Re: John Dancoe's new(ish) e-mail address

["John Dancoe" <jdan@xxxxxxxx>]

Sorry for what was arguably spam...although it did include, if you look
closely enough, a reference to motorcycling and (by implication) my oilhead
which I've finally got out on the road this week.

Anyway, here's something really on-subject:

The bike is my '93 R1100RS. RS as is "Running Sh***y"

Last season it kept running worse and worse until I finally decided, "Maybe
it's that head gasket that's been seeping for the past 2-3 years". So I
replaced the head gasket and while I was at it did an almost-complete (and
overdue) major maintenance including valve adjust, new plugs (Bosch
2-electrode), and replacing the fuel filter (but not a TB synch, since at
that time I still didn't have a Twinmax. I'd been using a pair of vacuum
gages for the past few years, which weren't very good or easy to use, but
had at least allowed me to keep it running half-way decently). 

But after all that it still ran lousy. I chalked it up to poor TB settings,
but by then it was the end of the season.

I finally got a Twinmax and last Sunday I did the Lentini zero=zero
procedure. I also discovered a pebble wedged into the pully on the left TB,
which the cable to the right TB would have ramped-up on to and thus ensured
no possibility of off-idle synch. "Aha!" I thought, but after all that it
still it runs lousy. Thinking maybe the injectors were dirty, I dumped some
injector cleaner in the gas, but it hasn't had any noticeable effect yet
(that was 100+ miles ago). It's possible I got a bad batch of gas, but note
the problems extended over several tankfuls last season, and the filter has
been changed since then.

Here are the symptoms:

1. Doesn't want to idle. Bypass screws were pretty cruddy, so I cleaned
them and shot cleaner into their orifices, but it didn't seem to help. I've
backed them out ALL THE WAY and it barely makes a difference in idle speed.

2. Lots of backfiring, belching, missing and surge.

3. Down on power

4. Runs rough

5. Even harder to start than usual (it's ALWAYs been the worst-starting
bike I've ever had).

6. Note, this engine got a dose of diesel-contaminated gas a few years
back. At the time I drained the tank, replaced the filter, and put it back
in service, and it ran well for the next couple seasons.

The next thing I'm planning to check is the compression, just to make sure
I don't have a bad valve, and also check to make sure the sparks look fat.
No reason to assume ignition timing has changed, though I suppose it's
possible.

But I frankly assume the problem is the throttle bodies, which because they
are Bings means they were utterly [insert expletive adjective here]
worthlesss pieces of [insert expletive adjective here] [insert expletive
noun here] to start with, let alone with 70k miles on them. The intake
spigots do show evidence of leakage (i.e., accumulation of dirt/greasy
residue) indicating they are sucking air; so I'll probably end up replacing
them, and while doing that I'll tear down the TBs and just clean everything
up as well as I can. 

But maybe the [insert expletive adjective here] Bings are worn out; has
anyone found that happening at around 70k? I know the bushings eventually
go out and are all but impossible to repair. If that's the case, I'll be
looking for a pair of Dell Orto carbs, 'cause I'll be damned if I'm going
to buy anything made by Bing. Anybody know of a secondhand set or source
for new Dell Orto's? The bore is 36mm or so I think. 

I'll continue to work my way thru the diagnostic process but if anybody has
been willing to put up with my diatribe and thinks they've seen all this
before and knows what the silver bullet is, lemme know.

John Dancoe
jdan@xxxxxxxx

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