Hanging idle problems

Drizzle

Drizzle

XS650 Enthusiast
Messages
73
Reaction score
24
Points
8
Location
Knoxville TN
Alright I see somebody else has a similar thread but I appear to have a little bit of a difference. I am able to get my idle down by pulling UP on my choke. The choke is already disengaged but will hang to high idle unless I pull up hard. The chokes appear to be the only new part on the carbs. Any ideas.
 
Take the choke plunger out and clean it. Could be a ring of varnish keeping the plunger from going up all the way
 
Sometimes a hovering idle is caused by a lean condition. Whether it be from, clogged jets, float heights, etc

If you use the choke quickly and it settles down it probably in that direction.

What happens if you adjust the fuel screws while it is idling at the proper speed?

Posted via Mobile
 
Is it a hanging idle or after warm up a climbing idle that you can lower by putting a little load on the motor with the clutch.

In the latter case it has been throttle shaft seals for me.
But the other threads OP says he replaced the throttle shaft seals.
 
I can put a load on the bike at red lights and it will lower. Sometimes it doesn't even happen but most of the time it does. The bike doesn't pop much and I cleaned the Jets recently. They were really bad clogged before but look Clean now. Again, I get rid of the high idle with lifting UP on the choke. Usually when the rpm's lower I can let off of the cloke. I will try to take the plungers off and clean them.
 
Until you tell us what carbs you're using, everybody is basically just guessing. My guess is the chokes aren't fully closing and the little bit of extra fuel coming through is speeding up the idle.
 
Well got the bike out today to ride to the store and while warming up the right bank carb started pouring gas out of it. Oh shit! So instead of going to the store I stopped everything and pulled them off the bike. Upon further investigation I found the float needle jammed due to some gunk. OK tore them apart and re adjusted them and cleaned them. While I had it out I pulled the chokes out and cleaned them. Put them back in and noticed one was taller than the other. OK pull it back off. Shine a light down and notice a little funk hanging out. Cleaned it best I could with wire brushes and a toothpick then blew air through it. Put it back together and now it is alot closer to equal with the other carb. I took the other carb choke off and cleaned it while I had them off. Tried to sync carbs best I could but they are never gonna be perfect. Both are full closed when throttle is released. Put it all back together and bam, no more pouring gas and no more high idle. I have been using crap gas lately and it really shows so nothing but the best from now on if I can. Place a mile away has the good stuff so no big deal. Much thanks to everyone's help. :thumbsup:
 
good job 5t. Crap keeping the enrichener from fully closing will let gas thru.
I wish I could have helped.
Ride on drizzle. WE will be here for the next battle.
 
Hi to all,
It has been a long time since I did not give any news, sorry.
In fact, I could not take care of my XS because my friend has had strong personal problems.
I went to the garage last Saturday, to work on a new problem that suddenly appeared on my beautiful C or D XS.
After a complete rebuilding and the indication given, that the throttle cable should be on the frame and not out of the tank ;), I took off the tank to put the cable along the frame, and... the video talks by itself.
I must say that air boxes are out (the problem occured, even with the boxes on the machine, that the idle is correctly set according to Haynes, and that nothing else has been changed).
The choke is activated to help starting ; if it's off, the XS won't start.
What more could I say...
I opened the caps over the carbs and the diaphragms are ok, i.e. not dry at all.
When I put the finger into the carb outlet, I can push up listening the "psssssch" sound, and the assembly is going down by itself.
I guess the problem can be the air mixture, but the screws has not been touched... The plastic cap on the screw is missing, but I can't imagine it matters.
Of course, do not listen to the comments in the vid, except if you want to improve your French ;)
Thanks for your help ; I am availabe to answer any question to help to find the solution.
 
Last edited:
Looks like your throttle cable is in poor condition, that should be replaced. It also appears to be routed improperly Is there free play at the end of the cable where it attaches to the carburetor? Maybe you can post a picture of the side of the carburetor.
 
Thank you!
I shall have a look next Saturday and send pictures.
Maybe before if my friend goes there.
 
Your idle speed adjustment screw looks like it's cranked in really far, probably too much. Maybe that's the problem, the idle speed is simply set too high. By comparison, look at the idle speed screw setting on mine, it's turned in much less .....

1GjnNlo.jpg
 
OK 5twins, thank for replying.
I cranked the screw to the maximum then unscrewed 1 1/2 as indicated in the Haynes.
I will check your advice next Saturday and keep you posted, I swear !
 
That setting is for the little mixture screw that screws in the side of the carb. The idle speed screw has no prescribed setting, you put it where it needs to be to achieve an 1100 - 1200 RPM idle speed .....

jn1gaQN.jpg


OZ5BrkD.jpg


If you did set the idle speed screw like that, screwing it in tight then backing it out 1.5 turns, that is your problem. You've set the idle speed way, way too high.

I think you need to find a qualified mechanic to work on your bike because you're really bad at it, lol. You know very little about how it operates, just enough, it seems, to get you into trouble.
 
You are right, I am not good in mechanic, just learning as much as I can, making better day after day.
As I began lately, the path is long.
I did not write that the idle speed became suddenly high BEFORE I cranked the screw and that screwing badly as I did, did not change the idle speed in any way.
When the screw was untight,
it did not touch the cam (sorry I even don't know the right word in English)
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

J
XS500 carburetor problem.
2
Replies
21
Views
1K
arcticXS
A
D
Please HELP: 83 XS650 when full choked left cylinder runs when off choke both run after warming
Replies
5
Views
931
dlum515
D
nj1639
3K stumble
Replies
1
Views
88
mrtwowheel
mrtwowheel
P
Semi-generic carb theory question
Replies
8
Views
727
Pat D
P
S
A very specific choke problem
Replies
2
Views
561
Silviculturalist
S
Back
Top