Carburetor Care

Did you experience that while you are travelling and suddenly your motorcycle choke up like  your running out of fuel? Sometimes it will come that you will experience this activity. There are two reasons on why it happens. First is that you really run out of fuel or second is that your carburetor malfunctions. As you notice, the carburetor is just a small part of the motorcycle but one of the most important system in your motorcycle. Commonly this part is the one with highest number of malfunctions that can happen. Experiencing poor performance in road is one of the problems cause by carburetor malfunctions.

Common reason of carburetor malfunction is when your carburetor is dirty or when the passages of air and fuel are clogged. This are the main factors that really affects the performance of your carburetor. It is normal that your carburetor becomes dirty but it is abnormal that you will not maintain your carburetor condition. In a motorcycle it is not only the engine that is to be maintain but also your fuel system. Common problems that happens are because of carburetor malfunction. That is why it is recommended that you also set time for the carburetor cleaning, tuning and checking.

Check for all possible problems like worn out parts or damaged parts to prevent the problem from going serious. Carburetor have lots of parts to be check but not all are easy to be damaged. Common parts that are easy to be damage are the jets, float bowl or valve, piston assembly, choke or enrichener system and fuel and air passage. You can replace them if you notice any abnormal condition on this parts. It is better that you spend some money for the benefits that you won'n be bother by any of this problem someday.

Preserve the fuel system like you preserve your motorcycle engine. It is the heart of your motorcycle. Just always remember that you should always maintain good condition and performance on your carburetor. Clean, clear and correct all malfunctioning parts.

Hard Starting Engine

I know that you experience sometimes that it is so hard to start your engine specially when in cold morning. There are times that this condition is normal in a motorcycle engine but there are also some problems that may cause this malfunction. If you encounter hard starting in your engine, there are some things that will come in your mind that may cause this problem like poor electricity, starter motor failure or your carburetor malfunction. Commonly carburetor is the most cause of this problem, for some reason your engine wont start easily if the carburetor malfunctions. This are some of the reason or problems that happens in your carburetor.

First thing that you will try is to choke your carburetor for more fuel and air supply. Low supply of fuel is one of the reason causing your engine not to start. Sometimes your carburetor float bowl doesn't have fuel or it may overflow that is why the supply of fuel in the main chamber is not enough to power up your engine. Malfunction in your choke is also a reason when it is plugged or not proper functioning. The inlet system leaks air and doesn't complete the right amount of fuel and air mixture produce by the carburetor. Or your jets passage are clogged and can't supply fuel. The tuning of the carburetor also affects the performance when it comes in starting.

This are some tips you can perform to make your carburetor work properly. The adjustment of the tuning in the carburetor is needed so that it can supply the right amount of fuel in the engine to make it start. You can work on it if you have knowledge in tuning or ask someone that is expert with it like mechanics. Check for clogged passages of fuel and air to make sure that supply of air and fuel is enough and make sure to clean the passages or replace them if needed. Make sure that the drain plug is close to prevent the fuel in float bowl from running out. Make sure to heat up your engine before riding your motorcycle for better performance.

Carburetor Poor Acceleration Performance

You accelerates so slow and sometimes no power in your engine? Or you are not contented in the acceleration performance of your motorcycle. Check for the carburetor for this may cause this problem. It may be repaired with some simple tips and ways. 

The main problem in this case is that the fuel and air mixture supplied in the engine is not enough that results in low combustion performance. Commonly the reasons vary from adjustments, fuel type and dirty or clogged passages. Low fuel distribution will result low combustion power. Worn or damaged jets that minimize the supply of fuel may result poor acceleration performance. Some malfunction in other systems may caused also this problem. Dirty carburetor or even dirty fuel may result this problem. Clogged or plugged passages and bowl vent may overflow. Or there maybe an air leak in your inlet system that causes improper mixture of fuel and air.

This problem requires a lot of time and need a lot of work too.Mostly adjustment must take place and some test must be run to ensure if the acceleration performance is in the right level. Experts in carburetor tuning and fuel and air mixture adjustments are required to make sure that the carburetor is tuned in the best way that it can produce the perfect mixture for your engine. From combination of fuel and air to the combination of jets is necessary. Clean also for plugged and clogged passages and make sure that you are using a clean fuel type. You or a mechanic can correct and adjust all system more power efficient output for your engine. Repair and replaced all damaged or worn out parts for optimal performance.

