Here we Go Again.....

[pddgm]

Rode the trike over to Corpus Christi today, and it was running really rough. Popping and backfiring when letting off throttle, idle extremely rough and would die if I didn't put it in neutral at lights. Once on the highway and running at 40 mph or faster all was fine. Any ideas? Put some carb cleaner in it and rode it back to the campground, but didn't seem to help, most likely not far enough. The gas in it is only about 2 weeks old.




Joe

 

[rhino 2]

Rode the trike over to Corpus Christi today, and it was running really rough. Popping and backfiring when letting off throttle, idle extremely rough and would die if I didn't put it in neutral at lights. Once on the highway and running at 40 mph or faster all was fine. Any ideas? Put some carb cleaner in it and rode it back to the campground, but didn't seem to help, most likely not far enough. The gas in it is only about 2 weeks old.




Joe

I'm assuming you have a carb.. Take it a part and carefully clean the needle valve.
Sometimes dirt gets under it and hangs up the floats..

 

[pddgm]

I'm assuming you have a carb.. Take it a part and carefully clean the needle valve.
Sometimes dirt gets under it and hangs up the floats..

Thanks, has dual webers and I ain't a carb mechanic, guessing if that is what it is, gonna be a trip to a shop..



joe

 

[vw driver]

It could be a vacuum leak.

 

[pcombe]

Rode the trike over to Corpus Christi today, and it was running really rough. Popping and backfiring when letting off throttle, idle extremely rough and would die if I didn't put it in neutral at lights. Once on the highway and running at 40 mph or faster all was fine. Any ideas? Put some carb cleaner in it and rode it back to the campground, but didn't seem to help, most likely not far enough. The gas in it is only about 2 weeks old.




Joe

this may be just a question of bad gas (no I mean in the tank darn it).
Put in some high octane from somewhere else and see what happens, might check the fuel filter? My old Harley has done that before, it normally hates gas from loaf and jug? Conoco has been the worst.

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

It could be a vacuum leak.

If it's dual Webber's like I remember, they could be out of balance ... had a spitfire with the same symptoms ... mechanic balance the carbs an it ran great ... just a thought.

 

[pddgm]

For Sale

And now it for sale. Anyone interested, contact me for price and location..



Joe

 

[vw driver]

What happened?

 

[pddgm]

What happened?

Just decided I really don't want it, have had it a year next month and have only put a little over 2000 miles on it. And half of that was the weekend I bought it and rode it back to the RV. If it's not ridden a lot or stored inside, there is always something that needs adjusted or fixed. I will be taking it back to Missouri next month and either selling it or putting it in my storage unit and let it sit. Going back to two wheels..



Joe

 

[87Trike1200]

All suggestions here are good. Before getting into "take aparts" or expensive shop time, try a can (or two) of "Sea Foam" carb cleaner mixed in with the gas.

Drain the tank of the "old" fuel and put in some known good fuel with the Sea Foam mixed in. Make sure to run it enough at various speeds. Don't expect a miracle in 10 or 20 miles. Might take one or two tank fulls. Worth a try...

Let us know how you're doing. ThumbUp

 

[vw driver]

Just decided I really don't want it, have had it a year next month and have only put a little over 2000 miles on it. And half of that was the weekend I bought it and rode it back to the RV. If it's not ridden a lot or stored inside, there is always something that needs adjusted or fixed. I will be taking it back to Missouri next month and either selling it or putting it in my storage unit and let it sit. Going back to two wheels..



Joe

Any of us that own air cooled VWs know about the maintenance and adjustments they need. It takes a certain amount of dedication to keep an old VW on the road. They can be somewhat aggravating at times to say the least.:gah:

 

[rhino 2]

Any of us that own air cooled VWs know about the maintenance and adjustments they need. It takes a certain amount of dedication to keep an old VW on the road. They can be somewhat aggravating at times to say the least.:gah:

I'll Second that, I had a Dune Buggy back in the 70's Street legal, That was one tricky bug to work on.. I always carried a Vice-Grip and baling wire with me at all times.

 

[Loner]

Before you go drastic, let's try a basic tweak or two. Spitting and backfiring when letting off throttle indicates lean mixture, so go to the mixture screw on each carb and turn it counterclockwise by 1/4 turn. If that improvces it but not enough, then open it another 1/4 turn. Once its there (to its sweet spot) then let's sit back and bask in our wizardry expertise - no charge for the advice, nor for the incentive to do it. Best wishes for your 'new' trike.

Of course I may be totally wrong, but what cha' got to lose?

Have a happy day!!!

 

[Doug D.]

And now it for sale. Anyone interested, contact me for price and location..



Joe

Shoot me a pm with price and pics. I might be interested.

 

[pddgm]

All suggestions here are good. Before getting into "take aparts" or expensive shop time, try a can (or two) of "Sea Foam" carb cleaner mixed in with the gas.

Drain the tank of the "old" fuel and put in some known good fuel with the Sea Foam mixed in. Make sure to run it enough at various speeds. Don't expect a miracle in 10 or 20 miles. Might take one or two tank fulls. Worth a try...

Let us know how you're doing. ThumbUp

Thanks for the suggestion, I put a bottle of carb cleaner/water remover in it the other day and rode it. I haven't had a chance to ride it since and am in a place where I can't just drain the gas out (5+ gal) so will just to run it out. The gas ain't that old and was 93 octane when I put it in. Don't know, but it's still for sale.

 

[stinger608]

Yep, them dual Weber carbs have to be pretty much dead nuts on or you will get odd things happening.
As has been mentioned earlier, try adjusting the carbs a little. If you changed elevation, either lower or higher, that can and will have a big impact on how the bug motor runs man. Jeez, I hate to see ya parting with it already man.

I remember when you first got that puppy!! :clapping:

 

[pddgm]

DAMN THING TOTALLY DIED TODAY. Battery is charged and the fuses that I can find are all good. Can't even get a light to come on, dash totally dead. Absolutely sick of this damn thing. Only thing I don't know is, if the neutral switch on the shifter would stop the lights, gauges and radio from working if it was bad. Dang thing has my blood pressure so high, I can't even stand to be around it. Will be glad when I get it to Missouri, maybe I will get lucky and the trailer will come loose from the rig and total it out...LOL....

 

[stinger608]

DAMN THING TOTALLY DIED TODAY. Battery is charged and the fuses that I can find are all good. Can't even get a light to come on, dash totally dead. Absolutely sick of this damn thing. Only thing I don't know is, if the neutral switch on the shifter would stop the lights, gauges and radio from working if it was bad. Dang thing has my blood pressure so high, I can't even stand to be around it. Will be glad when I get it to Missouri, maybe I will get lucky and the trailer will come loose from the rig and total it out...LOL....

Dang brother, I am sorry to hear all the bad stuff happening with this trike.

A neutral safety switch wouldn't keep everything from working. It would only keep the starter from engaging until it was put in park or neutral is all. That sounds like a main power lead. Check the lead from the battery to the starter and alternator. Or if one runs to a main fuse block. Test to see if your even getting power to the fuse block/starter/alternator.

 

[pddgm]

Update: I talked to the factory in Minn. yesterday morning, all he could suggest was the circuit breaker by the starter had gone bad. So I crawled under the trike and jumped the posts on the breaker and I still had no power to the ignition switch. Checking the wiring to the starter and it was tight, etc. In the process wiggled the leads on the breaker and one was loose, so tightened it and the post came out of the breaker. No big deal, just replace the breaker. Hooked the two leads together and still no power when key is turned on. Called the Trike Shop in Daytona Beach and talked to Dan, told him all I had done and he suggested maybe the switch was bad, so took the dash out and with my tester, show current coming to the switch and nothing going out on any post. So am going to remove the old one, tag the wiring and try and find a replacement today. Checked a couple of auto parts stores yesterday while on an errand for the wife and no one had one exactly like I have. Still might not be the problem, but one less thing to check. All the fuses are good. It's just a pain in the ass trying to fix something in the middle of a parking lot. Apologize for being an ass of late..

 

[stinger608]

Oh yep, that is the problem for sure man. If you have power going into the switch but nothing coming out, bingo, that's the issue for sure.