Here she is, I named her, "the Wanderer "

[made2care]

Radiator arrived. Looks virtually brand new. Will hook up today and then try some tips mentioned here to clean and check carbs. I know atf in gas has been suggested, just wandering if anyone has soaked carbs in sea foam .

 

[slabghost]

I tried seafoam and ATF for nearly a full riding season on my 80. No matter how many tricks I tried I ended up pulling the jets and cleaning them. I still keep ATF in the fuel though.

 

[dan filipi]

slabghost » 11 minutes ago[/url]":2vaarf6r]
I tried seafoam and ATF for nearly a full riding season on my 80. No matter how many tricks I tried I ended up pulling the jets and cleaning them. I still keep ATF in the fuel though.

Me too.
I think once the jets plug, dissolving liquids won't pass thru to clean them, many cleaners will damage the air cutoff rubber.

 

[made2care]

Can I just take carbs apart and clean, or do I have to purchase a rebuild kit. These are expensive

 

[joedrum]

yes you can ...its better to take apart and find trouble as first step...instead at throw money at them blindly and learn nothing

 

[slabghost]

All I did was pull and clean the jets one at a time. Worked fine after that. Yours may or may not need that much. It could be just one float valve is the issue.

 

[rob.lafady]

Just take your time and take one carburetor apart at a time that way you have one to look at that you know is right.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

[bronko37]

Personally if I was taking the time to pull the carbs out I would replace all of the soft parts. Those parts are over 30 years old in there, no way they are in good condition IMO. If its worth doing, its worth doing right.....I would also purchase new seals and such for the calipers. Of course on any bike I get of this vintage the first thing I do is a complete brake job. Rebuild master cylinders, replace lines, and rebuild calipers. Its nice to have a lot of go but its also necessary to have a lot of whoa....

 

[made2care]

bronko37 » 10 minutes ago[/url]":1a7hx7nd]
Personally if I was taking the time to pull the carbs out I would replace all of the soft parts. Those parts are over 30 years old in there, no way they are in good condition IMO. If its worth doing, its worth doing right.....I would also purchase new seals and such for the calipers. Of course on any bike I get of this vintage the first thing I do is a complete brake job. Rebuild master cylinders, replace lines, and rebuild calipers. Its nice to have a lot of go but its also necessary to have a lot of whoa....

I ordered some caliper piston seals and I agree, brakes are really important. Will have to wait on stainless lines, my wife puts me on a budget since I can go overboard in a hurry.
I also think it's ridiculous to charge $200 for a carb rebuild kit when one can send it off for $300.

 

[dan filipi]

I'd pull the float bowls off the problem carbs first. From there you can remove the jets and get a better idea how extensive you need to go.

 

[slabghost]

dan filipi » Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:45 pm[/url]":2s74ougp]
I'd pull the float bowls off the problem carbs first. From there you can remove the jets and get a better idea how extensive you need to go.

:good: I agree! :builder:

 

[made2care]

dan filipi » 28 minutes ago[/url]":2d7ermrc]
I'd pull the float bowls off the problem carbs first. From there you can remove the jets and get a better idea how extensive you need to go.

This is a first for me, but will do.

 

[joedrum]

bronko37 » Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:40 pm[/url]":33dn0p2i]
Personally if I was taking the time to pull the carbs out I would replace all of the soft parts. Those parts are over 30 years old in there, no way they are in good condition IMO. If its worth doing, its worth doing right.....I would also purchase new seals and such for the calipers. Of course on any bike I get of this vintage the first thing I do is a complete brake job. Rebuild master cylinders, replace lines, and rebuild calipers. Its nice to have a lot of go but its also necessary to have a lot of whoa....

why do you call that right ..like any other method is wrong ...if one takes there time and uses atf around rubber parts as to lube take apart many times seals are great shape ....there is more than just one right way bronko...and people that have spent money all ready cant just trash there bikes or should be led to believe that 200$ kits is the only way ...this is a 200$ bike to start with pushing smoke out the pipe ....its far from competent yet ....and the problem figure out first thing to see if motor and all is good

