It's a ping! Or is it a knock?

[theLeopard]

I've got a ping or a knock, not sure which.

Put 5/30 (I already know lets not beat a dead horse changing it after class today) and rode to school, ~4000rpm's most of the ride, city crusing ~2500, about a 45minute ride.
Started it up at lunch, was dogging at like 2-300rpms, choke wasn't helping, could keep an idle with the choke in so I warmed it up to 800 and drove a few laps in the parking garage, idles fine now.
Auto parts store is less than a mile away from my school so i'll be doing that asap.

Now I've had some sneaking suspicious I might need to tear the engine apart (ie: call Randy and cry with my wallet) but i'm trying to get a rough estimate not only on severity but also understanding which noises and which and what those which noises mean.

[simi_ed]

Leopard, your carbs are still NFG.  You may be able to get away with some addative at this point, since it eventually sorts itself out.  Go to Walmart, go to the sporting goods section, where they have the BOAT PARTS.  Look for a small blue bottle of Startron addative.  It's about $9.60 + tax.  Add 1/2 bottle to a full tank then ride & cross your fingers!  Get another oil filter as well as your fresh 20-50 oil.

Of course Randy can fix your problems, but you may not be able to afford that option.  You need to hook up with either Moparman70 or CraigO.  One's in Lakeside, other is Oceanside.  Get an opinion from another FJ owner. Maybe your bike is making normal-ish noises and you're worried over nothing.  PM these fine folks & see who may be able to help you!

Ed

[racerrad8]

Add 1/2 bottle to a full tank then ride & cross your fingers!  .

Ed

No, no, no...

Only add the recommended ratio of additive to the volume of fuel you have in the tank. If you add too much, it lowers the octane significantly and engine damage can result...

Randy - RPM

[simi_ed]

Well, I try to learn something every day!  Thanks for the info.

Ed

[theLeopard]

I bought a bottle of this a few weeks ago, still have most of it.


On a rather sour update, I had problems changing the oil at oreilleys and decided to nurse it home on 5/30.
Ran pretty good, went 50mph @3000, for 30 miles then the oil plug fell out cause I was fiddling with it on an 18mm and cracked the seal without removing the plug.
Hit the killswitch as soon as the light ticked but had to jumpstart it when I put fresh oil in and the idle is a bit rough.
Still having problems with my choke, doesn't seem to be opening up. Got a lot of inspections to do.

OOC, why are you guys still concerned over the carbs? I'm not saying you're wrong, but the bike was running good yesterday aside from the faint ping/tick/knock/whatever that developed.
And by rough idle, today, I mean it idles ~1000rpm when warm and floats up-and-down 50rpm in neutral.
Another thing worth mentioning is the throttle seems to drag until I hit 1500rpm, like it's not getting enough fuel (i'm figuring the pistons are sticky), then jumps to damn-near 2500rpm once it cracks 1500.

[andyb]

So it runs well, except that it doesn't run well, and you're gonna fix that with a can of something that you run through the fuel system.

You fuckwit.

[simi_ed]

Hold it a second, Andy.  I think that it's worth a try to run SeaFoam or Startron to maybe clear out a partial clog on a pilot jet.  It seems pretty obvious that Leopard cannot get a handle on this the way others may, but add a can of xxxx may help him out.  I know I am not above trying that to see if it saves me from a carb R&R, espeicially when I ran the OEM airbox.

OK Leopard, let's get this clear(er):  Your pistons are not "sticky".  They'll etiher STICK or their fine.  Stick means it WILL NOT TURN OVER, or RUN.  The symptoms that you're describing are EXACTLY what clogged pilot jets do.  Did you ever read the primer on carb operation?  The pilot jets control fuel flow from just off-idle to about 1/2 throttle, with decreasing influence above about 1/4 throttle.  1 clogged pilot will run real shitty until you hit about 2K, then the needle starts to work overriding the clogged pilot, so it feels like another cylinder cuts in, or as you put it "the throttle seems to drag until I hit 1500rpm, like it's not getting enough fuel (i'm figuring the pistons are sticky), then jumps to damn-near 2500rpm once it cracks 1500."

Are you getting it yet?  these old bike are DEMANDING about a clean set of carbs.  This doesn't mean clean like you cleaned your mother's house, it means "CLEAN" like an Operating Room.  Clean pilot jets, clean emulsion tubes, clean fuel passages, and then proper fuel/float levels.  

Otherwise, we keep doing this dance where you complain about your bike running shitty, we tell you to clean the carbs, Andy calls you a fuckwit, and we start over.

Read this http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=655.0  Learn how, because you'll get tired of paying someone else to do this!
Clean your carbs!!!  Get it?  

