Troubles..

FastFred · May 29, 2012

Fitted Jims flatslides and have had no end of problems which I am a bit lost with. Timing ok, now idles fine but plugs are near black and very sooty despite the needles being on the leanest setting. Carb cables spot on and lifting together. Bike has got progressively worse over the last weeks as I literally have just run it up the road a few miles to test it on several occasions. It just misfires thro the whole mid range. at first it just misfired about 80mph. Fuel supply seems fine. Few weeks ago I had battery charging issues traced to a bad earth to the boyer power box, bike asko has boyer ignition. Its got to be electrical but it just doesnt feel that 'stuttery' misfire that electrical. Any ideas? Do plugs unsoot themselves after this abuse? I have just been wire brushing them off?

Dances with Shrapnel · May 29, 2012

Best to start with a fresh set of plugs. Sometimes plugs clean up, sometimes they do not and right now you need to know.

Wire brushing plugs is not a good idea as it often leaves a metallic surface on the insulator.

Make sure you are getting full voltage to the Boyer while underway. Poor voltage makes for sputering performance with a Boyer.

Matt Spencer · May 29, 2012

100 Octane ( Shell race fuel ?? ) will get easyier plug readings and make it all a whole lot easier , getting it all in the ballpark .
Get it running right on that , then see if it all turns to custard (

) on pump gas .Amazeing wot the call petrol , these days .

CanukNortonNut · May 29, 2012

LL100 Avgas will do the same.
Not able to help you too much as my Amals work just fine.
Doh.... Did I just open up a can of worms. :mrgreen:
Keep on keepin on.
CNN

mikegray660 · May 29, 2012

Fred did you contact Jim - he's very helpful and i'd get his input before making a bunch of changes - i don't think i'd start throwing other types of fuels (fresh yes) in unless you have modified your engine - i take it it ran reasonably well before the change -

sure your going in the right direction with your needles for leaning - and are the chokes turned off (in the down position!) shortly after starting the bike?
m

1up3down · May 29, 2012

I am a very happy owner of Jim 32mm flatslides for two years now, I was one of the very first buyers.

get a brand new set of plugs, they have been fouled, cleaning with brush and brake cleaner is ok but
pick up a new set asap

Stick with Jim's stock needle position clip.

What size are the slow idle, or pilot jet sizes, are they 40s, seriously take them out and check what size

give Jim a call, it is possible they are mislabeled

rpatton · May 29, 2012

FastFred said:
It just misfires thro the whole mid range. at first it just misfired about 80mph. Fuel supply seems fine. Few weeks ago I had battery charging issues traced to a bad earth to the boyer power box, bike asko has boyer ignition. Its got to be electrical but it just doesnt feel that 'stuttery' misfire that electrical. Any ideas? Do plugs unsoot themselves after this abuse? I have just been wire brushing them off?

You can be off one any one of the carb tuning variables, pilot, slide, needle, main; but it's pretty rare to be off on all of them at once. Floats, maybe.
If you're trying to diagnose carb tuning issues then it's much more helpful to be recording throttle openings rather than road speed. Different circuits in the carbs correspond to specific throttle openings.
Electrical problems with electronic ignition might not show up as the 'stuttery' on/off shorting you might see with points. That goes double for Boyers.

Plugs don't 'unsoot' themselves for beans, in my experience.

P.S. Make up a couple 3 foot jumper cables with alligator clips. Jumper the Boyer's ground and power. Great for bike's toolkit, you never know when you'll need to 'limp home'. It's always easiest to eliminate electrical problems before going after the carb. There's no tuning, it's 100% right or it isn't.

grandpaul · May 29, 2012

Make sure your battery is fully charged. (and fresh plugs for sure)

Matt Spencer · May 29, 2012

Those ' Akso Boyers ' , youre 5762 in the que with its wonkey , the batteries not right , etc .

Grounds / Earths / japanese battery

( 750 Bonnies shook the plates loose ) .
multi meter & check charge rates .Lucas Rectifier :lol: :lol: :shock: :? .

Er . . . , gee , magnetos arnt bad .

:mrgreen:

rvich · May 29, 2012

Your comment that it has gotten progressively worse made me wonder about a manifold leak. Might be worth a check.

