interesting carb problem 83 1100

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R

rryman

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Continuing the saga on my 83 1100 carbs, which I have posted about on other threads here.

Bought the bike last Sept., it was in dire need of a carb overhaul. Got the kit from Randaks, as well as the booklet that goes along. Overhauled the carbs per book, adjusted and synch'd. Drove the bike about 150 miles afterward, couldn't seem to get the "gurgling" sound out of it at cruise speed, and seemed sluggish initially from a standing start.
Thinking I may need new ignition wires, I got new ignition wires, plug caps and plugs, and at the same time removed the carbs again and rechecked my work. The second time I removed them, I did not separate them from the plenum, but checked the float levels, etc. and reinstalled them. I started the bike briefly to check to see that it would in fact start, which it did. Didn't get around to synching them again. That was about a month or so ago.
Up to this point, everything was fine, and no leaks anywhere.
We have had a miserable winter here so far, so yesterday we had a decent day and I warmed up the scooter, 1500 and started the 1100. When I started the 1100, gas began dripping out under the bike. Couldn't tell where it was coming from, even using inspection mirrors.
Tonight, I pulled the carbs again, and on the bench pressurized them with a syringe. The leak is coming from where the #2 carb attaches to the plenum, apparently at the fuel crossover. What is puzzling is why it waited so long to start leaking. And it's a pretty good leak too. I can't figure why it took so long to start.
Guess I'll take it the rest of the way apart next week and see. Anyone ever had this problem?
Randy
 
Could have been the cold reducing the diameter of the pipe that when enough pressure was on it push out past the orings, you may have nicked an o ring... it may have twisted when assemblying the first time... thats my nickels worth of thought process for ya.. YMMV
 
It's not actually leaking from either pipe that connects the two carbs. It's leaking where the fuel comes through the plenum from the right bank to the left bank. I also thought that it was coming from the tubes, but that's not the case.
Can't figure out why it lasted for about 100 miles and didn't leak. Guess I'll find out tomorrow evening when I dig deeper.
Randy
 
Got the plenum halves separated tonight, and found one of the strangest things I've seen in awhile. For those familiar with the 1100 carb set up, there is a tunnel through the bottom of the plenum that passes fuel from the right bank to the left bank of carbs. Where the plenum joins there is an 0-ring-not actually a "Ring", but it has a flat side and a round side, and is thicker than a normal 0-ring of the same size would be. Anyway, when I separated the plenum, the 0-ring was still in place, but it had split, which would have been enough to cause a leak, but after it split, the two ends then turned down toward the center of the 0-ring. Strange. Had to replace it with the original that came out, since it is a special type ring. Thankfully, I saved most of the rings that looked OK, and this one seemed fine. Reassembled the carbs, leak checked, and it isn't leaking at this point. Now to put it all back and start over.
Randy
 
I'm not familiar with the carbs on a 'Wing, but I AM familiar with o-rings that split/ distort like you describe. Most of the one's I've seen like that were either too thick for the application, or they rolled on assembly of the two halves. In rare instances, they can also distort/fail like you describe when under severe pressure...which I doubt is the case in this application.
I also doubt that any of this helps, but I thought I would throw it out as a possible explanation... :mrgreen:
 
Hey, I appreciate any info I get. I had never seen an 0-ring do what this one did. I am 99% sure that I installed it correctly, mainly because I checked and re-checked everything before assembly, and by the fact that it didn't leak after the overhaul and I had done at least 100 miles of road testing and it didn't leak. Only after sitting in the garage about a month and starting it up did it start leaking. Extreme temp changes can sometimes affect things, but the garage is heated to a constant 50 deg. in the winter. Thanks for the info.
Randy
 
It's amazing how good you get at removing and replacing carb assemblies after you've done it THREE times!!!!
(I hope this is the last time for awhile.)
Randy
 
I wonder if the quality of the fuel, or additives in the fuel(ethanol, perhaps?) could have caused that failure?
 
....... wonder if the quality of the fuel, or additives in the fuel(ethanol, perhaps?) could have caused that failure

======I thought about that myself. Only thing I've added to it was Seafoam. I have seen O rings that weren't gasoline compatible swell up, but this one didn't show any signs of that. It looked OK, but had just split and curled inward. I'm tending to think it might just be an isolated case of a bad ring.
Randy
 
well people, I am to the point that the problem with my 82 1100 is carbs. I am about to do the rebuild thing myself. I have checked and cleaned fuel tank, replaced filter and lines, new plugs, wires and coils......and left bank of motor still is starving for gas. I can remove either plug wire from #2 or #4, runs the same. Yet, will set awhile and crank up and run good for a couple miles before sounding like cylinder drops. Does any one hae any other ideas?
 