Carburetor Poor Fuel Economy

Do you consume a lot of fuel in your motorcycle tank? Or the fuel consumption of your motorcycle just increased that much. Maybe you may have some problems in the carburetor or fuel system. This are some cases that can cause your poor fuel economy.

First to check is the adjustment of all your jets, needles and screw if they are adjusted in the right way. Engine may consume a lot of fuel if your idle adjustment is very high. Air jets and needle jet should also be checked if there are worn out or damaged parts or any clogged passages. Even the piston vacuum also may cause this problem if malfunctioned, or the whole piston assembly malfunction. Any leak in your carburetor will waste a lot of fuel, remember to check for any leaks in the carburetor, check if the drain plugged is close tightly. Also check for the hose if there are damaged or worn parts. The riding style may also cause high fuel consumption. Unnecessary revs in your engine and high speed riding is not good for your fuel economy.

To fix this problems I recommend you to clean the carburetor. For the adjustment of the screws, fuel levels and jets, if you don't have any knowledge about this you can bring this carburetor to mechanics that is expert in adjustment and troubleshooting. You should replace all worn and damaged parts if there are required to be replace. I don't recommend to repair the damaged parts but there is available repair kit that mechanics use to repair the carburetor system. Be gentle in riding on your motorcycle to improve the fuel economy and avoid unnecessary revs.

Overflow in Carburetor

Sometimes you will encounter fuel that spills out from your carburetor. You will notice that there is fuel flowing from the drain hose even the drain plug is close. Then you are encountering an overflow in your carburetor. How does an overflow happens in your carburetor? There are lot of reason that may cause this problems. I will tell you some of the reasons and how to fix it.

First is to check for your float bowl. There are are some cases that when the float bowl is damaged, worn or have problems may cause overflowing. Loose screws in the float bowl may also result in overflow in your carburetor. The float bowl maintains the fuel level in the carburetor and if damaged will cause some problems in your carburetor. The float assembly will leak if there are problems in the system like damage O-ring or even if the inlet valves are worn and dirty.

This is very easy to fix but be sure that you have the knowledge on how you can disassemble and assemble your carburetor. You will just need to open your carburetor and clean all the passages and other parts of the carburetor to make sure that there are no clogged passage. Check for damage or worn parts and you should replaced them immediately. Check also the condition of installment like screws and hose. Adjust all necessary parts to correct all the levels you need for the carburetor to work properly.

This are some tips that can help you if you encounter an overflow in your carburetor system. Have time to read and hope that it may help you someday.

Carburetor

This is a device that combines or mix fuel and air for your engine. It is the one that supplies your engine the right amount of fuel and air mixture for a perfect combustion. This time carburetor are being replaced by fuel injection systems but still lot of motorcycle models have this carburetor system installed. Mostly carburetor system is much better than other fuel system, come to think of that almost all of mechanics out there really master the carburetor system in automobiles industry. That is why I prefer this type of fuel system cause it will lessen the time in case of troubleshooting, knowing that there are lot of mechanics that master the carburetor.

The question will be, what will happen when your carburetor malfunctions? Do you have any idea on how to know its problem and how you can fix it. It is important that you still have knowledge about carburetor troubleshooting even if the basics only. Lots of motorcycles experience a lot of problems when it comes in carburetor system. Maybe you also encounter some of this problem too. Just remember that the proper care for your fuel system will help to extend its life span and gives you the performance you would like for your motorcycles.

I will discuss some of the problems encounter in fuel system and some tips on how you can fix it in case it happens. Read the problem topics on my blog and I hope that I can help you even in a small way.

Engine Tuning

Is your engine hard to start or you consume a lot of fuel volume? Your engine may need a tune up. Engine tuning is the adjustment or modification of your engine control unit. This is done to improve the performance, durability and fuel economy. From different engine parts like spark plug, carburetor, valves and other components are adjusted to its best performance. Sometimes there is a situation where you need to detuned your engine in exchange of more fuel economy or more power output.

Tune-up is the service offered by mechanics and manufacturers to reach the engine specification. It is needed periodically to make sure that your engine gives the best performance it can. You can also tune your engine depending on your taste and on what performance you want. Failure to perform this activity may cause some damage to your engine and really gives you a bad performance.

