Steamer running problem

[MarkShelley]

I was using the bike everyday 3 weeks ago whilst working away and it ran faultlessly, including the 200 mile trip home. It has sat for 3 weeks with fuel turned off.
It starts fine, but as soon as I try and rev it dies when I get to 2500rpm. I can ride around on it at just over tickover through the gears but as soon as the revs get to 2500rpm it dies until the revs drop again. Is this the dreaded blocked main jets? Surely it shouldn`t go like this after just 3 weeks of inactivity. It has sat for longer in the past without any problem.

[Mustang]

pilot circuit actually ....................all 4 of mine come  out of it after about 20 miles or minutes whichever comes first , by just riding em' and keeping the rpm between 2500-4500(which makes the pilot circuit work ) and it will clean itself out . when it's really bad from sitting all winter I break out the Sea Foam

It'll run like shit , stall and sputter and eventually ........hello old friend !

like I said all 4 of mine will do it if left to sit for more than a couple weeks , the gasoline sure aint what it used to be.

corn squeezins attract too much water when left to sit

[MarkShelley]

It will pootle along at 2500 but as soon as I try and go above that it will die and I have to close the throttle or stall. I will try running it for longer and see what happens. Does anybody know of  UK equivalent to seafoam?

[Mustang]

use the choke to keep it from stalling , and make it run in the bottom using very minimal throttle openings . for only 3 weeks of sitting it should come out of it by just making it flow gas thru the pilot circuit (small throttle inputs).

[rf9rider]

Redex is probably the only UK alternative.

Mine had the same symptoms, left it standing for 3 weeks, then ran like shite.

Put some redex in, then go ride it, it took mine about 30/40 miles before it finally cleared itself, runs a treat now.

[metalguru]

Another easy way is to turn off the fuel tap and drain the float bowls. With the lack of weather we have had it may have some condensation which is sitting in the bottom of the bowls. If not then it sounds like a pilot jet clean out. Don't forget the in line fuel filter.

[akendall1966]

Hi Mark,

Think there might be something in the weather theory, mine has never done it until this spring mow every time it gets stood for a week or two starts up idles fine get to the end of the road and dies when you try and pull away.

Same advice as mustang if you can get rolling a few miles clears it. I put some redex in mine and plan to be out Friday after it having stood again... so we will see!!

[MarkShelley]

I have taken the plunge and bought some seafoam from the UK supplier. I will give it a try over the weekend and reprt back. I have a standard bottle which I think is 500ml. How much should you put into a tankfull?

[Mustang]

half a can ..................
just sitting overnight with the petcock open sometimes does the job , but usually within 20 miles it's ............."hello kitty "

[Bixxer Bob]

Hey Mark, who is the UK supplier? This could be very good news indeed for Uk Steamer owners  

[rf9rider]

Seen it for sale on Ebay, but the last lot i saw went for stupid money

[MarkShelley]

There is only one official supplier of seafoam as far as I can make out and he is based in Swansea and sells via ebay. It is expensive! I don`t mind giving it a go once to see if it does the job and is not over-hyped snake oil.

[rf9rider]

Be interested also if its any better than redex.

Keep us posted.

[Sin_Tiger]

There is only one official supplier of seafoam as far as I can make out and he is based in Swansea and sells via ebay. It is expensive! I don`t mind giving it a go once to see if it does the job and is not over-hyped snake oil.

 :shock:  I emailed the maker and they confirmed they had no distributors outside the US. He must be smuggling it in hidden at the bottom of drums of smack  

[akendall1966]

I put some redex in mine and plan to be out Friday after it having stood again... so we will see!!

Well went out yesterday and ran just fine after several weeks without use. Hardly a scientific experiment but both previous times as soon as I knocked the choke back it would not pull away until I got 5~10 miles ridden.