[BigBro1]

Ok first I am not positive I have a lean condition. She runs really good, idles smooth and pulls from low RPM all the way to redline, smooth and clean.

My 1984 Interstate got a carb rebuild with Randakks kits over the winter. The idle drop was essentially even adjustment with the needles at about 3 1/4 turns each. The carb balance is about as even as one could expect. I checked and rechecked, then at about 600 miles I pulled plugs they looked white and I redid the carb sync. She gets right around 38-42 mpg and I am a big guy so about what I expected.

The only real indications I have that she might be lean. The Exhaust Pipes right behind the heat shields are turning a little blue and she seems to run a little hotter than I think she should.

I don't see or find any vacuum leaks and generally she just runs great. I have put about 1000 miles on her since the winter workup.
I did Carbs, Waterpump, Radiator Flush, Timing Belts, Poorboy Kit, full wiring clean-up and grease connectors.

Now on the carb rebuild the only thing that was kind of a guess/best I could get was the float settings. I created a measurement device and made sure they were set as near as I could tell according to the specs, floats we essentially suspended and just seating the needles but not compressing the spring.

My question, is it possible the floats were set a little low, low enough that it causes a lean condition but not so low that she runs well overall otherwise.

 

[TBear]

The float level is pretty critical. Basically the lower the fuel lavel in the bowl the farther it has to be lifted to the carb throat so leaner mix. Ther e are other poaaibilities and I am sure someone will be along shortly with good advice

 

[Cornpone]

Howdy!

What your plugs look like when you pull them after some significant riding depends on what plugs you're using, what heat range they are. So, what are you using in your Wing?

 

[BigBro1]

I am running the specified NGK plugs for a 1984 Intestate. DPR8EIX-9 The only variation is I went for the big dollar Iridium flavor. At the time the bike was running really bad and I did notice an improvement. Unfortunately the problem was related to a bad carb job and serious misadjustments.

I verified jets were stock numbers and fashion. Everything matched up with the book specs. It actually runs really well other than the two items I discussed in original post.


Here is the post from a bit back with a picture of my plugs then.
http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums...spark-plugs-600-miles-since-carb-rebuild.html

 

[tomswift99]

it is pretty rare that float levels have to be changed on the carbs...if they were running right previously (any time in the past).

a simple check might be to try to drain the carb and catch how much gas comes out.... very difficult to do with the GL1200 but see if you can make it happen. You should get about 40ml of fuel... less and you should check levels, more and you might have gotten some from the inlet line so check another bowl

 

[BigBro1]

tomswift99, I agree adjustment of floats on a decent running bike should be very rare.

I think the operative here is it probably did run decent sometime in the past. However, that was clearly before my time. Suffice it to say I was doing carbs to track down a high idle, rough running and clearly lean condition, she ran great at 4,000 ft elevation at 1/2 choke when warm although boggy and rattled at low rpm. Then I moved to essentially sea level in a dense air, wet climate. She just wouldn't run.

I pulled the carbs to find the balance from #4 slammed shut to the max being about 3/16" open on one of the 4 with the other two in the middle of that. I found the floats varied across a nearly 1/4" delta in the 4 carbs. There was some junk in the bowls and on the slide needles but mostly there was gasket glue crumbling in the carbs and a very large screwdriver like hole in the Idle Air Cutoff valve.

Surprisingly, at above 2500 rpm she actually ran pretty good but you could tell something was not quite right as with about 1/2 choke she ran best at cruising speed and much better than with no choke although, she would idle at about 2200 that way.

So we were desperately in need of a complete redo ensuring everything moved cleanly, was cleared out and adjusted as close as possible to what would seem to be bench specs. I didn't run anything through the jets but did inspect them well to ensure they were clean and shiny, all passages were clean and appeared to flow/sound about the same with a regulated amount of air from a nozzle.

I took my time building the 4 carbs in stages so as I built 1-4 I could compare each function or measurement across the set. From complete disassembly, soaking in Pinesol, cleaning, washing and drying to assembling clean components took over a week. She got all new hoses and clamps too.

She does run really good especially when compared to what I started with. The thing that seems to indicate I am pretty close is that she balances, idles smooth, sounds even, and all adjustments are nearly identical. Even the Carb sync moved less than 1/4 turn on any screw(more like put in the tool and barely rotate it) from a bench setting with a matchbook as a gauge.

So now I am just tracking this condition down. I don't have my old school Exhaust Gas Analyzer with me so I am working more from a gut feeling of visual indications. I noticed the other day, dropping down a 1/2 mile hill at lower speed ~30mph I could hear some slight popping out the exhaust more like gurgling. Like she was trying to tell me she was lean and wanted to backfire. That would also track with the blueish color on the pipes. a little warm and lean causing a slower combustion burn.

Anyway, that is where we are today.

 

[DriverRider]

Refreshing to read a post where the OP has done his homework.

You know your ride and should trust your instincts with regard to the blue pipes and the slight popping. It would be a big job at this time of year to recheck float settings which should eventually be done.

For the time being crank open the pilots another 1/2 turn which should richen slightly throughout entire RPM range so long as it still idles well. Give her a ride and see what you think.

I am a firm believer that carb equipped vehicles need to be slightly richer than when new to counteract the crummy Ethanol fuel of today.

If you can turn the pilots out like 1 turn and have no change in idle it is for sure lean and you are at maximum pilot adjustment.

 

[BigBro1]

Thanks DriverRider I will give the idle screws another turn.
I had thought about trying that but wasnt sure it would help much coming from the idle circuit.

I agree pulling down the carbs again to verify the floats is a big job. I also tend to agree with the idea that this new fuel probably needs a little richer setting from the "real" stuff. One though there is to also consider running non-ethanol for a few tanks but that is usually premium which would also exhibit different characteristics due to the extra octane (usually slower burn) and when you can't compensate the timing advance it is like dumping fuel while you burn it.

Anyway, topic for another discussion.

As I only "need" her 1x per week for 60 mile commute I may time a weather pause from the Pacific Northwet with the check.

I am wondering if anyone has done any re-jetting research and would know a good set of jets are available.

 

[DriverRider]

Just make sure the screws are not so loose they could fall or vibrate out.