Accelerator Pump?

[RiderX]

Hey all, this is alos part of an ongoing saga that I have posted about both in the "Carbs" and "Choke drops off" topics. I am having much worse trouble with my '98 now that the temps have dropped below freezing in the a.m. I spent about 20 minutes of cranking with it plugged into the battery charger this morning before finally giving up and crawling dejectedly into the cage to drive into work.

It was having issues with taking a long time to warm up when the temps were still only in the 40s, but now no joy whatsoever (it was 23 outside with the bike in the slightly warmer garage). I do know that the original problem was related to carburation (not electrical or sidestand or clutch switches) as it ran just fine yesterday afternoon once I got it up and running at 40 degrees. So the next step is to pull the carbs and check needles and jets.

My question is does anyone here know if the steamers have accelerator pumps similar to carbed cars that allow you to pump additional gas into the carb by pumping the throttle? I have tried rolling on the throttle when trying to start it cold, but perhaps a temporary solution is a couple of full rolls to pump additional fuel. Any clues?

[nightrunner]

Nope, no accel pump.  The throttle only opens the butterfly valve for more air.  The vacuum causes the diaphragm to raise the needle and allow more fuel to be scuked into the air flow.   Also pulls more fuel through the pilot jet.

Sorry to hear of your troubles.   If you are running with stock pilots, I am not surprised about what you are describing.  Of course each bike will have slightly different fuel screw settings since they are there for fine tuning.  Mine were almost all the way out so had no room to make it richer.

I wish you luck bro

[RiderX]

Hey Nightrunner! I told my fellow tiger riding buddy that I expected you would be the first one I'd hear back from! Thanks for confirming our suspicion. We also spent some time going over the ol' Haynes at lunch with no better clues. Here's a further update:

I stopped by the garage at lunch and tried 'whacking' it 5 times: no start. 5 more times: no start. A whole bunch of times, choke on, choke off: no start. It had been hooked to the battery tender all morning. I hooked the jumper cables up to it and it finally fired up. Oh, the battery is less than a month old. I suspect it just doesn't have enough cold cranking amps to get it to turn over. Next steps: yank the carbs and caber toss them. No wait, I mean rejet them  :roll:

I'll keep y'all posted.

Nope, no accel pump.  The throttle only opens the butterfly valve for more air.  The vacuum causes the diaphragm to raise the needle and allow more fuel to be scuked into the air flow.   Also pulls more fuel through the pilot jet.

Sorry to hear of your troubles.   If you are running with stock pilots, I am not surprised about what you are describing.  Of course each bike will have slightly different fuel screw settings since they are there for fine tuning.  Mine were almost all the way out so had no room to make it richer.

I wish you luck bro

[BR]

Hey Riderx,
Saw your post in Yahoo..... nope, no accel pumps on our Steamers.  Those mostly went away with the intro of CV Carbs.
Anyway, glad to hear you did get it going but sheesh....you shouldn't have to crank away like that.  Do your battery and starter a favor by checking all the terminals... clean and tight!  After all the cranking you did, I'm surprised you didn't foul the plugs.. which indicates to me that engine not getting much gas (or you held throttle open a lot during cranking).
Check that choke cable is in fact pulling open all three plungers on the carbs and they stay that way when you operate lever on LH bar.
Good fuel flow to carbs?
Plugs are recent/known good?
Then full "choke", little or no throttle, crank away and it should start.
Next would be to pull the carbs, check idle circuits and richen mixture screws if you haven't already.
If all seems well otherwise, and as temporary solution, a quick shot of starting fluid in the snorkel would help.
BR
'98 BRG Tiger
(currently down for TT/Daytona 600 coil upgrade as it's running like shi* as well and I'm eliminating coils as the problem before I yank the carbs once again).

[RiderX]

Thanks for all of the suggestions BR. I will definitely check the terminals and fluid levels, although the battery is new, as well as the choke functionality. I would like to give the stating fluid a shot as well, but just where do you find the "snorkel" on the steamer? I get the concept on a car as you just pull the air filter lid, but the air cleaner on the steamer appears to be integrated into the cars internally. Is there a tube somewhere?

Check that choke cable is in fact pulling open all three plungers on the carbs and they stay that way when you operate lever on LH bar.
Good fuel flow to carbs?
Plugs are recent/known good?
Then full "choke", little or no throttle, crank away and it should start.
Next would be to pull the carbs, check idle circuits and richen mixture screws if you haven't already.
If all seems well otherwise, and as temporary solution, a quick shot of starting fluid in the snorkel would help.

[JetdocX]

Snorkle:



The snorkle lives under the rear panel just forward of the pillion grip bar.

See it?  it's way back from where you would think it is.

FWIW, before I tore mine down for mods, I was having the same cold weather start issues you are presently enjoying.

Try the starting fluid first.

[BR]

Hey Jetdocx..... did you sneak into my garage and snap a pic of my bike? Mine is stripped down just like that and just sitt'n there while I gather some parts.   :lol:

Riderx:  good pic from Jetdocx.... the "snorkel" or air intake horn is that long tube just above the chain guard in the pic.  The Steamer airbox splits around the frame's main backbone tube and is identical on each side except for the snorkel, which can be on either the left or right sides.  The non-snorkel side should have a plain rubber cap (and it should be in place or your bike will run like crap).  Anyway, you can simply pry off the snorkel and give the intake tract a good shot of the starting fluid before hitting the starter button.  Double check water level on your battery and keep that batt. tender on it.  Good luck and I look forward to your posts...

BR

[JetdocX]

Still waiting on one valve shim 2.40 (measure once, buy three times, right?), a pair of forks from Traxxion Dynamics, intake ducts from the local dealer, and a Penske shock.

Got a 2.40?

More recent shot:


The Maker's is for me, not the bike.

[RiderX]

Ha, that made me laugh when I saw your pictures! I would have been shocked to see a naked Tiger except mine looked very similar, at least to your first pic, when I had all the covers off to mount my crash bars and heated grips a month or so back. I also knew immediately what the Maaker's was for as my workshop typically also needs mechanics lubrication, although in the way of a brown 12oz bottle.

So no, I can not see the snorkel amidst all the other pipes, tubes and wires you have showing (full frontal indeed!) a closeup would help. You and BR do give a pretty good idea of where to hunt for it though so I'll go take a look this afternoon. Meanwhile she will stay parked in the garage in any case today as it snowed here last night!

Still waiting on one valve shim 2.40 (measure once, buy three times, right?), a pair of forks from Traxxion Dynamics, intake ducts from the local dealer, and a Penske shock.

Got a 2.40?

More recent shot:


The Maker's is for me, not the bike.

[RiderX]

Oops, sorry about leaving the picture in the quote. My mistake. Btw, by "under the rear panel" do you mean back where the fuse-box sits? Do you have to pull body parts to get at the snorkel? If so I may want to re-route it.

You and BR do give a pretty good idea of where to hunt for it though so I'll go take a look this afternoon.

[CBAT]

Btw, by "under the rear panel" do you mean back where the fuse-box sits? Do you have to pull body parts to get at the snorkel? If so I may want to re-route it.

You and BR do give a pretty good idea of where to hunt for it though so I'll go take a look this afternoon.

The snorkel is under the side panel, just in front of the rear wheel. Right where it can pick up the most dust from a dirt road.  :lol:

[RiderX]

Ahhh, so that's what that big, black, snorkel-shaped thing is in the pictures BR posted!  :oops: Here and I was looking for something more plastic tube-like. Thanks CBAT!

The snorkel is under the side panel, just in front of the rear wheel. Right where it can pick up the most dust from a dirt road.  :lol:

[nightrunner]

Hey Nightrunner! I told my fellow tiger riding buddy that I expected you would be the first one I'd hear back from! Thanks for confirming our suspicion. We also spent some time going over the ol' Haynes at lunch with no better clues. Here's a further update:

So I'm predictable to people I've never met.     :lol:   Damn, I need to take a leave of absense and hit the road for 6 months.    :D

Keep us posted on the mods.  If all goes well, you'll be amazed at what the Tigger can do.

[RiderX]

So we have decided that rejetting is our next course of action. The only trick now is finding time when both my buddy with the workshop and I have time to make it happen. I would be interested in knowing if anyone has found a good place online to buy jets online or if you just get them from a local dealer.

[JetdocX]

I think these guys have what you need in kit form for Kehin or Mikuni carbs:

http://www.factorypro.com/

I'll be bugging them not too long from now.