4 Stroke running HOT!??

[RyanRX7]

What would cause your trike to have the header pipe right where it comes out of the engine glow orange (not super bright but noticeable)? My plug is also a little white (running hot correct?). Should I go to a colder plug? Would an exhaust leak or improperly adjusted valves do it? Any ideas guys? Thanks

[rob0781]

sounds like your running way to lean....don't run it till you re-jet and play with the carb

[Russell 350X]

Yea my friends snowmobile is doing that, he said the begining of the pipe was cherry red. Is it the same problem??

Russ

[MTS]

yes you are both running lean, the plug should be a paper bag brown colour, search the fourms for jetting there are ALOT of topics on it

[roger86200x]

Hey I bought a bigger header pipe and a cobra exhaust for my 86 200x a year ago, and it did the same thing. All I had to do was take the top off the carb (where throttle cable goes in) and move the needle down. What I mean by this is: The trottle cable attaches to the slide. In the slide there is a clip which holds the needle. You take that clip out and then the needle comes out. Next, theres a small half moon clip that makes the needle only go through the slide so far, if you move the clip UP, the slide should go UP making more gas flow into the engine and not run so damn lean.

I had to go all the way to the top of the needle with my half-moon clip thing (damn it i 4get what its called now, but i KNOW IT lol) But now my 200x runs like a champ and havent had any problems yet! Go one notch at a time till its right is what I reccommend.

Anyone feel free to correct me on this, I havent done it in a year or more but I think I have the up/down directions right. It COULD be the other way, as in move the half-moon clip down on the needle. Either way theres only 5 notches to put the half-moon clip in, move it whatever way makes it not overheat, lol. But so this one at a time because too much gas isnt good either.

Roger

[rob0781]

I had to go all the way to the top of the needle with my half-moon clip thing (damn it i 4get what its called now, but i KNOW IT lol) But now my 200x runs like a champ and havent had any problems yet! Go one notch at a time till its right is what I reccommend.


that would be the jet needle i think...

[RyanRX7]

I looked into moving up a jet size but it seems it came with 135 stock and bike bandit only shows the factory offering 132, 130, 128, and 125 as other optional sizes. I would need something larger correct, what should I do?

[MTS]

I looked into moving up a jet size but it seems it came with 135 stock and bike bandit only shows the factory offering 132, 130, 128, and 125 as other optional sizes. I would need something larger correct, what should I do?
go to the local honda dealer

[roger86200x]

OR, try moving the needle up/down cuz you more than likely dont have to rejet....I went through the SAME thing man, just play with it, its so easy to do.

[OldSchoolin86]

OR, try moving the needle up/down cuz you more than likely dont have to rejet....I went through the SAME thing man, just play with it, its so easy to do.
More then likely he DOES have to jet up. The needle only works the mid range. Mid range to WOT is mostly your main jet.

[roger86200x]

well, if he isnt running WOT then he wouldnt have problems you are saying?? if he starts it, rides it, shuts it off, then starts it up after the pipe stops glowing and it tursn red again then he doesnt need the jet, if it only turns red when hes riding and not idling then jet--according to you

[OldSchoolin86]

well, if he isnt running WOT then he wouldnt have problems you are saying?? if he starts it, rides it, shuts it off, then starts it up after the pipe stops glowing and it tursn red again then he doesnt need the jet, if it only turns red when hes riding and not idling then jet--according to you
I'm not saying anything is according to me, it's according to the way you tune a carb. If you do a search on carb tuning I'm sure you'll find some good info and maybe some charts. All I'm saying is it gives the wrong impression to only advise adjusting one part of his carb. The second anyone has a lean or rich problem they should be checking everything; air/fuel screw, needle and jet. Most likely if one part adjusted that bad, the rest needs attention too. Now in your case, if you had to put your needle all the way up I'll bet your lean at WOT. Changing jets will affect where you needle setting is too. With the right jet you wouldn't have to be where you are.

[roger86200x]

lol, dude I was lean just idling, and my WHOLE pipe up to the muffler was glowing CHERRY RED...all I did was move the needle position and POOF it was fixed, and I have NO more problems and it runs GREAT!

[83185s]

if that doesnt solve your probs then it could be a few others...out of time, incorrect plug, or too low of an octane...i learned that today in transportation systems! lol..although somehow its completely different with quads and trikes and stuff..thats for "small" engines...lawnmowers and what not..but you never know

[MTS]

as i said, search for carb tuning threds and you will know what you have to change ect ect...

