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Message started by dj-omaha on 05/23/08 at 15:14:25

Title: Please help!, think she's running lean, missing...
Post by dj-omaha on 05/23/08 at 15:14:25

Hello out there. First off, thanks for taking the time to read my post...I just bought this bike last week and I love it, well I think I will, it's not quite up to road worthy yet. It had sat for the previous year and prior to that year it was parked outside down in florida about a mile from the ocean. '96 w/ 8,200 miles, only twelve hundred dollars into so far...So here is the problem: I think it's either running too lean or not getting enough spark when I open it up. At idle it seems to run fine, although you can hear it missing fairly regularly, once you give it about 2,000rpm she starts backfiring mildly, pops a lot, exhaust pipe seems to get extemely hot very quickly-(normal?). Once I take it past about two thousand rpm she starts to die if I don't roll off. I've checked through this site already and tried about everything Icould find people have recommended, but this seems a little different. Lastly the frame cover for the cdi unit on left side is off, could this cause the problems I'm having? I don't mean the lack of cover, but I wonder if cdi would cause these problems? So far we've done the usuall tune up plus cleaned the carb (not rebuilt) clean coil connection, checked vac hose from petcock to carb, valve lash adj., decomp checked, petcock checked-filter clean but we didn't tear it apart. Thanks again for reading through this, and any help would be greatly appreciated!!!At this point I would rather just take it to the shop, but I'm not financially able to dump 80bucks an hour just for labor.

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by BurnPgh on 05/23/08 at 15:39:36

I'm new to the savage so I cant help much but if you think its lean you can richen it up. Theres either a screw or brass plug on the upper right corner of the carb viewed from the bikes right side. If theres the plug just pry it off to get to the screw. clockwise is lean, counterclockwise is rich.

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by Max_Morley on 05/23/08 at 16:22:06

Sounds like it is time for yo to do Carb 101: remove, disassemble, clean, reassemble and reinstall. Or gamble on a generous shot of SEAFOAM fuel additive to do the job as you run. IW did a great job with pictures in the tech section . Max

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 05/23/08 at 16:25:41

Since no one else has said it yet: Try running it in prime. That's what narrowed down the cause of my similar problem.

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by dj-omaha on 05/23/08 at 16:35:01

thanks for the advice so far, we did take the carb apart and clean er out, jets looked fine, my buddy adjusted the float but I think he did it by just taking the bottom off, did this give him an accurate measurement? or is the recommended measurement with the carb upside down( which is what book says to do), and running it in prime doesn't seem to make a difference, so I don't think it's the petcock?

Mainly can anybody think or a reason for this that might be tied into the sitting for a year or the salt in the air before it sat??? Thanks again folks!

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 05/23/08 at 16:49:50

I know it wouldn't be good, but not sure what the symptoms would be if a critter crawled in your muffler and either died or made a nest. That might sound stupid, but if you knew me better you wouldn't be so disappointed.

I would think it could contribute to the hot pipes and maybe the miss as well. Be patient, and the answer will come. This place is full of Savage geniuses.

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by verslagen1 on 05/23/08 at 17:26:43

did you replace the air filter?
when you ran it, everything back in place?
If that wasn't the case, I'd take apart the petcock.
it's been sitting a year, varnish has had a long time to gum things up in wierd ways.
and i'd check the exhaust for a dead snake or something. (can't hurt)
you checked the float level on the bike? cause you forgot to check when you cleaned it? really? does it have a drain valve? attach a clear tube to it hold it up and open the valve. the gas should come up to the level of the bowl gasket.

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 05/23/08 at 17:45:25

Maybe a broken plug wire? I've had them carry a weak spark, but not enough to run the engine properly when you wind it up. I have never lived where salt air was an issue, so I don't know what the possibilities are there. If it was stored with little or no gas in the tank, salt crystals on the petcock screen, maybe?

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by BurnPgh on 05/23/08 at 18:16:09

Sandy, someone on the Rebel forum actually DID have a rodents nest in his airbox when he got the bike. That and lots of seed shells.

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by Steve M on 05/24/08 at 16:23:21

If air filter isn't block then fuel starvation has to be a hot favourite.

Have you removed the petcock?

Fuel from inside tank has to pass through the mesh filter to get to the carb and if bike has stood with fuel in tank and not cleaned out for some time it could just be a case of restricted flow and cleaning it and draining any crud from the bottom of the fuel tank may fix.

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by Steve M on 05/24/08 at 16:24:45

sorry dude just noticed you have checked petcock filter!

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by LANCER on 05/25/08 at 04:21:12

Recheck the float level using the correct method. This is critical for the engine to run properly.

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by gj859 on 05/25/08 at 06:18:21

IMO, very few things are as important as float level. Don't ask me how i know this.

Title: Re: Please help!, think she's running lean, missin
Post by Steve M on 06/06/08 at 12:07:49

If it runs fine below 2000 rpm and idles ok etc then it is almost certainly the CDI ignition box.

To prove this you need to check the timing with engine running.

I have had same problem, after checking carb settings, spark etc I checked the timing.

Between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm your ignition timing should gradually move from 5 degress BTDC (before top dead centre), to 30 degrees BTDC.
This is controlled in electronic ignitions by an ignition timing chip inside the CDI igniter box, (under left side panel).

To check timing you need to use a strobe light and aim it throught the timing hole, (screwed plug with big slot in it on the alternator cover).

Do it quick as a mist of oil sprays out of the hole while the engines running!

When I did it the timing mark stayed in the same place when engine revved. The timing mark should move anti-clockwise as revs increase.

If the ignition doesn't advance then the fuel doesn't get burned at the correct time due to the piston moving faster. The result is the piston is on it's way back up and the exhaust valves are starting to open while fuel is still burning. result is loss of power and popping in the exhaust.

The ignitor unit can be tested but it very hard to prove it is broke without suzuki special equipment.

As long as the ignition isn't advancing, the wires to the plug are good and the engine runs smooth at lower rev's it can't be anything but the igniter box.

It takes 2 mins to change but costs a lot to buy a new one!
A second hand one is likely to be dodgy and could fail any time so I think it is worth the cost of a new one.

As they are expensive if your not confident, or can't check timing yourself, it's probably worth taking bike to a dealer and paying a small labour charge to make sure as then you won't pay for an ignitor if it's something else.
I'd bet money that it is the ignitor though! It was in my case.

I would also bet it was off the road because of this problem in the first place and is the reason why the previous owner got rid.