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runs like poo poo

4K views 42 replies 9 participants last post by  train460 
#1 ·
Hello friends.
Picked up a 04 vtx1300 with about 20k miles for the wife.
Runs like crap from almost day 1. Bike sputtered and coughed, backfired, with mid amount of throttle.
Pulled plugs and replaced. Old did not look bad. 2 boots cracked but put some glue on them.
Pulled air filter and it was trashed. Most foam around seal gone. Foam around airbox etx.
New filter and bike ran good, according to my wife for a 200 mile ride sat.
I decide to ride it to work. About 5 miles down the road starts loosing power as if tank empty. Switch to reserve at 80 miles odometer, and refill tank. About 2gals. So not empty. Limped back home at times thinking i am going to be stranded.
I have a feeling crap from air cleaner is now in carbs and jets.
Many questions to follow as I go along.
I now have tank off. Seat. Looking at the airbox and see this hose was not connected to the back of box.
Important?
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#2 ·
Probably 100 % carb issues -

Where does that HOSE loose lead to?

See the drain on it - get that open - capture in glass container to be examined - compared to new fuel.

Anything rolling around in the bottom - IS Water.

Either rebuild carb yourself - or remove and have Tech local service it.
No shortcuts can happen in that process.
Jets need to look like new - The Slow Speed for sure is the main culprit.

There's 1000's of posts on this carb for service advice.

Search - Google - Carb,vtxoa - watch how many 1000's come up.
Go to top of page at google and hit Image view - for the posts that contain those images.

Get the Manual - it's also on this site to download - print off the carb related data.

Glue added to sparkplug boots - now replace them - and any wire in question.
Meter can determine who's not up to the job.

What about the battery - do you have a good real charger to show 100% charging it?
Connections there on the battery - any extra connection?
Loose.

Sounds like it needs serious inspection before hitting the road and getting stranded.
 
#3 ·
here is the air box as it was removed does it look stock or can you tell if any mods were done to it?

Auto part Vehicle Engine Car Automotive engine part


Stealer is a last ditch effort as I have had several issues with "techs" that cant even find certain things on the bikes.
I have pulled the carbs many times on my V max is so I've been inside of them before just wondering if this thing looks stock or has some mods done to it?

Why I am looking for answers here.
Thanks
Michael
 
#4 ·
looking at the hoses to the airbox, there was only 1 attached to the box among 3 there. the one pointed out seems to go to the front cyinder head top.
the ony one attached to the airbox seems to go to the
Air injection control valve. located on the left side bolted to the frame.
also the one in the upper left of the fist pic hanging down from the top of the carb is not attached to the box either.
 
#6 ·
Hose hanging down on side of carb = bowl vent/over flow....
Hose going to top of cylinder head is "crankcase ventilation".
Do NOT kink that hose on reconnecting/installing air box.
The hose, 90 degree elbow and cap = a place to drain crankcase blowby oil/water/crap.
Remove cap and dump the liquid out at oil changes.

Next to the arrow is the bowl drain screw---Phil wants you to let gas out there and collect it in a jar to analyze for water/trash/etc.

For many carb pix:: Mr VTX carb rebuild::
http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/showthread.php?216890-Carb-Cleaning-101
 
#7 ·
Hose hanging down on side of carb = bowl vent/over flow....
Hose going to top of cylinder head is "crankcase ventilation".
Do NOT kink that hose on reconnecting/installing air box.
The hose, 90 degree elbow and cap = a place to drain crankcase blowby oil/water/crap.
Remove cap and dump the liquid out at oil changes.

Next to the arrow is the bowl drain screw---Phil wants you to let gas out there and collect it in a jar to analyze for water/trash/etc.

For many carb pix:: Mr VTX carb rebuild::
http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/showthread.php?216890-Carb-Cleaning-101
have your carb 101 link up as pull the carbs.
i have the carbs on the bench with the bowl off and the slide off. going to pull the jets and clean.
With the above hoses. if any of them are not attached to the airbox, is that all that important?
like mentioned. the only one attached was the crankcase vent.
 
#8 ·
pulled the jets and cleaned with carb cleaner, compressed air and used a welding tip cleaner. Nothing looked plugged.
looking for the Air mixture screw. Is here a mod or something to get this out? i don't think i have anything in my tool box to even tell what this is set at. WTH?
 
#9 ·
With the above hoses. if any of them are not attached to the airbox, is that all that important?
like mentioned. the only one attached was the crankcase vent.
>>>train460 looking at the hoses to the airbox, there was only 1 attached to the box among 3 there. the one pointed out seems to go to the front cyinder head top.
the ony one attached to the airbox seems to go to the
Air injection control valve.
If you want clean air in the crankcase vent and to Pair valve connect them to the airbox. If you remove the pair valve plug up the hole in the airbox. Dirty air is abrasive....
 
#14 ·
yup. no fuel filter. gonna call the local stealer and see if one is there. i just order the permanent mixute adjustment tool from Glens garage but am gonna ttry to put this back together and see how it goes. So far nothing sttod out why it ran like crap other than those 2 hoses not connected to anything
ok local stealer does not have the fuel "screen". is this that important cus i want to put back together or do i just need to order and wait?
 
#18 ·
Possible solution

My 04-R had a very similar problem at about 25K miles. It acted like a fuel delivery problem and we did not consider anything else. After we had tried every possible fix in the fuel system I moved the central processor box back into it's clamp on top of the battery and caught a glint of copper shine from one of the tiny wires leading from that unit. The wire was all but worn in two from abraision. I spliced a repair wire and that was the end of my problem. I later learned that others had the same problem with that same little single wire. It acted like a carburator problem. It will only take a second to carefully examine those wires. Look at the black one and the black/green one.
 
#19 ·
While you have the tank off, go ahead and clean the ground connection at the front ignition coil. Check slide diaphram for holes.
 
#21 ·
Put some vacuum on the petcock and check the fuel flow. Some hoses have split internally, any vacuum loss may affect fuel flow.

rwrglr brings up an interesting point---Ignition Control Module has two wires that have broken internally inside the insulation and caused poor running and backfiring, etc.
Two wires on the right looking at it from the right side of the VTX..
 
#23 ·
If you need it the part number for the petcock repair kit is 16953-KEA-023, I had to rebuild the one on my daughter's 750 when it stayed parked too long and they are the same. I was able to soak her carb and just put everything back together after cleaning and it ran like a new one. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Dave
 
#26 ·
OK, then it may not be the carb. there is a Possibility that one of the wires is broken going to the ECM so look at the harness and see if the harness is tight coming to the ECM if so give it a light tug up. There is a possibility that either the Green or Black wire is broken internally just before going into the ECM so take two safety pins , plug one into the ecm and the other one down the line a couple inches and jump a wire between them. Do this with each wire separately (black and green).
If one of those wired is broke it will idle ok but will backfire and miss on acceleration.

Doug
 
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