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Rain stalls bird


RxxB3

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OK Got a question. I've got the stock air filter and I put the gas tank back on today when I run it either the gas leaks out of the hose to the left carbs or, if I turn the fuel flow valve the other way (what appears to be off) the bike runs out of gas. what have I hooked up wrong?

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I didn't see the pics for the bottom of the tank. I have a '97 blackbird and was having some trouble in the wet weather last year. I replaced all the plug wires and haven't had a problem since. I know that doesn't help you now, but I would think you have some electrical problem going on. That always seems to be the hardest to figure out. Bad connections or partial broken wires would take some time to troubleshoot, but would would be worth it if you are good with wiring or know someone who is. For what its worth, my voltage regulator caused my bike to quit a few time before it finally shorted out. Water and electricity don't mix. Sorry I couldn't be more help so I'll stop ramblin on!

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Did you take the carbs off? Sounds like the fuel shutoff is working. Is the hose leaking or the connection between the carbs? I did see a post in here whith some good pictures of all the connections under the gas tank. I'll look and see if I can find it.

Did not take the carbs off. The leak is at the tee connector between the carbs.

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There are O-rings on the fuel joints that feeds both carbs. There are O-rings on the Air Joints that connect all the carbs. If they are leaking then that would be a place for water to get into. Have you found any water in the bowls of the carbs? The carbs are pretty easy to remove. I know several bikes I have had with CV carbs need to be spotless or they do not run right. I only have a factory Honda manual, which I like. Might ask a few people at this website which manuals they like. One with good pictures or diagrams showing the layout is well worth it. Not hard to take the carbs apart, my advise is to have a large enough area to lay everything out in the order you take it off. Then it makes it easier to get it back together in that order without forgetting anything.

I'm not much on taking things to the dealer for repair work. They make there money on selling bikes rather than repairing them. I don't mind the self owned repair shops, since they make there money on repairing bikes instead of selling them. It might pay to ask around for references to a local shop if all else fails.

Even thought it may seem a dead end at times, there is a reason and a fix for mechanical problems. Just a matter of time, money and patience. Seems we run out of all three at the same time. But when your Blackbird does get going again, the rush of adrenalin is well worth it all!

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OK Here's the thing. My tank was off for 3 weeks while I worked on the bike and waited for the stock honda air filter and now I think I have a stuck float or something because:

1) The bike idels rough

2) Gas just pours out of the tee joint between the 1st and 2nd carb

2) After idling gas is in the vacuum hose that goes from the tank to the engine block.

Maybe the fuel varnished. Maybe a float is stuck.

The fuel diaphram is good because I gravity and vacuum tested it. I just drained the bowls and my next step is to disassemble the carbs and check the floats on the carbs. I hate to do this because the bike was running great before this (except for stalling in the rain).

Any ideas?

Also the stock filter fits a hell of a lot better than the k&n filter. I'm positive that the k&n filter did not fit on the back side in the air box and allowed water into the carbs which stalled the bike.

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If all was well with the carbs before you took the tank off, no longer than that it was off the bike shouldn't of changed anything with the fuel. Will need to fix the Fuel joint o-rings. The only thing I can think of that will put fuel in the vac line is a bad fuel petcock diaphram.

The honda manual calls for the float valve to be seated and the floats to be just touching the valves, there should be 13.7 mm or 0.54 inches above the side of the carb base. That's easy to check with a straight edge ruler.

After a good cleaning and a couple of new o-rings, that will be a good start at getting it running again.

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Rain wins I lost.

The Good: :icon_biggrin:

Thursday: Bike back together and running great even with stock air filter. Lots of rain predicted for the next 4 days starting tomorrow.

Friday: Finaly got off work about 5p. Raining lightly. Got home and put wife on bike for 20+ mile ride in misty to light rain. No problem. Bike running like a hungry tiger! Still raining but we eat at a roadside burger shack under big tree. Start 20 mile trek back home.

Me: "Was that a misfire?"

Wife: "What?"

Me: "Does the engine sound like it's missing?"

Wife: "What?"

So I gun it and the xx runs like a champ.

I take the time to stop and buy Mega Bucks tickets. I could use the 80 mil.

Last leg home in rain. Can't see well due to rain and foggy face shield. Bike running great.

