Cold starts require partial throttle

[DC Smith]

When you do have the wrench session in Austin or San Marcos be sure to let everyone know.  I am in San Antonio and am thinking about doing the jet/shim kit on my bike.

[Greg Cothern]

I will do a install at MOOTMag for a wrench technical session if someone want to wait till June and offer up their bike???

[Curtis_Valk]

Mine always takes partial throttle plus choke to start when cool except in summer.  I ran several tanks with Techron added which many have reported good results from (along with the Sea Foam mentioned here).

After running the Techron through several tanks, starting is much easier and my flat spot in the middle RPM ranges is much less pronounced.  However I still need to crack the throttle a bit to get her to start.  As soon as she fires though, I can let her idle on choke for a minute and she's good to go, although sudden full throttle applications are tricky until she is fully warm.

Curtis

[Dlcarrales]

My 96 has aftermarket pipes & K & N air Filter (the red one) this one is harder to start in cold weather, needs to choked.

The 2001 I have never even had to choke.  Not sure about whats been done on this bike.  It does have the stock pipes & the Moot modification on them.  I think Greg has done a Carb job on this one. It used to belong to Barry Foster.

[Greg Cothern]

I did do some carb work on it then David, been a while but do remember tinkering with it LoL.
Aftermarket pipes and K&N NEEDS jets and shims.

[Moja]

You will need to run a few tank fulls through to start seeing good results.
I do have a write up on the "tips and tricks" page on the main MOOT site for the jets/shims.
My son is at UT and might be talked into helping, been a bit since he helped but he knows what is needed.
Dont take it to a shop they will charge you a big fee for something you can do yourself.

I have now run 3 full tanks, and one full can of SeaFoam (yeah, yeah, no cracks about how long it took me to do so...) and these are my observations:

1) It still required throttle to start, but it appeared that after each successive tank, it required a little less.  A day or two back I honestly had the throttle cracked so little, that when it fired up it didn't even rev past 1000 RPMs until the choke took it there.  So there is definite improvement.

2) The gas mileage does seem to have improved a bit.  I have 96 mixed cycle miles on this tank, and it still hasn't started sputtering yet (but I'm sure its ready to any minute.)

3) Last night for the first time ever I started it without throttle!  It failed once, but then I tried again and let it crank for about 2 full seconds, and lo and behold, it fired up.

So, I picked up a second can of SeaFoam last night.  Any reason I shouldn't hammer this can through the system over the next few tanks?

Thanks to everybody who suggested this!

[Greg Cothern]

Colin I would not recommend adding more than what the can instructions suggest..  But I would not worry about continued use for the next can of SeaFoam.
Also over a tank keep the RPM's up as much as possible dont fear running it up to and into the 9K range, helps keep her stretched out.

[Moja]

Colin I would not recommend adding more than what the can instructions suggest..

No, I hadn't planned on doing that - just 1oz/gal like they suggest (I donated one of my shot glasses to the garage in order to ensure accuracy with this   )

Also over a tank keep the RPM's up as much as possible dont fear running it up to and into the 9K range, helps keep her stretched out.

I don't think I've ever gotten it up to 9K!  But since you've given me the blessing, you don't need to ask twice    Guess I will not be getting 100 miles out of my next tank....

Thanks Greg.  Will report back after a few tanks.

[Curtis_Valk]

I donated one of my shot glasses to the garage in order to ensure accuracy with this

I donated a turkey baster (with 1 oz. graduations).  There are certain risks to this if you are married though.

Curtis

[Magnum Magna]

Using the choke.  When I got my bike the Honda shop had the ideal at 1100 RPMs.  The manual says to have it at 900 RPMs.  Changed the ideal to 900 RPMs the starting with the choke now has a much smother starts.  

On the Sea Foam does it say to add before or after filling the tank.  Most additives you add gas second to have a better mixing.

[Moja]

On the Sea Foam does it say to add before or after filling the tank.  Most additives you add gas second to have a better mixing.

It actually doesn't say.  Just tells you the quantities to use and for which applications.  I have always added it on TOP of a full tank of gas, never "underneath".  What about you guys?  What I didn't realize is that it can be used as an oil additive as well - has anybody here used it in that manner?

BTW, I've been keeping the revs up as Greg suggested - gets a little buzzy at 6K, but then smooths out nicely - I don't think I've ever heard a quieter bike at 9K!  Surprisingly despite me mauling the throttle on nothing but short city trips, I'm up to 85 mi on this tank already.  So regardless of whether I ultimately end up fixing the problem of needing throttle to cold start the bike, the gas mileage has undoubtedly increased considerably from the SeaFoam use.  Always a good thing given the recent bump at the pumps...

[Moja]

Well, after a couple of cans of SeaFoam the problem persists... does anybody have any other ideas of things that could cause it?

The treatments appear to have improved gas mileage nicely, and between them and a change to synthetic (Amsoil), the "pinging" that used to occur under load has disappeared.

I still would like her to fire up without giving gas though - thanks for any of your expertise on the subject!

[MagnaMan]

Colin,

I've been experiencing the same problem as of late. I've been having to use partial throttle to start and it idles very low after starting. I think this started after I installed the Dyna ignition a few weeks back. I may have to swap it out with my original ignition to see if there's a difference.

[Curtis_Valk]

The next thing I would try is a fresh set of spark plugs.  I am not one to change plugs unless I see a drop in mileage or performance, but new plugs seem to have more positive effect on the Magna than most vehicles I've owned (my '96 Chevy truck has the original plugs at 130k miles with no notable loss in performance or gas mileage, lol).

Curtis

[Greg Cothern]

Colin I am holding a wrench session this Saturday if ya wanna make a the ride up, we can see what we can do?