General Engine Running problems - possibly the carb?

[Andy K]

I have a 99 Varadero 1000V and recently I have had a few problems with the engine. It seems to take too much effort to start in the mornings and at low revs (throttle closed) it often cuts out such as waiting at lights etc even when it is warm. It also tends to backfire when I close the trhrottle to brake from speed. All this tends to point to a fuel supply / timing type problem but an unsure if there is anything I can do to aid diagnosis or releive the problem without taking a wheelbarrow of cash to my dealer for there help. I commute daily on the bike 80 miles (40 each way) and it has got 56,000 on the clock.

Any help would be very welcome.

Andy

[Boris]

Assuming you have serviced it and given it new plugs etc I would have a close look at the integrity of the carb rubbers and for general leaks on the inlet tract.

Can you tell if it's running on two cylinders badly or just one pot when its not well? It would help diagnose.

Oh and welcome to the forums BTW.

[Lumiya]

In this weather I'd also suggest the possibility of fuel icing

[piguglyshandydrinker]

I think that the choke mechanism would be my first port of call!

Phil

[Yahoo]

Our bikes started to do exactly that the other day. A wise ex biker told us to spray the inside of the sparkplug contact points (the rubber cap bit) with a bit of wd-40. It worked a treat!

With the bike heating and cooling down, as you use it daily, it creates condensation inside the contacts causing a bit of a mis-spark.

Simples!

[tramp]

yeh Yahoo,
i use me ACF 50 hundred and one uses , back in the old days of me DT100 I used some silicone water disperser and sealent "borrowed" from me Dad mechanics tool chest.

I get paronoid in winter as the bike develops all sorts creaks and grones , just like its owner we both dont like the cold.