Am I running lean at the top?

[ferociousllama]

You are NOT running lean on the top.

 

Try the following things one at a time and let us know the results:

1. More oil. 80:1 is just not enough oil for a banshee with pipes.

2. Try running higher octane gas.

 

 

My shee is in the exact same configuration (pipes and all else stock) ride in 70 degree or colder weather, usually low humidity, and ran 280 jets and the bike was WAY rich. I switched to 260's. That is still a little rich. Before you go doing anything add more oil then try higher octane gas.

 

Let me know how it turns out.

[Twyztid]

You are NOT running lean on the top.

 

Try the following things one at a time and let us know the results:

1. More oil. 80:1 is just not enough oil for a banshee with pipes.

2. Try running higher octane gas.

My shee is in the exact same configuration (pipes and all else stock) ride in 70 degree or colder weather, usually low humidity, and ran 280 jets and the bike was WAY rich. I switched to 260's. That is still a little rich. Before you go doing anything add more oil then try higher octane gas.

 

Let me know how it turns out.

 

More oil should have no effect on the dieseling problem. The oil is for lubrication, not ignition. It seems that you are the only one that thinks that the 280 jets may be rich. I think I am going to try going richer first. Everyone else that talk to says that I should be at around a 300-320 for my mods and the current temperature of around 50-60 degrees.

 

This week I am going to check my fuel petcock, rebuild both carbs, install 300 main jets, maybe install 27.5 pilot jets, check for air leaks, and if I can find my compression tester, I will also check the compression.

 

Kevin

[dajogejr]

If you are still running your airbox with the lid on, and snorkel only removed..I think 280 is rich too...

 

Are you sure the carbs are in sync and the cable is not binding up at all??

[Twyztid]

If you are still running your airbox with the lid on, and snorkel only removed..I think 280 is rich too...

 

Are you sure the carbs are in sync and the cable is not binding up at all??

 

I didn't have time to tear into the shee at all last week so I will see what I can find out this week.

 

So you think I shouldn't go richer with the jets? I bought 290-320 jets from Vito's Performance (in MI) based on their recommendations that pretty much matched another person that I was talking to. Vito's told me that I should move up to a 310-320 but that seemed like too big of a jump. I was thinking of trying the 290s or 300s.

 

Would 27.5 pilots help it start easier when it has been sitting for a couple of weeks? Took me like 20-25 kicks with the choke the last time. Once it is warm, it takes 1 without the choke.

 

If my pilots & mains were good but my needle clips were not set right, do you think that could cause a problem if I was running a distance at 2/3 to 3/4 throttle? It is on the needle yet at that point, right?

 

Kevin

[dajogejr]

Ok...first things first.

Do you still have the lid on?

If so...290 to 310 will be too rich, period.

You might need a 270 or 280 for the winter months being much colder.

 

If the carbs and jets are clean, it shouldn't take 25 kicks to start...

 

That tells me one of a few things...in the likely to not so likely order.

 

Plugged pilot jets

Bad/old/stale gas and oil

fouled plugs

low compression

bad spark/weak ignition

 

Yes, that is the needle from 1/4 to 3/4 throttle...but, the main blends in towards the end there... Too rich or too lean can start to bleed into the needle.

 

If you are still running an air box with a lid, you do not need 27.5 pilots, even when it's about to be butt ass cold 'round here. You can make the summer to winter adjustment on the pilot with the air screw, out in the summer, in for the winter...usually a turn to 1.5 turns will do.

 

A TON of kicks to start cold but one kick to start warm screams low compression on the top end.

If the bike sits that long, it's easy for premix oil and fuel to gum up very small passages in the carb, too.

 

Compression test is next....but please answer the question about the air filter lid.

Were you clear to the Vito's guys about your air filter setup...if they thought you had K&N POD Filters with no air box, they're closer on their recommendations...

 

Lane is the only guy I know from Vitos...he's sharp....

[Twyztid]

Ok...first things first.

Do you still have the lid on?

If so...290 to 310 will be too rich, period.

You might need a 270 or 280 for the winter months being much colder.

 

If the carbs and jets are clean, it shouldn't take 25 kicks to start...

 

That tells me one of a few things...in the likely to not so likely order.

 

Plugged pilot jets

Bad/old/stale gas and oil

fouled plugs

low compression

bad spark/weak ignition

 

Yes, that is the needle from 1/4 to 3/4 throttle...but, the main blends in towards the end there... Too rich or too lean can start to bleed into the needle.

