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Yes, battery talk/junk in carbs

prock1951

Member
Member
COGDOM! Thought I'd pass on what I've never experienced before in 26 yrs of riding. Short story, maybe: had some bad stumbling in lower gears, found crap in the carb float bowls, drained repeatedly, added all kinds of chemicals and in process of trying to do "driveway" maintenance, ran down my 3yr old bat. My tank was Pour sealed by previous owner. Got a new frugal battery ($54.00)from Advance Auto. Put in the acid, took it to the store for them to "top off" and then back to the bike-I think about 2hrs later. When I hit the starter the sound I heard was "thunk". And then, oh sh*t! Thoughts of hydro lock, %$#@$%&*^ ran through my mind. Took it back to Advance and asked them to check the status of the battery, they said they couldn't do that, that would be "dangerous." I'm afraid of electricity but even I know that's why they have the different equipment in the store - chargers, jump stuff, etc...I knew I didn't want to deal with them so I got my money refunded. Went to Wal Mart and got a not-so-frugal ACM $74.00. Again, put in the acid (much easier system with this one, and, this battery made in Taiwan vice China! on the Advance one)and went to Auto Zone and they said no problem, "we'll top 'er off for you, come back in 2-3 hrs.! Did so, got the bat, went home, too late and tired to install, went to bed. Put her in next morning and hit the starter and immediately she fired up. In between battery switching I pulled the #1 and 4 plugs just to insure no fuel or whatever. None. With all the chemicals in my 2gals of gas it seemed the bike ran a bit better; however, the real test was a ride. As soon as I put her in gear at the end of the driveway she died, full choke she ran smooth but 2-4K rpms. Got her going and some stumbling: I have been so mad at getting bad gas (from when we had shortages here in the Atlanta area) that I just revved the hell out of the bike in first and second. I've never gone over 6K but did yesterday. Repeatedly, I'd go through first-5K and second, 7K rpms, and shoot to 70mph in second! I thought I was on the Enterprise being launched off the deck in my F14! (dream). Rode around back roads, cold day, not much traffic, and the bike slowly started running almost normal. Then, when trying to find a Chevron station, (techron!) the bike died! Without realizing it I must have burned through most of the gas I started with, ~ 2 gals, and needed to go to reserve. Never in all the years of riding had to do that. But, in the process of coasting, checking mirrors, running my "emergency checklist", remembered move the little handle to reserve. Slowly the bike came on line and staring me in the face was a QT gas station! I checked with the kid at the counter to find out how much gas they had - 5K gallons! so I thought I'd be safe in getting only gas! Got some gas - 3 gals - $6.00 nice! Rode home and poured a can of Sea Foam in and started her up and idled for a minute or two. I'm going to let her sit now and take her out in a day or two. Not too long a story but I'm smiling :) Phil '99 'lectric 54,000 COG#5879
 
Good gas mileage lives below 5K, but fun lives above 5K! She doesn't even start talking to you until you hit 6K. I highly recommend getting a little closer to the redline on a regular basis, it's good for your heart... and if it isn't... it should be. :)
 
I hear ya! Could become a bit addictive and after reading Jenn's troubles I can't complain, or, let's say, not going to whine. Can't imagine the pain of not having the bike right. Is this the Jennn that went out west with Jim this past summer? Best of luck to her. Phil COG5879 '99 lectric
 
Well, I hope it works for you Phil. When I got bad gas I tried all the majic elixers and reving the crap out of her too. NO JOY. The only solution, in my case anyway, was a carb rebuild. It really was not as hard as you think. Heck, if I could do it (and I'm a sledgehammer mechanic) then anyone can. Yes, the Jenn who's been suffering with the poor dealer service is the same who wrote the story in the current CONCOURIER.
 
I've already said 'bless their hearts' about that dealer several times in reading of Jenn's travails. Because, as any Southerner knows, once you say 'bless someone's heart' you can say all kinds of evil stuff about them and it's perfectly above board. i.e. "Those mechanics are crappy and the owner appears to be completely dishonest... bless their hearts."
 
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