Question for carbed 1500 owners

[zoom45]

I don't know much about this carb with the slider. I have a feeling mine may be getting too much gas through it. I pulled the cover off and noticed (without it running) when I twist the throttle back it dumps a lot of fuel out the little brass tube. The slider is about halfway open with the throttle closed. Is this normal? I may have to take a picture so you can see what I'm talking about. It has been a little long starting in the mornings and has started my weird intermittent miss/stumble again. Also there is a little rubber tube that comes into the plate under the chrome cover. It looks like a drain tube for something. It is leaving a film of what looks like oil inside the cover but the air box is dry and clean.
Thanks,
Zoom45

[ercbf]

I noticed when I re jetted my carb approx a month or so ago, the tube that you are talking about....brass tube in the carb that is. As far as I can tell, it is normal, I believe it acts as an accelerator pump, the faster you twist the throttle, the more fuel that comes out of that tube. This acts as to not starve the engine of fuel under different accelerator actions. As far as the other tube, I will have to look on my bike and see exactly what you are talking about.

On the long starting, intermittent stumble..cpl of things...Do you ride short trips alot...check the plugs, see if they are fouled at all. I had a battery give me mega problems in the morning with a long start. Is your idle set to low?..that was a big issue with mine, especially on a take off, I would get a bad stumble every once in a while, idle was approx 100 to 200 rpms to low..my bike used to be my dads..he never adjusted anything, lol.

[zoom45]

My idle may be a little low. I'll adjust it up. Not many short rides. Work is 26 miles one way and mostly highway. Fairly new battery and plugs. This has been bugging me off and on a couple of years. Last year I pulled everything off the bike I could take off (wire plugs, switches, covers etc) and put it back together. After that have taken several long trips 200-1500 miles with no problems. Now it's acting up again. It may stumble ome day and do fine for a month. Then it may try to quit all of a sudden. I just keep tools with me just in case. I thought about putting a kit in the carb to see if there is trash in it. I have done everything else I can think of.

[MAS Tequila]

Run some Seafoam through it.

[ndbigfish]

I run similar mileage to work; 30 miles one way. People tell me carbed bikes are bad news, but I keep the fuel filter clean and run MMO with every fill-up. I never have had a problem. The plugs stay clean. I clean the carb and scrub the butterfly valve at every oil change. I also like to use a cleaner like Seafoam, Berryman's or Sta-bil at each oil change. My bike will run rough when the plugs need re-gapped. I also get oil from the crankcase breather inside the right cover; no big deal, just from the breather.

[ercbf]

Happens every once and awhile...

Could it be the gas you are getting from a particular place..

also....+1 on regapping

[sonny]

Bobby, I pull the choke about 1/2 way for the 1st start of every day regaurdless of the temp outside. And my throttle is hooked up kind of "push-pull" so I crack it a little and let it run a little high while I put on my DOT approuved head gear. I don't get a stumble problem, but every now and then mine seems to vibrate a little more than usual or run a little ruff. No emperical testing, but I think it is when I have put ethenol gas in the tank. I try not to do that. You know I have to look in the Websters to spell mechanic, but I think 25mi should be plenty to get the plugs hot enough to burn right. I put seafoam in a couple tanks ago and it seems to run smother. I have never had a FI bike so I don't if they idle better or not. But the tube you are talking about pumping the fuel with the throttle is supposed to do that. I have runa couple
brands of carbs. I think it comes from the accelorator pump, but I don't remember for sure what I was told 30 or so years ago. If you get a weekend, I will meet you here or there or in between and you can look at mine to see if it is doing the same thing. Any excuse is a good reason for a longer ride.
Thanks for your time

[zoom45]

I just got back from the South Central Group Natchez ride. The bike did great with no problems. I have almost 80,000 on it. Never know when it will act up. Oh, got about 45 mpg on this trip.
Zoom45

[sonny]

45mpg! I wish mine would even get close. If I got 40mpg, I would figure I had parts fixing to fall off.
Hope y'all had a good ride.
Thanks for your time

[ndbigfish]

Bobby,
Glad to hear it ran well; great mileage too.

We went out for 317 miles today; two up. I got 56 mpg on 10% ethanol fuel from questionable sources. Not much wind and I kept the speed near 55-60; GPS indicated. Still scratching my head on that one, usually get about 42 mpg in the same conditions.

[zoom45]

We rode the Natchez Trace at 50mph. That's why the mpgs were better. If I run it 70 or 80 it's like pouring it out of a bucket.

[Cajunrider]

I got 42 mpg on the way up to Natchez. Didn't check it on the way home but did make the 168 mile trip back + an 8 mile detour to my son's home in Geismar. Still have one bar left. Just right to bring it to the dealership to get the fuel pump changed out next week while I'm working. It's starting its whining again after a several weeks of quiet.

[ndbigfish]

Do you have the stock intake?
What was the temperature there? It was 95°F here today. I did air the tires up too.

[zoom45]

Stock intake and about 90 degrees.

[ndbigfish]

I'm thinking the mileage is related to the throttle. ;)