So after more than a couple Saturdays, I've finally got a new head gasket on and the whole girl is back together. First time I've done anything quite that intensive.

However...

Once I get a little past half throttle she bogs down pretty bad. Tried to go up a hill on my test ride and she wouldn't get past 25 in 2nd with the throttle WIDE open. This was not a problem that I had before I took her apart. She seems to start up fine... just gotta choke a little bit. And my low RPMs don't seem QUITE as powerful as they once were... but that could just be my memory giving my bike too much credit.

I went pretty much word for word by the clymer manual... so I did adjust the valves... perhaps I did a poor job? Or does this sound like more of a carb problem? I had to screw with the fuel/air mixture a bit to get her runnin the first time.

Any ideas that would give me something to look for when I head back out would be greatly appreciated.

As far as I could tell I did. I lined up all the marks that the book told me to. However I never really felt any "play" in the rocker arms no matter how many times I turned the dang thing.

Guess the only way to check is to pull it back apart?

Would that cause it to only bog down in the higher RPMs?

Could very well be a carb and/or valve problem (perhaps electrical?).
Putting the engine apart again will be your last step if all else fails.


Incorrect valve clearance, dirty carb, lack of oxygen or a mineralized
spark pug (or weak spark) would all cause your engine to greatly
underperform; how's your battery?  Lose coil perhaps?

Low RPMs (specially 2dn gear) are incredibly powerful in this model.



Try simple stuff first just too eliminate variables.

- recharge battery
- metal brush your (+)(-) terminals
- clean/change the plug
- test the spark itself
- richen the mix and try a hot plug maybe
(screw counterclockwise about 2turns out)
- do a test run with the airbox door off, vacuum you airfilter
- redo the valve adjustment (must not remove engine at all)
making sure of your TDC (use a wire or your cars' dipstick  
in your plug hole as guide). Your exhaust valves could be too open.

Good luck

Stimpy - FSO wrote on 01/04/09 at 17:38:00:


Come to think of it, when I had the problem... my left blinker wasn't working. Then my right blinker wasn't working. But the last time I took it out (when it appeared to work right) both of my blinkers were working... I'll have to check that out too.

Thanks!