GEN 3 CARB BANK

[hootmon]

Swapped out the spark plug with an iridium plug I had laying around..
BAM... She's now a runner!!!
Runs much better than I expected with all stock jets and the resonators removed..
No flat spots in the acceleration, she runs nice!!! (except when you run out of gas a block from your house!!     
I will replace the other three spark plugs with iridium plugs (they are used, but only have about 4K miles on them).
I do appreciate you all indulging me.

*** I DO NEED ONE PART IF SOMEONE HAS IT..***
17259-MZ5-000 HONDA STOPPER - This is the bar that hold the snorkel in place on the air filter.
Someone couldn't get the screw out, so they cut the bar. - Part is not available from Honda.. 

Now I have to replace the fork seals, remove and clean up the turn signal switch (very sticky), and most of all, take the tank to be re-creamed..


Then I will have to make the big decision to keep the red or the black.. 94 vs 03, 50K vs 54K, red (with clear coat pealing) or black, old style tank badge or new MAGNA tank badge..

Thanx again!!

[hootmon]

Some pictures of Blackie

[lragan]

Wow!  Looking good Hoot!

One of the most annoying issues I have had with my bikes is with the switches.  The turn signal switch, in particular, but hi beam switch as well.

The key element in both is the stiff copper contactor.  I believe they are made with Beryllium-copper.  Not much Beryllium, but enough to give it stiffness.  This stuff has an interesting and useful  characteristic, in that it can be made quite soft.  After bending/stamping to the desired shape, it is heated past the curing temperature, and it becomes stiff.  By controlling the Be content and the heating/cooling profile, one can control the resulting spring constant. 

Problem is, it fatigues over time.  At higher temperatures, the fatigue time is reduced.  While there may be a way to restore the original spring constant of the material, I have not figured out how.  Bottom line, I wound up replacing the unit.  And, of course, one cannot purchase just the switch from Honda -- oh, no!! You have to buy the whole assembly with switches, wires, etc.  $110.  Infuriating! 

[TLRam1]

Looks good but if that is the 03 where is the Blue color?

[hootmon]

Lawrence, the switch works fine.. The button is just stiff.. So I need to just get to the return spring part of the switch and clean it out and add new grease..
I've run into this before, not a biggie, I don't need to get as far as the contacts.

So the pictures are from right after returning from the local Honda shop to pick up and order a few parts (fork seals & such) .
The bike ran GREAT!!

I swapped out the other 3 spark plugs to the Iridium plugs, bike ran fine...
added some brake fluid to the master cylinder, I filled the tank up in anticipation of a ride later

Wife & I decided to run to a not so local bike night later in the evening..

We go out to the garage, I start up Blackie (She don't like no choke!!), which I find interesting with the stock 40 jets!
She idles for about 5-6 minutes as I'm putting on my gear and such.. All of a sudden, She starts to sputter like she's running out of gas..
I pull the choke hard it gets a little better, I pull (one at a time) the rear spark plug wires and she gets worse..
switch the fuel pet cock to reserve - no difference
I pop the gas cap and here a release of pressure (never heard that on mine).. Tried to start her and keep her running long enough to refuel the carbs.. No luck... SO, more investimigating tomorrow.
My 1st thought is when they creamed the tank the plugged the vent hole, but then why did it run fine on a less than full tank.. AND not get better after I popped the gas cap?
Did it get more trash in the jets?  Maybe..
They did add a fuel filter between the tank and the vacuum shut off, so it should not be trash from the tank (unless it's clogging the filter?)
I have to check the spark on the 2 front cylinders.. I was considering putting my red tank on her to see if it makes a difference (blowing out the fuel filter with air in the process)..
It almost seems like a fuel source issue as multiple cylinders starved at the same time..
Hummm - I'm just glad it died in the driveway and not 40 miles from home..

[lragan]

 

Well, rats!  Sounds like a fuel issue, as you say.  Removing the gas cap with no improvement certainly indicates against a plugged vent.

In answer to your question, however, consider a tank nearing empty.  It has lots of air/fumes on top of the gas.  Assume plugged vent.  Start engine.  Vacuum develops in the tank slowly, as there is plenty of air to start with.  Now, consider full tank.  Same scenario, but vacuum develops quickly, with little air to decompress.

Magnas have already achieved "classic" status, and as we seek to keep 'em running on the street, tanks will continue to be a big issue.  Walk up to a salvage bike and the first thing you notice is the tank is dented, rusted, or both.  Perhaps we need to establish a "tank bank" and collect all the useable ones in a safe place.  Or create an overmold from which we could make carbon fiber reinforced poly tanks.