 

[bronko37]

made2care » Tue Nov 24, 2015 12:54 pm[/url]":1idi2452]

bronko37 » 10 minutes ago[/url]":1idi2452]
Personally if I was taking the time to pull the carbs out I would replace all of the soft parts. Those parts are over 30 years old in there, no way they are in good condition IMO. If its worth doing, its worth doing right.....I would also purchase new seals and such for the calipers. Of course on any bike I get of this vintage the first thing I do is a complete brake job. Rebuild master cylinders, replace lines, and rebuild calipers. Its nice to have a lot of go but its also necessary to have a lot of whoa....

I ordered some caliper piston seals and I agree, brakes are really important. Will have to wait on stainless lines, my wife puts me on a budget since I can go overboard in a hurry.
I also think it's ridiculous to charge $200 for a carb rebuild kit when one can send it off for $300.

Yea, I don't know what it is about the 1100 kit that makes them so much more expensive than the others. But I am not sure that you could get it done for $300, cheapest I've heard is pushing $400 by the time you ship it. But I never looked into getting one done that extensively, I just tried to do it myself.

 

[bronko37]

joedrum » Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:24 pm[/url]":2iqj5t3x]

bronko37 » Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:40 pm[/url]":2iqj5t3x]
Personally if I was taking the time to pull the carbs out I would replace all of the soft parts. Those parts are over 30 years old in there, no way they are in good condition IMO. If its worth doing, its worth doing right.....I would also purchase new seals and such for the calipers. Of course on any bike I get of this vintage the first thing I do is a complete brake job. Rebuild master cylinders, replace lines, and rebuild calipers. Its nice to have a lot of go but its also necessary to have a lot of whoa....

why do you call that right ..like any other method is wrong ...if one takes there time and uses atf around rubber parts as to lube take apart many times seals are great shape ....there is more than just one right way bronko...and people that have spent money all ready cant just trash there bikes or should be led to believe that 200$ kits is the only way ...this is a 200$ bike to start with pushing smoke out the pipe ....its far from competent yet ....and the problem figure out first thing to see if motor and all is good

I hear what you are saying Joe. For sure getting it apart and clean would be a good start so we can diagnose some issues. I'm just saying that long haul if it was a bike that I was going to keep for a long time I would spend the extra time to replace the rubbery parts within the carburetor. Im not saying anyone elses method is lesser or wrong, I'm just saying that you can't go wrong with nice new parts and to me the peace of mind of knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that the inside of that rack is perfect is worth the money. I dont expect 30 year old tires to be any good, regardless of how much tread is on it, I don't expect 30 year old rubber lines to be any good regardless of how they look on the outside; and so I wouldnt expect 30 year old orings and gaskets to be any good either. For me, and this is just me, there is the quick fix, the cheap fix, and the new parts fix. I go with new parts, then I don't have to worry. But thats the way I do everything....

 

[made2care]

Okay, I mounted new radiator and started her up. Good news, the radiator situation now is leak free. I was then able to warm her up to where the temp needle was midway (12 o' clock). Fan did not kick on, not sure when it should. Of course the more she warms up, the more steam (or what we think is steam). Since this was the warmest I've had her now that the radiator is fixed, when I place my hand in the steam, it did appear to by slightly moist but not enough to convince me its a head gasket.
I need to check the carbs and coils next before considering head gasket.

 

[slabghost]

Hold a rag over the exhaust and let it soak some. Do you have antifreeze in it or just water? If the rag smell of gasoline it could be a bad float. If just gets wet it's water.

 

[joedrum]

plus one on that.....if you have nice house fan plug that in on radiator ...since fan might not be working on bike.....

 

[dan filipi]

Let it run awhile keeping an eye on the temp to see what the smoke/steam does.

 

[slabghost]

Fan won't come on at 12 o:clock position ever. It waits almost to the hot position then comes on if it works right. So maybe 2/3 across the gauge.