[steves]

I wouldn't worry about wiping out the airbox, but you might also have a stuck float.

[gnode]

I wouldn't worry about wiping out the airbox, but you might also have a stuck float.

Would that cause it to occasionally stay up at 2000-3000 RPM briefly? That happens after a hard ride when I slow down due to traffic or stop light. It will stay up around 2k. If I play with the clutch/throttle a little it will usually drop down back to 1k.

[05RedKat600]

Would that cause it to occasionally stay up at 2000-3000 RPM briefly? That happens after a hard ride when I slow down due to traffic or stop light. It will stay up around 2k. If I play with the clutch/throttle a little it will usually drop down back to 1k.

When was the last time you lubed the throttle cables? To me, this sounds more like a sticking throttle cable than a mis-adjusted float.

[steves]

Would that cause it to occasionally stay up at 2000-3000 RPM briefly? That happens after a hard ride when I slow down due to traffic or stop light. It will stay up around 2k. If I play with the clutch/throttle a little it will usually drop down back to 1k.

Vac leak, or dirty carbs can cause idle to hang. Also they probably need synchronized.

[gnode]

When was the last time you lubed the throttle cables? To me, this sounds more like a sticking throttle cable than a mis-adjusted float.

Probably never. How do I do that?

Vac leak, or dirty carbs can cause idle to hang. Also they probably need synchronized.

Where are key parts to look for for a vac leak on these? Other than the rubber between the carbs to engine and the airbox, I am not really seeing much in the way of vac lines.

I assume carb spray is fine for this? Tonight or tomorrow when I have it back together with the new spark plugs (replacing the battery too for good measure), cleaned out gas tank, fresh 87 with some stabil marine, changing oil because its time to...

I am guessing I should keep the side fairings off and spray around under the carbs, but other than that, not really sure.

[05RedKat600]

Where are key parts to look for for a vac leak on these? Other than the rubber between the carbs to engine and the airbox, I am not really seeing much in the way of vac lines.

I assume carb spray is fine for this? Tonight or tomorrow when I have it back together with the new spark plugs (replacing the battery too for good measure), cleaned out gas tank, fresh 87 with some stabil marine, changing oil because its time to...

I am guessing I should keep the side fairings off and spray around under the carbs, but other than that, not really sure.

You always want to check between the carbs and the motor, because that's where leaks really matter. Short, controlled bursts so you can pinpoint leaks, listen for the RPM's to change. You also want to check around the plugs that you use to connect a vacuum gauge to sync the carbs. Might be worth a squirt up by your petcock as well since there is a vacuum line there and it can leak.

Lubing cables? Gotta take the switchbox apart on the throttle side, disconnect the cables. I prefer to lube with WD-40 until it runs out the other end and penetrates better. Then follow up with some motor oil, preferably 5-30. The thinner the better. Squirt the WD-40 between the casing and the cable. They also make specialized tools for this that you can pick up at a bike shop that will basically pressure lube them. Your choice.

[steves]

no wd 40 for lubing cables. use 10-40 or a cable lube.

[spatula6554]

PB Blaster for cable lube?

[05RedKat600]

No, but it can be used to free them up. Follow up afterwards with a healthy dose of motor oil.

[gnode]

These steps seem to have remedied the problem:
1. New spark plugs
2. New battery. The old battery did not have the right kind of terminals and it was not flush with the bike's terminal connections!
3. Drained the gas tank and added 1.5 gallons of fresh 87 octane and 1-2 oz of marine stabil.
4. Changed the oil/filter and lubed the chain just because I already had the bike on the center stand and it was about time anyway.

Immediately, the it ran much better in the beginning. It really felt like it was firing on all cylinders. But it still needed quite a lot of choke in the beginning and it was still idling low, even though it was consistently smoother. Took it for a ride around the block to get the gas all mixed up well with the stabil and make sure some of that gas was in the carbs and once warmed up it idled ok, but still low.

Let it sit overnight. Took it to work this morning and about halfway through the ride, it started to idle in the 1500 range and I turned it back down to 1100 or so on the screw (finally getting it off of the max setting!).

Riding home from work, it consistently idles in the 1300-1400 range now even though the screw is no longer maxed.

One of the biggest differences is that it used to "run like ****" when warming up such that I had to keep the choke open quite a lot to get it to stay in the 2-3k range. Now if I start it with the choke that high it roars to life and I have to keep lowering it every few seconds to keep it down in the 2.5k range. Much better!