Are you serious about the drain plug falling out and running out of oil?  Maybe you should just find a real mechanic and drop the bike off.  Tell him what's wrong, ask how much, and start making money to get your bike fixed!  Most engines will not survive running out of oil, so maybe you have 'sticky pistons' after all ...

Ed

[ribbert]

....... throttle seems to drag until I hit 1500rpm, like it's not getting enough fuel (i'm figuring the pistons are sticky), then jumps to damn-near 2500rpm once it cracks 1500.

If you are doing this is in neutral with a light throttle, it is normal. The advance curve causes this. If the symptom is present with a healthy dose of throttle it may be something else.

You shouldn't be running the FJ under load at below 2000rpm anyway.

(i'm figuring the pistons are sticky)

My dislike for sarcasm prevents me from commenting on this, but should you be working on your own bike? If not, that's fine, not every one is cut out for it. You need a little more than necessity, poverty and enthusiasm to work on machinery. This comment demonstrates a serious lack of basic understanding.

We will give you all the help you need but there is little point if you don't understand it.

Noel (Forum wet blanket)

[theLeopard]

alright lets talk like men here.

no, I don't think a can of seafoam is going to magically fix the bike. I only brought it up because someone said my carbs are still broken and they're fine. I already cleaned them, and after that I cleaned them with seafoam, and after that I put some STP in the tank. the carbs are as clean as my freshlywashed ass.

moving forward, the bike wont fucking start so i'm considering saving some money and just buying a Louisville because i'm fed up.
my commute takes 17hours a day right now on the bus, i'm exhausted, my budget is stretched, rent is due next month, and I have NO FUCKING CLUE what the fuck is wrong.
I can't even get it to start with a push this morning, which is BULLSHIT because I pushstarted it yesterday easy, and when it was warm it fired up twice from the starter.

and I already know my limitations dude.
I've already volunteered I'm new at troubleshooting but to outright state I can't understand a manual and/or 3rd party advice? with due respect, piss off.
if I had a garage and all the tools I would tear it apart to the frame; it takes a lot more than money, luxury, and enthusiasm to fix a bike yourself.

[ribbert]

OK, so you can fix it yourself, excellent. Maybe you need a bit of help with the diagnosing. Some of these things are very difficult to home in on over the net. If you take everyones advice you end up jumping through all sorts of hoops.
Noel

[theLeopard]

Thanks for the frank advice, and not taking offense. You're the best kind of friend to have don't get all mushy on me 
I'll be taking out a student loan to cover my rent and this project so I need to get this right the first time.

Let's start with what's necessary: bike won't start.

When was the last time you got it start? 1 day ago.
What changed? My oil plug fell out and my oilpan emptied.
What's wrong? Starter wont turnover the engine (starter fires), and I can't get a pushstart when the bike is cold.
What else should I know? I got a pushstart yesterday, after I installed a new plug and put proper oil in the tank. Ran good when warm, lots of little quirks but no major problems.
Anything else? I drove the bike 60miles on 5/30 oil. Had trouble starting it after the 30mile trip. Had trouble starting it with 20/50 oil after the second 30mile return-trip. Exhibited zero starting-problems before I put 5/30 oil in the pan.

[theLeopard]

So it runs well, except that it doesn't run well, and you're gonna fix that with [magic].

You fuckwit.

100% accurate. 

[theLeopard]

Temperature is ~85degrees out, tried a cold start for kicks.
Fired right up.
Wouldn't start this morning in the cold, moist air.

It's a tick. Sounds like a stopwatch. ~4ticks/second idling in neutral. Eminating from the portion of the block underneath the valves.
Idle sits @1000rpm, nearly tuned (slight wandering).
Gonna pull the tank off, not getting anything at all from my choke. Might explain why it wont start. Will report results.

edit: missing the lead screw to the choke post on the carb. will fix and report results.

[theLeopard]

Alright, I was manually depressing the choke in the mornings and that worked.
Just installed a new screw and the choke works with the knob now, progress has been made.

Still getting that ticking sound from what sounds like my pistons.
Guy said it was the cam-chain, Randy said it's probably the starter chain, tossing it up here for your pondering spirits.

Oh, and one more thing: the clutch. Thinking about bleeding out the clutch to tighten up the handle but I'm still getting full compression with the lever sos I was wondering if bleeding is necessary or even helpful (since the clutch lever gets full compression).

[Arnie]

Your clutch lever is working against a number of springs,
There's the spring in the slave and the clutch spring and the spring in the clutch master.
When you pull the lever to the bar you're acting against all these springs.
If there is "some" air in the system, that will act as another spring.
So what you're calling "full compression" doesn't tell us anything, and it is doubtful that you'll be able to tell the difference as long as the amount of air in the system is not excessive.

Bleed the clutch!  Once all the air is definitely out, and there are no more bubbles (redundant), we can try to help you if you still have a problem with your clutch.