Here's the latest on my Savage....I've tried almost every adjustment on the idle mixture...from totally closed off to 3 turns out...stilll won't start when it is warm !! In fact, when trying to start it will backfire so now I'm thinking timing or electrical issue. This has been very frustrating because I'd rather ride than wrench!! I still refuse to bring it to the dealer to fix at this point. Don

Hey Don,

157 main.  That's pretty big.  I have a 155 and I'm thinking that's too rich.

While you're checking for pinched wires, check to make sure that all the connections are tight.  Sometimes a bad connection is worse when hot.

Have you checked to be sure you're getting a spark when it's hot?

It really sounds like something electrical. When a bad electrical component gets hot that's when it fails. Since you previously had starting problems, I think this may still be haunting you.

Electronics isn't my strong suit but I'm thinking maybe it's your coil that's failing. They sell freeze spray at electronics stores. Maybe a quick blast to your coil will tell you if it's a heat induced failure. If it instantly comes back to life you will have found your problem.

Any electronics people here ? Maybe you could read the manual on the ignition system and how to troubleshooting it.

It almost sounds like a vapor lock or pinched fuel line. I don't know if you changed the fuel line and vacumn line with everything you have already done to the bike. Could be the tubing leaks when hot, just a thought.

Jim_R:  I have not changed the pilot jet so I assume that
it is stock size.

Savage_Rob: It did stall out twice when warm and also would not start  until it cooled off.

Reelthing: Re: the slide..."was it very clean " I was very careful when I put it back together so I really think that the problem has to do with ignition or timing. Don

Update ...after reading many related posts re "hard starting,carb issues, ect... I thought about what changes I've made.
To review, my bike ran fine( but  slow) before I did anything to it. All I did was install bigger main jet ( it was a 155 not a 157 as I recently said),sanded spacer to about 1/2,and adjusted mixture screw(pilot) and put in a new battery and spark plug.
It ran great for a while, then started to quit when it got hot.
That's where I am still. I do remember tho that before  I put the diaphragm assembly back in after mods to the white spacer, I "cleaned" the slide surface with wd 40 and applied a small amount of light grease to the "piston",thinking the some lube would be a good thing..Now I'm thinking that may be the source of my problem!!. Unfortunately,when I reinstalled the cover , I stripped one the internal threads on the carb top .(I was hoping that I would never have to take the top off again !!
What do you suggest ? Thanks Don

don sinclair wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:03:

I think you have it figured out Don. No grease should be on the slide. You may be able to spray some carb cleaner in from the top or from the rear to clean it up.

I'd do something about that stripped screw. Either put a helicoil in it or see if a nut will fit on the bottom.

Personally, I'd remove the carb  :'( ,clean the slide, and have the stripped threads helicoiled by a machine shop (or do it yourself).