passenger foot-peg.The upper band has an "L" shaped metal strip, (with brace) welded on. The upper flat portion of the L has been drilled and the holes threaded which receive bolts screwed in from the mounting plate of my trunk. The contraption is solid and extends out three feet behind the bike, never in the way. The tube is large enough to hold two fly rods and its been all over Idaho and Utah. I would sent pics, but leaving early on the bike for Nevada and I have done little to get ready. If you would like to see a pic of holder, email in a few days when I am back and have time to get them together. Keith hobbhavn@...

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Rick B" wrote: > > I live at 6000' above sea level and generally ride at that alttitude or higher. Since I use mine to get from a base camp to mountain lakes I get both highway and 4x4 miles. My bike seems to need to be on a lot of choke and it's stubborn starting sometimes. What adjustments might be good for riding at altitudes? > > Also is there a good fishing rod holder on the market? I use 2 piece rods but their still a pain either hanging off the side or back. > > Thanks, > Rick >