Flames shooting from left exhaust!

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pierce
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Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#1

Post by pierce »

True story!

Waiting to make a left today, and it started to bog at idle. Looked to my left, and flames were shooting from my exhaust! Holy batman!

Not one to panic, pulled to the side and turned my petcock to closed. It worked. Experimented for another hour on the road and it would run fine, then not fine. Turning the petcock off always worked.

So, pulled the plugs, and 2 was fouled. The rest were great.

My guess is float is stuck? So, carb rebuild on that cylinder?

Any other recommendations? What else could it be?

All suggestions appreciated
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#2

Post by ericheath »

Check plenum for leaking first. Then pull the slides and caps, turn the fuel on and see where it’s leaking. Could be a carb-to-plenum seal too.

It might be worth it to swap the plug to see if the issue follows the plug. You could have a bad plug.
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77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#3

Post by RB »

leaks in carbs three places possible; carb to plenum, plenum main seal, and up through jets = bad float needle seat/needle or crud on the seat/floats offs. With air box off you can check the first two, paper in the plenum floor may help id IT..if no leaks there pull the carbs and bench test with caps off to see the leak.
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#4

Post by pierce »

As both of you suggested,this morning i removed the air box and placed a paper towel into the plenum. As the plug suggested, #2 got wet just by turning the key on.

Side note; I am running the stock 1200 electric fuel pump.

That most likely means that the float pin mechanism or O ring is failing, or needs to be cleaned? About 3/4 years ago i rebuilt the carbs,so perhaps all i need to do is pull the carbs and a what's going on? Perhaps just replace the float pin and O ring ? Everything else is seems fine.

I'm not an expert with carbs,so all suggestions are welcome!
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#5

Post by ericheath »

Remove all intake runner bolts, slide carbs left or right so you get a good view of the number two carb throat via the slide opening. Dry everything off, use a flashlight and watch carefully as you turn on the fuel. If it’s the carb-to-plenum orings, you should see fuel pooling on the plenum side of the venturi. When it’s built up enough it can flow down the throats past the jets and back into the plenum. So watch closely. You can do the tests off the bike too but will need to provide an auxiliary fuel source, and in your case it might be better to use the fuel pump since that is the pressure the carbs will see.

If it starts coming up through the jet openings (brass pieces) first then it’s your float needle or seat.

They might just be maladjusted. Float could be “water logged.” It could be a fleck of debris holding it open. Some have been able to clean them using a-tips and polishing compound in a drill.

Recommendations from the professionals are to use OEM only, not cheap but best bet.

I got the viewing tips from RB years ago. I kept thinking needle and seat. Finally did the observation and it was a no-brainer.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#6

Post by Track T 2411 »

If the fuel seems too be coming from the carb side, it most likely is a float/ needle and seat issue. In another very recent thread someone suggested bursts of compressed air might knock any debris loose that can cause the hangup, but I prefer a removal/ cleaning/ checkup, myself...
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#7

Post by ericheath »

“If the fuel seems too be coming from the carb side, it most likely is a float/ needle and seat issue.”

No offense, but I am unsure why this continues to be pushed. True or not true, likely or most likely is not an answer. I chased my tale four times because of this advice. It was frustrating. Perhaps when the carbs were newer, the leaks were more apt to be from the needle/seat, but now that these bikes have some years on them and the rubber bits have had more time to shrink and fail, it is also “likely” to be a source of a leak. The carb-to-plenum seals fail also. As does the plenum seal.

The test as described by RB is simple and conclusive and doesn’t take much time.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#8

Post by ericheath »

Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#9

Post by pierce »

Well, more testing and with the cap off it seems to be coming from the plenum side. That means carb to plenum is leaking.

It's only on carb #2, so on order to get tip those bolts i have to split the plenum?

It's there another way?
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#10

Post by ericheath »

It can be done without full tear down. Remove the five large JIS screws that hold the plenum halves together. I can’t remember if I undid anymore but it folds up so you can access the screens and carb bolts. I may have undone one linkage. If you have the carb stays still on, leave them and be careful trying not to drop the small off-set connectors for the choke mechanism. A second set of stays (or two pieces of stiff wire) screwed hback towards the plenum side holding the two carbs together as a spacer will help tie things together. You can remove the two carbs from each side.

I put two orings in and it worked for three years so far. Not recommended practice. Not much I do is.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#11

Post by pierce »

Ha ha,so two orings instead of the oem?

I have looked, and can only find one source for the carb plenum seals,and that's randakk. I went ahead and ordered some.

Just as i did,low and behold i looked through my misc. Seals and o rings and found two, Brown, unused carb to plenum seals. I have rebuilt two sets of carbs, one i may have not split the plenum. Both (kitts) were from Randakk.

If i correct,aren't his viton seals brown? I think i should be able to use those that i found. I have a day off tomorrow,and hate wating!

What do you say? Ha ha
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#12

Post by ericheath »

Yes, his are brown. Just make sure they’re thick enough takeup the space and a little more to seal.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#13

Post by ericheath »

From Roncar years ago :

Carb-to-plenum O-ring -- 60.0 x 2.1 mm or 2.362 x .082 inches
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#14

Post by pierce »

So far so good. Can't thank you enough. It would have taken me 10x as long to figure out that it was not the float needle.

Seems to have solved the problem.
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Re: Flames shooting from left exhaust!

#15

Post by ericheath »

I know all to well.
Whatever I suggest here should be given ample time for a moderator to delicately correct. I apologize in advance.
77 WING, 1200 engine with 77 heads, cams, gl1100 foot pegs, Magna V65 front end, 764A carbs, [-gone Suzuki M109 monoshock--, replaced with gl1100 shocks] gl 1200 swing arm, gl1500 final drive, wheel and rear brakes Valkyrie seat, Meanstreak tank, Sportster pipes, Power Arc ignition off crank.
77 Wing. black
83 Wing, in pieces
"Continuing education is important even if the subject matter is fairly useless (as in this case)."---Greg Foresi
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