Still Running Rough when Cold

So... I know a handful of you guys have been working with my on the issues I've been having with my Vmax. My last update was that I got the carb sync tool on Wednesday and in 10 minutes the bike was running fantastic. This morning I went to take the bike to work and it fired right up with the choke on and as long as it was up above 2k rpm its fine. Once I close the choke and the idle drops down to 1k or below is really rough. I try to give it a little gas and it bogs down and dies. If i'm able to keep it running while I'm giving it gas it will spit and pop and bog down until the tach can get up past 2krpm and then it spins freely with no issues.
After I get it warmed up enough that I can limp it around it will get warmed up and then there's no more issues. So whats the deal?
What do these symptoms tell you guys? My guess is that its something with the idle circuit, but how do I fix that? Shotgun process? Any other Suggestions?

It's pretty normal for Max to run rough without choke until it's warmed up. If all is well once it's hot then you're all fine!

mine runs like crap until its warmed up, but sounds a little worse than normal. maybe a touch on the lean side so maybe a 1/4 turn richer on the a/f screws.

check ur synch again, make sure they're still on.

Yeah... let it warm up before taking off on it too. It won't hurt anything... Many wait till the temp needle just floats off it's resting point.

Chris

I understand running rough when cold, but this is more like hardly able to keep the bike running. Plus whats the deal with it bogging down when I give it gas and then being ok above 2k rpm?
I tried the 1/4 turn out on the screws, which was something I planned on doing anyways. so we'll see how that works next time I start it with a cold motor.
This isn't an issue that I ever had previously which is I guess why it bothers me so much.

The cold blooded Max! If you can't wait until it warms up like me ( loud, respect for the neighbors at 5:30 am ) I full choke and go, once it gets warm, unchoke.

I have had a similiar problem after rejetting mine. I turned out my A/f screws more. Maybe a hole turn or more.

Once your bike is warm, what rpm is your idle set to?

I assume you know where the idle adjustment screw is (left of carbs just under the chrome bit that holds the floats purge hoses), and when warm idle should be at 1000 rpm +-50

The idle is set at 1k rpm and when its warm it sits right there with no issues. When cold its below that and sounds like its going to stall. If I try to turn the throttle ever so slightly to give it a little gas it bogs and rpms don't raise. If i keep forcing more throttle it will fight its way up above 2k rpms and then it spins freely. Just very weird, something I've never dealth with before.
I did turn them out a 1/4 turn so I'll see if that makes a difference during the next cold start and I can always turn it another 1/4 to get it out to 2-1/2 turns from closed.

Fear2: Yes that is my concern. If I do ride to work its about 6am and I usually roll the bike down to the corner so I don't wake up my 2 year son since his room is on the front side of the house. But if its going to take that long to warm up, that just sucks. But I'll try the full choke and roll out next time I leave early in the morning.

Thats how I used to do my TL1000R when I left in the morning but then I got used to my R6 having NO CHOKE since everything is electronic so you just hit the start button and let off the clutch and ride away. Wish all bikes were like that!!

I think I'll try the shotgun again anyways this weekend and see if that helps any. Is it ok to use some spray seafoam in there too or is the carb cleaner the only one I should use?

Shotgun's usually done with carb cleaner, Peashooter's done with Seafoam.

So yea, you can spray Seafoam in there, although usually it works best by just having an ounce and a bit to a full tank of gas.

When it's cold in the morning, on full choke the bike should be revving around 2-3k rpm. That's what mine does, so as soon as it's started I usually back it down to about 1500 rpm.
Bike then runs fine with choke on, but shit without. After a mile or so I can usually turn the choke off completely, but then I'm in Florida so it really ain't that cold..

On mine 20 degrees or 70 degrees....../.full choke........start.......ease off the choke to keep it about 1500 rpm......2 or 3 minutes of warm up......choke come off and it will idle........if I leave then it will spit back through the carbs a little bit for sometimes a mile :confused2:

2fear said:

The cold blooded Max! If you can't wait until it warms up like me ( loud, respect for the neighbors at 5:30 am ) I full choke and go, once it gets warm, unchoke.

Click to expand...

Patrick78 said:

Fear2: Yes that is my concern. If I do ride to work its about 6am and I usually roll the bike down to the corner so I don't wake up my 2 year son since his room is on the front side of the house. But if its going to take that long to warm up, that just sucks. But I'll try the full choke and roll out next time I leave early in the morning.

Click to expand...

Yeah I do the same thing, when my bike is running, hopefully will be able to ride to work again soon. I live on a slight hill and I just roll right down and let it idle right down the road until I know I wont wake the kids or the neighbors kids. Now for the people who live a couple blocks down the road I do probably wake there kids when I tap the throttle to get into second. :biglaugh: :confused2:. I have some carb issues to work out so my bike isn't exactly the model max but I think the cold blooded thing is a pretty common on carbeurated motors.

+1 with all the others - my MAX runs like crap when the engine is cold - even here in FL in the summer time. I have to leave the choke on slightly for a couple miles or let it sit & run for 5 minutes to build up some heat. My last bike (shadow) almost never needed the choke - the MAX is a whole different animal. But when it warms up, LOOK OUT !!:rocket bike:

Just my observation, and I have no real data to support it, but IMO, I have had far more cold idle coughing, wheezing and PITA symptoms ever since the Missouri law was changed making it manditory to include at least 10% corn squeezin's in every gallon of gasoline.

Am I alone in this train of thought? :ummm:

Nope - we all agree with you. Ethanol makes Max run like shit.

Unfortunately, in FL I haven't been able to find a single station that carries non-ethanol fuel.

+1 - ethanol blows

G - I found a place in Tarpon Springs that advertises no meth, but I don't believe it. Is there a simple , cheap test ?

Look at what I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsSQSuCiUjE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeCyFxoWPpo&feature=related

I'M BUYING ONE OF THOSE TESTERS !!!

great post G

My starting procedure: full choke, it starts up fine, climbs to say 3Krpm, adjust choke until it's running fine somewhere between 1-2K (more like 2), take off, after say 1mile choke off - works fine. Won't start at all without choke.

naughtyG said:

Look at what I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsSQSuCiUjE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeCyFxoWPpo&feature=related

Click to expand...

Great information G!!

All Underground Storage Tanks (UST's) are vented to the atmosphere...otherwise they would collapse as fuel is removed. As a result of the water attraction process most gasoline UST's will have water present in the tank bottoms, this is considered a 'normal' condition.

Operators are required to stick the tanks daily to obtain fuel and water levels for invertory control, so they know how much water is in each tank.

Concientous UST owners will hire environmental firms to periodically remove this water, but tank bottoms are classified as 'contaminated waste' and therefore it's an expensive service.

Some owners will ignore the tank bottoms and only pump them out when the water level is getting uncomfortably close to the suction stub (around 6" off bottom)! That's several hundred gallons of water in a 10K UST! These are good places to avoid, especially after a tanker drop when the fuel is all stirred up. The tankers usually drop in the wee hours of the morning, try to to get fuel later in the day after it has settled out.