There are times when you will know that you need to perform a tuning on your engine specially when your engine starts hard. It is cause by low fuel and air mixture that the carburetor should be tune up. Valve clearance should be meet to make sure that the opening of the valves are in timing when the reciprocating engine works.

Sometimes failure to tune your engine in the right time may cause an overhaul where your engine is removed and disassembled. This is to done to perform a full refresh or check up on your engine. Replacement of different parts like piston rings, gaskets, oil seals and bearings is recommended when the parts are worn out. After this overhaul is performed to your engine it may give the performance of a new engine.

Hydrolock

Hydrolock is the condition where the compression of gas is prohibited in the main engine chamber. Hydrolock occurs when there is a high volume of liquid inside the chamber and enters the engine while the piston is in its end stroke. Too much volume of liquid that is not compatible with the engine cylinder volume results the piston to not complete it travels in the chamber and a failure will occurs. When hydrolock occurs there are lot of possible parts to be damage in your engine.

The damage may be greater when you are travelling in a high speed. Common problems that can happen are damage from connecting rods, engine block and head, crankcase or even bearings. If there is a great damaged that happens after hydrolock, replacement of the engine will be sure to be done. In case that you are traveling at low speed or getting to stop then a hydrolock happens, the damaged may be lessen. You can just unscrew your spark plug and let your engine turn to eliminate the liquids on the engine chamber.

In terms that when you have to start the engine and there is a hydrolock in the engine chamber, the engine won't start and will not damaged the engine but may burn your starter or spark plug. You can drain your engine from liquids for troubleshooting but if this liquid cause rusting in the chamber, the repair may cost a bit higher.

The Backfire

What is a backfire?

Backfire is the combustion or ignition produced by running engine that happens in the exhaust system rather than inside the engine. It can produce loud sounds or flames in the end of the pipe when the unburned fuel is ignited outside the combustion chamber.

What are the reasons why engine backfire?

There are several reasons why this backfire occurs on your scooter engine. This reasons differ on what causes this backfire like when shutting the engine, carburetor tuning, fuel components or even when the installation of the muffler is inappropriate.

The most typically reason why engine backfire is when the engine is rapidly decelerated. This deceleration in the engine can cause backfire in the way that the remaining fuel in the exhaust system is ignited by the hot muffler. This also occurs when you shut your engine while at high RPM. Your fuel components may include a higher blend of alcohol that is very fast to ignite causing your fuel to be ignited even if it just touches a hot surface. Carburetor tuning is inappropriate that causes the fuel and air mixture to overflow the chamber resulting backfire in the muffler. The muffler installation may also cause this problem in your engine when the muffler is not mounted properly. The last reason is the engine timing. Example is when the spark plug fires at the wrong time, resulting to ignite the fuel and air mixture while the exhaust valve is not yet close.

To resolve this problems, you may work on some tips and guidelines that can help you fix your scooter engine backfire. You can practice to idle your engine down at the proper speed to allow your engine to cool some before shutting the engine. Fix the tuning of the carburetor and make sure that the right tune is acquired. You can ask for experts to tune your carburetor in its best. Fix the timing of your engine from valves to spark plug to make sure that all process are done in the same time. You can also change your fuel choice to non-alcohol fuel to lessen the possibility of backfire in the engine. Check the muffler if its mounted in the way that it fits the exhaust port and do not let any air to pass through.

Engine backfire is not bad and will not harm your scooter engine but still should be fix for efficient, convenient and relaxing travel along the way. It is not good to hear your engine backfire while driving. The best way is to set your engine at its very best to ensure best performance for your scooter.

Electrical Problems

This is a common problem on some scooters and motorcycles. Your electrical wirings as you can see is prone to rain and dust. There are issues that can affect you scooter if encountered problem with your electrical connections. Failure to use your lights like signal light, headlight and tail light even halting your engine. Your scooter electrical wirings is like the nerves of a human being, all of the command you want to your scooter will be pass on by this system. That is why it is important to maintain good condition and connection on your wiring system.

The first thing to remember is ask yourself. Do you have knowledge on this wiring system if your are planning to make some changes on your wirings. Whenever you have to make changes or cut some wire or even add some connections, remember and make sure that you are doing it right. Wrong connections in your wiring can cause your bike to be on fire. When working on a wiring system in your scooter make sure to check all the ends of the wire that they are properly taped after being cut. Short circuits may happen if you ignore loose wires or damaged wires.

Also to be consider is the battery condition. There are two types of battery used in scooters, the maintenance battery and the maintenance free battery. Check your battery regularly from damaged and wore bolts, also check the condition of the battery like its charge and fluid level. Check also your fuse and regulators for damages. Replaced all damaged parts of your wiring system.

To make sure that your scooter wiring system is in good condition, it is better to ask those with full knowledge about your scooter wiring system. In terms of your wiring system is totally damage, there are wiring harness available to be bought in case that you need a replacement.

High Fuel Consumption

Does your scooter consume high amount of fuel ? If it does, your scooter might have some problem causing your fuel consumption go high. There are several reasons that occurs which result this problem. I will give you some tips and checklist to make sure that your scooter has good fuel efficiency and economy.

1. Check your carburetor. There are 2 thing to be check in your scooter carburetor. First is check if your choke lever is in normal position. If the choke lever is misplaced it can cause your scooter to consume a lot of fuel. In case of early morning starting of your scooter and your engine is cold, it is necessary to use the choke to make the engine starts but be sure that to place it back after use. Second is that check your carburetor tuning. Adjust your carburetor to the very best tune to make sure that it only supply the right amount of fuel to you engine. Also please add the checking of the drain plug of your carburetor for loose threads and clean your carburetor in case that it is dirty.

2. Check your scooter tires. Make sure that your tire is in the right amount of pressure to ensure the smooth travel. Flat tire or lack of pressure can increase your fuel consumption. Causing your scooter to slow down even if you are in a high throttle place. Check your tire for punctures, pressure and traction.

3. Maintain proper riding. Don't intend to ride you scooter very hard or push it to its limit. Unnecessary accelerations or braking can increase your fuel consumption and even worst is lessen your engine life span. It is important to maintain your bike in a good condition specially when riding. Check for brake drums and pads to make sure that there is no unnecessary braking happening.

4. Maintain proper changing of oil. This is just a small factor but still need to be remembered. Changing your oil and maintaining your engine in good condition help you in getting good mileage.

5. Check your air filters. This is one common problem that may cause high fuel consumption. With normal use in your scooter you can change your air filters in every 20000-30000 km. but need to be change frequently when you ride in more dusty road or terrains.

This are common and small factors that can affect the fuel economy of your scooter. Remember and consider all this factors so that you can save more and you help your engine to increase its life span. Proper care can save a lot by avoiding wear and malfunctions.

Handling and Stability Unsatisfactory & Battery Problems

Not satisfied with your maneuvers? There must be a problem on your handle and steering system. If the handlebar is hard to turn there are some problems causing it. The steering stem lock-nut is too high, the steering stem have bent parts or the lubrication for the steering bearings is inadequate making it to form some rust on your steering system. If the bearing is damaged it will make the same output also. Check also for the tire air pressure if it gets too low.

Getting some hard vibrations while driving? Check your wheels and tires. Tires air pressure must be in the right level. Wheels bearing mus also be check if there are worn outs and unlubricated with grease. Your rim may not be balance or unaligned making your wheels to make unnecessary vibrations. The steering stem and handle may be loose and must be tightened up for smooth driving experience.

Shock absorption is too hard or too soft making you uncomfortable. For too hard shock absorption this are possible reasons. The oil level and viscosity in the front must be high. The front fork is bent or the tire air pressure is too high. If the shock absorption is too soft the oil viscosity in the front for is too low or there must be a leak in the front reducing the level of the oil. The rear shock spring is weak and hard making it not move properly.

Battery faulty like plates sulphated, shorted through sedimentation, electrolyte level too low make the battery to discharged. Your wiring have some faulty issues making the battery to use more power than necessary. And may be you use excessive bulbs or anything that uses electrical charge making your battery to drain more faster. Your alternator and regulator may have some damage making the charging of your battery slow and making the flow of electrical charge wasted.

Oil Pressure Decreased - Exhaust Failure

Engine level comes low in some reasons like the engine oil pump and oil screen are barely damage and clogged. There must be also a damage making the oil leaks from the engine itself. Decreased in oil pressure is because the engine oil level and viscosity are low.

