mk2dubbin Posted January 14, 2012 Report Posted January 14, 2012 This year was a troublesome one for the banshee, often taking 30 kicks to get started and there were a few times in the fall where it was literally nearly 100 until it fired up. I had gone over the jetting and syncing many times and was confident in my work each time. I finally spent the time last night to build a leak down tester (thanks to the how-to threads on here!) and went to work on it today. I fired it up (about 18 kicks which was surprising of late especially considering it was 28F) and let it idle for 5-7 minutes to warm up a bit. I shut it off, pulled the gas tank and plugs, held the throttle open and kicked it over for the compression test on the right side. it stopped gaining pressure at about 17 kicks and it read 95 on the gauge. I was getting less than 30psi per kick for the first 3-4 kicks and then significantly less after that. I switched to the left side and got 110, and then rechecked the right side and got 110. Odd. Then I set about tearing it down to do the leak down test and while I was doing so it occurred to me that I don't think I had the throttle open for either of the tests that indicated 110, only the one that indicated 95. Is that normal? Once I got the exhaust caps nice and tight the only leak that I found was from the boost bottle where there were no clamps on the boots. I put clamps on them and then managed to lose less than 1psi per minute so I am guessing that she needs a top end rebuild. And, yes, I know about the boost bottle concerns but it was on there when I bought it and it's been fine so far. So i just wanted confirmation that you guys with experience in this area agree that it sounds like a top end rebuild and not something strange I haven't thought of. I've only been a Banshee owner for a year and a half and through reading a lot on here (and not posting much) I have pretty much gone over the whole quad and fixed some things and dialing it in, but without touching engine components. Thanks for the help guys! Quote
Bkm2006 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Posted January 14, 2012 its prob time for a rebuild. id tear it down and see what it looks like. also i would put new intake boots with a stock cross over tube, any of the site sponsors can hook you up. Quote
Larry's Shee Posted January 15, 2012 Report Posted January 15, 2012 Did you ever have clamps on the boost bottle before the test? If it lost a pound per minute did you find the leak? Quote
Jereme6655 Posted January 15, 2012 Report Posted January 15, 2012 Before you tear your bike apart for a topend rebuild....... What pipes and mods do you have done to your bike? Im wondering if the extra kicking is a jetting problem or if it is in need of a rebuild. If it is just something as simple as a pilot jet that needed to be increased..... Your gonna be pissed after you spend the money for a rebuild when you only needed $6 in jets.... Quote
Finch Posted January 15, 2012 Report Posted January 15, 2012 whats your elevation. i was at 95 and got shit for days and no one could take into consideration that i was over 5000 feet which at 5000 feet you should be around 100. ya let us know mods and elevation and you can get a more accurate answer. Quote
mk2dubbin Posted January 15, 2012 Author Report Posted January 15, 2012 I am at roughly 800-1000 feet elevation. i am running DMC 916 pipes (recent silencer repack) with rebuilt stock carbs. jetting is 32.5 pilots with 300 mains. i think my air screws are about 1.5-2 turns out. i honestly can't remember at the moment. i am running a prodesign foam filter and filter plate inside the stock box with the box top cut open and another piece of foam in it as a pre filter. the head is shaved 0.020" and i am running 2* advanced timing. there were no clamps on the boost bottle prior to the test, but there are now. i didn't have the side covers off for the test, and i didn't bother hunting down where the loss is any further than that. it lost 3 pounds in just over 5 minutes, so i wasn't really worried baout it. if i need to rebuild it, i can replace any additional seals (like crank seals) while i have it ripped apart for peace of mind. i am the third owner of the bike and the guy prior to me is a personal friend. he owned it for 7 years and never did anything to the engine except for the shaved head. we believe the bore is stock, so considering it's a 2001 it certainly has the hours on it to qualify for a rebuild. Quote
Jereme6655 Posted January 16, 2012 Report Posted January 16, 2012 Wow.....32.5's. Mthats pretty freaking rich....your pilots should be mor so around a 27.5 or a 30 tops.... Quote
mk2dubbin Posted January 16, 2012 Author Report Posted January 16, 2012 Wow.....32.5's. Mthats pretty freaking rich....your pilots should be mor so around a 27.5 or a 30 tops.... That seems to be where it is happiest though, and it may be because of the air leak i found at the boost bottle connections. that being said, i know there's a bunch of banshees around here running 32.5/300 jetting. i've had several conversations with one of my friends that does it and he swears by it and won't run anything else. Quote
Jereme6655 Posted January 16, 2012 Report Posted January 16, 2012 how was the bike running once you got it fired up? Did it pop or hesitate or run hot? Did the rpms drop immediately once you took your thumb off the throttle? Could have been from the air leak.... Quote
mk2dubbin Posted January 17, 2012 Author Report Posted January 17, 2012 it runs great once it is up and running. and usually once i am riding as long as i fire it back up within a half hour or so it fires on the first kick. i have a digital trail tech tach/hour meter on it and it idles in the 1300-1400 range. even saturday when i did all of this once it fired on full choke i dropped it to about half choke for maybe 30 seconds. flipped the choke off, held the throttle just above idle for a couple of seconds and then it will sit there and purr like a kitten. throttle jabs a responsive and snappy. the numbers from saturday were still bothering me today so i went over tonight and did another test. no carbs on, no pipes on, and no plugs in - just the compression tester. 115 right side and 117.5 on the left roughly. i have no idea why the numbers are higher tonight except that it was 35F so a few degrees warmer. completely cold engine this time though... with the numbers i got tonight i think i can comfortably say that the motor is still in decent shape and not in need of a top end rebuild, but now i am back to the same starting issue that i cannot explain. i had it firing in 3 kicks in 30F weather last year, and although i have changed pipes and jetting - i have done everything the same way each time but without the same results! can the kicker gear wear to the point that i am not getting proper rpm during kick starting? i think the tach usually registers about 380rpm while kicking. just asking out of curiosity and grabbing at straws a bit i guess... thanks for the help and input as always gents! Quote
Jereme6655 Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 What about our float height....could it be the float height is off just enough that the pipes could be filling a little bit of fuel? Quote
mk2dubbin Posted January 17, 2012 Author Report Posted January 17, 2012 i checked the float height when i rebuilt the carbs and it was within spec using digital calipers. Quote
Larry's Shee Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 Have you checked your reeds? What does the spark look like? Quote
mk2dubbin Posted January 17, 2012 Author Report Posted January 17, 2012 i have not checked the reeds, but that is my next step just to rule it out. i still have the carbs and pipes off of it so i planned on taking a look. they are vforce 2 reeds. as far as the spark goes - the spark seems normal. i have a nology coil and wires, proper plugs and gap, and i just put a new stator on this week with the pickup gapped at .016. Quote
03banshee20 Posted January 17, 2012 Report Posted January 17, 2012 i have not checked the reeds, but that is my next step just to rule it out. i still have the carbs and pipes off of it so i planned on taking a look. they are vforce 2 reeds. as far as the spark goes - the spark seems normal. i have a nology coil and wires, proper plugs and gap, and i just put a new stator on this week with the pickup gapped at .016. i garrentee the problem is your carb bowls are on the wrong side. the choke leaver side carb should have a brass pin in it on the back and a little jet on the inside. switch them and she shold run just fine and start in 1-3 kicks like mine does Quote
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