My current problems >_

So I'm about to take the throttle cable off for cleaning (god how many times have I removed this thing.) and am about to pull the trigger on gauges, but the bike has a few new quirks I've discovered


1.) it hesitates and sputters under full throttle between 7 and 9500 RPM. What could cause it?

2.) when It's on the center stand (HORRAY! I did it) and in neutral, with the bike running, the back tire slowly spins....

3.) I still need to fix the idle. Where is the screw I need to turn to turn it up a bit?

I feel the bike just isn't making great horsepower right now.. It should be balls out faster than my M coupe, having twice the power to weight ratio with me on it, but it's just not "rapid" it's got fine spark, makes plenty of electricity, compression is perfect, cam chain was just adjusted, carbs were cleaned and synched...

Also, I'm having trouble getting the clutch into its "sweet spot" it won't slip, but I think pulling the lever isn't disengaging it fully.

 

Why are you about to clean the throttle cable, and what is wrong with your gauges?

1. hesitaition could be caused by running to rich.
2. Your clutch is not adjusted properly.
3. In between carb #2 and #3, it is a knob, you cant miss it.

Their are two ways to adjust this clutch, at the hand grip and at the engine play with both until you get it right. Check your spark plugs, let me know the color of each plug at each cylinder and we can go from there.

Sounds like your only problems are the clutch and your fuel/air mixture, very easy fixes dont panic.

 

Are you sure about #2? I don't think I have ever owned a bike that the back tire didn't spin or creep with the bike in neutral and the rear tire off the ground. Some of them took a tiny bit of throttle to get them going, but they have all spun on their own to some degree. We are talking nine bikes, from Italian to Japanese, and from used to brand new from the dealer. Both my current Maxim and my FZ1 do it also.

I'm pretty sure it is normal as long as you can stop it with the lightest of touches.

 

That may be possible. I've personally never seen one spin while in neutral on the center stand. I don't see what it could hurt if it was anyway. The reason I had suggessted this is because he stated the lever is'nt disengaging fully.

 

Non adjusted clutch cable could be the cause of not hittin your "sweet spot" too. Any red light creeping or anything?

 

the back wheel will spin, if the brakes don't drag, it's normal
7 to 9.5 hesitation could be just about anything except the grips and the brake light
is the intake and exhaust stock?

 

Exhaust is a custom 4 into 1. Intake is stock. I'm unsure if the bike was rejetted.

Plugs are new.

Is the idle control knob a thumb screw? is it the bigger screw that connects to the runners on the rest of the carbs?

 

Yep, in between carb 2 and 3. Righty increases, lefty decreases.

 

i've had that spin on my back tire as well.
last week though it was a bit faster so i grabbed the wheel
and felt a little drag.
a quick adj at the lever and engine and both went away.
i hope we hear a more diffinitive answer for the high range
sputter. i havent been over 7000 since mine did the same thing.

 

Mine actually doesn't sputter anymore. I think it was the old plugs, actually.

Wrapped it up in 2nd and 3rd today and it went straight to 9200 with no complaints (I think the tach is to blame for not hitting 9500)

Broke the tire loose in 2nd... but I was going slightly uphill in the wet, so I'm still not sure the power is there.

 

Did'nt realize back tire spinning in neutral was normal. Learn somthin new everyday.

 

There is a small amount of parasitic friction in the clutch (fluid, especially viscus types, transfer energy) that can and will transfer rotational energy to the driven plates. This is normal (haven't seen an XJ that didn't). Kinda like a torque converter in a car only not anywhere near as efficient. You should be able to stop the rear tire (NOT with your hand, although you could, use your foot or a piece of wood) from spinning and not effect the idle. If it does, your clutch is too tight.

 

On the back tire spinning you got a lot of responses about the clutch. Since you refer to spinning in neutral the clutch is not the issue.

The gears in these transmissions are constantly meshed. In each pair of gears one is always fixed to it's shaft (splined on) and the other freewheels on it's shaft. When a gear is selected the freewheeling gear is locked to it's shaft by engaging dogs to it's neighboring fixed gear.

Because there is some drag in the bearings of the freewheeling gears there is always some torque applied, even in neutral. If there is no load (wheel off ground, brakes not dragging, wheel bearings good etc.) the rear wheel will start to turn. This is normal.

If you apply the brake (not hands, the spinning wheel has LOTS of energy) the wheel should stop without slowing the engine. This indicates that your rear end, rear brake and final drive are in good condition.

 

there's easier ways but this might work too

 

I'll acknowledge your bearing explanation Carl, but I'm still gonna stand by mine too. I think we are both right but my position is a little softer than yours. And you are right on the money about using the rear brake, MUCH safer (now why didn't that cross my addled mind?).

 

I don't see what the big deal is. It is just parasitic drag causing the wheel to spin. I usually just stop it with the toe of my boot, and I can stop it with the tip of my finger. Even in a super worst case scenario, as long as you aren't sticking your hands in the spokes or anywhere near the sprocket, how the heck are you going to get hurt?

 

I guess I was wrong about the hesitation being gone- it was there tonight.

Very minor, too. I'll see if I can fiddle with it a bit.

 

While it's nice to see the super careful, I think using the toe of your shoe to drag along the tire in order to stop it (the tire should be creeping at less than a mile an hour) won't do any harm....

 

Another Job ... For: "Hammer Handle"

If the Oil is causing the Rear Wheel to spin while the Bike is on the Work Stand. The toe of your boot or a shop rag applied to the Tire will bring the Wheel to a halt.

Then, ... just stick your nifty Hammer Handle into the Spokes and you won't have the Rear Wheel spinning-around on you while you're trying to do something that needs the Engine running.