2 minute mod and Power Jet Kit ran great - for a while

[RFH87_Connie]

Sorry Steve, just had to put a good headline to grab attention.

I put in the power jet kit with with a little more than half a block of foam.  IT RUNS GREAT.  This is a great product, that has no problems.

I did however, run into a little problem.  For the past few days the bike would sputter inconsistently.  A little hard to start when already warmed up too.  It got worse over the past few days going to work and back.  Took the wife for a ride yesterday and it was pretty bad about halfway thru the ride, mostly running on three cylinders on the way home, but still kind of sputtering.  I figured I picked up either bad gas (I just filled up when it got really bad), something was clogging a jet in one of the carbs, or a plug was fouling.  All the way home (only 20 more miles) I was diagnosing what could be going on, seeing how it reacted to the throttle.  It didn't want to idle below 1.7k to 2k and at 4k it bucked a lot, but inconsistently.  Above that it smoothed out but was down a little on power.  Had to be a fuel issue, not ignition.  Classic feeling of one bad carb.  As soon as I got into the garage (after the wife got off) I pulled the right side cover off.  Sure enough, I couldn't see the foam block.  Stuck my finger in there where it should be, and I could feel it.  It had been sucked into the airbox in front of carb number 4 and was probably blocking air flow to it pretty badly.  Put it back where it should be and took it for a spin.  Ran great again, like nothing ever happened.  I pulled it out and put a small dab (pinky print) of contact cement on the top and bottom, then pushed it back in.  Hopefully, this should not occur again.  I did have the tools to actully fix this on the road, just didn't want to mess with it at that time.

So if you think your bike is running a little funny (or a lot), don't forget to check to see if the foam blocks are where they should be if you are running the 2-minute mod or any of Steve's jet kits (that come withthe foam blocks).

[rwulf]

I don't think you were to remove the air filter.

[RFH87_Connie]

You're right.  I am running the air fliter.  I guess i was just feeling the internal parts of the air box with my finger tips, thinking it was the runner.  It must have been blocking or disturbing the flow to number four pretty good.  I tried it without the foam before reinserting it, and it did the consistent smooth bog down when giving it heavy throttle.  Put it back in, everything was great.

I'll fix my comment.

[connie_rider]

Thanks for the info.

You sed;  It didn't want to idle below 1.7k to 2k and at 4k it bucked a lot, but inconsistently. 

I'm wondering about the not idling part. I would have thought it would get plenty of air to idle. Even with the foam partially restricting the filter.
With the foam in the wrong spot I would understand the 4k part.
How does the bike idle when the foam is removed?


Ride safe, Ted

[RFH87_Connie]

It did not idle smoothly, and would cut off comming to a stop sign or traffic light if I didn't keep the throttle twisted a little.  I guess coming to a stop it would be a little too rich by cutting the throttle quickly.  Maybe it was just running on-and-off on 3 cyclinders causing this too because sometimes taking off it would really stutter.  At idle it was hard to tell if it was just not smooth or just on 3.  Sometimes it was hitting, sometimes not.

It idled fine with the foam removed, on exceleration, it would bog down.  With a little throttle, it would go OK.  Drove it like that for a half mile thru the neighborhood.  Stuck the foam in correctly at the park down the street, everything went back to normal (good normal).

Oh yeah, this bike also has the exhaust sprocket and the Motion Pro 4 degree advance plate.  Might have some impact on this at the time.

[rwulf]

Some of this sounds like it's running out of gas.
Maybe blocked fuel line or filter.

[RFH87_Connie]

Nope.  Runs perfect now (again).  Didn't touch anything else.  Brand new fuel line, no filter.  Just put the foam block back to where it should be.  My foam block blocks about 2/5s of the right side opening.  I just wrote this so others that have the 2-minute mod would know to look at the foam block(s) to see if they have moved if they are experiencing poor running conditions.  Easily done on the side of the road.

[connie_rider]

I agree that you found the problem and solved it.
Thanks for spreading the word.

Ride safe, Ted