how do you reach the idle?

Heya,
Finally got the bike starting.
It idles way high and only comes down halfway when revved.
As I played with it it wanted to rev all the way up to 6K

I'm trying to adjust the main idle screw so I can get therrm steady so I can start actually doing something.
But I cant get my hand in to turn it and I'm struggling with my forceps.

what do you guys do?

 

God gave me long fingers and thin hands so I can easily turn the idle knob by hand. Wiith big hands like you should have I would try with very long nose pliers.

 

On the 550 you need to reach in from the right.

 

I recommending left side of bike for access. Then use left hand to turn counterclock wise ( reduce idle).

I can just barley get to it on my 750. If you still cannot get your hand in there I see no other technique other than pliars of some sort that get into the space and provide some torque.

 

Has anyone ever tried adapting the cable system out of another bike to fit the XJs? That adjuster is awfully hard to get to, especially with gloved hands and a hot engine.

 

Thanks bigfitz. When I find a 550 I'll know how to get at it. Hope he gets at it okay.

 

I would try with a long rubber strip (bicycle tire tube, maybe), long enough to be able to pull on both ends at safe distance from the engine and let's say one inch wide, that I would wrap around the idle knob when engine is cold. Then I'd start the engine, let it warm and adjust the idle by rotating the knob with the rubber strip. It wouldn't matter if you'd work it from the left or the right side...

 

I have had success with placing a pot holder on the engine case below the idle speed screw to rest the back of my hand on and used a paint can opener ( http://www.benzworld.org/forums/attachm ... opener.jpg )with the hooked end to turn the idle knob. Choke up on the opener to the point your thumb and finger almost touch the idle speed adjustment knob. Also have worn thin leather gloves as an added layer of protection.

Hope this helps

 

Right side access is easier. Wear gloves. The knob turns easily if you relieve pressure from the stop plate by opening the throttle a tad via the normal method (twist grip).

 

OP has a 550. And reaching the knob from the left is virtually impossible (on a 550.)

 

It's not all that easy to get to from the left side on a 750 either. I guess some people have tiny hands and skinny arms.

 

Have any kids? Grandkids? How about the neighbor. Does he have kids? :wink:

 

if a guy was to take that adjuster screw out and solder some kind of handle on it, it would be a lot easier than turning that painful little thing.
i believe somewhere in the long ago Rick mentioned doing this, if he didn't, he should have. right Rick !

 

If frogs had wings they wouldn't whop their butt on the ground every time they jump.

I had this instructor years ago that used to espouse "manual dexterity." When one of us would ask "how do I get this in there?" the answer was always "manual dexterity, son; manual dexterity."

In this case, a tight-fitting leather glove helps.

 

/moves the bike away from the wall
/reaching in from the right hand side
<<<winning at turning the idle

Cheers.

 

That worked for OJ, too...............

 

While sitting on a 750-900 I can reach in from BOTH sides (at the same time) and adjust with the tips of the "Rude" fingers.

It helps to have the idle screw "greased and exercised"
and Rick's tip was to add the rubber tip from a sparkplug boot onto the Knurl.

 

dmlyster wrote:
Thanks bigfitz. When I find a 550 I'll know how to get at it. Hope he gets at it okay.

OP has a 550. And reaching the knob from the left is virtually impossible (on a 550.)
It's not all that easy to get to from the left side on a 750 either. I guess some people have tiny hands and skinny arms.

I wonder if there is something missing from my 750? I can barly get to the idle know from the right side. Have anything to do with Euro vs American models?