Motor question

[starrider1946]

2002 Roadhawk. The motor sounds like it pops through the exhaust. Does it at idle but not going down the road. Doesn't sound like it is missing or backfiring just popping. Doesn't seem to do it as bad after it warms up. I checked the valves today and I had one pretty loose and another a little loose. Adjusted those two and the rest were ok. When I fired up it was still doing it but when I went up the road a couple of miles and stopped at a red light it wasn't doing it. I went to a friends house and was there about thirty minutes and when I fired it up to come home it was really popping bad then it seemed to quit after warming up. It runs fine going down the road.

It does have a little hesitation when going through the gears but picks right up after giving it the throttle. It is a stock set up 1600cc with dual webers and electronic ignition. I haven't done anything except check the valves. Any help would be appreciated.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Exhuast leak?
Check the flanges at the head studs.
Hard to guess if it runs correct.

[stinger608]

Carbs are out of synch.

They need to be adjusted. This is kind of important due to the possibility of one carb dumping too much fuel in the cylinders. That could wash out the cylinders and damage the rings.

I would get this done ASAP. If you don't know how to do it, most import repair shops can do it without much problem.

Keep us posted man.

[starrider1946]

There isn't much to choose from in the way of VW mechanics here where I live and I don't know how to adjust the carbs. I did get a guys name the other day. I'll go by and see him and Ii'll see if I can detect an exhaust leak.Is there any good way of doing this except to listen? I'll keep yalll posted. Thanks for the help.

Carbs are out of synch.

They need to be adjusted. This is kind of important due to the possibility of one carb dumping too much fuel in the cylinders. That could wash out the cylinders and damage the rings.

I would get this done ASAP. If you don't know how to do it, most import repair shops can do it without much problem.

Keep us posted man.

[stinger608]

There isn't much to choose from in the way of VW mechanics here where I live and I don't know how to adjust the carbs. I did get a guys name the other day. I'll go by and see him and Ii'll see if I can detect an exhaust leak.Is there any good way of doing this except to listen? I'll keep yalll posted. Thanks for the help.

You really don't need a VDub mechanic. Most older import mechanics would be experienced in multi-carb tuning.

Even if you know a fairly decent mechanic, you can let him see this in depth tutorial on synching multi-carbs:

http://www.aircooled.net/synchronize...rburetors-103/

I also think there is some tutorials over on Samba as well.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/sea...turn_chars=200

[DeathBySnuSnu]

I missed the fact that you have dual carbs.
If something is wrong or out of sync with the carbs it will not be running fine. I will run and you should be easily able to feel something is wrong.
Any popping like sounds I ever got from my duals was from stopped up low speed jets. It was very common to unscew the jet and blow it out. Of course it was only running roughly and on 3 cylinders at idle. But on the high speed jets at highway speed it would be somewhat ok. It is the main reason I am going to injection. I got tired of diddling with the webers over the past 30yrs.

[stinger608]

I missed the fact that you have dual carbs.
If something is wrong or out of sync with the carbs it will not be running fine. I will run and you should be easily able to feel something is wrong.
Any popping like sounds I ever got from my duals was from stopped up low speed jets. It was very common to unscew the jet and blow it out. Of course it was only running roughly and on 3 cylinders at idle. But on the high speed jets at highway speed it would be somewhat ok. It is the main reason I am going to injection. I got tired of diddling with the webers over the past 30yrs.

Good point! I forgot about the low speed jets. That is very very easy to fix.

[starrider1946]

Is there an identification number on the carb so I can tell whet model it is?I looked up webers on VW and they must have used a hundred different ones.I don't know which one is the low jet. Guess I could clean both of them. I checked the timing and it was off. Set it to 32 degrees advanced. Seemed like it might have helped but the thing still pops when it is cold. I don know one mechanic I may check with. If I could give him some information on the carb it would help. Thanks

Good point! I forgot about the low speed jets. That is very very easy to fix.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

We might could identify with a pic.
I will take a pic of a 44 idf, a 40 idf would look nearly the same.
I just noticed you are in pineville. That's near Alexandria right? Not that far from me. Maybe when I get mine back together we could take a scoot together? Maybe meet up at natchez.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

44 idf clone.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Idle jet.
You can take it out. Nothing falls apart inside.

[starrider1946]

Yeah we could meet in Natchez and ride some of the trace. That would be a good time. I have rode a little bit of it on my bike. Yeah mine looks like the second picture with the arrow. I'll take those jets out and clean them real good. What model did you say this is? I'll print out some information on it. There is a guy right down the road who is a great mechanic . Probably the best around with cadrbs. I am sure with the right information he could check them out for me. Do you have one of these on your trike?Let me know when you get it back together and we'll meet in Natchez. Le me know on a model if you can. Thanks

Idle jet.
You can take it out. Nothing falls apart inside.

[stinger608]

Actually that is an EMPI HPMX model. Basically a clone of the Weber IDF. On Youtube there is a great EMPI carb set up video tutorial.......

Here it is:




It is a great beginners tutorial for initial set up and tuning. You could give your fella that link if he isn't quite sure how to approach it.

Hell, ya might give it a shot yourself man.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

Yes that is an empi clone.
I don't think there has been a real weber idf in a long time.
But copies are made all over the place and they are called a weber by us but actually are not.
Real Italian weber
Spanish weber
American weber
Chinese weber
And prob a few others.
My pic is a Chinese weber, the empi hpmx.
They are all so much alike the parts interchange.
But if your engine is actually still a 1600 then I would guess it would have 40 idf carbs (or a clone of) instead of the 44's. They look the same from the outside.

That is one of my carbs.
I am not going to have carbs anymore.
I have mikuni throttle bodies with automotive injectors in them on hand made intakes.

[stinger608]

Oh, forgot to mention, you can pick one of these simple vacuum carb synch's up pretty cheap:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


You should probably grab one and learn how to tune your carbs yourself as you will need to tune them from time to time.

VDubs tend to shake rattle and roll and running either the Weber IDF's or EMPI HPMX style of carburetor, they will need tuned more often that one thinks. It will save ya a ton of money in the long run tuning them yourself. I would imagine it will probably run at least $50 each time you have the mechanic down the road tune them and the carburetor balancing tool is only $29. Would be well worth the price.

[DeathBySnuSnu]

I have an old vertical column type with the floating ball in the tube. I hear that the newer "snail type" are much nicer to use. Cheap either way and not to bad to do.
Good throttle linkage is important.

[stinger608]

I have an old vertical column type with the floating ball in the tube. I hear that the newer "snail type" are much nicer to use. Cheap either way and not to bad to do.
Good throttle linkage is important.

Yep, same here. I have used to old column type, like I linked, for years and years. I am planning on getting one of them "snail type" balance tools as I have heard they are very easy to use. I have heard they are much more accurate as well.

[starrider1946]

I'll pick up one of the gauges. I would really like to adjust them my self.If there is nothing wrong with the carb I should be able to do it. I do have Weber carb on the motor. I don't know what model they are but they are Webers. That is a good video on you tube. When I get my gauge I'll try and set them like it says. I actually went out 1/4 turn on the front idle mixture screw on the left carb and my popping went away. I thought it was lean. Right now it is running good but I would like to make sure the carbs are adjusted like they are supposed to be.
Let me change the subject and ask if you two run dyna beads in your tires. I am still having an issue with my front wheel. It felt like the tire was out of balance around 50 to 55. I had dyna beads put in but it still feels out of balance. How do you have your tires balanced. I don't know, maybe with this springer front end it will just ride rough. I am just used to the handle bars on my bike not shaking. I am not sure what to do. I don't think there is anything wrong with the tire but not sure. I hat to buy a new one and it do the same thing. I'll take any suggestions. Thanks for the help.

Yep, same here. I have used to old column type, like I linked, for years and years. I am planning on getting one of them "snail type" balance tools as I have heard they are very easy to use. I have heard they are much more accurate as well.

[stinger608]

Honestly it sounds like the tire is out of balance. Most all motorcycle shops have the means to balance motorcycle tires. IE, Honda shops, Kawasaki shops, Harley shops, etc... Isn't there a shop where you live?

I personally don't run the beads and probably wont.

[starrider1946]

I haven't checked with with Harley shop but I was told they wouldn't fool with it but I may check. We have a shop that handles a few different makes of cycles , I may check with them.today.
I am going to order me a carb gauge today so I will have one.

Honestly it sounds like the tire is out of balance. Most all motorcycle shops have the means to balance motorcycle tires. IE, Honda shops, Kawasaki shops, Harley shops, etc... Isn't there a shop where you live?

I personally don't run the beads and probably wont.