Savage_Greg wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:11:


Generally they don't close down.  They burn out is what they do and as they do the resistance goes up giving weaker and weaker spark.  Working from memory I believe the spec is 11K ohms for a good one.  My thought was if you had weak spark it starts fine with a good dry plug and then as soon as it miss fires the plug starts to get wet causing another miss fire and then you flood right away due to weak spark.

How is the ground connection under the coil?  the old intruders from '87 had a problem from the factory with a bad ground connection.  We would take the new ones and make sure the paint was sanded off right under the coil mount to make sure they had a good ground or they would have a bad idle.

The only other bizarre thing I have delt with on flooding at idle is when the o-ring around the needle seat doesn't seal (Item #21 on ron ayers carb view) It is not noticable at higher rpm but it causes a high fuel level and richness at idle.

The question is, is it truely rich, or is it looking that way due to bad spark?  If it is truely rich then chase the fuel/carb demons, if you have a spark/engine issue start with the electrical & engine compression route.

Your wife has a savage too doesn't she?  have you tried putting your ECU on her bike and see if it does the same thing to her bike?  Bad ECU's can act funny.

Ed L. wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:11:


Has anyone else watched theirs closely.  Is the pulsing something that is really not normally there? (sorry mine is in pieces right now)  I have watched intake boots on the old GS's pulse at idle.

smokin_blue wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:11:

I figured that my "close down" would get this explanation.  I understood what you were saying, but...

The first thing that I did when the engine died, was to pull the plug, ground it and check the spark.  It sparked weakly 'cause it was wet.  I cleaned it and did it again.  Good spark.  The same thing has happened 3 times since.  Each time the spark was steady and bright.  Not red or weak looking.  I don't really think that the resistor in the plug cap can cool and behave that way 4 times.  

As it is, I encountered my first totally dead spark plug cap on a 1980 XL250 a few weeks ago.  Checked it with a meter and it was "infinite".  I was checking the coil and ended up buying the cap.  Your statement about 11K ohms is correct though.  If you have a 5K resistor cap and measure the coil secondary with the cap installed, you'll get 9-11K ohms if it's good.

smokin_blue wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:11:


This was an observation that may not be related to the problem.  The knob was sort of bouncing in and out, but not out to one of the 2 choke positions or anything that extreme.

Worn rings let oil pass, cracked rings can cause all kind of wierdness...........sometimes you could get a false compression reading cold, and those lil buggers could slip around when they are warm & toasty...just a thought.

B

    That 'plug getting wet' thing might be a tell.......check and see if it`s wet w/ gas or oil. The oil consumption is another tell. I sure hope it ain`t your rings, but that oil is going somewhere. Maybe it`s blocked somewhere?

   Hey, did you ever pick up a copy of that big red Chiltons MC & ATV guide? The trouble shooting chapter in it is priceless if you spend a lot of time chasing GR**LINS [don`t mention the little buggers, NEVER!!!].

    When I was doing a bit of blacksmithing we used to sprinkle a little cornmeal around the anvil to appease them, also left a door or window open so the bastids could get out.....

B

Rockin_John wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:11:

That's an interesting thought, even though that goes against my motto of KISS.  I do have the luxury of a second Savage that can provide some donor electrical parts if needed.

The next time that it happens, I'll grab the ignition unit off the spouse's bike when she isn't looking