Carb problems

[Ravishing Radish]

I'm having fuel issues with my bike and would appreciate some advice.

Bike is an XLR 125 which had sat unused for 10 years. Recently took off the air box replacing it with a K&N type filter and fitted a Predator exhaust.

The bike won't idle unless the cable is adjusted about an inch from where it was before. Won't ever start without full choke. Sometimes revs like mad when started even with throttle closed, returning cable adjuster to original position is only way to cut revs but bike won't idle.

Plug cokes up but no matter how the carb is adjusted there is no change. All the way in or all the way out the bike runs the same.

I'm assuming there's a problem with the carb but it's been 10 years since I fiddled with bikes.

Hope you can steer me in the right direction

[StumpyFingers]

It sounds very much like a problem encountered in another thread about a bike left standing for a few years, the carb needs a good cleaning.

[Mervinh]

did you have it running ok before you started changing exhausts and filters?? its always a good idea to get things right as standard before attempting tuning, i reckon, as stumpy says the carb could need cleaning, Plug ? coking or oiling up, is the bike smoking? it could be stuck rings.
from the tickover problem it sounds to me that the pilot jet is blocked, and it will not tick over until the slide is open far enough for the main too kick in
merv

[Ravishing Radish]

Thanks for the advice. The bike hasn't idled since firing it up again when the original airbox was in place. Original exhaust rusted away to nothing years ago.

Will stripping and soaking in carb cleaner be sufficient to unclog the jets?

Thanks again

Steve

[tangle]

Will stripping and soaking in carb cleaner be sufficient to unclog the jets?

Thanks again

Steve

You should read my thread below - I left mine for that long and ran into trouble.

Petrol de-natures with time and turns into brown glue that smells like paint stripper. It glues up your jets and slides.

I had to strip the petrol tank of the stuff with a product called Marine Clean from Frosts and send the carbs away to be cleaned with ultrasonics (£40).

Transalp laid up for 13 years - what to do?

This tells you what happens to petrol over time.
Does petrol/gas have a use by date, or can it be stored for years? | Answerbag

[Mervinh]

soaking it in cleaner and blasting air through may do it, ultrasonic is better
if you want a nice clean carb for show ultrasonic and vapourblast for £35 from [TSR vapour blasting will set ya back £35 + postage if just Ultrasonic £20 + post
or send it to me £20 and i will post it back fro that price, i do not have the vapourblasting, i just bought TSR,s ultrasonic bath when he discovered he needed a bigger one to do more than one carb at a time, now he has one that will nearly do a whole bike i think, as he just sold a 90 litre one
merv

[Ravishing Radish]

Thanks a lot

May seem odd but am looking forward to stripping and cleaning the carb. Friend of a friend has a good XL200 carb he thinks will work on the bike.

Tangle, thanks, read through the thread and all becomes clear! Did you need to seal the tank after cleaning the old gunk out?

Merv, I'll come back to you if my fiddling proves pointless. Thanks for the offer

[tangle]

Tangle, thanks, read through the thread and all becomes clear! Did you need to seal the tank after cleaning the old gunk out?

I don't think so no. I did it because my tank had also stared to rust quite badly so I had to get gunge out and do something about the rust. If your tank doesn't rattle with rust it probably isn't necessary to use the acid and liner. [When you flush out your tank, check what comes out - mine was packed with rust flakes)

The stuff I used was this:

Marine Clean (946ml, US Quart)*(S204) - Frost Auto Restoration Techniques

And it's pretty amazing.

[Ravishing Radish]

Got some marine clean so after a busy weekend time to sort it out