I shoulda known . . . I've been planning on replacing the tank, and taking care of the final touches to get the bike where I want it. And then what? It won't start.
Turns over good, and even tries to fire up, but just won't go. I had the same problem a few months back, and after $650 for a shop to fix it (see past threads) it stops again.
I think I still am in the 90 day warranty, but that means I have to load it up and take it to someone who appears to be unable to really fix it. Last time, if you remember, he tried to tell us the spark plugs and air filter were both bad. What he didn't seem to know was that I had just put in new plugs and a K&N filter 500 miles prior. I also asked about a shim kit and he said he had never heard of it.
Anyway, up to this point it was running good, and my last tank netted 40 mpg . . . not bad since my average ride is only 2 miles. I also put in some Seafoam in this tank, but only the 3.5 oz that the bottle reccommends.
Apparently the last time the problem was an exhaust gasket that had come loose. I will say that over the last couple of days I thought the exhaust sounded different, but assumed the seafoam had something to do with it.
So any thoughts? I am going in to DFW tomorrow, so do I drag it back in with me and give it back to the shop? I am somewhat of a handy person, but I deal more in wood working than motorcycles. For that reason I wouldn't even know where to start. I really would rather have the DD shims in than the Dyno kit that was installed. But can it be undone?
Arrghhhh! Is motorcycle ownership supposed to be this painful? Seems like something is always wrong! I thought a Honda would be more reliable! Any suggestions would be appreciated.
If the diaphragm slides were not drilled and you have the stock needles and then yes a Dave Dodge jet & shim kit can be put in and reverse the Dyna jet kit.
Can you get it to start by pulling the choke full on, holding a slightly more than fast idle worth of throttle? If so feather the throttle till you can get the PRMs up to 3500 or so, keep it there, push choke off soon as you can. Keep RPMs up for a couple minutes, then take out for a decent ride while keeping the RPMs in the upper ranges 7500+ this has helped when a bike has sat for a period of time.
When was the last time you rode? How far? etc.
I actually have been riding it daily, though only a few miles each time. I filled up last week and have about 40 miles on the tank. I am an in town rider. But it had only sat for a few hours, and while it was a little harder to start on the previous ride (held the start but for 2-3 seconds before it fired up), there was no other indication that something was wrong. Usually if I tap the start button it goes . . . though on cold days I have to pull the choke to keep it going.
I have tried to choke it and that seems to make it less likely to want to start. Is there any possibility that the seafoam could have something to do with it? The last time it quit might also have been the tank that I had added it to. I can't remember though. I also think I smell gasoline, but that might be from flooding the engine trying to start it.
Thanks for your thoughts Greg. I am a little disheartened by this mess.
If you can wait until my off days maybe I can run up to Sweetwater and we can pull the carbs off and give them a look see. We can check the venting and give the carbs a good cleaning and see where they stand.
I just read the engine trouble. Sorry to hear that. I wish I could be more help but I am a new to the Magna world of repair but when we switch tanks we could see if it is a gas, vent, or petcock issue.
Has it ever run right. The reason I ask is that I have had some problems with one of mine and it turned out that an imulsion tube or a few of them were clogged I have yet to fix the carb but I had another set of carbs and used them and it sure cured my problem. And I don't think even seafoam would clear it up because all they do is allow air to enter the bowl and equalize the pressure in the bowl so gas does not flow thru them just air so kinda hard to clean and it is a very small hole....
Is there any easy access to spray starter fluid in all four carburetors to see if it will start?
Quote from: GlovebergIf you can wait until my off days maybe I can run up to Sweetwater and we can pull the carbs off and give them a look see.
Jimmy- Any help would be appreciated, and certainly better to a couple of trips to the metro-mess so the mechanic can go at it again. I doubt that the warranty means anything other than that he will take it back and continue charging me out the wazoo. I will be happy to compensate you as well as take you to the best restaurant (read: all you can eat) in the southwest. And I really am in no hurry. If I do decide to drop it off at the mechanic's tomorrow the earliest I can get it back is June 9.
Quote from: Luke 22Sorry to hear that. I wish I could be more help but I am a new to the Magna world of repair ...
Robert- Thanks for the thought. I don't know much either but I guess I'm going to have to learn. Sure beats long trips and big bills.
