Help With mikuni carb settings

[ron_on_tour]

Hi folks i am having a few probs with my bullet 500 it's 1997 and i
bought it a month ago, i haven't done much with it since i bought it, i
took it out a few times and it ran fairly well after quite a few kicks
(15ish somtimes) ,i then left it sitting for a couple of weeks, when i
tried to start her she wouldn't fire, plug out it was fouled,new plug
in and still no joy,new coil and she started up but was running really
rough, my cousin thought it was the carb which is a  mikuni, k&n filter
he messed around with it and now i cant get her to start at all, am i
right in thinking wind in mixture screw and idle screw fully and then
come back out 2-3 turns each?I'm new to kickstart bikes so it might
have something to do with my technique,it also has eureka electronic
ingnition, does the ignition timing need to be manually set? i was
getting a lot of backfires,to far advanced? any help would be
great,Regards Ron.

[cjayheff]

Have you checked the battery voltage?


CJay

--- In royalenfield@..., "ron_on_tour" <ron_on_tour@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi folks i am having a few probs with my bullet 500 it's 1997 and i
> bought it a month ago, i haven't done much with it since i bought
it, i
> took it out a few times and it ran fairly well after quite a few
kicks
> (15ish somtimes) ,i then left it sitting for a couple of weeks,
when i
> tried to start her she wouldn't fire, plug out it was fouled,new
plug
> in and still no joy,new coil and she started up but was running
really
> rough, my cousin thought it was the carb which is a  mikuni, k&n
filter
> he messed around with it and now i cant get her to start at all, am
i
> right in thinking wind in mixture screw and idle screw fully and
then
> come back out 2-3 turns each?I'm new to kickstart bikes so it might
> have something to do with my technique,it also has eureka
electronic
> ingnition, does the ignition timing need to be manually set? i was
> getting a lot of backfires,to far advanced? any help would be
> great,Regards Ron.
>

[ace.cafe]

Pete's service manual would be a good help, and a valuable guide.

I agree with Cjay, that after a month the battery voltage may be low.

Regarding your question about the pilot screw, screw in all in, and
then back out 1.5 turns for a basic beginning adjustment, and then
fine-adjust it for fastest idle after the bike warms up fully.

If it ran okay a month ago, it should probably start up now, as long
as the battery voltage is up. Once it's running, you can tune it.

Ace

> --- In royalenfield@..., "ron_on_tour" <ron_on_tour@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi folks i am having a few probs with my bullet 500 it's 1997 and i
> > bought it a month ago, i haven't done much with it since i bought
> it, i
> > took it out a few times and it ran fairly well after quite a few
> kicks
> > (15ish somtimes) ,i then left it sitting for a couple of weeks,
> when i
> > tried to start her she wouldn't fire, plug out it was fouled,new
> plug
> > in and still no joy,new coil and she started up but was running
> really
> > rough, my cousin thought it was the carb which is a  mikuni, k&n
> filter
> > he messed around with it and now i cant get her to start at all, am
> i
> > right in thinking wind in mixture screw and idle screw fully and
> then
> > come back out 2-3 turns each?I'm new to kickstart bikes so it might
> > have something to do with my technique,it also has eureka
> electronic
> > ingnition, does the ignition timing need to be manually set? i was
> > getting a lot of backfires,to far advanced? any help would be
> > great,Regards Ron.
> >
>

[Pete Snidal]

>my cousin thought it was the carb which is a  mikuni, k&n filter
>he messed around with it and now i cant get her to start at all, am i
>right in thinking wind in mixture screw and idle screw fully and then
>come back out 2-3 turns each?

Singles need just the slightest bit of throttle to start.  I'd begin
with the throttle
stop screw backed off completely, so that you can hear the throttle slide drop
to the bottom with a "thunk" when you wind the throttle fully off.

As for the mixture screw, I'd run it in (SOFTLY! - It's a needle
jet!) all the way,
then out 1/2-3/4 turn.  This should be about right for starting.

Then, read your Pete Snidal CD manual for detailed instructions.  It
goes a li'l
somethin' lak this:::::

-----

he "Walk-Around"

An oft-neglected but very important part of starting out on any
motorcycle adventure is a good "walk-around" - routine and regular
checking of the little things that can bite you in the proverbial
tender place if neglected.

Such things as inspecting the brake cable, clutch, and throttle
cables for wear - are there any broken strands visible in the inner
cable at either end? Does the throttle operate smoothly and
noiselessly? And does it make a satisfying "clunk" in the carburetor
when you back it off suddenly? And the rear brake linkage - is it
properly adjusted, is the cotter pin still in place where the rod
joins the lever? Is the stop light switch connected and mounted properly?

Have a look at your tires - at least kick them to ensure that
pressure is within the ballpark, and use your tire gauge if at all in
doubt - a floppy tire can dump you on your head in the first fast
corner you try.

Check the lights, particularly the tail and stop lights. It's no fun
to turn your lights on when darkness arrives, and find that you'll
have to figure out how to replace a bulb in the dark. Do a general
front-to-back check for loose or missing nuts or bolts - particularly
the really important ones, such as the front fork axle cap nuts, the
rear wheel nuts, especially the rear brake anchor nuts, and, a VERY
important check which few people make is the condition of the center
front fender stays. These have a tendency to crack and brake just
above the top bolt on the slider, and they are VERY important, since
if both break, the fender can rotate forward on the front and rear
stays, and LOCK UP the front wheel! (See? That WASN't bad spelling!)
At any kind of speed, this can really hurt!

