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Message started by TheProduct2007 on 09/23/13 at 08:17:06

Title: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/23/13 at 08:17:06

I have a 96 savage with 12500 miles. Recently I've been having problems getting it started. In order to start the bike, you can not put the choke on or even half on. You have to apply some to almost full throttle and then it will fire. Once it starts some white smoke will come out of the exhaust but that is just for a second. I do have oil leaking from the head gasket too but it's been like that before the issue with starting. What is the issue with this?

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by Dave on 09/23/13 at 09:29:06

My bike never needed the choke (fuel enrichment) lever to start.....but I never tried when the weather was below 50, and I never had to crank the throttle open.

Your symptoms sound like the engine is getting too much fuel. Do this test and see if you petcock is working properly. Do the entire test....not just part of it.
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1251932429/1

Your oil leak is not the head gasket......it is most likely the head plug. Just to the side (foot brake side) of the exhaust port is a hole where you can see the nut on the right front cylinder stud. Just above this is a rubber plug that leaks oil......and it has to be replaced to correct the oil leak problem. Use the search function and look up "head plug leak" or go to the Index in the Technical Section to find the repair process.

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/23/13 at 10:09:21

I have the Yamaha petcock replacement and there it does look like the head gasket is leaking. There is oil on both cooling fins I have a picture of it but it's too large to attach I can email a pic or text it if you want

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/23/13 at 19:28:38

I just got in my new drag bars and I was tightening the screw to the clutch lever and it wouldn't tighten but it would still catch, I unscrewed it to find out that the inside of the clutch lever is stripped. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/23/13 at 22:22:39

Probe the hole to see if a longer bolt can be used.

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/23/13 at 22:55:30

How would a longer bolt help? Wouldn't the bolt need to be wider instead? Sorry I'm just trying to understand

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/23/13 at 23:01:18

If thereare enough threads "down there" that havent been ruined, a longer bolt may have enough to engage.. If not, then if you can use a fatter bolt in that location w/o ruining anything, then you could tap the hole out. You may have to drill first. I dont remember where the bolt youre talking about is, exactly.,I do know that certain taps require a certain drilled hole size. Cant just shove the next size up tap in a hole.,
IDK the diameter of the bolt, or which is the next closest size up. its possible that an SAE tap/& bolt would be the closest. It doesnt Have to be metric,.,it just needs to not take more material than necessary

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by babyhog on 09/24/13 at 05:32:37

0A363B0E2C313A2B3D2A6C6E6E695E0 wrote:

Seeing that you don't have many posts, we used to have alot of trouble with picture size. Third-party picture host works best, here are instructions -- http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1347074669

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/24/13 at 06:29:23

Hey justin thanks, I got a better understanding for that now. It is the cap head screw that goes into the clutch lever assembly to loosen it up.

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/24/13 at 06:32:45

Well,, I no l;onger have a Savage to look at,, I soldmine

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/24/13 at 06:38:26

I understand, this is my first bike and I'm slowly bobbing it. I just got a lot of different issues that are popping up because it was sitting for three years before I bought it

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/24/13 at 06:51:39

Well,, steel bolts in aluminum threads can sure ( pardon the pun) screw things up. Patience, attention to seating a tool correctly, hitting the stuff youre gonna mess with tomorrow with some penetrating oil today,,the right tools,, all thesethings pay off,

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/24/13 at 08:42:27

Here is a pic of the oil leak

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by WD on 09/24/13 at 08:43:06

Lever or the perch the lever rides in? Just pulled all that mess off mine yesterday, can fish it out of the junk bin if needed. Stateside you can send me your mailing address, I'll drop it in a padded mailer and send it your way. The perch on mine has good threads, but the inside is a bit wallowed out. Lever assembley and safety switch are fine. Perch would require a touch of shimming to get it to hold tight, piece of beer can works fine.

If you aren't stateside, it isn't worth shipping, postage costs more than the parts would new.

I switched to a drum front brake, so need to change to matching brake and clutch perches/levers. Brit spec stuff.

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/24/13 at 08:44:42

The top cooling fins have no oil on them but the bottom ones are almost drenched in it. The bike is hard to start so I have to apply a lot of throttle to get it started without the choke on and it will puff some white smoke for the initial startup but afterwards it doesn't smoke.

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/24/13 at 08:47:25

6E7D390 wrote:

It's the perch the lever rides in. How much do you want for it? Here is my number if you can text me at 9197576267

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by WD on 09/24/13 at 09:26:06

I don't text, too old to figure it out (41). PM me your mailing address, and we'll go from there.

Memphis area to NC shouldn't be very much.

Cost? Send me postage if you can make it work, I'll never reinstall it. If I'd remembered today was garbage day it would have been gone.

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/24/13 at 09:41:54

Pm'ed. Based upon the picture do y'all still think it is a head seal cap leak? If it is, wouldn't I still need to replace the head gasket?

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by WD on 09/24/13 at 09:47:30

Savages only get new head gaskets when they get an over bore. Cap seal replacement generally doesn't disturb the lower head.

Savage engines are straight out of the 1950s. With 1970s electrical and ignition systems.

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/24/13 at 10:04:08

687B3F0 wrote:

I'm sorry man I'm a little confused, you're saying the cap head won't affect the lower head, but isn't the oil leak coming from the upper head gasket?

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by WD on 09/24/13 at 10:08:41

Nope, it should be coming from a little plug or a couple of loose bolts. The upper head "gasket" is either high heat gray or high heat copper, "tube of goo" sourced. Replace the little rubber plug, clean and regoop the upper head to lower head mating surface. No gasket needed, that's why Permatex makes gray gunk.

Mine has leaked since it was new, so have the fork seals. I just hose the mess off occasionally. You should see the underside of my bike, if it can leak, it does...

;D

Title: Re: Bike start problem
Post by TheProduct2007 on 09/25/13 at 06:48:33

I'm getting a new handlebar and I saw a 25 in drag bar that was nice, would that short of a pipe cause any problems while driving?