Popping, missing, help!
 

I just finished putting my bird back together, took it out, and it was running rough. It was in a heated garage for 4 months while repainting. It acts like it's starving for fuel. If you run the choke, it is a "little" better.....meaning it won't die, but still is very rough, coughing, missing, backfiring. Took the rear plug wire off, fired it up, and it ran the same without rear jug firing. I pulled the plug, checked for spark...was there, checked plug, looked good. Made sure the coil was grounding...check. Now....where do I go? I took it down the road, and every once in a while, whatever is holding it back would open up and she would lurch forward like she should, then bog down again and usually die, or I had to feather the throttle to keep it running. Doesn't have near the power it should. I guess at this point I am at a loss other than taking it to a garage.....which I don't want to do if I can help it. I am planning on doing the Honda Hoot this month, so really need to get her going soon. Also added carb cleaner and octane boost to try and get rid of the problem. Could the jets need cleaned even tho it was in a heated garage for that amount of time? Anyone have any other ideas?

(PVLIR) - Petcock Vacuum Line Inadvertent Relocation.

$20 says you hooked up the vacuum line to the bottom nipple of the petcock. It goes on the nipple towards the rear of the bike.

:shock:
LMAO...I hope it's that simple. I'll go try it now.
Thanks!

I think mine is doing the same thing is their a picture some where on how to hook up all of the hoses to the tank?

Well you owe me $20! That wasn't it.....ran worse....so, any other ideas?

Man this sounds like what my superbling did a short while back. I've been posting it in other threads: a sticking carb slide. See if one is stuck open. If they are fine, the petcock is next.

If it is a slide, then maybe it's an age thing now showing up.(?)

OK this may sound really stupid........when I take the lines off the tank and open the petcock, shouldn't gas come pouring out???

nope, the vacuum line need to pull to open it. check for cracks on the vacuum line, it need to be hooked to a vacuum source, this save you bike from hydro locking if a carb leaks. Check all the lines for proper connection.
Good luck

Well, HawkRider.....I bow down to you.....PVLIR....lmao
You WERE right.....I misunderstood the first time I read your post. I thought you meant I switched the vacuum and overflow(?) lines........but alas!!! I DID find the vacuum line was connected to the bottom nipple of the petcock, didn't see the back nipple with the tank angled up while still on the bike.....so my apologies. I now owe you $40 and a beer, should we ever run down the same road! Thanks HawkRider, and to all who replied.....now I gotta go rack some miles! :D

I just did the same thing last Friday and pushed my SH 3mies after taring it down alond side the road and still not seeing my error. Sometimes I just need to slow down...
:oops:

At least I'm not the first...obviously, if HawkRider has an acronym for it...:lol:
It is easily missed if you don't really pay attention. I tilted that tank up 5 or 6 times and swore everything was hooked up properly.....couldn't see the nipple behind the petcock...

You can pay me when I see you at the 2008 SHOG Rally at Deal's Gap. Make plans now or I'll come to your house looking for payment! :mrgreen:

Then what goes on the petcock nipple, then? Anything?

Nothing. It's a vent to atmosphere.

No kidding. Well, that explains alot. I just did the valve adjustments on my 03 Hawk (28,000 miles) and I was second-guessing every single thing that I did. I must have triple checked my cam sprocket position like three times. Unbelievable. Well at any rate. I'll try that when I get home. If you havn't figured, I'm new to the forum, I could not help but hear something about a big dragon get together. I hit up the dragon in '04 and I loved it! I would like to get more involved with the riders of this site and a few of the events.

Where then is the location of the petcock valve?

Ass end of the tank, underneath.
Not visible when tank is bolted down.
-R

So whats wrong when you take the hoses off with the petcock open and gas does come pouring out? That happened the last time I pulled the tank.

Sounds to me like the bladder on the inside of your petcock needs replaced.

Yeah... didnt even occur to me when it did that, and then read that line about hydro locking... not good. Thanks

+1 on rebuilding the unit, the carbs floats should stop the flow, but the vacuum line may suck some gas to the cylinder generating the vacuum, front if my memory serve me right.

well thats interesting, didnt occur to me. Thanks again.

The petcocks have a tendency to get stuck open after they get a few years old. I took mine apart, cleaned it, inpected it, and lubricated it with silicone. It still sticks. Now I always turn the petcock off when I remove the fuel lines.

But like it was stated earlier if the petcock sticks open and the carb doesnt completely shut off fuel flow for some reason, there is potential for fuel to overflow into the engine, correct?
I found when I forget to turn off the petcock on our dirt bikes and the carb needle valve doesnt shut off the flow, it just spills out the overflow. If that happens on the VTR would it just do the same?

Yes, and maybe, depending on a) if the float valve is sealing well, and b) the orientation of the vent hoses and if they are higher or lower than the intake boots. It's possible that you could fill a cylinder with fuel but I've not done the theory-to-practice on this one. :shock: