[Jerryk959]

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Well guys and gals, I would like this poll to reflect how those of you have repaired your bike after suffering the dreaded 'carb cough'. This a condition where there is a small backfire in the air box, a deceleration "popping" and general loss of powerat a certainrange of RPM's. I have been fighting this for over 2 years and I have been replacing parts as I can and when I can find the time.I would like to find out if there was 1 thing you did to cure this problem. If I have left anything out, please let me know. Thanks,

-Jerry

 

[AZgl1800]

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You didn't leave an option for using Sea Foam or other type carb cleaner.

In my case, I used Sea Foam and fixed a vacuum line leak(s).

I voted for sync and "other".

 

[Big Cahuna]

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I haven't had those issues with my Goldwing, but I have had them with Harley's I've owned.Carb coughing I have found is due to a lean running condition.might be from leaking vacuum lines that are old and cracked or just loose fitting. Or could be from partially blocked jets, or air leaks from intake manifold gaskets/seals.Popping in the exhaust can be from a rich condition when letting off the throttle at speed, and having unburned fuel ignited in the exhaust pipes.These symptoms will apply to almost any brand bike, you just need to throughly go thru and positively check and not assume they're ok.,,

 

[wda-83wing]

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i went with 2 items---carbs dirty or pluge jets---vacum leaks--but thats on a 1100 .but the same should applie to the 1200 .

 

[Jerryk959]

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AZgl1500 wrote:

You didn't leave an option for using Sea Foam or other type carb cleaner.

In my case, I used Sea Foam and fixed a vacuum line leak(s).

I voted for sync and "other".

You are right! I completely forgot about the Sea Foam. I guess since I have used about 50 gallons of the stuff and it hasn't worked for me, I didn't think about it. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the edit button for a poll...:baffled:

 

[Mr Magic Fingers]

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AZgl1500 wrote:

You didn't leave an option for using Sea Foam or other type carb cleaner.

In my case, I used Sea Foam and fixed a vacuum line leak(s).

I voted for sync and "other".

I agree with the use of Sea Foam.



Tim.

 

[tricky]

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and you didnt have Buckley's in the poll yuck

I would possibly do a vacuum check on the slow cutoff valve

 

[da_bull]

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I would have to agree with the vacuum lines, they are up there in age on the 1200/1500 bikes now. At the very least, they are 10 years old, and at the most, 25 years old. 10+ years on a piece of rubber that sits next to a warm motor, exposed to rain, cold, hot, etc...The same reason I changed my timing belts at 15K (18 year old belts).

 

[SmokinJoe]

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Sta-Bil, a fuel stabilizer and cleaner similar to Sea Foam, every tank on a 1100 mile drive. It was running so bad when I started it would die on accelleration, wouldn't idle, and hard to start, working good by the time I got back. Now all my old bikes get regular doses of Sea Foam. Also will clean fuel injectors very well using a vacumn injector rig.
But if your carbs have pieces of debris in your float bowls, you've got to clean them out.

 

[mikef]

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Jerryk959 wrote:

AZgl1500 wrote:

You didn't leave an option for using Sea Foam or other type carb cleaner.

In my case, I used Sea Foam and fixed a vacuum line leak(s).

I voted for sync and "other".

You are right! I completely forgot about the Sea Foam. I guess since I have used about 50 gallons of the stuff and it hasn't worked for me, I didn't think about it. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find the edit button for a poll...:baffled:

PM any one of the mods. They can add it for you.

 

[AZgl1800]

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I added the Sea Foam / Other cleaner for you.

 

[Jerryk959]

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AZgl1500 wrote:

I added the Sea Foam / Other cleaner for you.

Thanks!:waving:

 

[Jerryk959]

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Well, I finally got the courage (and the time off)to tear into my carbs. I had 2 plugged slow jets and 1 plugged main jet. What a difference! It's like a whole new bike!! Many thanks to everyone who helped. I should have listened to Twisty from the get go. Oh well, all is wonderful now!

 

[cycleman]

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I had been through the carbs last year but would periodically still get the carb cough. All most all of the time this was when the bike was first started not once it warmed up. I had already replaced the plugs. It was something that happened once & awhile & therefore hard to track down.

I replaced the plug wires as I found with a timing light on the old wires I was not getting a consistent spark. The change improved the running of the bike but didn't seem to be the cure for the cough. The inconsistent spark was to all plugs not just #1.

It was/is carb #1 that was causing the cough on my bike which kind of makes sense because that's where the cutoff valve gets its vaccum and therefore more jets/holes etc. to cause problems.

My bike was always fairly hard to start and after cranking a short time with choke on I checked the plugs and they were not wet. I also checked # 1 & #3 runners between carb & head. Found that #1 was drier than #3. Tank was full at the time. I replaced the fuel pump this winter.

I've only been able to run the bike in the garage but it starts better and hasn't coughed since I put in the last fuel pump. We'll see what summer brings.

My guess is that the cough is caused be a lack of fuel to the offending cylinder. A piece of dirt/or plugged passage would cause a consitent cough/miss that would continue until it cleared. Fuel pressure would certainly play a role and after my experience it would be one of the first things I would check. I vote for wires/fuel pump.

 

[Mr. Fix it]

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GL1200 1984

First kick was to add MMO

the Carb overhaul followed..

Vac lines inspected.

Added shims to the the sliders to richen things up and improve overall performance.

Eventually replaced the Air Cut off Valve & flattened out the Air cut off valve cover to seal the leaks associated with it.

GL1000 1977, Fellow winger

Used Randakk's carb kits and associated tricks to cure that one which had flat spots all over the place and at times still does.

Electronic ignition is the next step to try to cure that one.

 

[jawajohn]

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I have heard that carbon can build up in the reed and not seal properly. But thats a ton of work. I have a parts engine I will check out . Now I am curious.

 

[andy1800]

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It would be useful to know if this poll is specific to one Goldwing model.

 

[jawajohn]

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Cough gue to carbon

 

[BPD25]

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Carbon on the valves?

 

[jawajohn]

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I was talking to a guy who has been riding goldwings most of his life. He said he has seen carbon bulild up on the reed valves and would cause a cough, mine is when the motor is cold and no choke. But it goes away when the motor warms up. And my bike runs great so I just add a little seafoam at every fill up.