Ok I have quite a few problems with my bike that I really would like to fix. Lets start with a basic description of the bike.

Its a 1999 Savage with 8400 miles on it. It has all stock parts, no modifications whatsoever. I got it very cheap from a friend who rode it since it was new and has been the only owner. It has been sitting the garage for a very long time. The first thing I did when I got it was clean out the carbs and play with the pilot screw to reduce the backfire. Everything worked out well and the bike was running perfectly except for it was a bit jerky at first and second gears and engine braking is no fun because it is also jerky. I changed the oil to valvoline 4-stroke 10w40 motorcycle oil.

After a while the oil started leaking out onto the exhaust pipe and smoking. Then I was riding at about 60mph enjoying myself and winking at the hot college girls on the road when the darn thing lost all power gradually then backfired multiple times and stalled out. I stopped for a while and checked some things and started the bike right back up. Got back on the road and the same thing happened about a mile down the road. I stopped again, changed the petcock to prime and continued. It stalled one more time before I got home. I put the bike up and noticed that ALL THE OIL LEAKED OUT! I opened up the oil plug and it smelled like gas and was diluted with gas. I also opened the oil filter and noticed the rubber lining was screwed up and that was what caused the leak, although the filter is nasty as hell even though I just replaced it. I'm sure a replacement rubber filter lining will fix the leak but I also want to fix the other problems.

My bike DOES NOT IDLE WELL at all! When I'm stopped it will rev up and slow down and then almost stall out and then rev back up. I just want a nice even idle. I am going to reclean the carbs, I tried to take out the white spacer but I stripped the screws in the diaphragm and don't know how to get past that problem since I am too scared of damaging the diaphragm to drill them out or anything.

Also, the exhaust pipe sounds horrible. It sounds like there is a whistling coming from it that makes my bike sound like its weak. Is there anyway to stop the whistling without having to buy an expensive exhaust?

Also, if its relevant, I live in Tampa, Fl and its been in the 90's the past weeks that this has been happening. The bike is VERY hard to start, it takes about 15 seconds of holding the starter button to get it going and then requires throttle to keep it from stalling. The bike stalls on start when no choke is used but if I add throttle on startup it will work fine. If I use the choke on startup it works a little better, not much though.

It does have the usual head cap leak but its so slow that I am waiting to fix that until I have all the other problems fixed.

I want to fix the following things:

Stop the gas from leaking into the oil.

Stop the jerkiness of the bike at low speeds and on slowdown from high speed.

Stop the bike from stalling at idle and keep the idle nice and even.

Stop the whistling of the exhaust pipe.

Have a clean fast startup!


Any advice will help, I am new to bikes. Let me know if you need anymore information, I get a notification on my phone for replies so I should be able to reply almost immediately. Thanks!

When you first got the bike, did you drain any old gas, and put in fresh ?
Did you check the oil to see that the level was correct ?
Then did you charge or replace or jump start the battery, and get it running ?

This is all that should have been done for starters. The last resort would be to go into the carb. The white spacer mod and the backfiring should have been the least of your problems and put way low on a list of priorities.
Many engines set for years, and start right up w/ some fresh gas and a good battery.

Now that you have assummingly dismantled and reassembled the carb, it it really hard to know just what your bad idling/running problems mite be, especially being new to bikes and probably new to an unfamiliar carb.

Or eliminate potential carb issues altogether, carbs can be had cheap on eBay.

When you have the engine running, feel the top of the case at the rear of the oil filter cover... do you feel a knocking?

If so, check your cam chain adjuster, quick link in my sig.

Russian Savage wrote on 05/14/11 at 18:09:59:

Sea Foam thats a few days to work,I would ride some more before taking things apart.

This bike is making me angry. [/quote]

Don't let it make you angry. I would love to find you setting on the side of the road with them girls giggling at you. I'd offer you $100 and a ride home for the title, and you would get my age some day and feel like a real horse's butt. Be patient and it will seem as if more than one item clears up as you go along. At least it's running. And three of your problems may be related to one fix. Remember, anger makes you do the wrong thing and the wrong thing usually costs more money.