Dreaded Choke Seizure

[angelo]

Ah well I had read enough about it but didnt think it would happen to me - My bike is well maintained by me and sprayed with copious amounts of Duck Oil and the like. However it is used all year round and so it is perhaps inevitable that the choke lergy would strike.

I think the choke might have been seized for many miles as I always felt it was running a bit rich but it was ok -then I fitted the Motad exhaust and noted that the end of the can was sooting up a bit. Also a plug change revealed a slightly blackened front 2 plugs. Aha methinks - choke seizure.

It seems many of the site keep talking about cable lubrication - not this one. I went in and took the carbs off. The rear carb was perfect but the front cylinder carb choke plunger was well and truly seized with the choke on. An over night soak in WD40 and a little heat failed to move it. Pulling on the cable only ended up in me pullling it right out - ok so a slight tap with a light hamer and drift moved the plunger a bit but broke one of the fragile parts that secure the cable -arrrghhhh! - ok in for a penny (well £45 ish - I checked - robbery so did not order a new part)

Pointy Pliers - no luck - ok off with the diaphram and I managed to tap the plunger up a bit - wahay I thought so a bit more, great a bit more then crunch - its blooming hollow and started to crush - oh 'eck!

Thinks !!! 2 carbs, one is ok - how much choke do I want, not much - result. I tapped the plunger back in so it effectively takes the choke off. Then I found a UNF (yes UNF I have a 1972 Triumph as well) bolt that fitted the hole, fitted it with a rubber O Ring and so the front carb does not have a choke now.

I put everything back carefully and now discover the choke lever has 2 stages and is clearly notched - never noticed that before (I wonder why he says knowingly!). So fuel on, choke on, a few turns and it fired up and ticked over perfectly, choke off and all fine.

Road test -wow - that choke has been sticking for some time - big difference - it pulls cleanly with a lovely rap from the motad pipe. No high tickover revs after a fast run, straight down to normal tick over and it will even tickover at 1000rpm.

It is a fiddly job that needs care but is well worth it, the bike is flying mmmmm well not really because it would be an aeroplane then and clearly it is not, its better!

Anyhow I thought I would share that with you.

Angelo

[kennymact]

improved carb..........done. Top job,I ,ve had the problem too.

[BIGROG]

The problem with mine showed up on the way home from the national in Exeter but once on the open road cleared then only realy showed it's self when I had fitted the Motad, as you say black tailpipe. I did manage to free the cable off but I don't expect it to last for ever so the next time it happens.... wallet out and cough up the silly money. Some imperial threads are a very close match to metric threads but not exactly the same so be very carefull as you can dammage them without knowing, I would guess a new carb body would not come cheap.

Rog

[angelo]

Rog

What I supose I was trying to say is that it will not be the cable in all probability - they are quite well sealed BUT the front cable could possibly get some water in at the very carb end and this will seep into the plunger so making it alloy rust - that white green stuff (salt on the roads doesnt help either).

The front plunger (starter) is easy to get at with just removing the side panel and could be taken out and cleaend without a carb strip as long as it is still moving (about to seize!!!) If yours is like this take it out now and clean and lube the plunger. The difference is significant and if worse come to worse you can simply push it all the way in and plug it up leaving the cable loose (I cable tied mine out of the way)

The choke is great, plenty to start and run on tickover from cold, and I live in cold wet Wales! Perhaps if the climate was extreme then I might need more choke but I am sure it will be fine.

It certainly runs well now and pulls cleanly on acceleration, infact a bit too quick now!!!

Cheers
Angelo

[stageonesimmo]

Had the same on mine - blanked them both off a while ago. I used a brake pad retaining pin plug - same thread, ideal depth - as per advice given on here a while back. Mine had the same instant transformation and has been fine since. I even noticed some frost around this moring and ice on a puddle in the garden - but she started first time and idled perfectly after only about 5 seconds of light throttle - so I'm not missing the chokes just yet, but the weather can get a 'bit' worse around here so fingers crossed..............

[stumpylegs]

Blanked mine off a while ago and, yes, the tickover and general running is a lot better but takes many! prods of the starter to get it going now. Not sure what to do as i use the bike for work and don't want to get stranded there on a cold day. I'm surprised 'cos everyone else says their bike doesn't have any problems starting without choke. Any ideas?

[YEN_POWELL]

I find that when stone cold,mine starts instantly if I press the button but don't touch the throttle till a second after the bike fires. I even use two hands, one on the button and one on the twistgrip to give me finer control.

This will be my second winter without a choke, overnighting the bike in a garage helps, but I had to start it this month after it spent 2 days in a field in constant rain (rally)and it was still okay. I spose it will catch me out one day and I'll flatten the battery trying to start it, but to be honest it's worth the risk for the superb running compared to when the chokes were connected.

[StumpyFingers]

Park my bike on the forecourt at work over night, it starts easily with no choke and after a few minutes of throttle control it ticks over normally.

[angelo]

What I have done is only disconnect one of the chokes - make sure the plunger is pushed all the way in though or you may be disconnected but the choke will be on - all the way in is choke off, all the way or even part out is choke on.

As only one carb choke plunger was seized I left the other, after a good clean and a spot of oil. This means that I have a light and 2 position choke lever (check yours - if you cannot feel the 2 notches you may have a seized choke!). Using this means I can have the bike tick over - no throttle and when it warms a bit notch it down and then off.

ANd yes it does seem to run much better, but that is probably because it was stuck on partially in the first place, maybe for years. A plug check revealed a slight sooting but not too much so no damage done.
Angelo

[stageonesimmo]

I find that when stone cold,mine starts instantly if I press the button but don't touch the throttle till a second after the bike fires. I even use two hands, one on the button and one on the twistgrip to give me finer control.

This will be my second winter without a choke, overnighting the bike in a garage helps, but I had to start it this month after it spent 2 days in a field in constant rain (rally)and it was still okay. I spose it will catch me out one day and I'll flatten the battery trying to start it, but to be honest it's worth the risk for the superb running compared to when the chokes were connected.

Yen, you reading my mind then?

I could have written that! Well apart from the last bit about living in a field.....