It's often the obvious and not the exotic

bbap · Post by **bbap** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 10:48 pm

Just wanted to share a little on an issue I've had all year. Symptom #1 The '63 CA78 ran very well last year but this year it seemed to get progressively more difficult to start. Choke, no choke, air screw, nothing seemed to make much of a difference. It would idle very high and stay there for 20 minutes before settling down. Symptom #2. The throttle hinge was not recoiling as it did before. I removed, lightly oiled and checked it thoroughly. Slight bend in the twist assembly and I bought a new one. Still an issue - but slightly better. Symptom #3. Bike running and turning to the right immediately increased RPM's substantially. I checked the routing of the cable and attached it to a fixed portion of the frame with a tie, and it helped. Oh, plugs looked fine and fired both sides and the tank cap was loosened to eliminate air blockage.

Guessed the problem yet?

Last week, nice day and all, I figured it must be the carb or the screen in the petcock so I went at it. Removing the carb, the entire top of the carb was disconnected from the body. It appears that assembly a year and a half ago I'd forgotten to tighten the top of the carb appropriately and the poor dream was doing it's best with just a bit more air than it needed.

What did I learn? Connect the dots. Not everything goes bad at once. Find a common issue - follow it back and don't come to conclusion without considering all of the symptoms. Don't assume anything and allow the evidence to permeate the brain. Steve

rrietman · Post by **rrietman** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 11:25 pm

diagnostic 101, check what recent work has been done.
Randy

Rickytic · Post by **Rickytic** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 11:55 pm

Nicely said Steve. We all have probably been there at one time or another. Always figure the options and start with the obvious, easiest, and least expensive first.

Snakeoil · Post by **Snakeoil** » Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:20 pm

I will admit to a similar mistake. I restored a 1970 Guzzi LAPD bike. Fired up immediately and ran like garbage. Super rich, stumbled missed. Tried everything, checked everything. These are a very simple and easy engine to work on. Even has on set of point with a distributor. I played with the bike for a good 2 weeks. I got so mad at it, I rolled into the corner, went out and bought another bike and rode it for the rest of the year. I went back to the Guzzi the following year, more because I was bored and wanted something to do than because I cared if I got it running. I was still mad at the bike.

First thing I did was start at the carbs. Pulled out the first slide and could not believe what I saw. It was in backwards. Pulled the other slide and exactly the same. Put them in right, hit the button and she purred like a kitten.

Dellorto's are square slide carbs and no key and grove for slide position. They can go in backwards. The first time around, I must've had those slides out a dozen or more times and never noticed they were in backwards. Guess I got so used to seeing in that way, they became invisible.

So like the subject says, never discount the obvious.

regards,
Rob

bonjour · Post by **bonjour** » Thu Nov 08, 2012 1:30 pm

haha, these problems always make you mad as hell when you have them, so frustrating.

But when you finally solve your 'problem' it always puts a nice smile on the face.

My motto is always : Start with the most simple things, plugs, oil, gas, air, ignition timing, etc. etc.

edit : Oja, don't forget the ignition key !

bbap · Post by **bbap** » Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:21 pm

bonjour wrote:haha, these problems always make you mad as hell when you have them, so frustrating.

But when you finally solve your 'problem' it always puts a nice smile on the face.

My motto is always : Start with the most simple things, plugs, oil, gas, air, ignition timing, etc. etc.

edit : Oja, don't forget the ignition key !

Your exactly right. It sure makes your day or week when you come up the super hero of the day. Nothing like it!