Savages backfire! If you get the Jardine and rejet the carb that will fix it. They always backfire when you turn them off, they run very lean. They come from the factory that way because of the EPA regulations. The service guy should have known this. They have always been this way. The previous owner may have punched a hole in the baffle so maybe that's why he said it was louder than normal. By the way the Jardine slip-on pipe is much louder than the stock pipe. Sounds much better to me. If it's jetted correct you will like the increase of sound and an increase in power, especially in the mid range. I have a Raask drag pipe on my bike and I love it.  If you want to see what it looks like check out http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jendesigner/album?.tok=phh2bPBBkb4bi94S&.dir...

Congratualtions on your bike! It's a great bike!

I had my bike in for some other things so I brought them the pipe and they rejetted it. If you are handy it seems easy enough to do. Do you have a Clymers manual? If not, that should be your first purchase for the bike. There are plenty of people who rejetted who could help you. I'm helping a friend put a Harley muffler on her Savage this weekend, so I will have some experience after that.  Go to http://www.jonline.org/savage/ and check out his How-to section. He just added a Jardin slip-on. You will find that Savage owners are very helpful.

I subscribe to Rider magazine, and I can't remember where I got the first issue (maybe from a dealer's mailing list)....anyway, it is from a May edition so it may be hard to find.

Basically Rider only echos the same fix that you'll read in all the Savage forums.  The later year Savages backfire...end of story.  It is because of the big single engine and changes made to satisfy the EPA requirements.  They leaned that puppy out....plain and simple.

To get rid of them, carefully drill out the brass plug on the right side of the carb and adjust the idle mixture screw.  This is the part mentioned in the Rider magazine.  This should help some of the closed throttle backfires.

For the other backfires, go to any Jap bike shop and ask for a #152 main jet for a Mikuni BS40 carb.  This will replace the #145 in yours.  (That should set you back about $3 or 4 bucks.)  The older Savages had a #155 but the carb was different too.....you will immediately notice a different tone in the exhaust, and when you ride there will be more mid range power.  As well, 95% of the backfires will be gone for good.....

I am assuming that you have a stock exhaust, so I don't recommend much more change for now.  Let me know how you do.  Ride safe.

I've heard of ones using a #150 and you mention a #152. I got a #150 today but am sure if a #152 is better I can get one of those.
Which one is the best for the stock pipe? I am not changing right now.
Would like to know the best one before I tear it apart.
Thanks

We have checked for leaks and there are none. Backfires mostly between 2, 3 and sometimes 4th.
When I roll off it dies on my. It acts like it is getting no gas but all air.  The washer has already been removed by a previous owner.
We have put in a new battery and ordered a new pod filter. I will put in a larger jet if it is only a #145 today.

Took the carb back apart because it was puking gas out the overflow. Was a steady flow. The float is bad. Has a crack in one side. Soo had order a new one will be in on Tuesday.
Also I think a previous owner tried to get the pilot jet out to check and stripped it. It goes in on Wed to be looked at.
I will be checking the gasket later because if a new one is needed it will likely have to be ordered since the local Suzuki shop has nothing in stock for this bike. Almost feels link in the end the cost won't be much below the cost of a new one.. very disapointing for a first bike to say the least at this point. We haven't had it but for 2 weeks this Sunday.

Sounds like the previous owner did a little "learning" on your bike.  Don't be too hard on the dealer (I'm saying that?).  None of them stock a lot of parts anymore.  Years ago you could walk in and ask for a simple bolt, and dig through a box to find it...now a days, you have to order those too.

Was it puking gas when the bike was off?  If so then you had the petcock turned to the PRI position.  If it is in the ON or RES position the petcock is vacuum controlled and shuts off with the engine.  That doesn't change the cracked float, but it shouldn't leak (puke much) when the engine is off )

Elizabeth wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:06: