Cleaned plugs - fast idle??

[mattylmbr]

Yes - total noob - so chuckle away.

First 'vintage' bike - 1980 XS - so, not used to how fickle these things are.

Pulled my plugs (NGK BPR7EIX) and cleaned them. Did a little cleaning in a few other areas - kicked the bike next day (didn't kick after cleaning) and now fast idle and some smoke from the pipes?

Guessing I screwed up the plugs??

 

[Bob Kelly III]

Um NO ! what color are they ? that the important thing !
fast idle can be a barely stuck float or the throttle hanging up somewhere....
if you blip the throttle does it settle down to a normal idle ?
....

...... bike could have been set to idle normally when it was real cold outside and now it's hot so it idles faster ...just turn the idle screw down on the left side a bit.....
....are those the proper plugs for that machine ? BPR7E....what's the IX stand for ? the BPR7E part sounds right though are they iridium or platinum plugs ?
.....
You have a TCI ignition on that 1980 XS650 which I have found to be very reliable ! thats a good thing.....
but your comment on the bike being "Fickle" is RIGHT ON ! they are especially when it comes to the carburetors
I had my carbs off to clean them and set them 4 times and finally got it right, havn't had trouble with it sense !
these BS34CV carbs are notorious for having dirty passage ways in the idle circuit and choke circuit...so a in-line fuel filter is a good thing to add
......
a sudden change in idle may well mean an air leak has developed ! take a can of WD-40 and sprey around the intakes on both sides ( where the carbs attach to the head) to see if you get an increase in idle speed for a few seconds.... if so that shows you where the air leak is ! and what needs to be fixed
air leaks are bad ! you can melt a piston with an air leak ! so make sure that is not the cause of your fast idle !
......
the carb section in the "XS650 Technical Reference" section is loaded with good info ! ( under Forums/garage/xs650 technical Reference.)
.....
Bob......

 

[xjwmx]

chuckle away.

Ahahahahahah! coughcoughcough.
I doubt you screwed the plugs up. It probably just decided to idle fast that day. Might have a small intermittent air leak somewhere. Not a show stopper. Yet.

 

[mattylmbr]

Um NO ! what color are they ? that the important thing !
fast idle can be a barely stuck float or the throttle hanging up somewhere....
if you blip the throttle does it settle down to a normal idle ?
....

...... bike could have been set to idle normally when it was real cold outside and now it's hot so it idles faster ...just turn the idle screw down on the left side a bit.....
....are those the proper plugs for that machine ? BPR7E....what's the IX stand for ? the BPR7E part sounds right though are they iridium or platinum plugs ?
.....
You have a TCI ignition on that 1980 XS650 which I have found to be very reliable ! thats a good thing.....
but your comment on the bike being "Fickle" is RIGHT ON ! they are especially when it comes to the carburetors
I had my carbs off to clean them and set them 4 times and finally got it right, havn't had trouble with it sense !
these BS34CV carbs are notorious for having dirty passage ways in the idle circuit and choke circuit...so a in-line fuel filter is a good thing to add
......
a sudden change in idle may well mean an air leak has developed ! take a can of WD-40 and sprey around the intakes on both sides ( where the carbs attach to the head) to see if you get an increase in idle speed for a few seconds.... if so that shows you where the air leak is ! and what needs to be fixed
air leaks are bad ! you can melt a piston with an air leak ! so make sure that is not the cause of your fast idle !
......
the carb section in the "XS650 Technical Reference" section is loaded with good info ! ( under Forums/garage/xs650 technical Reference.)
.....
Bob......

So - just got it last week and it has run beautiful - of course - until I cleaned the plugs. Ha. No major change in climate over the past week in MD.

Color of plugs -
= black.

Blip of throttle = still running high idle.

The IX on the plugs is that they are Iridium.

Appears both the ignition and the carbs are both after market upgrades - and I know it has a Hughes Handbuilt PMA - in addition to all newer electronics. Again - has run fine till I cleaned the plugs.

May change the plugs tomorrow for the hell of it - and will check for air leaks too.

Blah.

 

[650Skull]

Identifying the electrics properly means we can help with cautions. HHB PMA is not an upgrade, it is an alternative charging system that has had different problems on certain batches. Check your charging system for proper voltage. Do not run LED lights and keep the headlight on at all times, change the headlight bulb to above recommended size. These PMA's put out 200 watts and the XS uses about 1/2 of that so the Reg/rect has to burn off all the extra heat.......this has led to a lot of HHB reg/rect burning out. Solution is to use more of the PMA output, hence the lights.

What is your ignition............lots of cautions on electronic types be it factory or a Pamco.

This is your third thread...............may help if you started a designated build/troubleshooting thread with pics of the bike. Pics are an important way for the knows to be able to trouble shoot some visual differences that may not be original on your bike.........also keeps things relevant

 

[mattylmbr]

Identifying the electrics properly means we can help with cautions. HHB PMA is not an upgrade, it is an alternative charging system that has had different problems on certain batches. Check your charging system for proper voltage. Do not run LED lights and keep the headlight on at all times, change the headlight bulb to above recommended size. These PMA's put out 200 watts and the XS uses about 1/2 of that so the Reg/rect has to burn off all the extra heat.......this has led to a lot of HHB reg/rect burning out. Solution is to use more of the PMA output, hence the lights.

What is your ignition............lots of cautions on electronic types be it factory or a Pamco.

This is your third thread...............may help if you started a designated build/troubleshooting thread with pics of the bike. Pics are an important way for the knows to be able to trouble shoot some visual differences that may not be original on your bike.........also keeps things relevant

Great suggestion on the thread. My intent was to get one going once I actually start the build/rebuild. I will def post pics. Also - great suggestion on the electronics. My bike experience has been dirt bikes and a few modern sport bikes - so the issues and mechanics of a vintage bike are totally new to me. Mechanically inclined - but more on the building/etc side. Very confident I can get through the build I have in mind though and that my bike is a good foundation (maybe).

Ignition is Pamco.

I'll get the pics and thread going this weekend.

 

[650Skull]

Check out this thread .... http://www.xs650.com/threads/pamco-ignition.46859/

 

[mattylmbr]

Check out this thread .... http://www.xs650.com/threads/pamco-ignition.46859/

Read those up - and know a lot more about my electrical system than I did yesterday. Good news - former owner spent some $ upgrading it, and it appears did a great job on the install.

Replaced the plugs - same issue. Sprayed WD - no air leaks.

Messed with idle screw and it helped - but - still ended up running high after giving throttle.

Net/net - after 30 mins of screwing around - issue gone. No clue how or why it went away. But - it went away. Thinking the throttle cable was sticky and messing with a few things helped to get it from hanging up.

 

[Bob Kelly III]

KOOL Glad you figured it out ! ...or at least got her to behave ! LOL
.....
Bob.......