Camshaft and crankshaft bearings may also be damaged or broken in some ways and also the relief valve is stuck open. The o-ring at the oil pipe in the crankcase is damage may also decrease the oil pressure. Oil leaks from your engine are abnormal condition and should be check at the time of presence.

For excessive white smoke, reasons may come through are valve worn out or valve seal is damage. Cylinder and piston are worn out making the combustion to not take properly. Fuel was mixed with oil or the engine oil level is too low.

If black smoke came out, Air cleaner must be clogged. The level of fuel in the float bowl of the carburetor reach too high. Main jet is too large in size or starter plunger was stuck open.

Brown smoke comes out the reasons would be the fuel level in the carburetor float bowl is getting too low or the main jet is small in size. Air cleaner duct must be loose and not mounted properly or air cleaner is badly sealed and missing.

Check for exhaust system carbon fibers content if there is still a stable amount inside your exhaust pipe. Make sure to check your exhaust pipes also for some problems or loose mounting.

Abnormal Noise

Can cause by knocking in your engine because of carbon built up in the chamber and poor fuel quality. Overheating piston slap cause of excessive piston clearance, cylinder and piston worn out, damage connecting rod and piston and holes are worn. Replacement for this parts are needed in case of unrepairable. Valves also may knock if the clearance is improper or the valve springs are weak or damage. If the camshaft bearing is worn it also may cause a noise in your engine. Proper maintenance like changing of engine oil and check up regularly of the engine is required to avoid this problem to happen.

Clutch noise because of weak or damaged damper. The clutch housing may cause this noise also if the plate clearance is excessive and the gears are worn. Loose bolts and attachment parts are not proper. Or other parts are  having contact with the other parts resulting some noise in the clutch. Transmission gears are worn or chipped, or there are metal chips that was jammed in gear teeth. Foreign object are sometimes get inside of the transmission gears. 

Your belt is worn out causing some noise in the crank case. Be sure to buy the right size of the belt that will fits your transmission.

Shock absorbers both front and rear may also caused some noise in case that they are damaged. Front fork requires oil for proper and smooth shock absorbing. If the oil level gets too low and the springs are weak. In the rear absorber it may cause the noise if the absorber is damage. Replacement for this part are needed in case of total damage and they can't be repaired.

Brakes sometimes gives noises to like when your pads surface glazed. Pad installation are incorrect and the disc is warped. Caliper trouble or low oil level. Bracket and loose bolts are not properly mounted or tightened causing noise the scooter.

Clutch Operation Faulty

If your clutch slips or the clutch is not disengaging properly. Take a look at the friction plate and steel plate if they are worn and warped because it may cause the clutch slips. Also check the clutch spring for broken parts or if they are weak. Clutch release mechanism may have some trouble and clutch housing is worn.

Clutch plate is too rough or the springs tension are uneven makes your clutch not properly disengage. Engine oil level and viscosity is also a factor for clutch to work properly. Always check its level to be sure. Be sure that your clutch housing in not frozen or lock on the drive shaft.

If your clutch doesn't disengage properly, you will come up with a gear shifting problem also. Good thing about scooter is that they are installed with CVT or Constantly Variable Transmission. If you have problems on your gearing there are tons of parts to be check and you should be familiarized with them. First is the pulley, check for worn out parts and check if the fly balls are still in good condition. Your torque drive, it does have a two rear pulley halves, clutch bell, clutch or center spring, clutch lining and clutch springs. Check this components for any worn or damaged parts.

Overheating Engine

Incorrect fuel  mixture will give your engine an overheating problem. Check for the carburetor for some malfunctions. Clogged passage, worn parts and fuel level in the float bowl should be check. incorrect size of jets also give this problem, make sure that your carburetor supply your engine the correct amount of fuel and air mixture.

Lubrication in the engine should be check always to prevent your engine oil getting low in level. Use the right engine oil type for your engine to make sure it will not cause any problems. If the coolant level gets low its cooling performance will also minimized. Check your cooling system for any clogged and worn parts. Fan motor, fan relay and fan blade should be in good condition. In case of you are using a radiator, check for any clogged passage and water pump problems.

