| Author | Message | ||
     Jetlee |
The boot may have been tightened just the right amount, had no cracks, and the air gap played no part in the matter...but if you had something between the boot and its seat either on the "manifold" or the carb, it would cause a vacuum leak as well. I was having a weird carb cough issue I couldn't track down for a few days. I thought "ah hell, why not" and pulled the boot. I scrubbed both surfaces thoroughly with a stainless steel wire brush, then cleaned with brake cleaner (crap takes off your skin), reassembled with same boot and problem was gone. I figure it just had a dirty seat that was allowing a little air in when throttle was closed. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Boot too loose or too tight is a common occurrence. ......and I'm still learning, stubbornly sometimes, but hopefully still willing. Yes, brake cleaner. Wear safety glasses and avoid spraying directly at your crotch (I think Jerry Lee Lewis sang a song about that). | ||
| Roblast |
I think while I'm in there, I'll pull the carb (not for a good cleaning) and check the float level. I'm 99% sure that I didn't tweak it when I changed out the slow jet, a while ago, but it can't hurt to check. I'll also carefully use brake cleaner to clean up the surface where the boot mounts. Thanks for the idea. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Lol, I almost had a heart attack! | ||
| Roblast |
OK, so, "Blast owner right of passage #2" - I'm not a dremel owner, so I tried to get the right front corner screw off the carb w/ a phillips. Mucked up the screw. I will now be a dremel owner, which is about time anyway. I'll turn the thing into a flathead. One question: Why should I reuse the screw? Because I'm supposedly (per above instructions for shimming needle) only loosening it, not removing it? Since I'm checking my float - not just shimming the needle - don't I actually have to remove the carb? Also - I've still got the stock exhaust on the bike. While I'm in there - should I reject the main to a 175, or wait until I replace the exhaust someday? I do have a K&N air filter in the air box. How about shimming the needle? Finally - I've double & triple checked the boot tightness, since I replaced it, and all looks good. How much effect should the air/fuel mix screw have on my idle? If I change it a lot, then it has effect, but small 1/4 or 1/3 increments don't change my idle. Thoughts? I should mention that spraying WD40 at both end of the boot, the intake on the engine, and the exhaust port on the engine changes nothing. (Message edited by RoBlast on May 01, 2012) | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Sounds like your boot is fine? I dont remember what your problem was.... I dont understand what screw you have too loosen, but not remove? Sounds like a riddle. Leave it at 170 main. Try shimming. You will or or wont notice a difference. Try two. Then pull one out. If you put 2 shims in and you dont notice a difference in midrange, take them out. Odds are it will run much better with them. | ||
| Ezblast |
Don't rejet till you change exhaust - you can still use the screw - I do. Your just loosening it, don't forget to tighten afterwards. The air fuel mix will affect your idle - make sure it is at least 2 1/2 turns out. You don't take the carb off - you remove the tank. EZ | ||
| Roblast |
I pulled off my carb, verified the diaphragm seating (not caught / torn), verified the float level, the jets are clean (45/170). I can't find a thing. Maybe, just maybe I'm getting convinced that I'm chasing a ghost, because the ticking noise when I accelerate is still there. What I'm now wondering is what's the difference in sound between valve-train noise, and spark knock? | ||
| Jetlee |
I'm an expert ghost chaser. I chase and chase and chase...have yet to actually catch one. I have a metallic clicking noise since I got the bike. Since I changed to the XB top end, it seems to have just changed tone. | ||
| Roblast |
So, apparently it's not an actual ghost. I had a bike mechanic guy I know stop by today and had him take my Blast for a ride. Good news - the thought of ping/spark knock never crossed his mind. It's not *that* sound. He says I've got my bike running great, and the ticking noise when I open the throttle is almost definitely valve noise. Next question - then I'm putting this topic behind me : My understanding is the Blast valves "never?" need adjusting. So - why the ticking - what's the cause? Does it "need" to be cured? Thanks everyone for all of your help & patience. | ||
| Jetlee |
You've got a lot of metal parts held together by springs and moving very fast. There's just a lot of noise. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Concur  | ||
| Roblast |
