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Gunner Asch[_4_] Gunner Asch[_4_] is offline
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Default Update- Honda XL350 Milestone

On Thu, 1 Jan 2009 09:14:22 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message news

I installed the carby, put fresh gas in the tank, kicked it 3 times and
she started and sat there idling rather nicely. Gray smoke slowly
cleared out and became a bit of black smoke but it idled pretty fair.


Sounds like you got it running awfully rich. Too rich and it will run
cooler, but the extra fuel will wash down the oil on the cylinder walls too
much.


Since the clutch appeared to be frozen, I put it in gear with the engine
off, and rocked it back and forth for a few minutes, checking for clutch
action and suddenly the clutch came free. I went into the house, dug
out a helmet, and puttered up and down the alley way for 15 minutes,
getting used to the bike, changing gears, seeing what it needed . A
quick punch of the rear break pedal did little, so adjusted that. A
quick grab of the front brake caused the front wheel to freeze, so
adjusted that. Sprayed the chain with Kroil, checked this and that.


Back then a lot of folks use a regular automotive motor oil not knowing that
they could either cause clutches to stick or worse some with certain types
of friction modifiers could cause them to slip. Draining it and refilling
with motorcycle engine oil might help, but the odds are the clutch discs
will always be a little sticky at first start up now.


It idles with black smoke, indicating a rich condition, and the air jet
really doesnt do much of anything when turned in or out. So evidently
there is an issue there. I didnt check the needle clip position, so that
will be done tommorow. There is a hose that comes out fo the carby and
goes back into the airbox (airbox not installed) and that opens and
closes a diaphram on the carby that makes the engine speed up or slow
down...no idea what it does. The Clymer that a neighbor gave me today
gives the carby much of a pass, no details to speak of, not even clip
position, the *******s!!

It leaks badly at the exhaust port, Im not sure if there is a gasket in
there, but it did quiet down after the engine got warm. Valves need to
be adjusted, oil changed, new points installed and so forth.


Usually a crush gasket. A temporary trick we used to use was rolling steel
wool up in a strip and wrapping it around the endand putting it in place
just like a crush gasket. It will last for a week or two of regular riding,
but you really should replace the exhaust gaskets.

Anything over an idle, the engine bogs and sputters in a certain range,
then speeds up rapidly while riding when you crank on it.


That sounds like a lean condition. LOL. Interesting.

Maybe to much idle mix, and a still partially plugged main jet?

So there has
to be an air leak somewhere, and it pushes out black smoke at any speed
range. And the timing may not be advancing....sigh


Could be. Its always a good idea to replace ALL rubber lines on an old
fixer upper like that. Also might pay to pull the fuel tank petcock valve
and assembly and give her a once over. I recently fixed all my run problems
with a Honda Shadow because the filter screen inside the tank was plugged
solid. Also, I think those have a filter screen in the bottom of the
petcock itself. You could be running rich at idle and not getting enough
fuel due to restrictions when you close the throttle. Does it have a rubber
mounting flange for the carb or its it hard mounted? Also those little
Hondas are pretty sensitive to the airbox condition. I have a little 400
twin out in the shop that really likes a nice tight airbox, with a good
clean filter. If its open it doesn't run right and, if the filter is dirty
it doesn't run right.

Good luck.


The airbox is not mounted on the bike. Im working on it with a simple
sock filter on the intake.

Gunner

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