Russ

AussieCombat · May 30, 2012

Hey Fred,
Check the timing.
I had a similar occurence, which turned out to be the Boyer.
Contact Jim.
A couple of things I've noticed with mine (JS Flatslides) is....
The clamps need to be quite tight on the rubber manifolds, or they leak.
One of the Chokes seem to stick on, for a while, but has come good.
Do not oil the Air filters supplied with the kit.
If you did, wash them out.
Get some K&N Air filters as soon as you can.
Do your testing without the filters on.
If you have had the carbs apart,... double check that the gaskets are ok,...
on the tops, and especially on the bowl. Those rubber ones swell up and need TLC to get them seated right.
I use Petroleum jelly in the groove on the bowl, and sit the gasket in it.
I found the needle adjustment to be very broad, that is, one notch was too much in my case.
Good luck.
AC.

blacklav · May 30, 2012

Hi there, i had a similar happening. It idled perfect but stuttered and banged at different throttle openings. I went throgh all the ignition system almost sending my boyer of for testing . The problem was one throttle needle had come loose in clip. Replaced the clip and all the probs were gone.
Not sure if this applies to your flat sides as i dont know what they are.

all the best
chris r

FastFred · May 30, 2012

Realised in bed last night that it was the needles and the plastic retainer I may have fitted wrong. It was. Bike now has misfire only about 3/4 throttle that I am sure I will get rid of by lifting the needles. Cheers, my bad...

FastFred · Jun 9, 2012

Just come back from a week in Isle of Man for the TT. Let's try again...
Weakened needles to clip in top groove. Balanced slide openings and gapped the heights. Went out for a run, felt better thro the rev range but still misfired at 80mph.

Adjusted tickover before pulling plugs out and just when it seemed to be spot on the tickover raised itself by some considerable revs (on it's own) like its hanging on the cables and it definitely isn't. Plugs still dark. Reckon this is the boyer.

john robert bould · Jun 9, 2012

Fred....It's to rich..end of.

FastFred said:
Fitted Jims flatslides and have had no end of problems which I am a bit lost with. Timing ok, now idles fine but plugs are near black and very sooty despite the needles being on the leanest setting. Carb cables spot on and lifting together. Bike has got progressively worse over the last weeks as I literally have just run it up the road a few miles to test it on several occasions. It just misfires thro the whole mid range. at first it just misfired about 80mph. Fuel supply seems fine. Few weeks ago I had battery charging issues traced to a bad earth to the boyer power box, bike asko has boyer ignition. Its got to be electrical but it just doesnt feel that 'stuttery' misfire that electrical. Any ideas? Do plugs unsoot themselves after this abuse? I have just been wire brushing them off?

Hobot · Jun 9, 2012

I'm in a bad mood finishing up my goated SV650 to lend out - dang patch up paint job ain't that much better than Graveled white bondo texture plus mower that was fine prior on shut down now has no spark, so thought I get an uplift reading others turmoils for relief. I had a ride invite this am and Trixie is hot to trot but noooo, being responsible wasting time.

Let's see now ...

and just when it seemed to be spot on the tickover raised itself by some considerable revs (on it's own) like its hanging on the cables and it definitely isn't. Plugs still dark. Reckon this is the boyer.

Low voltage black box boyer timing goes bonkers towards advanced and you heard how it was on same fueling, soooo.... besides a bit rich yet, think boyer/battery idle charge drop at this point.
Similar to AAU sticking in adv after just a little blip off idle.

FastFred · Jun 9, 2012

Not comvined about the 'it's just rich' John as why would it fluctuate on tickover. I will check the needles for the size but tey are as weak as will go.

FastFred · Jun 10, 2012

Here's today instalment...

Bought some new sparkplugs, strobed timing and went for a run. Felt ok but misfired again at 80 mph and later on at around 90mph (when hotter - see below). Was also popping down exhaust on overun. Took plugs out and one is virtually white and other slightly brown. Old plugs must have been sooted up bad and wouldn't clean up. Now need to drop needles back to standard. This 'carb problem' did start as a bad earth causing boyer probelms and a misfire and I reckon I have been chasing my ass as the plugs were b*ggered.

When it is going these carbs do make it go like stink.

MarineCommando on here has kindly offered to lend me some spare carbs for Mallory Park in a few weeks if I haven't sorted this yet. Top man.

Troubles..

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