Bad gas...I hope

[cured1]

So last night after not riding in a couple of weeks I pulled the cover off my bike to take it for a ride. I start it up and let it warm up. I call my girlfriend and tell her I'm coming over, while I'm talking to her some neighbor comes over and tells me the noise is shaking his whole apartment. This guy was such an A-hole. It's 9:30 at night and the thing is idling for about 3 minutes.:mad:

Anyway... I hop on and start to go when I see my fuel light is blinking. So I stop by the nearest gas station (chevron on Cahuenga & Franklin) which just happens to be one of the most expensive stations ($2.41 for 87). I fill her up and when I go to start it up, it doesn't want to start. :confused: I get it started and it sounds horrible, almost muffled. I start riding and there is no power or response to the throttle really. I get an occasional backfire and almost a knocking sound. Once it would finally start going it seemed alright I guess. As soon as I woul let off the gas and slow down it would continue with the abnormal behavior.

I sure hope this is just a bad batch of gas. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

What's the easiest way to drane a full tank of gas?

[racinteach]

how long was it sitting?

[cured1]

2 weeks at most

[racinteach]

will it idle when hot? if not it may be your pilot jets acting up..which means they must be cleaned out..it should run fine when on the gas, but coming to a stop it's starts to run bad right? try to dump the gas, and if it continues time to pull the carbs...also make sure your choke is working properly, but I don't think it is the problem..hard to tell without the bike here..

[Darth Lefty]

Did you gas it up at Taco Bell?

[cured1]

Originally posted by racinteach
it hsould run fine when on the gas, but coming to a stop it's starts to run bad right?

This sounds about right. I wasn't able to get on the gas too much cause I didn't want to get too far from home in case something happened. Just rode it around the block.

[enos79]

Originally posted by honeycured
while I'm talking to her some neighbor comes over and tells me the noise is shaking his whole apartment. This guy was such an A-hole. It's 9:30 at night and the thing is idling for about 3 minutes.:mad:

Well I'm glad to know its not just my apartment complex with A-holes like that! I just tell him if he doesnt like the muffler I can always just run open pipes :D He usually turns around and leaves in his Geo Metro. I suppose it doesnt help my room mate has a 71 Sedan deVille with flowmasters amd I run almost straight through pipes on my firebird. ;) But hey, I dont complain when he's yelling at 3 am to who ever he lives with......

[cured1]

thanks Robert. So I should just drain the gas and put some fresh gas in?

[racinteach]

try it, the gas thing first, but ultimately you may be pulling the carbs...to clean the jet out..it is so very tiny any piece of garbage will clog it....

[bloodclot]

also, i would check your plugs. i had a similar problem one spring (after not riding it for a few months), and swapping plugs fixed it. nearest i can figure, there was something shitty in my gas and it settled to the bottom during the winter. when i started it up, it got sucked up and fouled my plugs.

oh, and when you have your tank up (or off), smack the side of your carbs a few times with the back end of a screwdriver (dont hit any moving parts). i know it sounds all silly and redneck-ish, but if anything is sticking in there, it could produce similar symptoms. a few good taps should un-stick it. and if it starts doing it again, you have a good idea of where to start.

if i were you, i would do what racinteach said, in conjunction with the plug swap and carb slap. that way you are almost 100% sure to fix it and not have to take it back apart again.

besides, be honest. when was the last time you changed your plugs :p

[EviL]

be sure it wasnt diesel..

[bloodclot]

Originally posted by EviL
be sure it wasnt diesel..

:lol:

[EviL]

Originally posted by bloodclot
:lol:

Experience is the best teacher.. :D

[racinteach]

actually thats right someone did put dfiesel in a bike once..I wonder who that was? :confused: