Fuel additives, yes or no?

[Nic]

Thanks Zombie! Not really sure what you mean there about the splicing the T-fitting. Can you explain that a little bit?

[zombie]

There is a 1/8" nylon T fitting included in the Gauge kit. You will need to buy one short piece of tubing to install the gauge onto the intake manifolds vacuum port. Adjust that carb to get the Highest reading, and move the gauge to the other manifold, and repeat. This may take several attempts to get the readings exactly the same on both manifolds. You will most likely see one is much higher than the other, and the low reading side is the carb that has the issue. Find/correct the issue, and they will "balance".
Your problem could be a simple hose disconect/clogged filter/loose fitting on the manifold/air leak on the manifold/clogged jets/mis adjusted float/loose carb cap/missing throttle cable boot/worn carb seals/missing screw on a butterfly valve/burnt intake,exhaust valve/loose header pipe/cracked muffler/clogged muffler/leaking head gasket/loose spark plug/bad coil/coil wire/bad plug/bad cdi/bad igniter coil/mis gapped plug/fouled plug/clogged fuel filter/collapsed fuel line/debris inside fuel nipple/ Simple things like those!

[max oradea]

just buy 2 you will use it for a long time i am sure. every time after storage and maybe your mates need to use it. so get 2 and hook it up to the bike.

[max oradea]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/VACUUM-GUAGE-2-CYLINDER-TOOLS/dp/B0069RLU84/ref=sr_1_33?ie=UTF8&qid=1336296487&sr=8-33
did a quick look. or http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcycle-Carburetter-Balancing-Calibration-Synchronisation/dp/B003370YWQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1336296413&sr=8-4
both good for life time. i would get the 4 set. you never know if you get a 4 cylinder in line engine in the future...
think i will order one now myself. 3 times borrowing the gauge will even out the price.

[zombie]

NICE!

[Nic]

Well, as I was gathering things this weekend to get ready to do a carb cleanout and check my cylinders, I realized my busy schedule was too much to handle a project like this.  So I went to my motorcycle shop to drop off the bike and explain the continuing issues (most recent was that the idol, all of a sudden, was really high and bike was overheating).

But as I got up Saturday morning to do this, the idol was still high - but my troubles seemed to go away.  The bike was idoling on its own without clutch, it took off in 1st gear with both cylinders firing it seemed, no putts or jerks from stop lights.  Only a temp issue it seemed after 15-minutes. 

As I got to the mechanic, we adjusted the idol knob together and it was sounding nice on its own. Mechanic agreed and no need to take it apart to mess with anything (especially since it's intricate and would cost me 600 bucks or so for the mechanic to do it).

Rode it yesterday and it's doing great-better than it ever has. Now the temp gauge issue may be a bubble issue in the line that is sitting on the sensor and causing the bike to look like it's overheating (according to the mechanic)?  He said shake the bike while it runs to move the bubble to the top of the system to see if that helps.

But other than that - the carb/imbalance issue seemed to work itself out from running it for about 1000 kilometers since I had the initial problems, and after two seafoam inserts. Coincidence? Normal? Maybe the mechanic was right when he said "just keep riding it" to get the carbs to burn out some of that gunk?  So- I might say "fuel additives-YES!" at this point - I still feel like I should dedicate some time to take a peek myself - but it's running good now and don't want to disturb it! LOL  Anyway, finally enjoying riding it again and I'll keep you posted on this subject as I go along. I've copied your posts/instructions for a future date of work and bought one of the 4-cycle synchronizers so I'm ready.

Thanks for all the help. Please post your thoughts to this latest development if you have any.

-Nic

[axy]

Well, as I was gathering things this weekend to get ready to do a carb cleanout and check my cylinders, I realized my busy schedule was too much to handle a project like this.  So I went to my motorcycle shop to drop off the bike and explain the continuing issues (most recent was that the idol, all of a sudden, was really high and bike was overheating).

But as I got up Saturday morning to do this, the idol was still high - but my troubles seemed to go away. 

The idol should stay off the weed... 

[max oradea]

good to here that its running ok now. to find if the bike is really over heating, infrared heat sensor or just a normal thermometer and just stick it where there is heat and check it out. maybe your cable has snapped.
if the bike was tuned and balanced before and that the jets are now run clean, there is no need to take it apart. just long time running unbalanced cyclinders will make you crank fail sooner.
so now that its running ok no need to strip and clean, just check that the cylinders are balanced. can be done in 30 min.
good luck! and enjoy the ride!

[zombie]

It's good to hear. Additives are not a magic cure all but if used at the right time for the right problems   they do work. I've been using Sea Foam for about 12 years, and It has never let me down. If it does nothing that means mechanical intervention is needed.
I would follow up with at least one more double dose tank full. That will assure you your fuel system is clean. After that install a NEW fuel filter, and all should be well.