The Bad: :icon_doh:

Saturday: Afternoon solo ride in almost heavy rain. Wife at work. Scattered showers. Looking for down pour to test bike cause "I'm the King of the World"! Give me the rain! Go back to burger shack eat 2 double cheese burgers. Starts to rain heavy so I start riding... towards home.

Was that a Misfire?

The Ugly: :icon_evilgrin:

5 miles from home Bird starts to sputter.

2 miles from home "Houston we've got a problem"

1 mile from home Bird shuts down.

And once again (to paraphrase another Bird owner, Obby, with the same problem) "I'm pushing it home like *%&^#* Harley owner.

Thats it I'm done.

OK p.s. I guess I should add that I pushed it for about a 1/4 mile before I was able to finally get it restarted and was able to ride it home (I had to close the coke to keep the rpms up).

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Sounds like the bike runs great as long as you don't head for home. :icon_wall:

LOL!!! I think you're on to something! Bike, Burgers and life on the road. Wait ... err.. oh yeah... there's the wife and kid.

Speaking of the fun governor, I've convinced the Homestead Financial Department the XX is toast, and I need a new bike. Any suggestions?

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There are O-rings on the fuel joints that feeds both carbs. There are O-rings on the Air Joints that connect all the carbs. If they are leaking then that would be a place for water to get into. Have you found any water in the bowls of the carbs? The carbs are pretty easy to remove. I know several bikes I have had with CV carbs need to be spotless or they do not run right. I only have a factory Honda manual, which I like. Might ask a few people at this website which manuals they like. One with good pictures or diagrams showing the layout is well worth it. Not hard to take the carbs apart, my advise is to have a large enough area to lay everything out in the order you take it off. Then it makes it easier to get it back together in that order without forgetting anything.

I'm not much on taking things to the dealer for repair work. They make there money on selling bikes rather than repairing them. I don't mind the self owned repair shops, since they make there money on repairing bikes instead of selling them. It might pay to ask around for references to a local shop if all else fails.

Even thought it may seem a dead end at times, there is a reason and a fix for mechanical problems. Just a matter of time, money and patience. Seems we run out of all three at the same time. But when your Blackbird does get going again, the rush of adrenalin is well worth it all!

I've got the bike apart with the gas tank on a shop bench and extended vacuum and fuel tubes going to the bike. I'm running it and using the garden hose to just soak everything on the bike and can not make it sputter, fail, burp, hiccup, nothing! Damn onda makes a good bike.

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  • 16 years later...

Hi there I think I might have the answer, I to had a miss fire and splutter in driving rain and driving rain only, its took me two years to finally fix the issue and it's 100% fixed, it's not the electrics it's not carb icing, what I was suspected was definitely the fault water was getting into the airways, the seal on the inlets was the issue, they looked fine but if you undo the screws holding the two shaped air ducts they just fell out, silicone had perished causing air gapes round the intakes, re silicone with high temp silicone and issue as gone, I've been riding in the rain on purpose heavy driving rain not missed a beat, even at high speed well 80mph in the rain no issues, hope this helps anyone took me two years to find.

People told me it was electrics but I'm an electrical engineer and wsnt having it. I tested every bit of kit on the bike, my relief when I git to the bottom of this issue.

Not saying it will be your issue but def mine, now not scared to ride in the rain.

What a joy

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Yes these ducts are held in place underneath the airbox itself you have to remove the airbox and preshaped ducts all in one to take screws out wished I'd taken pics a would have been easier to explain.

 

So take tank off, then remove the whole air box from carbs turn upside down and two screws hold the ducts on place and you should see the silicone around them if anything like mine they will not be held by the silicon as it had shrunk and cracked.

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3 hours ago, Searcher said:

Well it did and its now resolved, just wanted to share so it helps someone out that's all.

Take it or leave it

More information is always good.  Some times things just work.  Thanks for sharing your find.

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12 hours ago, Searcher said:

Well it did and its now resolved, just wanted to share so it helps someone out that's all.

Take it or leave it

To be clear, I wasn't calling you a liar or anything.  It just doesn't make sense, but sometimes that's how it goes.

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That was my thought.  Something else got fixed, even if on accident.

 

I had someone claim that replacing his starter cured an intermittent charging issue, I of course called bullshit.  Long story short, when he disconnected the battery and saw the corrosion he cleaned the crusty ass terminals.  But it couldn't be that because "all I did was replace the starter."

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