Over Cooling may also happen in your scooter engine if the cooling components are incorrect. Thermostatic switch and thermostat should also be checked.

Poor Running at Low Speed

This are some causes of your poor running performance. Spark plug, IC igniter, pickup coil and ignition coil. Spark plug maybe dirty broken or maladjusted that it can't give the engine the right amount of electricity needed. Battery may cause this also if the voltage is low. Make sure that the amount of electrical power that your engine receive is enough to power your combustion performance. pickup coil, ignition coil and IC igniter may also be in trouble that is why you can;t attain the power needed by the engine for great performance.

One more reason to cause this problem is your carburetor performance. If your carburetor can't supply the right fuel and air mixture, the combustion in the engine will not be enough to  power the performance of the scooter. Check also for clogged passage like the pilot jet, pilot passage and air bleed holes, this may interrupt the proper mixing of fuel and air in the main chamber of the engine. Air cleaner, float bowl and fuel tank air vent also may have problems. Check them for clogged, fuel level or loose mounting.

Your compression may be low. If you have encountered problems inside the engine make sure to bring it to your mechanic. They can check the condition of the inside parts for any problems. Cylinders, piston, piston rings and valve damaged or worn may caused some problem with the performance. Ready your budget for some needed parts in case of parts are need to be replaced by a new one.

In overall, electrical power supply, carburetor synchronization and engine worn parts are the reason of the problems.

The same case if you also encountered a poor running performance in high speed. I just need to add some reasons on this problem. Carbon built up in the combustion chamber together with poor quality of fuel, wrong spark plug and trouble with the IC igniter also causes this problem. Wrong choose of exhaust system also may add a factor on this. If you are choose the wrong type of exhaust pipes it may cause the engine some problem with the performance like if the exhaust pipe doesn't fit with the power of your engine it can reduce the outflow of burned gas in the chamber making the mixture incorrect. Choose the right pipe for your engine. 

If the throttle valve is not fully open the intake of the air will not match the fuel injected making the mixture unbalance. Brake and clutch dragging may cause this problem also. Overheat engine may lower your scooter performance. Check the level of the engine oil and make sure it never gets too high. In addition is to check also the viscosity of the oil in the engine.

ENGINE START MALFUNCTION

Starter motor may not be rotating due to some reasons like your battery maybe in low voltage or there is a problem in your wirings like open or shorted wire. The cause also maybe in the main fuse, if you're main fuse is blown you will not receive any power from the battery this a safety system to ensure that you wouldn't burn out your electrical wirings in case of short circuits. Switches may also be the problems. You're ignition switch may have a trouble or your starter may not be contacting. 

One of the reason also is that your engine won't turn over. How does it happen? There are lot of possibilities like valve, rocker arm, camshaft, transmission gear, cylinder, piston, connecting rod or crankshaft seizure. If you encounter this problems, you can bring your motorcycle to an expert mechanic to take a look in it.

Another reason is that maybe there is a problem in fuel distribution. Check your fuel tank and line. Something may clogged the passage of the fuel preventing it to be distributed in the engine. Check your fuel vacuum hose, air vent, fuel tap and line. Also there is a chance of mix water on your fuel making it to hard to burn making your engine malfunctioned.

Check your carburetor for some problems. If the fuel level in the float bowl got high it would be a problem. Also the float valve if its stuck open. Dirty carburetor may also give you some problem in starting you engine. Remember to clean your carburetor when you are in doubt of its performance. Just wash it with fuel to be cleaned.

Is your electrical power sufficient? Check the spark plug for problems like dirty, broken or wrong adjustments. Be sure that plug cap is in contact and check for electric power. You will be needing good and skilled electrician for your wiring problems. He can your wiring harness for problems and other power sources. Pickup coil, ignition coil, IC igniter or even the side stand switch may cause you problems.

Are your engine parts fits to their places. If your cylinder, valves, cams, rocker arms piston, piston rings are damaged you won't be able to start the engine. This is a highly maintenance phase that would cause you a lot of money specially if you will need to buy replacements from damaged parts. An overhaul should take place. If an Engine start malfunctioned occur, don't hesitate to bring your bike to experts. Dont even try to open or fix them on your own if you don't have any idea with it. It may caused more damage to your motorcycle. Let experts handle them for safety.