[hootmon]

Ok.. It's great having a 2nd bike to trouble shoot with..
Definitely a tank issue..

Put the Red Magna tank on the Black bike and it's perfect..

Does anyone know anything about what the vent is suppose to look like inside a Magna Tank?

I drained gas down below the neck collar.. When I blow air into the vent, there is gas bubbling (There is a whole drilled in the collar, so if the vent was above the fuel level line, it should just blow air and it come out the hole in the collar, but there is definitely gas bubbling.

As Lawrence correctly stated, finding a good tank is hard, finding a good tank in black, even harder..

So options.  I could find someone locally to cut the pan out of the gas tank. This would give me an opportunity to blast out all of the bad creame, fix the vent and get it re-welded.. Hopefully this could be done without upsetting the original paint were visible..
QUESTION with this.. If I went this route, would I need to cream the tank due to the welded area???

IF I was going to keep the bike, what are the chances of finding a black Valk tank and just upgrade the tank using the pan out of this tank???

Hummm..

Thanx for your support

BTW, Terry was correct, the bike was manufactured in 09/01, so technically a 2002 bike I would guess.

[TLRam1]

On my enlarged tank I think I can see the vent through the collar, somewhere I have seen the vent though. I have a small photo you can download and blow it up a bit to see the back part of the vent tube.

You might be able to feel the vent tube with your finger also, can't remember, stick your longest finger in and try. Look through the petcock hole with a flashlight, might be able to see it.

Probably best to coat a welded tank. On my enlarged tank it is best to keep gas above the weld line, in reality I don't worry about it and it is not coated. Could have something to do with the petcock area also. 

[hootmon]

It seems like the vent would be as close to the top of the tank as possible, but is it just an open tube, or does it have holes drilled in the tube, or? or? hummm..
I have most of the fuel out of the Black tank, maybe I'll remove the pet cock and see what I can see..
Thanx Terry..!!!

[MagnaMan]

I just recently had to go "spying" around inside a Ninja 250 tank. I have a webcam and a USB light that sort of fit through the tank opening. I will see if I can't take a photo of the inside of my black and orange Magna tank which has been off the bike for a while now.

That will have to happen this weekend though.

Someone else just recently posted on the forum looking for info on the Valkna mod. Brad sent them a link with all the details.

[hootmon]

I just recently had to go "spying" around inside a Ninja 250 tank. I have a webcam and a USB light that sort of fit through the tank opening. I will see if I can't take a photo of the inside of my black and orange Magna tank which has been off the bike for a while now.

That will have to happen this weekend though.

Someone else just recently posted on the forum looking for info on the Valkna mod. Brad sent them a link with all the details.

Thanx man..
I've been thinking about buying one of those, never could come up with a need...
Till now...
Be nice to have something to compare

[TLRam1]

If I remember correctly it it just an open tube and it comes up close (not real close, possibly could reach it with your finger) to the back of the filler neck. If you have a dental style mirror tool, that would work also.

I have my 01 black tank on top of my freezer, I can take a look at that one if need be.

[hootmon]

If I remember correctly it it just an open tube and it comes up close (not real close, possibly could reach it with your finger) to the back of the filler neck. If you have a dental style mirror tool, that would work also.

I have my 01 black tank on top of my freezer, I can take a look at that one if need be.

My inspection mirror is too big!!

[hootmon]

Can't see anything (vent tube) in the tank from the petcock hole, The hole is small & with the creame.. Can't see much.

I tackled the Fork Seals.. Almost really screwed up, but was able to save my mistake..

I also fixed the blinker switch from it's resistance to move.. Cleaned it all out and re lubed, works perfect..

Maybe Lawrence can tackle this one.. I seem to drag the left floor board a lot.. I checked and it looks like both bikes have 12" shocks in the rear.. Is the floorboards lower (especially at lean angles)
I mean, I'm really not leaning that much, just going through a traffic circle or turn on a country road..
I'm liking the floor boards (I wish they were 4" forward), but if it's going to significantly reduce my lean angle, then maybe not..

[lragan]

Hoot, I have no experience with floorboards, so I can only restate the obvious.  If the edge of the floorboard extends lower or further from the frame than the pegs do, then, yeah, they will drag sooner.

As for dragging one side more often than the other, I also drag the left more often than the right, which must mean I turn sharper to the left. 

Does this make me a flaming liberal?  I may need to take corrective action!