So "all" Blasts make a ticking sound when accelerating? | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Well, realistically, we cant hear it so we cant really tell if its normal. The guy who you had listen to it thought it was 'normal'. Many engines make a variety of noises when accelerating. Sometimes we fixate on a noise and it seems to get louder. My Blasts and 'other' bikes, make ticking noises. But I usually know what each noise is and that they are normal. But again, we cant really hear your bike. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
PS My guess is if you put your head in the engine compartment of your car, you'll hear ticking noises. You are running 20w-50 right? | ||
| Roblast |
Yup. Running Screaming Eagle full synth 20w50. In fact, I just changed the oil and primary fluid yesterday ( it was due). I know you can't hear it, and if I try and record it all you'll get is wind. That bugs me, but whatever. My former bikes were different beasts: Savage 650 and Virago 535. Sounded very different from my Blast, and rode differently as well... But no ticking, which is a large part of why this makes me so nuts. Yeah, I'd probably hear something under my car hood, but I can't do that at 40mph, where w/ the bike I just flip up my shield. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Yes, the Blast is "different in every sense"! And yes, the Blast will not sound like rice, even they've been trying for years to get rice to sound like a Harley! Its almost a guarantee that your Blast will have days when you'll swear its 'coming apart' and other days when it hums along like your previous two bikes. Every air cooled HD product I've owned has been that way. | ||
| Jetlee |
"PS My guess is if you put your head in the engine compartment of your car, you'll hear ticking noises." Agree 100% My rotary engine in my RX-7 makes ticking noises. Figure that one out! (Message edited by JetLee on May 16, 2012) | ||
| Rockhead |
So if the ticking is just valve noise, should I be surprised that I only started hearing it after I installed a Jardine exhaust? | ||
| Jetlee |
You don't have the backpressure cushion of air for the valve to seat against that a stock header provides...is my guess. | ||
| Rockhead |
so, kosher? | ||
| Jetlee |
The only reason I'm going to say "imo yes"is because you already took it to a mechanic who assumed responsibility and said it was just the valve train. So if anything bad happens, sue him.  | ||
| Swampy |
No, No! NO! Suing people sucks! There are many other alternatives to suing, but I can't mention them here... A little tick is normal, there is alot going on inside that engine and you can get some strange sounds out of it, when you notice a different noise that is when you have to worrie about it. Today I was visiting a friend who just got an AR15 and I was showing him how it worked. I told him it will sound much different than what he is used to using, I put the stock up to his ear and pulled the charging handle back so he could hear the funny spring noise. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Sure hope he stays a friend Swampy! Great theory Jetlee! Hopefully it isnt an exhaust leak though. The stock also muffles noises coming from the engine through the exhaust. It is certainly conceivable that you may hear different things or things differently. | ||
| Bluv21 |
How's your timing Rockhead? I had a problem similar and the timing was a tad too advanced. Once I retarded it a tad, the ticking stopped. | ||
| Jetlee |
LOL @ Swampy! I was meaning that if something bad happens from me saying "yes", don't sue me for it, sue the guy that has insurance for that sort of thing and gave the same answer. Agree on the not suing at all, but instead go back to that guy and say, "You said it was just valve noise, now it's broke. Fix it." Hahaha | ||
| Nickboxer7 |
I put the Vance and Hines on this weekend, swapped out to 45/175 jets, adjusted idle mixture screw to 2.5 turns out, and I'm loving it! My question is, will I notice a definite difference if I shim the needle as well? I was going to do it but .05" sounded like a lot to me. I had a few washers from a jet kit a mechanic friend of mine gave me but they only measure .018 each. Does it really need to be adjusted that much? Only mods I have are the exhaust and soon to be EZ airbox mod when my filter comes in. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
JUST DO IT!!!!!!! Yes, you will notice a difference. | ||
| Nickboxer7 |
I think my new filter will come in this week so I guess I'll run up to the hardware store and try to find some washers that will work. Looks like next weekend I've got another project! | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Try a hobby shop. The kind that sells RC cars and models. They'll have the washers and they are either a #4 or #6 (whichever is smaller).Hardeware staire will also have the washers in those sizes (if they have them). |