 

If you are still running an air box with a lid, you do not need 27.5 pilots, even when it's about to be butt ass cold 'round here. You can make the summer to winter adjustment on the pilot with the air screw, out in the summer, in for the winter...usually a turn to 1.5 turns will do.

 

A TON of kicks to start cold but one kick to start warm screams low compression on the top end.

If the bike sits that long, it's easy for premix oil and fuel to gum up very small passages in the carb, too.

 

Compression test is next....but please answer the question about the air filter lid.

Were you clear to the Vito's guys about your air filter setup...if they thought you had K&N POD Filters with no air box, they're closer on their recommendations...

 

Lane is the only guy I know from Vitos...he's sharp....

 

Yes, I have the stock airbox with K&N filter & only the snorkel removed. Lid is still on.

I know how to do a compression test on a car/truck but is the shee similar to do? Any direction you can give me on this?

I hope the compression is good. The motor only has about 6 hours on it.

 

I guess I wasted $30 on 27.5 pilots & 290-320 mains. That sucks.

[dajogejr]

Use a compression tester that has the same thread pitch, size and depth as your spark plug, remove both spark plugs and keep kicking until the gauge doesn't go up any more. It often can take 20 to 30 kicks before the gauge stops going up. the first 4 or 5 kicks, it will go fast, after that...it may only go up 2 or 3 PSI at a time.

 

Hold the throttle wide open the whole time while kicking it...

 

Good idea to test on a cold motor first, then a warm one. See what it ends up with.

Get a quality compression tester...not an auto parts cheapy...it does matter.

 

If you ever remove the lid and/or get pod filters, they may work, but I think they'll be lean for that (removed air box)

[Twyztid]

Do I need to disconnect the coil or anything? Usually with cars you need to cut off power to the fuel pump and pull the ignition fuse.

[dajogejr]

Remove both spark plugs, turn your kill switches off.

 

With a car...you turn the key forward to start it...and that also turns the ignition on (Spark)...

 

With the bike, you can kick it with the kill switch off and there will be no spark...

[Twyztid]

That's right, I guess I was over-thinking it and completely forgot about the kill switch. :wallbash:

[Twyztid]

Well, tonight I did the following things so far.

 

 

1. I already had a compression tester so I did a compression test on the cold motor but I don't know if my tester is accurate. I got 90psi in both cylinders 3 times each. Seems low since it was just rebuilt. I guess maybe it could be my tester or the fact that the motor was cold. I have some other stuff torn off it and it was pretty late so I didn't want to start it to warm it up. Does it need to be warmed up first to get an accurate reading?

 

2. Pulled the carbs and rebuilt them but kept the 280 mains and replaced the stock pilots. I also stole the float from another carb for my right-side one that seemed to be sticking. Set the float height at 21mm.

 

3. Pulled the reeds and they seemed to be OK but I found that right side carb boot has some cracking around the base in the rubber. It doesn't appear to go through but I want to replace it anyway.

 

4. Drained fuel tank and pulled the petcock. The screen had a small amount of debris in it but not much.

 

 

On a side note, is there anyone from the Grand Rapids area that might have a stock right-side carb boot laying around? Otherwise I will have to try to find a new one that I can get by Thursday at the latest.

 

Kevin

[dajogejr]

90 PSI would explain A LOT...

You need to try another tester, if you get the same readings, you need to tear the motor down and check piston to wall clearance and ring end gap....

 

A stock, fresh motor should be in the 120 to 130 range....

[Twyztid]

I believe that my compression gauge is a piece of crap and was giving me false readings. I am going to borrow my brother-in-law's and try it again and see what I get.

 

Rebuilding both carbs seems to have taken care of the fuel dumping problem. It also seems to start with fewer kicks. Maybe the pilots were getting a little clogged.

 

I took it to Silver Lake yesterday and had a BLAST! It ran great all day. I can tell I still have some learning to do about riding sand hills but overall I did alright. Yesterday was only my 2nd time ever out on my 'shee and I have never rode a quad in the sand before. I have driven a lot of trucks but no quads. I didn't really run it WOT much (unless I bogged at the top of a hill) so I guess I really don't know if the main jet is right yet but it has to be real close. I also rode with the airbox lid on all day. I was planning on taking it off to see if it made much difference but I was having so my fun I forgot about it.

 

 

Kevin