Sounds like a rebuild is in order to me. Don't know what your experience is, but for me it was my first carb rebuild ever, and I picked these to be the ones. I bought the Randak kit, along with the Halzak booklet, and it was fairly easy. One of the float needles gave me some problem getting that little plunger un-stuck, had to boil it several times before it would cooperate. Other than that, it was fairly easy. I did take some additional pictures as I disassembled it.
But I'm still kind of a rookie at this, there's lots of others on here with far more experience than me that will help also.
Good luck
 
steve allen":1zq6py0z said:
well people, I am to the point that the problem with my 82 1100 is carbs. I am about to do the rebuild thing myself. I have checked and cleaned fuel tank, replaced filter and lines, new plugs, wires and coils......and left bank of motor still is starving for gas. I can remove either plug wire from #2 or #4, runs the same. Yet, will set awhile and crank up and run good for a couple miles before sounding like cylinder drops. Does any one hae any other ideas?
Click to expand...

Welcome to the forums Steve.

Removing plug wires on the Goldwing can give misleading signs of cylinders firing ok and not firing because of the single coil firing 2 cylinders. The design is known as "wasted spark".
Cylinders 4&3 use the same coil, 2 and 1 use the same coil. Each pair get a spark at the same time and rely on the spark plug being connected to complete the circuit, so unplugging one plug might make that paired cylinder misfire making it hard to troubleshoot.
A better way is put a spare plug on that wire with the plug threads touching ground. The circuit path will be completed that way and you can look at the plug to see if your getting spark.

I would start with that to rule out ignition.

After that do a compression check, warm engine, all plugs out, good cranking speed, throttle wide open.
You should see at minimum 130 lbs compression.

Next up would be to check fuel flow and pressure.
Cranking pressure should be about 2 lbs, flow out the hose should come in decent spurts and fill a cup in about 10 seconds.

After doing these test we can narrow down what's next.
If the bike has set for more than 3-4 months with gas in the bowls the idle jets tend to plug up but try the easier (and cheaper) stuff first.
 
I did use another plug to complete circut, I have been riding bike since May of 09, has just been starting to run like this a few weeks ago. First time, run 6 miles before starting running rough, 2nd, ran 22 miles, then started running rough, next time, about 12 miles, today, only 1.5. Its as if gas is not getting to left bank of carbs after short time. Both 2&4 are on the left bank, and that is the side of problem. Have cleaned tank, replaced filter and lines, replaced plugs and wires,coils check out good, can see fuel through filter, plugs are good....carbs huh?
 
I use a vacuum/fuel pump pressure gauge.
Auto parts stores and Harbor Freight sell them.

I like to do tests without spending money but I dont know any other way to test the fuel pump pressure without connecting a gauge to it.
 
dan filipi":3ujlhtyc said:
I use a vacuum/fuel pump pressure gauge.
Auto parts stores and Harbor Freight sell them.

I like to do tests without spending money but I dont know any other way to test the fuel pump pressure without connecting a gauge to it.
Click to expand...
my day hasn't been the best, went to Harbor Freight this morning and my truck wouldn't start after I checked out of Harbor Freight, changed fuel filter in truck, got back home. I purchased a fuel pressure gauge and ignition checker as well. Well have to wait until tomorrow afternoon or tuesday to check fuel pump. Did crank up back bike and rode 4 miles this evening, never broke up at all, I now know my wing is a female!!!! :beg:
 
I’ve been a mechanic for too many years and in the past have had problems with oring failures. Many years ago I began to use a slight amount of white grease on orings when assembling various things and since then I can’t remember damaging an oring during assembly of anything. Now I know some will argue this and that is fine, I just know it has works for me. This is an area where a little is ok and too much is a problem especially on carburetors.

Also with gaskets I like to use a slight amount of blue silicone, and I mean a very slight amount. Too much can damage gaskets.
 
Okay, now have ruled out ignition( new coil, wires, and caps) compression very good, fuel pump at 2.4psi at start.....bike runs a couple of miles, then starts running crappie, like only 3 cylinders are firing, next day, ride 8 miles before it starts, one day, rode over 20 miles before it started. If I must pull carbs, I might as well replace with single carb conversion. Money is so tight, everyone I talk to says the rebuild is bad idea, never will I get them back right.......I don't know what to do.
 

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