Tango Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 25 minutes ago, Pedro said: Frustrated with myself and my mechanical incompetence. I've got a XR400 pissing fluid down the carb's little escape tube instead of starting, fuel all over, even resorted to pushing it up the ramp to bump start it going down. I'm clueless. Considering selling the thing as I haven't ridden it more than 2 or 3 times in the last 3 years. Will take the GS and go for lunch up in the hills. Sounds like a stuck float in the carb, so it's probably flooded now. You could try tapping the float bowl with the blunt end of a big screwdriver to see if that unsticks it. Otherwise you may need to remove the carb and check the float height and needle valve seat. Enjoy your ride and lunch anyway. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 49 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said: Today I’m going to ignore my responsibilities and skive. Bake some bread, maybe make a cake and drink shedloads of tea I'm trying to work up the energy and will to do some of the jobs around the house that need doing. So far drinking coffee and listening to Prog radio seems to be winning though! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six30 Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 39 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said: Bummer, enjoy lunch. Don’t think @Pedrois a bummer , who told you this ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted April 12, 2023 Author Share Posted April 12, 2023 27 minutes ago, Buckster said: Ogri. Casual! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six30 Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 47 minutes ago, XTreme said: Being a mechanic is not a prerequisite to being a motorcyclist! I've thrown out this question before and nobody got it........I'll try again! What famous rider was known for being completely mechanically incompetent, and unable to give any machine feedback to his mechanics other than to say it was shit? George Formby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 23 minutes ago, Six30 said: Don’t think @Pedrois a bummer , who told you this ? Can’t reveal my sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 56 minutes ago, XTreme said: Being a mechanic is not a prerequisite to being a motorcyclist! I've thrown out this question before and nobody got it........I'll try again! What famous rider was known for being completely mechanically incompetent, and unable to give any machine feedback to his mechanics other than to say it was shit? I just tried to google it and it gave me completely unrelated results, made me laugh though - Am I too skinny to ride a motorcycle? Am I to weak to ride a motorcycle? Do you have to be strong to ride a motorcycle? How heavy a bike is too heavy for a beginner? Not a single mention of mechanics 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 Real bikers are good mechanics, the rest are just ponces or women. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 And there it is @XTreme the joyous blend of toxic masculinity and motorcycling, a harmonious bundle of ‘You’re not a man if you can’t fix things’ insults winging it’s way to you shortly. Shields up 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 55 minutes ago, Tango said: I'm trying to work up the energy and will to do some of the jobs around the house that need doing. So far drinking coffee and listening to Prog radio seems to be winning though! You could do some jobs around the house but who will drink the coffee and pay attention to the radio? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XTreme Posted April 12, 2023 Author Share Posted April 12, 2023 11 minutes ago, Buckster said: Real bikers are good mechanics, the rest are just ponces or women. Can you define Real Bikers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six30 Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 50 minutes ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said: Can’t reveal my sources. Was it a very short bloke ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 3 minutes ago, Six30 said: Was it a very short bloke ? Not sure, he certainly looks short in pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyrider Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 1 hour ago, XTreme said: Casual! and mitzi looks a goer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 2 hours ago, Tango said: Sounds like a stuck float in the carb, so it's probably flooded now. You could try tapping the float bowl with the blunt end of a big screwdriver to see if that unsticks it. Otherwise you may need to remove the carb and check the float height and needle valve seat. Enjoy your ride and lunch anyway. The ride was shit, turned into rain 5 minutes in and ended up having lunch at home. At home I did exactly that as I remembered this one time many years ago when I took the bowl off for changing the jets. A few taps fixed the leaking problem, however with all the fussing I fucked up the magic procedure to start the bike so it didn't and I left it for tomorrow. Also took apart a compost box in my garden as there are suspicions it might have been converted to a snake nest. There are a lot of small lizards and stuff like that living in the wild bush that is my garden, and they slither around when I'm around, but after a few more or less big snakes were seen I have become a little skittish of grabbing into grasses. Snakes here are mostly non venomous and eat rodents, but they are very aggressive and will make for painful encounters. 