It just won't run!

XSKID · Posted: September 11, 2007, 10:11 am Post subject: It just won't run!

Ok, I have been searching the forums, internet, and even my dad (rider for 30+years) for the help to get this damn engine to run properly. Everytime I buy new parts (hundreds of dollars) I think that it's getting closer to being right.

If you have read my previous posts, you know that EVERYTHING is new, save for the carbs and engine. I have replaced almost everything and it sill has problems.

I swapped the engine from the original chassis and it ran about the same, it sat for 3 weeks and ran good enough to cruise around town but would NOT rev above 3k at all. under load it felt like it was not getting the fuel it needed. It sputtered, choked, and would not accelerate at all, then it developed a problem starting, and now it wont even run!

I have "tuned" the carbs, my dad has done the same, and I have taken every peice of info and applied it to this damn thing and STILL nothing. I know that this is going to sound like a piss poor choice, but humor me...

Is there a replacement carb set? Is there any way to get these engines to run at a reliable rate? Even Carbed? I am a fuel injection junkie too. This is something I dont care for at all, I am so frustrated with this bike, I have spent 3 LONG years getting this thing to even run good once in a while.

Everytime it runs at a level I enjoy it only does so for a breif period, a week at the most once. Then it just starts to run worse and worse. I know how to fix these issues but they return time and time again. I'm quite frankly sick of screwing around with this all.

So any suggestions on a diffrent type of carb that will stay in or near tune for a season of riding? I'm really ready to throw this engine away and get a XS that has an electronic ignition and go megasquirt (multi point) fuel injection.

I love the XS so damn much and I already changed out chassis for something with a higher level of sport, now the engine still sucks, do they all act like this? I had a 72' DT Enduro 250 and that thing has never had a carb problem. I replaced everything around the carbs on my engine and it still runs like s***! HELP PLEASE I DONT WANT TO JUST THROW THIS ALL AWAY! i've invested over 2k in the damn bike and I can't just accept defeat I will put in another 2k to make this thing right!

Any replacement carbs worth looking into? Money is not the issue, getting this thing running after 2 1/2 years of work would be rewarding enough!

TeeCat · Posted: September 11, 2007, 10:24 am Post subject: Re: It just won't run!

Kid...

I have not read your prior posts, so forgive me, but are your carbs really clean? I ask because I'm in the process of rectifying a similar problem, and it's clearly fuel delivery.

I wonder if you might benefit from following along with my thread on "Bike won't run".., just below this one. You have mentioned "tuning" but I wonder if that includes really cleaning and returning to baseline as I have been asked to do.

It sounds like a fuel delivery issue from what you say. Can you give these guys some specs on the current state of your carbs?

TC

XSKID · Posted: September 11, 2007, 10:49 am Post subject: Re: It just won't run!

I read your post and thats why I'm asking for a replacement suggestion. I have had the carbs apart so many times and cleaned them so thouroly by the book that its hard to believe that its what I'm doing anymore.

Originally the carbs were cleaned but it was found they needed much more, so Brian, my dad, got some needles and jets to replace the worn original equipment. I added an intake and exaust- open filters and 2-1 tracker pipe with a muffler.

The bike ran MUCH better re-jetted and started from a stock baseline, all tuning was done from factory manual specs and the thing ran pretty good. I did a small amount of time in jail- 28 days and my brother ran the bike every other day to keep it from getting sluggish and out of tune.

I got out and found the exaust modified! Just a new muffler but the way it was installed was poor. The battery was dead and the coils not functioning! I replaced the coils, battery, and wire harness, (that it needed anyway), and fired it up.

The ride was piss poor, it wouldn't pull above 3 thousand rpm, it was trying to die at idle, and was in a state of tune far from what had been previously. The muffler was no diffrent in the amount of backpressure it had when originally tuned. It just seemed to have come outta the groove it was in for a few weeks.

It only sat for a few weeks at most. I talked to Brian a few minutes ago and he said that in his experience he has never had carbs that were as crappy as the ones on the bike.

Any OEM replacements out there? Slide type? New CV type? I just thing that the factory units are not all that great anymore, being that they were in a box with the other parts of the bike when I got it.

xsjohn · Posted: September 11, 2007, 11:02 am Post subject: Re: It just won't run!

Have you tried changing the float level say 2-3 mm to compensate for the un-level carbs......looked at a set I have here and can't figure whether to lean or richen them......duh......if the plugs are blacking out try lowering the float down in the bowl.......white plugs raise the float up in the bowl......don't know if this will help but worth a try.........would guess the floats are too high in the bowl with stock settings.....but don't know

John

XSKID · Posted: September 11, 2007, 11:06 am Post subject: Re: It just won't run!

Thanks, will do! I leveled the carbs with a rear suspension adjustment, so checking the floats will be todays project. The plugs are black.

aybie just go from bone stock factory again? Tune from there with the float levels and the new ignition points, advance springs and everything installed from the get-go? I remembered that I have alotta new stuff yet to go in.

TeeCat · Posted: September 11, 2007, 11:54 am Post subject: Re: It just won't run!

Kid, that's what I'm working on now too... levels and needles/seats. Are your float needles/seats damaged/new? Maybe the guys will help us solve our issues concurrently.

TC

XSKID · Posted: September 11, 2007, 1:06 pm Post subject: Re: It just won't run!

They are right out of the box new. Brian's gonna grab some carb cleaner from town and with some compressed air and cleaner, make sure every passage is clean. Re-set the carbs to stock once again (uhhh) and go from there, maybie by tonight it will be worth trying out.

If I can get a solid baseline setting I thing there might be some hope for this bike yet. I will let you know if giving a good cleaning to everything helps. maybie there is a small, simple thing thats just gonna be an eye roller when we figure this out.

XSKID

XSKID · Posted: September 12, 2007, 7:38 pm Post subject: Re: It just won't run!

Well, it runs, very strong! It turned out to be in dire need of new pilot jets... I couldn't tell you why but it runs better than ever. The passages were clear of debris and everything checked out well. Just needed to make a needle adjustment after the first test and it was perfect after that!

Thanks for all the help, I swear I have never had such issues with a bike in my life. But, it was well worth the work!

Ben

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