Quote from: roboto65Has it ever run right?
That is an excellent question, and it is one I wish I could answer. My last motorcycle was a YZ250f. So while I grew up on motorcycles, all have had knobby tires. The only street bike I have ever ridden is this one. As far as gas mileage goes, the best I have gotten is 42mpg. Usually I got from 32-38. I shift at the specified speeds and rarely get on it. I have never gone above 7500rpm.
The other day I rode straight freeway, but was going a little fast at 75-80 miles an hour. At least that seems fast with no windshield. It was 45 miles each direction, so that would negate any winds. I weigh in at 185 so I am about average. I ended up with 27 mpg . . . pretty low in my opinion.
So to answer your question, I have no idea. Someone else would have to ride it and tell me. Otherwise I have no standard in which to measure/determine what "right" is. dc
I'm in Lewisville, just north of Dallas. If you want to pull the carbs and bring them over, I'll take a look at them while you wait.
When I installed my jet and shim kit from Dave Dodge I went to Greg Cothern's casa and had him help me do it and in return I got a pretty good tutorial on the basics of the magna carb bank. I don't claim to be an expert but I have no doubt we can pull the carbs and be sure they are clean and in good working order to eliminate that as a culprit. Sometimes I think a shop's idea of "carb cleaning" is to spray a can of de-greaser on the outside and call it done.
I give very few shops any credit when it comes to working Magna's. I just don't think any of them have any experience working on them so they tend to shoot people full of bullsh*t to justify what they charge. Let me get my schedule ironed out for next week and I'll head up there and we'll knock it out. Doesn't take that long and it's a good learing experience.
Jimmy thanks for helping out a member in need! Thats what this is all about, members helping out members! Pay It Forward!!
Your awesome!!!! Let me know if I can help answer any questions.
My '99 has always got good mileage. Riding the 33xs around Leakey with my wife on the back and the bags loaded I got 55MPG. When everyone on the list was talking about how much fun it was over 7000RPM, I got 27MPG. I was afraid the shims were going to mess up my mileage, but a couple of weeks ago I rode 250 miles with the SCRC-Conroe and got 50MPG. You might try riding it real easy to see what the best you can do is, then you will have a baseline.
I would like to know specifics of how you did this. Even empty the best I can get is around 40 (low 40's) mpg.
Stuff like the way you accelerate, speed shifts and other things.
I have a '99 with saddle bags.
Bob #69
Quote from: rvanceYou might try riding it real easy to see what the best you can do is, then you will have a baseline.
To be honest, I try that every time I ride. I know a lot of you Magna owners may roll your eyes at the thought of RPMs below 7,000 and riding for economical purposes, but I am a little nerdy like that. Whether other riders realize it or not, I enjoy pulling up to a Harley and
knowing I can smoke them . . . I don't necessarily feel inclined to prove it all the time. I do get on it occasionally, but by in large (is that how you say it?) I just take it easy.
I also read the manual and shift when it recommends (11, 18, 25, 31). I guess one of the major contributing factors is the distance in which I go on each ride. My commute to work is a grueling .4 miles to work, with 3 stop signs along the way. Other jaunts across town are about 2-3 miles away, and the farthest trip is to the gym which is nearly 5 miles. That is the only trip where the majority of the miles are in 5th gear, the others contain multiple starts and stops.
So maybe 36-41 mpg isn't so bad considering all the "city" riding that I do. Of course the other mods (exhaust, K&N AF, Dyno Jets) may effect the mpg too. BTW, does a windshield help or hurt mpg? Seems like it could go both ways.
I ride pretty much as you describe. I take off a little fast in 1st, then get to 5th as quick as I can without lugging the engine. It has a lot to do with distance. Riding the 33xs with my wife, I rarely got over 50MPH and stopped maybe once per hour. Riding with SCRC, we were keeping up with the lowest common denominator (HD) and didn't get over 65MPH with stops every 50-60 miles. When I ride to work, 14miles with 10 stops, I get 30-35MPG. If I'm having a good day, it drops to 27.
Quote from: rvance. . . I get 30-35MPG. If I'm having a good day, it drops to 27.
Now that is funny. What happens if you are having a bad day? :shock:
dc
I forget to put my feet down!