Thanks to suggestions from the Internet (
Dom and the BMWMOA forums), I dropped the bowls from both carburetors and look what I found. A significant amount of water in each bowl (that's the yellow colored liquid in the photo). When the bike is left out in the cold, the water would freeze and the only way to get enough fuel into the engine is by turning on the enricheners which have a different path for the fuel than the main jet. In the morning after sitting in the garage all night, the water was melted and didn't clog the main jet. The vibration was caused by one main jet being more clogged than the other.
I drained fuel from both petcocks on the tank and got a little bit of water when the right petcock was turned to reserve. Normally, when the bike runs out of fuel, I only switch the left petcock to reserve as I could leave my hand on the throttle. In October, I remember pulling in the clutch lever and reaching down and switching the right petcock to reserve. This is probably when the water was pulled into the carbs. Who knows when I picked up the water in the fuel.
Now, I just need to wait for better weather to test things out. Right now it is somewhere between snow and rain and the president of the university just told everyone to go home early. As the roads weren't going to get any better.
Update Thursday morning - It's 45°F right now at 1:09 AM and raining with a 23mph wind. The roads are going to be almost impassable by morning.
Update Thursday 9:00am - Wimped out and didn't ride in today. It's still drizzling and 38°F so the roads are covered with a layer of ice. There is actually water running down the middle of the parking lot...
I could never live up there, it's way too cold.
ReplyDeleteMaybe colder than NJ but a lot warmer than many other places. Such as northern MN. Here, there is rarely wind or moisture. This is weird, horrible weather but is becoming more and more common. Climate change?
DeleteGlad you seem to have found the smoking gun in this case. More heet on more regular basis or periodic draining of the bowls as sometimes recommended by Ural on their rigs?
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time the bowls have been off since winter when the carbs were overhauled. But I will definitely do one or the other more often.
DeleteYa know, it would probably not hurt to hook up a compressed air nozzle onto your carb's intake port for gas( no more than 10 psi) and blow air through the carbs till it spews out the vent. Leave a little gas in the bowl to do this. It'll make a mess but it does clear out the circuits.
ReplyDeleteI know you know this, but this should only be done in a well vented area..open flames nearby, not a good idea. I say this for anyone else who reads this and thinks it worth trying.
I did remove the main jet and blow air through the passage to get rid of any trace of moisture. And did check the air filter. No trace of water on the paper filter. I think the air intake is pretty well protected.
DeleteSo how were the roads this morning? Doesn't sound like BMW riding conditions.
ReplyDeleteNot even close. Schools are closed again, it is still above freezing and drizzling. The university is still open but classes are up to the instructors. Definitely not BMW riding weather. So drove the truck in but didn't need the chains. There are still lots of snow on the road with the pile between the lanes almost a foot deep.
DeleteRichard:
ReplyDeleteSo glad you drove the truck. How does it feel to be driving a more fuel efficient vehicle for a change ?
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
Surely you jest…
DeleteThe heated mirrors are handy but on the bike I don't need to clean off the windshield as I generally look over it. If I need to see something closer, I simply stand on the pegs and look over the windshield.
The sidecar rig has been getting around 28 mpg this time of year which is still about 50% better than the truck. But then again, the truck can carry a whole lot more stuff and still get the same fuel mileage.
Richard:
Deletesome one mentioned that they weren't getting very good mileage with their Hack, I thought it was you. I think it's nice to have 4 wheels once in a while.
After my long trip in sweltering heat, I was happy to be in an air conditioned car without having to wear ATGATT
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
It could've been me. My last fill-up was only 21 mpg due to running the bike with enricheners on. It was dumping a lot of gas into the engine without being metered by the carbs.
DeleteI still enjoy riding and driving the car or truck is not something I really look forward to. Not very entertaining (don't we all NEED to be entertained?)