Check also your fuel line for leaks and any impending parting of the
ways when you turn on the fuel tap. Look under the machine - and on
the sides of the rear tire - for any signs of major oil leaks. And of
course, check the engine oil level.

Let your imagination be your guide as you do your walk-around. Look
for loose fasteners, cracks, leaks, splits, and tears, just to be
sure that there are no glaring errors before you begin your day's
adventures. You will also be doing detailed examinations each time
you wash your bike, of course, but you can't be too sure that things
are going to stay where they belong during your trip, whether 200
miles or 2 blocks.


STARTING DRILL

Single cylinder 4-stroke motorcycles, although not really difficult
to start, require that their owners develop a familiarity with the
process. A review of the four strokes on the engine, laid out in
chapter 1, will be a big help to understanding.



BREAKING THE CLUTCH FREE

If the machine has been sitting for a time, it may be that, once
you've got it started, you will have trouble engaging first gear
without some grinding due to the clutch not breaking entirely free on
disengagement. This can be made easier by breaking the clutch free
before starting, by hauling in the clutch lever and giving the
kickstarter a few strokes before attempting to start.

ACTUAL STARTING

First step is to turn on the fuel tap - under the fuel tank, at the
top of the line to the carburetor. This tap is there because your
gravity fuel feed needs to be shut off when the machine is not
running. Failure to do so could result in dangerous fuel leaks from
an unattended machine. Following this, you may turn on the ignition
and proceed with the starting drill.

1. Kickstarting

If the piston is slowly brought as far up a compression stroke as
operation of the kickstarter will allow, you will then find that you
can stand on the pedal, and even bounce your weight on it, and in
most cases it won't continue to turn over the motor. Obviously, this
is not the best place for the piston to be when you attempt a kickstart.

On the other hand, if the piston is at the beginning of a power
stroke, and the would-be rider, first having taken up all the slack
in the kickstarter mechanism, then swings his full weight into a
good, long, slow transfer, the crankshaft/flywheel assembly will draw
the piston all the way down in a "blank" power stroke, roll over the
bottom, at which point the exhaust valve will open, allowing
unimpeded piston movement back up the cylinder, whereupon the exhaust
valve will close, but the intake valve will open, and the piston will
once again travel down-cylinder relatively unimpeded, drawing in in
air/fuel mixture as it does. At the bottom of this intake stroke, the
intake valve will close, and the freshly-inducted mixture will be
compressed as the piston travels once more up the cylinder, aided by
the flywheel momentum, which has by now built up considerably, and
the engine will likely fire on the ensuing power stroke - if not on
the first one, on the next one, 2 revolutions later, to which it will
arrive on flywheel momentum alone.

That, in a nutshell, is the "trick" to starting a big single, which
is nothing like the drill for a multi-cylinder engine, with which you
just swing your weight on the kickstarter, paying no attention to
engine position.

The only remaining question is how to get the piston to the proper
position. Here's how:

    * 1) Apply pressure to the kickstarter until it stops against the
resistance of a compression stroke.

    * 2) Using the decompression lever, apply just an inch or two
more movement to the kickstart lever, listening as you do for the
"wheeze" of air into the exhaust pipe from the decompressor valve.
Once you've positioned the engine, release the decompressor lever.

    * Note: if your machine is one of the newer AVL models, your
decompressor is of a complete different kind.
<file:///D:/DBOOK-JY08/02riding.htm#avldecomp>Click
Here  (Decompressor cable broken? No problem; just depress the top of
the valvestem directly with your thumb - it may be hot if the bike's
been running lately)


    The Ammeter Method

    If listening for the "wheeze" isn't practical, you can use the
ammeter - in points-equipped machines only. Just as the piston
reaches top dead center on the compression stroke, the points open,
thus breaking the coil primary circuit. Thus, if the ignition is on,
the ammeter will be seen to "flick" back to center from the discharge
position at the exact spot to release the compression release and
move to step (3).

    * 3) Once the piston has been eased over the top of the
compression stroke, you're ready to start. Turn on the fuel valve,
apply the choke lever, (or tickle the carburetor until fuel drips if
equipped with an Amal,) turn on the ignition, and with the throttle
set properly, (see below), and the slack taken up in the kickstarter
mechanism, apply a long, deliberate weight transfer to the lever. As
the lever reaches the bottom of its stroke, transfer your weight to
the left foot, and allow the lever to return to the top with the
kickstarter spring. It may take a few "kicks" to get the machine
started, but if it takes more than a half-dozen (tops!), see
<file:///D:/DBOOK-JY08/2trblsht.htm>troubleshooting and/or push-starting.

    * Throttle opening: although this will vary from machine to
machine, there will be a definite "best" place for the throttle to be
during kickstarting, and it important to develop the skill necessary
to maintain this precise setting as your body moves up and down
during the weight transfer. Often, the best throttle setting is just
a bit above idle - about 1/8"/3mm of cable travel. In some cases,
less will be required, in some a bit more. Experiment and find the
best setting for your machine.

    * To set the throttle opening, first wind on a little throttle -
about half. Then wind it back against the stop, listening for the
"clunk" of the carburetor slide seating against the idle stop screw -
this will assure you that your cable and slide are moving freely and
are being returned fully by the slide return spring. Then open the
throttle to the starting position (above) before proceeding.
That's all there usually is to kickstarting a big single. Done
properly, it can be done without taking yourself off the seat - often
to the amazement of the non-cognoscenti.

------

Have fun with it!

www.enfield.20m.com