5 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 2 hours ago, XTreme said: Can you define Real Bikers? They ride real motorcycles, not gay ass Honda’s and they know one end of a spanner from the other. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catteeclan Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 5 hours ago, Pedro said: Frustrated with myself and my mechanical incompetence. I've got a XR400 pissing fluid down the carb's little escape tube instead of starting, fuel all over, even resorted to pushing it up the ramp to bump start it going down. I'm clueless. Considering selling the thing as I haven't ridden it more than 2 or 3 times in the last 3 years. Will take the GS and go for lunch up in the hills. Give the carb a couple of taps with the thick end of a screwdriver with the pet tap on. Might stop it, if so there will be many kicks to clear the excess fuel but should go before your leg falls off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catteeclan Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 5 hours ago, Tango said: Sounds like a stuck float in the carb, so it's probably flooded now. You could try tapping the float bowl with the blunt end of a big screwdriver to see if that unsticks it. Otherwise you may need to remove the carb and check the float height and needle valve seat. Enjoy your ride and lunch anyway. Beat me to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Fallsalot Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 6 hours ago, Pedro said: Frustrated with myself and my mechanical incompetence. I've got a XR400 pissing fluid down the carb's little escape tube instead of starting, fuel all over, even resorted to pushing it up the ramp to bump start it going down. I'm clueless. Considering selling the thing as I haven't ridden it more than 2 or 3 times in the last 3 years. Will take the GS and go for lunch up in the hills. Grab a 17mm ring spanner and take put the plug under the carb float bowl (turn the petrol off first) try and save the fuel in the plug to inspect see if there's any crap in there, you can turn the fuel on to flush it through at this point, i also find dropping the stale fuel out the carb helps starting after being left for a while. When you refill the carb if it starts pissing fuel just turn the tap off and start it with whats in the carb you can turn it back on when you go for a ride. If mines been left for a while dropped or flooded i find the procedure in the handbook works every time 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MooN Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 1 minute ago, Sir Fallsalot said: ou have a decompression lever!? I haven't seen one of those for about 20 years, and the last time I did it was on an old volvo boat engine 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 4 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said: Grab a 17mm ring spanner and take put the plug under the carb float bowl (turn the petrol off first) try and save the fuel in the plug to inspect see if there's any crap in there, you can turn the fuel on to flush it through at this point, i also find dropping the stale fuel out the carb helps starting after being left for a while. When you refill the carb if it starts pissing fuel just turn the tap off and start it with whats in the carb you can turn it back on when you go for a ride. If mines been left for a while dropped or flooded i find the procedure in the handbook works every time It's a good idea to use fuel stabiliser if the bike doesn't get used often, especially with E10 petrol. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Fallsalot Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 8 minutes ago, MooN said: ou have a decompression lever!? I haven't seen one of those for about 20 years, and the last time I did it was on an old volvo boat engine The bike has an auto decompressor with a built in anti kickback mechanism for normal starting which makes the bike feel like it has no compression the manual decompressor is for occasions when i't's flooded usually after crashing Forgot to say the bike is an old design that hasn't changed much mine is 22 years old 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Fallsalot Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 2 minutes ago, Buckster said: It's a good idea to use fuel stabiliser if the bike doesn't get used often, especially with E10 petrol. I run E5 in everything unless i'm stuck but never really had a problem with old petrol being left a while other than the small amount left in the carb 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 Pete has this on the side of his engine to remind himself not to touch it. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckster Posted April 12, 2023 Share Posted April 12, 2023 1 minute ago, Sir Fallsalot said: I run E5 in everything unless i'm stuck but never really had a problem with old petrol being left a while other than the small amount left in the carb E10 gums up and it's hard on some float types. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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