[RyanRX7]

well I've messed with it and still no go. On this carb you can't adjust the needle, and it's not running lean because the condition still happens even if the choke is on. The pipe heats up within the first 3 seconds of it running, idle or not. Almost as soon as you start it, it's glowing. even before the engine gets hot. Any ideas???? I was thinking exhaust valve not sealing and allowing combustion into the exhaust. Runs good other then that, starts right up. The guy who owned it before me put like 2 quarts too much oil in it also. Thanks again

[bigredhead]

Easy enough to do.. have you re-adjusted the valves lately ?.. specially the exhause valve ?

what shape is your pipe in ? both bolts on the head ? any snapped ? check the pipe carefully for leaks ...

Does it idle high ? or normal ?

[RyanRX7]

I would say it idles normal, and I replaced the exhasut gasket thinking it was that. Havn't adjusted the valves though, do you think a simple valve adjustment could cause this??? Thought it would just run like crap. Thought it was a lean condition for a long time, but that plug is gettin black from me richening it up so much.

[bigredhead]

is it an original headpipe ? or aftermarket ?

[RyanRX7]

original headpipe

[Wickedfinger]

First off - what kind of machine are we talking about?. Its definitely a too lean condition, without a doubt, especially with the white plug check. I'm assuming its a thumper because I've never seen a 2-stroke that could run long enough that lean as to "light up" an expansion chamber. Secondly - if you didn't do anything at all in the way of intake or exhaust modifications - even an air filter change - then I would suspect some sort of mechanical break down that is letting too much air into your fuel charge, messing up the ratio. However, you didn't say if the machine was idling irratically (a sure sign of an intake tract leak -or - a bad head gasket). An exhaust leak would only possibly effect a 2-stroke (it just makes a 4-stroke louder - unless the leak is right at the cylinder head and huge, then definitely) and it would have to effect a 2-stroke in a way that it could negatively change the way the pipe sonically draws the charge and creates some sort of lean condition. But again, I'm assuming your ride is a thumper. Air temp and humidity do not tend to effect 4-strokes even remotely as much as it does 2-strokes, however, altitude does - but - unless you dropped in altitude, it wouldn't lean it out. Some sort of wacky fuel mix up could do it too I suspect - especially if you put some sort of "fuel de-icer" or water remover containing alcohol in it in an out or perportion way. I guess I need more information - especially since you said theres no needle adjustment - but I am heavily leaning twords an air leak somewhere.

[RyanRX7]

Doesn't idle funny, used to only idle with the choke on, but I've worked that out. It is a 4 stroke per the post title. The plug reading was whit that one time, I've since richened it up amd even tried running with the choke on and no matter what the pipe will heat up from dead cold to glowing in 5 seconds as soon as you start it up, and without reving the engine. The carb is of the vaccume variety where the slide and needle are attached to a diaphram that causes it to move up and down. I've cleaned the carb out very well and tried it with and without the air filter to see if there was a change, still glows. Runs pretty good, might have a slight valve tap but that's all. The plug was getting black last I looked.

[bigredhead]

what bike is it ? model make year.

[RyanRX7]

It's my 86 Kawasaki KLF300 that's giving me the trouble, I know it's not a trike but I needed some generic help and the quad section doesn't get much trafffic.

[Wickedfinger]

My bad on the missed title.

The carb is of the vaccume variety where the slide and needle are attached to a diaphram that causes it to move up and down.That may be the case, but there is still a jet needle in there with a clip. You have a slow/pilot jet and screw and a regular mainjet in the #130 range. There seems to be alot of funky "vacuum" type hoses on that engine - I'm wondering if you have a leak in one?. What I would do is re-zero everthing back to factory spec - i.e. get that pilot screw back to 1 1/4 turns, button up the airfilter and run it. I would then check for an intake leak first by spraying some (a little) starter fluid or WD-40 around the carb, intake boot and head and see if the engine starts to race or even rev a little. If it does, correct the issue and problem probably solved. If it dosent - I would then start to play with your jetting - the only thing is, these issues don't just start happening by themselves - unless: 1) again you modified the exhaust or intake in some way, 2) the machine has always done this since you've owned it, then it might have been "messed" with in regards to jetting, or 3) the chamber has developed an excessive amount of carbon build up and it has raised your compression ratio to a point that lower octane gas is leaning things out due to detonation or 4) something has failed of moved out of spec. mechanically.

[Wickedfinger]

I also forgot to mention that it very well could be a timing issue - however - in trouble-shooting, you always go fuel first, then electrics.