Rich Running

[nellychat]

I'm having some trouble with my rd03 running rich. I'm certain that for now, I can rule out the choke, this was sticking and I have disabled it so it is fixed in the off position. I wasn't planning on disabling the choke for long, I just havn't gotten around to sorting that out yet!

Ok, so about three weeks ago I did a service, (plugs, oil + filter, air filter, coolant) and noticed that the plugs showed rich running and there had always been a good backfire on overrun. Whilst I had the tank off I reset the mixture screws the best I could, the haynes manual does't cover the rd03, but the rd04 has them set at 2.5 turns out and all the other 650's listed go with 3 turns out. At the point of service they were 5 turns out.

My bike seems worse since the service, the plugs are actually wet now! When I bought the bike it had an aftermarket can on, so now i'm thinking that maybe it has been jetted or god knows what else.

So does turning the screws in make the mixture richer or weaker? Also, any other ideas about where I go now?

Thanks

[KTiM]

I'm not all that well up on carb matters but I wonder if a stuck needle or float could cause the symptoms that you have?

[Xander]

a stuck needle or float could cause the symptoms that you have?

I just did the carbs/choak on Anubis (rd07), he was running very lean, The needle/spring in the carbi was competely buggered. I am no expert but it is possible (cus it was in my case). Just disconnecting the choak at the handle bar does not mean it is not stuffed in the carbi and causing running issues (134£) to rebuild with honda factory parts (from switch to to needles), I know there is cheeper ways but i am impatient and wanted the parts on the spot.

good luck

[nellychat]

Could be carb internals causing issues I suppose, will investigate further.

I disabled the choke by removing the cable altogether, then refitted the plungers with a spring to force them to the 'off' position, then fitted a blank to the carb to hold all in place.

[Whealie]

When you say you have disabled it, how? I disconnected mine from the handlebars but this still left it stuck on - the stickiness was in the cable after the split.

[piguglyshandydrinker]

As you have eliminated the choke, It is probable time to take a look inside the carbs for signs of butchering wear etc check the spec's of the jets/needle with stock.

As for adjusting the mixture screw, generally on modern bikes, out is richer, screwed in is leaner. This adjustment is essentially for tickover/low rev's and will have negligable effect at higer rpm's.

Phil

[Dilbert]

According to Robelst's page of all things useful on an RD03, wind the screws (one each carb) fully in then back out 2 1/8 turns for correct setting, see Wiki/ Technical Information/ XRV650 Tech Data Sheet ( http://wiki.xrv.org.uk/index.php/XRV650_RD03_Tech_Sheet )

Not entirely convinced your blanking off method is working properly, maybe try refitting the cable with everything unstickied and see how it is?

BTW you got mail